20,000 tons weapons destroyed

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:18 pm

an update for those that don't have access to military news

20,000 tons of weapons, munitions destroyed
By Staff Sgt. Kevin Bromley
December 21, 2005

TAJI, Iraq (Army News Service, Dec. 21, 2005) – U.S. troops destroyed nearly 20 thousand tons of weapons and munitions Dec. 16, signaling the end of a year-long project to rid the Saddam regime-era ammunition dump of its deadly stores.

The ammunition dump, known as Area Echo, located north of Baghdad housed tons of ordnance stockpiled by Saddam Hussein's military. The area contained everything from small-caliber ammunition, mortars, and artillery shells to larger weapons such as 1,000 pound bombs, and surface-to-air missiles.

Sgt. 1st Class Neil Morrison, and Spc. Joshua Peltz, of the 710th Ordnance Company helped prepare the munitions for destruction.

"Each of the bombs contains almost 450 pounds of explosive material," said Morrison. "We don't usually get to detonate aircraft bombs…we don’t get to blow up this much material very often."

Morrison and Peltz prepared the bombs by placing plastic explosives and blasting caps in each one.

"We use three to four times the amount of explosives normally used in the fuses to detonate these bombs," said Morrison. "We want to make sure it functions."

3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division were tasked with the management of Area Echo and worked diligently with contractors and explosives ordnance disposal teams to clear the compound of all munitions.

"Coalition forces started clearing Taji around May 2003," said Capt. Eric Swenson, assistant brigade engineer.

New jobs for Iraqis

Once the munitions are deactivated, the empty casings are de-milled by a contracting company. The de-milling operation gives jobs to local workers and infuses much-needed revenue back into the local economy.

"We have a contractor that cuts the empty casings up and sells the scrap metal," said Swenson. "The sale of scrap pays for the contractor's operation and the salaries of the local citizens they employ."

Swenson estimated that nearly 20,000 tons of munitions had been destroyed in Area Echo and the removal these munitions was a significant task that added to the safety of coalition forces and the Iraqi people.

"It means that insurgents can't use the materials for building bombs and the Iraqi government can re-use the land for other purposes," he said.

(Editor’s note; Staff Sgt. Kevin Bromley serves with 3/1 AD PAO.)

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:21 pm

another good story of how we are rebuilding Iraq

Army Engineers, Iraqis rebuild Umm Qasr Port
By Suzanne M. Fournier
December 21, 2005

BASE CAMP ADDER, Iraq (Army News Service, Dec. 21, 2005) – With help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Iraqi seaport of Umm Qasr is closing in on final certification to become fully operational as an international transfer point for shipping goods.

For Iraq to be a competitor in the global market place, the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code certification is necessary. Certification requires port facilities to have security assessments, security plans, trained security staffs, security drills, coast guardsmen, and communication links to ships.

A coast guard forward operating base, security operation center, electrical upgrades, and perimeter security fencing at Iraq’s main seaport of Umm Qasr are some of the vital construction projects that will benefit the future of international trade with Iraq.

Across the waterway from Umm Qasr Port, lines of cranes loom over the docks as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construct an Iraqi coast guard forward operating base. With the help of dozens of local Iraqi construction workers the coast guard base construction is moving the seaport closer to ISPS certification.

Engineers build security measures

U.S. Army engineers are systematically building the port’s security management components by constructing a perimeter chain-link fence, secured points of entry, perimeter access roads and lighting, telecommunication conduits, observation posts, and truck staging areas. These security upgrades are essential security structures in order for Umm Qasr Port to maintain and operate a secure port facility. The perimeter fencing will also connect the previously separated North and South Ports for greater efficiency and security.

The security projects at Umm Qasr Port are constructed with funds from the Iraqi Reconstruction and Relief Fund under management of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Reconstruction projects continue to help Iraq to be self-sustaining.

Final ISPS certification of Umm Qasr will encourage foreign trade, increase local employment, and generate revenue to invest in Iraq’s economic prosperity.

(Editor’s note; Suzanne M. Fournier serves with the Gulf Region Southern District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.)

bozbobcat · Post by **bozbobcat** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:24 pm

There might be a better perception of the war in Iraq if this kind of news was posted outside of just military sources. It would certainly help President Bush in convincing a divided nation for support.

BWahlberg · Post by **BWahlberg** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:55 pm

Try this on for size

80%

- The percentage of Iraqi citizens that want the US out of their county.

CelticCat · Post by **CelticCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:00 am

Re/Max Griz wrote:Try this on for size

80%

- The percentage of Iraqi citizens that want the US out of their county.

But so many went and voted for the new government!

longhorn_22 · Post by **longhorn_22** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:10 am

Re/Max Griz wrote:Try this on for size

80%

- The percentage of Iraqi citizens that want the US out of their county.

Thats 80% of the people that the Iraqi government has told to think that.

Hell's Bells · Post by **Hell's Bells** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:55 am

Re/Max Griz wrote:Try this on for size

80%

- The percentage of Iraqi citizens that want the US out of their county.

is that the poll number that the trator senitor states whenever he speaks? it is contrary to what i have been seeing about our approvial numbers with iraqui citizens. of course they would want us out...only after we take care of setting up their nation

better poll numbers to cite:

% of iraquis approving of the effort of the terrorists
% of iraquis who think we are doing a good job

'93HonoluluCat · Post by **'93HonoluluCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:38 am

Re/Max Griz wrote:Try this on for size

80%

- The percentage of Iraqi citizens that want the US out of their county.

According to whom?

How was the poll conducted? How many people were polled? From what region(s) were they polled?

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:13 am

80%...sounds reasonable to me. If you wanted to be a sovereign nation, you would want the US coalition out as well, would you not?

Just a thought.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:35 am

80% is probably about the same % of Americans who wanted the French out of the U.S. after they helped us win the Revolutionary War. Nobody wants to be occupied ... strange to think that anybody would think otherwise.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:29 am

I have a general question about the munitions that were destroyed. Why? Isn't the post-U.S. occupied Iraq going to need weapons to protect itself from other countries? Were those weapons obsolete or scrapped? Are we going to pay for all of the new weapons that Iraq has? Without a strong military of their own, won't Iran just roll right over them (or is that what we are hoping, so we can fight a war against Iran as well?). Or are we assuming that since the Shiites appear to be in control of the country going forward, that we have already given the country over to Iran ... that we've managed to convert a (brutally run) secular country into a radical theocracy allied with arguably the craziest leaders in the world (apologies to North Korea)?

I'm asking these questions seriously, and not so much rhetorically. The whole weapons destruction just got me thinking about what the plans are for this country going forward, and why we assume that only insurgents would use the weapons when there seems to be a need to arm the government itself.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:30 am

longhorn_22 wrote:
Re/Max Griz wrote:Try this on for size

80%

- The percentage of Iraqi citizens that want the US out of their county.
Thats 80% of the people that the Iraqi government has told to think that.

We run the Iraqi government, and we pay to place pro-American articles in their newspapers. If anyone is telling people how to think, we're the ones trying. Unfortunately, the harder we try, the less they like us ... which is to be expected.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:32 am

Hell's Bells wrote:
Re/Max Griz wrote:Try this on for size

80%

- The percentage of Iraqi citizens that want the US out of their county.
is that the poll number that the trator senitor states whenever he speaks? it is contrary to what i have been seeing about our approvial numbers with iraqui citizens. of course they would want us out...only after we take care of setting up their nation

better poll numbers to cite:

% of iraquis approving of the effort of the terrorists
% of iraquis who think we are doing a good job

Who/what is the "trator senitor?"

Ponycat · Post by **Ponycat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:05 am

This is one of those mass emails so I didn't check the facts but thought it was interesting.

Did you know that 47 countries have reestablished
their embassies in Iraq?

Did you know that the Iraqi government currently
employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?

Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated,
364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are
now under construction and 38 new schools have been
built in Iraq?

Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure
consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges
and 4 research centers, all currently operating?

Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the
United States in January 2005 for the re-established
Fulbright program?

Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational?! They
have 5- 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and
a naval infantry regiment.

Did you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three
operational squadrons, which includes 9 reconnaissance
and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi
operational control) which operate day and night, and
will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 Bell Jet
Rangers?

Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit
and a Commando Battalion?

Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over
55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?

Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq
that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?

Did you know there are more than 1100 building
projects going on in Iraq? They include 364 schools,
67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations,
22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69
electrical facilities.

Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age
of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio
vaccinations?

Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were
enrolled in primary school by mid October?

Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone
subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?

Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that
consists of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10
television stations?

Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in
June of 2004?

Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi
presidential election had a televised debate recently?

The above facts are verifiable on Department of
Defense web sites.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:17 am

Ponycat: You know I have to say it ... the end of the email notes that the facts are verifiable via the Department of Defense website, which is the same organization that is/was paying Iraqi newspapers to print pro-America articles written by the Department of Defense. I hope everything on that list is true and that Iraq continues to develop into a functioning country, but the source has some credibility/propoganda issues that make it hard to accept all the good news at face value.

'93HonoluluCat · Post by **'93HonoluluCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:26 am

Bay Area Cat wrote:Ponycat: You know I have to say it ... the end of the email notes that the facts are verifiable via the Department of Defense website, which is the same organization that is/was paying Iraqi newspapers to print pro-America articles written by the Department of Defense. I hope everything on that list is true and that Iraq continues to develop into a functioning country, but the source has some credibility/propoganda issues that make it hard to accept all the good news at face value.

Well, I guess that means we'll have to see if the NY Times has written an article on the "good news" from Iraq, because the NYT would never hire anyone that made up stories...

oh, wait...umm....

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:30 am

'93HonoluluCat wrote:
Bay Area Cat wrote:Ponycat: You know I have to say it ... the end of the email notes that the facts are verifiable via the Department of Defense website, which is the same organization that is/was paying Iraqi newspapers to print pro-America articles written by the Department of Defense. I hope everything on that list is true and that Iraq continues to develop into a functioning country, but the source has some credibility/propoganda issues that make it hard to accept all the good news at face value.
Well, I guess that means we'll have to see if the NY Times has written an article on the "good news" from Iraq, because the NYT would never hire anyone that made up stories...

oh, wait...umm....

That's true ... the NYT and Judith Miller were key tools in getting us to Iraq in the first place with the bogus WMD stories.

Maybe some journalism that's not spoon fed by the administration and actually involves independent research would be the ideal source. That's setting the bar pretty high for our current media structure, however.

Ponycat · Post by **Ponycat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:44 pm

Bay Area Cat wrote:80% is probably about the same % of Americans who wanted the French out of the U.S. after they helped us win the Revolutionary War. Nobody wants to be occupied ... strange to think that anybody would think otherwise.

Wasn't France occupied by Pepsi for like nine months during the Cola Wars???

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:46 pm

Ponycat wrote:
Bay Area Cat wrote:80% is probably about the same % of Americans who wanted the French out of the U.S. after they helped us win the Revolutionary War. Nobody wants to be occupied ... strange to think that anybody would think otherwise.
Wasn't France occupied by Pepsi for like nine months during the Cola Wars???

Viva la Pepsi!

BWahlberg · Post by **BWahlberg** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:19 am

OK,

Sorry it took me so long to get back on this. I heard that stat on Ed Schultz' show and he was referencing John Murtha;

Our troops have become the primary target of the insurgency. They are united against U.S. forces and we have become a catalyst for violence. U.S. troops are the common enemy of the Sunnis, Saddamists and foreign jihadists. I believe with a U.S. troop redeployment, the Iraqi security forces will be incentivized to take control. A poll recently conducted shows that over 80% of Iraqis are strongly opposed to the presence of coalition troops, and about 45% of the Iraqi population believe attacks against American troops are justified. I believe we need to turn Iraq over to the Iraqis.

Got that from this site http://www.politicalgateway.com/news/read.html?id=5393