Blog post

IAVA Daily Brief 5.7.10
Posted by Blake Henderson on May 7 2010

MUST READS

1) Washington focuses on the war in Afghanistan
 
While Vice President Biden is on a European swing discussing Afghanistan with NATO allies, President Obama assembled his National Security Team on Thursday to talk AfPak strategy. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is expected to visit the White House next Wednesday.
 
2) VA letter addresses burn pits, other hazards
 
A new 30-page Veterans Affairs Department training letter outlines a new policy for VA regional offices to use in determining benefits for veterans who have been exposed to environmental hazards, including burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
3) Too few Afghans to take control in Marjah
 
Not nearly enough trained Afghans are available to take control of key Taliban strongholds like Marjah after the military has pushed out the enemy, U.S. officials told a Senate panel on Thursday.  The lack of competent local officials in southern Afghanistan could frustrate Washington's aims in the region, and keep the U.S. on the hook - financially and militarily - for several years to come. President Obama has pledged that American forces will begin their exit next year.
 
AFGHANISTAN

• An Afghan-international security force captured a Taliban commander in Kandahar province.
• Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for US-led foreign troops to coordinate more closely with the Afghan military on operations, just days ahead of a key trip to Washington with many cabinet members. This trip is partially intended to remake Karzai's image into that of a "credible partner".
• In recent weeks, Afghan police have arrested 16 people who were plotting suicide and rocket attacks in the capital and are hunting for other suspects.  Officials hailed the arrests as a sign that the ability of police to uncover such plots is improving and bringing more stability to the country.

IRAQ

• The Sunni-backed alliance that got the most votes in Iraq's election warned against the rise of sectarian politics after two religious Shiite blocs joined together to try to form a government.
• The mysterious string of assassinations and attempted killings of prominent Iraqis, have the country harking back to the bad days of Iraq's sectarian and political violence.
• In a Baghdad cinema, Iraqis celebrated the return of Iraqi culture at the premiere of "Son of Babylon," a tale of a boy and his grandmother searching for the link that binds them in the tumult of Iraq weeks after Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

• In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated the Friday before Mother's Day as Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Since then, the nation has acknowledged the value of what often can seem to be a thankless role.
• Starting July 1st, servicemembers who insure their families with SGLI will have reduced out-of-pocket expenses.
• After listening to servicemembers and their families about the rigid bureaucracy at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates is bringing in a retired Marine as chief of personnel.
• Air Force Staff Sergeant and EOD Tech Owen Duff broke the world record for running one mile in a full, 80-pound bomb suit.  He did it in 9 minutes and 22 seconds.

INSIDE WASHINGTON

• House lawmakers are renewing an effort to give inactive reservists who have had at least one deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan special access to mental health services.
• KBR gets a no-bid Iraq contract from the Army hours after the DOJ announced they would be filing a lawsuit against KBR for receiving alleged kickbacks on previous Iraq-related work.
• In a Senate subcommittee hearing last week on military compensation, experts called for Congress to end its 12-year run of voting for annual military pay raises that exceed wage growth in the private sector.

A wide-range of views, positions, and publications are represented in these articles. These views, positions and publications are not endorsed by nor do they necessarily represent the views of IAVA.

  Share:
 del.icio.us  digg  reddit  facebook  newsvine myspace twitter