| From The Editor February 12, 2007 |
Rock Stars of BaghdadThere is a low buzz on the horizon, somewhere behind the buildings surrounding the tiny FOB, insectile at first, barely audible, but quickly rising on the morning breeze. At first note, you might think that it was a lawn mower, albeit one running at very high RPM, as if fueled by some lethal nitro-methane mixture. The high tone rises steadily, fades for a moment, then soars back again, higher now, faster, and that's when we start to move outdoors, coffee cans and cigarettes in our hand, eager for the morning show. We cluster on the sandbagged patio in front of the dilapidated barracks, necks craning skyward, heads turning, looking and listening for their approach, figures around us stopped and frozen for a second on top and clustered around their HMMWVs, everybody eager The sound fades again for a second -- they must be behind another building -- and then increases expectantly, louder now, and I feel the anticipation in the noise, like the sound of an huge audience applauding before a show, and WROOOOOOOMMMM!!!, the tiny helicopters burst upon the stage above us, a roar and a black flash of motion 50 feet above our heads, and they're past, instantly, the sound quickly fading with the sudden doppler effect of something very loud, moving very fast.Full Story Gary Jackson |
 |
| QUOTE OF THE WEEK |
| "Every good citizen makes his country's honor his own, and cherishes it not only as precious but as sacred. He is willing to risk his life in its defense and its conscious that he gains protection while he gives it. " Andrew Jackson |
| PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES, EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS |
Warlord or Druglord?For a week and a half in April 2005, one of the favorite warlords of fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar was sitting in a room at the Embassy Suites Hotel in lower Manhattan, not far from where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center once stood. But Haji Bashar Noorzai, the burly, bearded leader of one of Afghanistan's largest and most troublesome tribes, was not on a mission to case New York City for a terrorist attack. On the contrary, Noorzai, a confidant of the fugitive Taliban overlord, who is a well-known ally of Osama bin Laden's, says he had been invited to Manhattan to prove that he could be of value in America's war on terrorism. "I did not want to be considered an enemy of the United States," Noorzai told TIME. "I wanted to help the Americans and to help the new government in Afghanistan."For several days he hunkered down in that hotel room and was bombarded with questions by U.S. government agents. What was going on in the war in Afghanistan? Where was Mullah Omar? Where was bin Laden? What was the state of opium and heroin production in the tribal lands Noorzai commanded--the very region of Afghanistan where support for the Taliban remains strongest? Noorzai believed he had answered everything to the agents' satisfaction, that he had convinced them that he could help counter the Taliban's resurgent influence in his home province and that he could be an asset to the U.S. Full Story Blowup? America's Hidden War With IranJalal Sharafi was carrying a videogame, a gift for his daughter, when he found himself surrounded. On that chilly Sunday morning, the second secretary at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad had driven himself to the commercial district of Arasat Hindi to checkout the site for a new Iranian bank. He had ducked into a nearby electronics store with his bodyguards, and as they emerged four armored cars roared up and disgorged at least 20 gunmen wearing bulletproof vests and Iraqi National Guard uniforms. They flashed official IDs, and manhandled Sharafi into one car. Iraqi police gave chase, guns blazing. They shot up one of the other vehicles, capturing four assailants who by late last week had yet to be publicly identified. Sharafi and the others disappeared. At the embassy, the diplomat's colleagues were furious. "This was a group directly under American supervision," said one distraught Iranian official, who was not authorized to speak on the record. Abdul Karim Inizi, a former Iraqi Security minister close to the Iranians, pointed the finger at an Iraqi black-ops unit based out at the Baghdad airport, who answer to American Special Forces officers. "It's plausible," says a senior Coalition adviser who is also not authorized to speak on the record. The unit does exist - and does specialize in snatch operations. Full Story Legitimacy Was Step OneI learned as a tactical battalion commander in Baghdad's Amiriyah district last year that government legitimacy was exponentially more important than the number of coalition and Iraqi army forces patrolling the streets, the number of coalition advisers with Iraqi army and police units, or money spent improving services. Indeed, legitimacy of the government of Iraq as seen through the eyes of all Iraqis -- Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds -- is the necessary condition for peace based on reconciliation.In Amiriyah we were neither winning nor losing; we were in stasis. Between August and November last year, I substantially increased the number of combined American and Iraqi army patrols there and the capacity of the American adviser team that worked with a local Iraqi army battalion. Still, the deadlock did not break. Amiriyah is one of the few districts in Baghdad that is almost completely Sunni. It was built in the early 1970s as a residential area for lawyers, doctors, engineers and members of the Baathist elite. When Saddam Hussein's regime fell in 2003, Amiriyah's affluent residents had the most to lose, and partly because of its long-standing tribal ties to Anbar province, Amiriyah gradually became Baghdad's Sunni insurgent headquarters. Full Story |
| BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
Gen.: No New Tactics in Copter AttacksThere is no basis for believing that insurgents' recent success in shooting down U.S. helicopters in Iraq means they have developed new attack methods or discovered new U.S. vulnerabilities, the Army's vice chief of staff said Saturday. "I see no change in trends" on the part of the insurgent's targeting efforts, "and I see no capability gaps" on the part of U.S. forces, Gen. Richard Cody said in an interview en route to this air base north of Kabul, Afghanistan's capital. Cody said all U.S. helicopters in Iraq recently received upgraded defensive systems to protect them against known threats like anti-aircraft missiles, although he acknowledged that helicopters on combat missions face inherent dangers, including small arms fire if they fly low to avoid being targeted by missiles.Full Story Army Aviator to be Awarded Medal of HonorThe White House announced today that President Bush will present the Medal of Honor to Bruce P. Crandall in recognition of his actions at Landing Zone X-Ray during the Battle of Ia Drang, Vietnam, in November 1965. Crandall will receive the medal during a Feb. 26 White House ceremony for repeatedly flying into a landing zone under intense enemy fire to rescue and resupply 1st Cavalry ground troops - even after the LZ had been closed. "Due to policy at the time, medevac pilots weren't allowed to land on a landing zone until it was 'green' for a period of five minutes, meaning it wasn't being relentlessly attacked," Crandall said.Full Story Gates Considering Next Steps in IraqDefense Secretary Robert Gates asserted Tuesday the increase in U.S. forces in Iraq is "not the last chance" to succeed and conceded he's considering what steps to take if the buildup doesn't work. "I would be irresponsible if I weren't thinking about what the alternatives might be," Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee. Gates was grilled on the war as the full Senate remained stalled over Democratic leaders' efforts to begin a debate over President Bush's course for Iraq. Gates did not say what other options he was considering if the addition of 21,500 troops fails to control the violence in Baghdad and western Anbar province, where the Sunni insurgency is based. "We at this point are planning for success," he said. Gates and Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sought to assure lawmakers the additional troops pegged for Iraq will go there with sufficient equipment for the fight.Full Story Taliban prepare for spring offensive in Afghan southTaliban fighters are continuing to reinforce a key southern town against an expected NATO offensive more than a week after taking it over, ending a controversial four month truce. More than 1,500 villagers have fled the town of Musa Qala, in the Taliban heartland and the major opium province in the world's largest supplier, in fear of renewed fighting. "More than 300 fighters are in Musa Qala," senior Taliban commander Mulla Hayatullah Khan told Reuters from an secret base. "They have been alerted and military supplies are being provided from other areas."Full Story Al-Qaida suspects color debate over IranLast week, the CIA sent an urgent report to President Bush's National Security Council: Iranian authorities had arrested two al-Qaeda operatives traveling through Iran on their way from Pakistan to Iraq. The suspects were caught along a well-worn, if little-noticed, route for militants determined to fight U.S. troops on Iraqi soil, according to a senior intelligence official. The arrests were presented to Bush's senior policy advisers as evidence that Iran appears committed to stopping al-Qaeda foot traffic across its borders, the intelligence official said. That assessment comes at a time when the Bush administration, in an effort to push for further U.N. sanctions on the Islamic republic, is preparing to publicly accuse Tehran of cooperating with and harboring al-Qaeda suspects.Full Story |
| JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
|
TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND SUBMIT YOUR RESUME CLICK HERE Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training at Blackwater (252) 435-2488 or email dcarter@blackwaterusa.com. |
| SECURITY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
Deadliest Bomb in Iraq Is Made by Iran, U.S. SaysThe most lethal weapon directed against American troops in Iraq is an explosive-packed cylinder that United States intelligence asserts is being supplied by Iran. The assertion of an Iranian role in supplying the device to Shiite militias reflects broad agreement among American intelligence agencies, although officials acknowledge that the picture is not entirely complete. In interviews, civilian and military officials from a broad range of government agencies provided specific details to support what until now has been a more generally worded claim, in a new National Intelligence Estimate, that Iran is providing "lethal support" to Shiite militants in Iraq.This story requires you to sign-up for an account. If you do not want to sign-up for an account at the New York Times, I have created one - user e-mail: btw@blackwaterusa.com, password:blackwater. Full Story Sadr City starts to turn around, posing new challengesJust past the main guarded checkpoint into Sadr City, children kicked soccer balls on fields with new green nets where mounds of trash covered the ground last summer. A few blocks away, city workers planted palm trees in the median while men gathered at a cafe nearby to chatter and laugh. Sadr City, once infamous as a fetid slum and symbol of Shiite repression, is recovering with the help of $41 million in reconstruction funds from the Shiite-led Iraqi government, all of it spent since May, according to Iraqi officials, and millions more in American assistance. But as Shiite areas like Sadr City begin to thrive as self-enclosed fiefdoms, middle-class Sunni enclaves are withering into abandoned ghettoes, starved of government services.Full Story Iraq security plan starts - with glitchesUS and Iraqi forces have begun to implement President Bush's new security plan for Iraq - but the start-up is not without its difficulties. Iraqi units have met deployment deadlines, but they're not at full strength. The first additional US brigade has arrived in Baghdad, but military officials are steamed that civilian US agencies aren't moving as fast as they are. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has complained that things should speed up, lest insurgents take advantage of the delay to inflict as many casualties as possible. No one ever said the plan's first stages would be easy ones, noted US officials in congressional testimony this week. The US is taking it one step at a time.Full Story General becomes war's 3rd U.S. commanderGen. David Petraeus took charge of U.S. forces in Iraq on Saturday, becoming the third commander in the war and declaring the American task now was to help Iraqis "gain the time they need to save their country." Petraeus took command under a glistening crystal chandelier that decorated a former Saddam Hussein palace at Camp Victory. The media-savvy, Princeton-educated Petraeus, 54, spoke bluntly of the task before him that coincides with President Bush's decision to send an additional 21,500 troops to clamp off violence in Baghdad and nearby regions. "We will have to share the burdens and move forward together. If we can do that and if we can help the people of Iraq, the prospects of success are good," he said. "Failing that, Iraq will be doomed to continued violence and civil strife."Full Story U.S.-led forces show evidence of Iranian arms in IraqU.S.-led forces in Iraq presented on Sunday what officials said was "a growing body" of evidence of Iranian weapons being used to kill their soldiers, as U.S. anger at Tehran's alleged involvement in the war rises. A senior defense official from the U.S.-led Multinational Force in Baghdad told a briefing that 170 coalition forces had been killed by Iranian-made roadside bombs known as explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) that he said were smuggled into Iraq. Officials showed journalists fragments of what they said were Iranian-manufactured weapons, including one part of an EFP -- which is strong enough to penetrate the armor of an Abrams tank -- and tail fins from 81 mm and 60 mm mortar bombs.Full Story |
| TACTICAL TRAINING & INTELLIGENCE RESOURCES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
Blackwater Language SchoolLearn the language... and the culture... then deploy.Operators, analysts, military and civilian support personnel working with or deploying to a foreign country have four classes to choose from: IRAQI ARABIC - 26 February - 2 March 7 May - 11 May 6 August - 10 August 29 October - 2 November PASHTO - 5 March - 9 March 14 May - 18 May 13 August - 17 August 5 November - 9 November DARI - 12 March - 16 March 21 May - 25 May 20 August - 24 August 12 November - 16 November SPANISH - 19 February - 23 February 27 August - 31 August INTENSITY - Live and breathe Arabic, Pashto/Dari, or Spanish Blackwater Language School provides an intensive language learning environment in which participants challenge themselves and learn at a rate beyond normal limits. This intensive experience has proven to be very successful. Because you and your teammates have limited time to study the language and culture, we substitute time with intensity. Every student is encouraged to communicate as much as possible in the target language during the week-long course. This is no ordinary course of study- it is an endeavor that is emotionally taxing- and rewarding. SURVIVABILITY - Cultural Awareness = Situational Awareness If you don't understand the culture...you can cause real trouble. Our team of accomplished staff is dedicated to helping students survive and thrive in the subject culture. A series of cultural activities will take place throughout the program. Students will be encouraged to use their new skills as they eat cultural meals and engage in situational interviews- in the immersive environment. This highly intensive language environment empowers you to immediately put your language skills into action and test the boundaries of your cultural survival skills. At only $1495 per student, space is extremely limited. To reserve a space for you or your unit call or email us today. (252) 435-2016 languages@blackwaterusa.com | |
| FRANKS REVIEW |
Service Equipment ReviewDieter CQD Knives from MODWay back in 1999 I was approached to write an article that compared a collection of folding lock blade knives for police work. Part of that article included comparing lock blades of different sizes and, being completely objective, there are some lock blades that are simply too big to be pocket knives. I was criticized in 1999 for making that statement and I'm sure someone will take umbrage for me making it now. However, the Dieter CQD Mk I from Masters of Defense (now part of the BlackHawk Products Group family) is too big to be a pocket knife. Its little brother, the Mk II, is a much better choice for pocket carry. This week we're going to take a look at both of them and how the Mk I has held up across the past seven years.Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/knives/modcqd.htm Recreational Equipment ReviewGood Boots for HikingAll too often in the world of recreation, the strengths of military and/or law enforcement duty products are overlooked. For instance, what demands are placed on "combat" boots? They have to offer good support to the arch and ankle while remaining comfortable over long periods of time. They should lace relatively quickly and should remain secure until the wearer WANTS to take them off; then it shouldn't take a safe-cracker to get them off. They should offer good traction, some level of water resistance and a protective toe. Now, I ask you, what item in that list of desirable features would you NOT want to have in your hiking / backpacking boots? My answer is, I want them all. So this week's recreational review is about two pair of boots - one from 511 Tactical and one from Corcoran / Matterhorn - that I believe are well suited for hiking, camping, backpacking and other outdoor use.
|
| CHAPLAINS CORNER |
DAYS OF EXPERIENCE
|
| BUMPER STICKER |
|
| CONTACT INFORMATION |
|
The Blackwater Tactical Weekly is a free weekly e-publication. The BTW provides readers valuable information from diverse sources regarding tactical and strategic security issues. Editor-in-Chief – Gary Jackson (btw@blackwaterusa.com) Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training
at Blackwater (252) 435-2488 Editorial Calendar: The weekly theme may change at the discretion of
the Editor based on current events. To view an archived BTW, Click Here |
| LEGAL NOTICE |
| Blackwater USA (the "Company"), provides this Newsletter as a source of diverse information to its readers. The Company does not warrant or endorse the products or services advertised in or reviewed in the Newsletter. The views and statements of the reviewers and commentators presented in the Newsletter are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Company or its affiliates. The Company does not monitor or warrant the accuracy or reliability of the material provided in this Newsletter or presented at any of the third-party websites to which links are provided in this Newsletter. WARNING: Use of certain of the products and services discussed or reviewed in this Newsletter can lead to personal injury or death. It is critical to follow manufacturers' instructions in using such products or services. The Company will not accept any liability for damages, injuries, or death resulting from the use or misuse of any such products or services. |
 |
   
    
|
|
