Iran says it shot down a U.S. drone

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's armed forces have shot down an unmanned U.S. spy plane that violated Iranian airspace along the country's eastern border, the official IRNA news agency reported Sunday.
An unidentified military official quoted in the report warned of a strong and crushing response to any violations of the country's airspace by American drone aircraft.

"An advanced RQ170 unmanned American spy plane was shot down by Iran's armed forces. It suffered minor damage and is now in possession of Iran's armed forces," IRNA quoted the official as saying.
No further details were published.

Iran is locked in a dispute with the U.S. and its allies over Tehran's disputed nuclear program, which the West believes is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. Iran denies the accusations, saying its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and that it seeks to generate electricity and produce isotopes to treat medical patients.

Iran said in January that two pilotless spy planes it had shot down over its airspace were operated by the United States and offered to put them on public display.
The Islamic Republic holds frequent military drills, primarily to assert an ability to defend against a potential U.S. or Israeli attack on its nuclear facilities.

Tehran has focused part of its military strategy on producing drones for reconnaissance and attacking purposes.

Iran announced three years ago it had built an unmanned aircraft with a range of more than 600 miles (1,000 kilometers), far enough to reach Israel.
Ahmadinejad unveiled Iran's first domestically built unmanned bomber aircraft in August 2010, calling it an "ambassador of death" to Iran's enemies.

Related articles

• Unmanned US Spy Plane Shot Down (abcnews.go.com)
• Iran shoots down unmanned U.S. spy plane: news agency (theglobeandmail.com)
• Iran TV: US Spy Drone Shot Down By Military (news.sky.com)

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The F-35C testing it’s new New Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System

The F-35C test aircraft launched from it’s new New Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) recently, demonstrating early integration of the joint strike fighter.

The F-35C is set to be the newest aircraft to reach flight decks on Navy aircraft carriers.  So what makes this aircraft so unique?  Click here to learn more:

from DODLIVE.MIL

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• U.S. Navy F-35C gets electromagnetic launch (cbsnews.com)

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4 militants killed in Afghan-NATO military operations

Sunday, December 04, 2011 –
Officials in the ministry of defense of Afghanistan following a statement on Sunday said, at least four anti-government rebels were killed following a joint military operation by Afghan and NATO-led international security assistance forces during the past 24 hours.

The statement further added, the joint military operations were conducted in southern Helmand and Kandahar provinces and eastern Nangarhar province.

Afghan defense officials also said, at least two Afghan national army service members were killed and one Afghan national service member was injured during the operations in southern Kandahar and eastern Kunar provinces

Taliban militants group yet to comment regarding the operations.

Afghan and NATO-led international security assistance force have doubled their operations across the country as Afghanistan is witnessing the second phase of security transition.

According to Afghan officials, the second phase of security transition will cover around 50% of the Afghanistan where Afghan security forces will take the lead in various regions including relatively peaceful and volatile regions.

Related articles

• 4 militants killed in Afghan-NATO military operations (khaama.com)

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At least 9 militants die in NATO air raid

Image via Wikipedia

Sunday, December 04, 2011 -
According to local officials in eastern Afghanistan, at least 9 militants were killed following a NATO air raid in eastern Kunar province.

The officials further added, the air raid was carried out early Sunday morning in Manogi district of eastern Kunar province.

District police chief for Manogi Hayagul said, at least nine militants were killed following a NATO air raid in Balakhor area of Manogi district early Sunday morning around 2 am local time.

Taliban militants group fighting the Afghan government and international coalition forces yet to comment regarding the raid.

NATO-led International Security Assistance Force officials also have not commented regarding the raid so far.

In the meantime, local residents said, heavy air raid was carried out in the area but they are unaware of any possible as a result of the raid.

Related articles

• At least 9 militants die in NATO air raid (khaama.com)

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Roadside bomb kills 3 NATO soldiers in Afghanistan

Sunday, December 04, 2011 –
NATO-led international security assistance force officials following a statement on Saturday said, at least three NATO service members were killed following a roadside improvised explosive device explosion in eastern Afghanistan.

NATO officials did not provide further information regarding the exact location of the incident.

The statement also did not disclose the nationalities of the deceased soldiers, in line with the policy of the NATO-led international assistance force.

The latest casualties tolls up the number of foreign troops to more than 500 who have been killed so far this year in Afghanistan.

No group including the Taliban militants have so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.

But the Taliban militants group frequently uses improvised explosive device as the weapon of their choice to target Afghan and coalition forces in the country.

Related articles

• Roadside bomb kills 3 NATO soldiers in Afghanistan (khaama.com)

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42 insurgents killed, 37 arrested in Afghanistan: statement

KABUL, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Security forces during operations, in different parts of Afghanistan, have killed 42 insurgents and captured 37 more suspects over the past 24 hours, country's Interior Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

"Afghan National Police (ANP), Afghan army and NATO-led coalition forces launched seven joint operations in surrounding areas of the Nangarhar, Laghman, Balkh, Kandahar, Helmand, Khost and Ghazni provinces over the past 24 hours," the ministry said in the statement.

"As a result of these operations, 42 armed insurgents were killed, 37 others were arrested and one wounded," it said.

ANP also discovered and seized a handful of weapons and ammunition during the mention raids, according to the statement.

The Taliban insurgents, who launched in May this year a rebel offensive against Afghan and NATO forces, have not made comments so far.

from XINHUA News

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Blast in bus parked near UK embassy in Bahrain

MANAMA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A blast hit a bus Sunday near the British embassy in the Bahraini capital of Manama, the interior ministry said.
The blast happened early in the morning in a minibus parked near the embassy, with no casualty reported.

Hundreds of Shi'ites were taking part in a religious procession in the area when the blast occurred, sources told Xinhua.

The security authorities have cordoned off the area and are investigating the incident, the ministry said.
The blast came one day after reports by the British media that former Assistant Commissioner at London's Metropolitan Police John Yates was appointed by Bahrain to help its interior ministry's security forces.


"The explosion was because of an unknown type of explosive device which was placed under the front left wheel of a minibus that was parked approximately 50 meters away from the British embassy in Manama," the interior ministry spokesman Lieutenant Salah Saif said at a press conference.
He added that the material used in the blast was "highly explosive" because its remains were found approximately 32 meters away from the site and created a hole with a diameter of around 30 cm underneath the driver's side of the vehicle.

The British embassy in Bahrain said it beefed up its security following the explosion.   

from XINHUA News

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U.S. starts to evacuate from Shamsi air base in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- The United States has started evacuation from an air base in Pakistan on Sunday at the order of the Pakistani government to leave the air base before December 11, reported local Urdu TV channel Geo.

According to the report, the evacuation kicked off Sunday morning when a U.S. plane arrived at the Shamsi air base to take the U.S. personnel back.
They started loading the luggage and equipment when the plane arrived, the reported quoted unidentified sources as saying.
In order to ensure the safe evacuation, security around the air base has been beefed up, said the sources.

The evacuation came eight days after the Pakistani government ordered the U.S. to vacate its air base in the Shamsi area in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province within 15 days following a NATO cross-border air strike at two Pakistani army check posts in Mohmand tribal area near the Afghan border on Nov. 26, which killed 24 Pakistani troops and wounded 13 others.
Shamsi air base is located some 320 km southwest of Balochistan 's capital city Quetta. The U.S. has reportedly been using the air base since 2001 for military operations in Afghanistan and drone strikes in Pakistan's northwest tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, a place that the U.S. side believes to be a haven for militants who often launch cross-border attacks on the NATO troops in Afghanistan.
To order the U.S. to vacate the Shamsi air base is one of the three steps taken by the Pakistani government in retaliation for the Nov. 26 NATO incident, which the Pakistani government described as a blatant violation of its sovereignty.

The other two steps include closure of two border checkpoints for NATO supplies entering Afghanistan from Pakistan and boycott of the Dec. 5 Bonn Conference on Afghan issue.
Following the decision to order the U.S. to vacate the Shamsi air base within 15 days, the UAE foreign minister paid a visit to Pakistan, persuading the Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to reconsider the decision or to postpone the vacation deadline until NATO has completed its investigation into the November 26 incident, but the request was turned down by the Pakistani president.

Regarding the boycott of Bonn Conference, the Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has rejected the requests both from the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to reconsider the boycott decision. Prior to this, the Pakistani prime minister has also rejected the request by the Afghan President Karzai to reconsider the boycott decision.

The three steps so far taken by the Pakistani government has not brought an even official apology from the U.S. and NATO apart from condolences and promise of investigation into the incident.
More steps could be taken by the Pakistani side as it has threatened to reconsider the overall arrangement with the U.S., NATO, ISAF in the fight against terrorism, said local watchers.

 from XINHUA News

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Dec. 04., 2011. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 4) — Multiple insurgents were killed and two were wounded during a coalition airstrike in Tagab district, Kapisa province, yesterday.

During the mid-afternoon, tips from local sources indicated a group of insurgents were holding a meeting in the area. Acting on the tips, coalition forces confirmed the meeting and presence of armed guards at the site, then called for an airstrike using one guided munition.

The strike hit the intended target resulting in multiple insurgents killed and two wounded. The two wounded insurgents were transported by coalition forces to a military hospital for medical care.

There were no reports of any civilian casualties or damage to civilian property during the engagement.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

South

In Arghandab district, Kandahar province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache during a routine patrol, yesterday. The cache consisted of approximately 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) of marijuana.  All of the drugs were destroyed at the scene and no civilians were harmed during the operation.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Taliban facilitator in Shah Wali Kot district, Kandahar province, today. The facilitator moves heavy weaponry throughout the Kandahar province. The security force detained multiple suspected insurgents during the operation.

During an operation, in Nawah-ye Barakzai district, Helmand province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader, today. The leader planned attacks against Afghan forces. Two additional suspected insurgents were detained during the operation

East

A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a weapons cache during a patrol in Ghazni district, Ghazni province, yesterday. The cache consisted of ten 107 mm rockets, 19 munitions for  tanks or fighting vehicles, 50 artillery rounds, 337 mortar rounds, 50 mines, 800 rounds of machine gun ammunition, 50 rocket-propelled grenades and 1,000 rounds of small arms ammunition. All of the weapons were seized by the combined force and will be destroyed at a later date.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani leader during an operation in Gurbuz district, Khost province, today. The leader conducted roadside bomb attacks, transported fighters and provided safe havens for insurgents in Khost province. The security force confiscated multiple weapons during the operation.

Today in Bati Kot district, Nagarhar province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during a security operation. The leader was involved in multiple roadside bomb and small arms attacks against Afghan forces in Nagarhar province. The security force seized weapons to include multiple AK-47 assault rifles, two grenades and two chest racks. Five additional suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.

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"The Sweetest Salute" contest winner!

you can watch here (too)......just 735 viewers yet??? ohh, come on, spread it, share it

When Lend Lease, a leader in public-private partnerships, developed “The Sweetest Salute” contest for its military housing residents to honor their Service Member, the company didn’t expect such moving tributes from families across the country

A video contest was held for all residents living in one of 10 Lend Lease military housing projects located throughout the country. The Sweetest Salute, sponsored by Lend Lease, GE Appliances and Lighting, IHG Army Hotels (InterContinental Hotels Group) and the Lend Lease (US) Community Fund allowed family members the perfect opportunity to thank their loved ones for their service and sacrifice and demonstrate to the world why they are proud of all they do.  

The winning entry was created by Brandy Lee and daughters Brianna and Brooklyn, in honor of husband and father Gunnery Sergeant William Lee. The Lee Family lives in the Lend Lease, Atlantic Marine Corps Communities project at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. As part of the award, the family is treated to an all-expense-paid trip to attend the National Christmas Tree-Lighting Ceremony in Washington D.C. on December 1, 2011.

Read more: http://pitchengine.com/lendlease/familys-love-for-military-dad-shines-at-white-house-treelighting-ceremony

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Dec. 03., 2011. - ISAF Joint Command Morning Operational Update

KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 3) — Today, a combined Afghan and coalition security force destroyed a building laden with unstable explosives during a security operation in search of a Taliban leader in Wali Muhammad Shahid Khugyani district, Ghazni province. The leader coordinates suicide bomb attacks and plans abductions of Afghan government officials in Ghazni province.
During the operation, the security force discovered a building in the vicinity of a mosque and a residential village where insurgents stored a large amount of explosives. The security force seized multiple mines, four 50 lb roadside bombs, 10 lbs of dynamite, 20 lbs of explosives and a significant amount of bomb making material.
For the safety of the women and children in the area, the village was evacuated and the security force safely destroyed the building and all hazardous explosives on site. No civilians were injured and there was no significant damage to the nearby mosque.
Also, during the operation, the security force detained multiple suspected insurgents.

 In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan:

North

Today, in Nahr-e Shahi district, Balkh province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation in search of a Taliban leader. The leader distributes roadside bombs and weapons throughout the area. Additionally, he plans attacks against Afghan government officials in Baghlan province. The security force detained multiple suspected insurgents during the operation.

 South

A Taliban facilitator was captured by a combined Afghan and coalition security force during an operation in Zharay district, Kandahar province, today. The facilitator provided lethal aide to include insurgent fighters, roadside bombs and munitions. Additionally, he distributed money to insurgents and conducted deadly attacks against Afghan forces in Kandahar province. The security force detained six additional suspected insurgents during the operation.
In Maiwand district, Kandahar province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache, Thursday. The cache consisted of approximately 165 pounds (56 kilograms) of hashish. All of the drugs were destroyed at the scene and no civilians were harmed or property damaged during the operation.
A combined Afghan and coalition security patrol discovered five improvised explosive devices while conducting a routine patrol in Now Zad district, Helmand province, yesterday. An explosive ordnance disposal team rendered the IEDs safe, and then confiscated them for disposal. No coalition forces, Afghan forces or civilians were harmed during the operation.

East

While on patrol in Sabari district, Khost province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force encountered a Haqqani leader and another suspected insurgent, today. The leader, Burhanuddin, planned attacks against Afghan forces in the Sabari district. During the operation, two armed individuals were encountered displaying hostile intent toward the security force. Assessing an immediate threat, the security force fired upon the individuals, killing Burhanuddin and one additional insurgent
. Multiple weapons were seized to include five AK-47 assault rifles, a pistol, multiple grenades and a chest rack. The security force detained five suspected insurgents during the operation.
 

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Koblenz Evacuated To Defuse Monster WWII Bomb

Half the German city of Koblenz, about 45,000 people, will be evacuated this weekend to defuse a two ton bomb found in the Rhine River when its waters ran abnormally low. It was probably dropped by a British Lancaster during a bombing raid on the night of November 6, 1944. It was the fourth time in its long history that Koblenz had been destroyed.

Posted By Tantor • [December 03, 2011] on BLACKFIVE.NET

Koblenz traded in Rhine wines at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.  Its name means "merging of the rivers."  On a clear night, you can see the river intersection, which makes for a wonderful visual aiming point for night bombers.

The anti-bombing argument is that Koblenz contained no militarily significant targets but rather was bombed to test the new  Gee-H bombing system, where bombers dropped their bombs at the intersection of signals from two radio stations. It was far better than dropping bombs by dead reckoning, ie calculating your drop from heading and airspeed.  Europe has a lot of mediocre weather and often is covered by clouds, which prevents visual acquisition of targets.  However, the bottom line is that you don't win a war by sparing the enemy.  You bomb their brains out until you break their will to make war.  In the case of Germany, that required the British and Americans to drop 2,770,540 tons of bombs on Germany and all things associated with Germany.

The November 6 raid was led by a pathfinder group of twenty-four Avro Lancaster bombers of the RAF Number 3 Bomber Group, all equipped with Gee-H.  Only half the sets worked, but that was enough.  They laid down their flares and bombs on the city at 7:28 PM. One hundred four Lancasters followed. The fires and flares from the lead group lit the streets of Koblenz clearly for them.  They dropped their bombs at 7:50 PM.  In total, they dropped twenty-three high explosive bombs, 120 blockbusters, and 153,392 incendiary sticks.

This bomb they found in the Rhine is one of the blockbusters, so called by the press of the time because it could destroy a city block.  The Brits developed these giant bombs, which were too big to be carried by aircraft of any other air force, to damage buildings so that incendiary bombs dropped with them would be more effective.  If you break open the buildings, it's easier for the fire bombs to start fires.

A 4000 pound blockbuster was a thin-skinned bomb carrying 3000 pounds of Amatol explosive.  It was not aerodynamic.  It had no fins.  It was basically a big, long garbage can full of explosive that you sent tumbling off to the terra.  It was no smart bomb, but rather more like a big, dumb, brontosaurus bomb that smashed up everything within blocks of its impact.

Read more (with an aerial photo):

• Koblenz Evacuated To Defuse Monster WWII Bomb (blackfive.net)

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Nassar al Awlaki urges the spread of his son Anwar's teachings

Nassar al Awlaki, the father of Anwar, the al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ideologue who was involved in operations before he was killed by the US, spoke out against the deaths of his son and grandson and urged Muslims to continue to spread his son's message that advocated jihad against the West.

By Bill Roggio and Lisa Lundquist - December 3, 2011

Nassar al Awlaki, the father of Anwar, the al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ideologue who was involved in operations before he was killed by the US, spoke out against the deaths of his son and grandson and urged Muslims to continue to spread his son's message that advocated jihad against the West.

Nassar, an influential figure in Yemen, made the statement in a 6-minute, 37-second audio that was released on YouTube by Anjem Choudary, a radical Islamist preacher in Britain who leads the banned group Muslims Against Crusades. [The video can be seen in full above.] A transcript of Nassar's audiotape was provided by the SITE Intelligence Group.

In the statement, the senior Awlaki did not express remorse for his son's radical sermons, which advocated that Muslims kill Americans and Westerners, but instead referred to his son reverently. Nassar described Anwar as his "beloved son" and "Imam" who "carried an effective message, a message that was simple and straight-forward."

"Its [Anwar's message] target were Muslims in the West," Nassar said. "They [the US] considered a fluent, convincing Muslim preacher as a threat, so they tried everything to silence him."

"My son Anwar was intelligent, sharp, eloquent, educated, charismatic, and brave. He had qualities and traits that could have taken him places in this world, but he chose this path and gave it his best, the path of Allah," Nassar said later in the tape. "It is the job of all of us to spread his knowledge and keep it alive."

Nassar said the US "assassinated" Anwar while "he was far from any battlefield," and denied that he was an operational commander in al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Anwar was killed in a US Predator drone airstrike on Sept. 30 in Yemen's Al Jawf province.

Despite Nassar's denials that his son was an operational leader in al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Anwar is known to have played a role in recruiting and directing terror attacks against the US. [See LWJ report, Awlaki's emails to terror plotter show operational role, for more information.]

Nassar also denounced the US for killing Anwar's son, Abdul Rahman, in a Predator strike in Shabwa province in mid-October. The Awlaki family has claimed the 16-year-old Abdul Rahman was not involved in terrorism and was merely in Shabwa to search for his father, who had been killed two weeks earlier.

Read more (+ the full video): http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/12/nassar_al_awlaki_urg.php#ixzz1fWRcUwPK

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Senior Taliban commander detained in Kandahar

Saturday, December 03, 2011 –
According to local officials in southern Afghanistan, a senior Taliban local commander was detained following a joint military operation by NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and Afghan security forces in southern Kandahar province.

The officials further added, the senior Taliban commander was detained along with six other insurgents in a joint military operation in Zherai district of southern Kandahar province on Friday night.

Provincial governor media department following a statement said, the operation was conducted in Kalak area of Zherai district on Friday night.

The statement further added, the detained Taliban commander was recognized as Mullah Nooruddin and was a key militants commander in Zherai district who was plotting insurgency activities and was organizing roadside bomb attacksagainst the Afghan and NATO-led coalition forces and in this province.

The statement also said, Afghan civilians did not suffer any casualty during the operation.

Related articles

• Senior Taliban commander detained in Kandahar (khaama.com)

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