Blog post

IAVA Daily 04.29.09
Posted by Michelle McCarthy on April 29

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings at IAVA.

MUST READS

(1) U.S. Sets Fight in the Poppies to Halt Taliban Cash Flow

U.S. military commanders are preparing to send 20,000 Marines and soldiers into Afghanistan's Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul Provinces this summer in an effort to cut off the Taliban’s main source of money, the country’s multimillion-dollar opium crop. According to U.S. estimates, the opium trade now makes up nearly 60 percent of Afghanistan’s gross domestic product. Through extortion and taxation, the Taliban reap an estimated $300 million a year from the opium trade, which now makes up 90 percent of the world’s total. As U.S. troops push into the provinces, however, commanders are worried the prospect of heavy fighting in the populated area could further alienate the Afghan population. Additionally, they worry that in their effort to cut production, shortages could drive up prices and minimally dent the Taliban’s profits. Click here to view recent images of U.S. troops patrolling and defending poppy fields against the Taliban.

(2) Statement: KBR Faces Wrongful Death, Toxic Exposure Claims Over Iraq and Afghanistan Burn Pits

Nine new lawsuits were filed Tuesday and Wednesday against military contractor KBR, Inc., alleging the company jeopardized the health and safety of American soldiers and contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan by burning vast quantities of unsorted waste in enormous open-air burn pits with no safety controls. The lawsuits were filed in state courts in Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, and Wyoming by the Burke O'Neil LLC law firm and co-counsel on behalf of 21 current and former military personnel, private contractors, and the families of men who allegedly died as a result of exposure to toxic emissions from KBR burn pits. In a statement released Tuesday, Attorney Elizabeth Burke said, "The hazards of operating large open air burn pits were well known. KBR showed an utter disregard for the safety of the troops when they chose to use open air burn pits and failed to use incinerators and other safer methods of waste disposal." Read more about the plaintiffs here.

AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan's Taliban insurgents announced new operation against international troops on Tuesday ahead of a surge of thousands of extra U.S. soldiers in coming weeks. Dubbed "Operation Nasrat" (Victory), the new plan includes targeting Afghan officials and international diplomats with a wave of suicide bombings and attacks. "Now that America and NATO intend to send more troops to Afghanistan, the Afghans also feel the need for a more speedy and strong operation to defend themselves and the freedom of their country," Taliban leaders said in a statement. The Taliban announcement followed confirmation U.S. troops and Afghan forces killed 32 militants early Wednesday in clashes in Uruzgan and Helmand provinces in southern Afghanistan.

Across the broder, the Pakistani military claimed Wednesday it has reasserted control of Daggar, a key town in Buner Valley just 60 miles from Islamabad that was overrun by hundreds of Taliban militants last week. Military officials claimed 50 militants were killed in the fighting, which included the deployment of fighter jets and helicopter gunships. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officials also said Pakistan has agreed to move 6,000 troops from its Indian border to fight militants on its western border with Afghanistan.

Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Igor Chudinov denied Wednesday that his government is not in talks with Washington on the possibility of allowing U.S. forces to remain at Manas air base which provides support for military operations in Afghanistan. The denial came a day after Pentagon officials reported progress in negotiations on maintaining a U.S. presense at the base. “There was not, and is not, any order and authorization for any government official to conduct such negotiations,” Chudinov told reporters.

IRAQ

Iraqi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said Tuesday the government was certain an insurgent arrested on April 23rd was Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the head of the al-Qaida front group Islamic State of Iraq. Officials showed the picture of a bearded man with short hair and downcast eyes, wearing a black T-shirt on Iraqi television. The government offered no other proof of identity, saying investigators are trying to glean more information from the detainee. The U.S. military said it is working separately to verify if the detainee is the al-Qaeda operative.

Meanwhile, Kuwait's Public Authority for Compensation Kaled al-Muhaf announced Tuesday that Iraq still owes Kuwait $25.5 billion in war reparations for the 1990 occupation of the oil-rich emirate by Saddam Hussein's forces. The compensation claims, approved by the United Nations, have yet to be paid by Baghdad.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

The Department of Veterans Affairs created a website on Tuesday to disseminate information to the veterans' community about swine flu symptoms and preventing transmission of the infection. Separately, officials at Fort Riley in Kansas announced Tuesday that they are taking steps to assist soldiers, families and veterans who may display symptoms of swine flu. The base has created a hot line at Irwin Army Community Hospital to increase its surveillance after the Department of Homeland Security declared a public health emergency on Sunday. In the medical community, Fort Riley is considered by some as the epicenter of a 1918-19 flu pandemic that killed millions world wide.

INSIDE WASHINGTON

A budget agreement reached Monday night by House and Senate negotiators opened the door for the top priority of veterans’ organizations, providing money for veterans’ health care one year in advance. The agreement includes a provision preventing a point of order being raised against legislation to provide a 2011 VA health funding bill this year. In addition to advance funding, the agreement leaves open the chance for Congress to approve allowing both disabled military retirees and the surviving spouses of deceased disabled retirees to receive any earned military and veterans benefits without requiring offsets in payments. Overall, the 2010 budget proposal includes $606 billion for the Defense Department and $106.5 billion for the Veterans Affairs Department.

As lawmakers continue to debate budget details, President Obama marks his 100th day in office on Wednesday. Click here to read a statement from IAVA and review policies implemented that concern his commitment to the veterans' community.

CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE

THE SENATE

The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m.

FUTURE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST

April 29, 2009 - SVAC will hold a hearing on pending benefits legislation. The legislation to be considered will cover a number of subject areas: C&P, VR&E, insurance, USERRA, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, automotive and adaptive equipment grants, outreach (both from the Department as well as all three administrations), cemetery construction, and burial allowances and related benefits. 9:30 a.m.; 562 Dirksen (Ballenger)
April 29, 2009 - The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on Wounded Warrior issues. Roger Dimsdale, Executive Director, VA/DoD Collaboration, Office of Policy and Planning, will testify for VA. 2:30 p.m.; Location: TBD (Prudhomme)
May 7, 2009 - Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, hearing on the VA Fiscal Year 2010 Budget. Secretary Shinseki will be invited to testify. 2:30 p.m.; Location: TBD (Lukas)May 21, 2009 SVAC will mark-up pending legislation. 9:30 a.m.; 418 Russell (Ballenger)

THE HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES

The House will convene at 10:00 a.m.

FUTURE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST

April 30, 2009 - House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health hearing: Charting the VA’s Progress on Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Our Veterans: Discussion of Funding, Mental Health Strategies Plan, and the Uniform Mental Health Services Handbook 10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon
May 13, 2009 - House Appropriations, Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, will hold a hearing on the VA Fiscal Year 2010 Budget. Secretary Shinseki will be invited to testify. 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Location TBD (Lukas) [date changed from April 28, 2009]

WHAT THE BLOGS ARE SAYING

Blog: This Ain't Hell

Title: The Milblog post wherein I talk too much

Date: Tuesday, April 28th

Representative: IAVA