Middle East Current Events

1
Middle East Current Events

• C/Capt Sean Morgan
• C/Capt Christopher Taylor
• 25 Sept 2007

2
Overview

• Iraq
• Iran
• Afghanistan
• Syria

3
Summary Issues

• U.S. Military Deaths
• Private Contractors outnumber US Forces
• Blackwater Situation
• Iranian President Visit to Columbia
• Osamas Message and the Next Target
• U.S. Patrol of Iran-Iraq Border
• Secretary of State visit to Middle East
• President Bush plans Mideast Conference
• Coalition Capture of Iranian Commando

4
U.S. Military Deaths

• As of Saturday, 22 Sept 2007
• 3,795 U.S. military members have died since
  operations began
• British Military 169
• Italy 33
• Ukraine 18
• Poland 21
• Bulgaria 13
• Spain 11
• Denmark 7
• Latvia 3
• Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand 2 each
• Australia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Romania, South
  Korea 1 each
• Source http//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5972698/

5
Iraq
6
Iraq

• A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in
  actuality a series of military strongmen ruled
  the country until 2003
• Slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
• Population 27,499,638

7
Private Contractors Outnumber US Forces

• More than 180,000 private contractors
• Current U.S. military forces 163,100
• Raises fundamental question
• Have we become so dependent on privately
  contracted forces?
• Private forces do not fight with LOAC principles
• Blackwater situation most recent, but there have
  been incidents in the past
• Source http//abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?i
  d3626620

8
Private Contractors Outnumber US Forces

• A measure proposed by Rep. David Price, would
  require all government contractors to be covered
  by federal criminal codes

9
Blackwater

• Private military contractor
• Founded in 1997 Erik Prince Al Clark
• Based out of North Carolina
• 90 of Revenue Government Contracts
• Currently operating in Iraq

10
Blackwater Background

• Motto The Most Comprehensive Professional
  Military, Law Enforcement, Security,
  Peacekeeping, and stability operations in the
  world
• Products include
• K-9 Development
• Airships
• Targeting Systems
• Combat Training
• Armored Vehicles
• Air Maintenance/Defense Systems
• Source http//www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/09/17/
  iraq.main/index.html

11
Blackwater Situation

• Eight civilians killed in Baghdad street shootout
• Blackwater claims killings occurred in
  self-defense
• Iraqi officials claim Blackwater fired without
  provocation
• SUV convoy assaulted midday from small arms fire,
  following a car bomb explosion
• 14 others wounded during shootout, mostly
  civilians
• Iraqi reaction-force and US Army arrive to
  stabilize area
• Source http//www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/09/23/
  blackwater.probe/index.htmlcnnSTCText

12
Blackwater Fallout

• Blackwaters operating license in Iraq was
  revoked
• Iraqi government will file criminal charges for
  the deaths of civilians
• Order 17 of Coalition Provisional Authority
• Contractors shall be immune from Iraqi legal
  process with respect to acts performed by them
  pursuant to the terms and conditions of a
  Contract or any sub-contract thereto
• Iraqi official claim killings unprovoked, claim
  to have video evidence
• Inability to obtain justice threatens sovereignty
• Despite this, Blackwater has resumed security
  duties

13
General Petraeus

• Video
• http//abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id3587383
  

14
Iran
15
Iran

• Known as Persia until 1935.
• Slightly larger than Alaska.
• Population 65,397,521
• Median Age 25
• Religions 98 Muslim
• (89 Shia, 9 Sunni)

16
Iranian President Visit to Columbia

• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at
  Columbia University yesterday
• Large Protests
• Agenda
• Reassure that Iran is not building nuclear
  weapons
• Answer Questions
• Source http//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20942057

17
Iranian President Visit to Columbia

• Requested to lay a wreath at Ground Zero
• Request denied
• Also attending the U.N. General Assembly today
• Said Holocaust a myth and called for Israel to
  be wiped off the map
• Well, you have to appreciate we don't need a
  nuclear bomb. We don't need that. What need do we
  have for a bomb?"
• "It's wrong to think that Iran and the U.S. are
  walking toward war. Who says so? Why should we go
  to war? There is no war in the offing."
• Source 60 Minutes Interview, CBS News

18
Iranian President Visit to Columbia

• Video
• http//video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?f00gf30204e
  e-9d43-4e6d-9eea-97a14349729bpNews_Editors20Pic
  kstm5rfhttp//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20942057/f
  g

19
US Patrol of Iran-Iraq Border

• Tensions have been building over Irans Nuclear
  Program
• 900 mile border-logistic problem
• Build Infrastructure and Train Iraqis
• Col. Mark Mueller, Commander 3rd Infantry
  Division border virtually impossible to protect

20
US Patrol of Iran-Iraq Border

• New U.S. Strategy-build base 4 miles from Iranian
  border.
• Facility will have internet and other luxuries
  no troops will have to leave
• Cost-5 million dollars
• Operational by November

21
US Patrol of Iran-Iraq Border
22
Coalition Capture of Iranian Commando

• Iranian officer arrested smuggled roadside bombs
  into Iraq
• Tensions Increased between US and Tehran
• Suspect member of Quds Force elite group

23
Coalition Capture of Iranian Commando

• Involved in transporting armor piercing
  explosively formed perpetrators
• Trained infiltrators in Iraq
• Bush Administration intent on blacklisting Quds
• Result strain relations between Iran and United
  States

24
Afghanistan
25
Afghanistan

• Won independence from British control in 1919.
• Slightly smaller than Texas
• Population 31,889,923
• Median age 17
• Birth Rate6.64 children born/woman
• Religion Sunni 80, Shi'a 19

26
Osamas Message and the Next Target

• Key Points
• Bin Laden calls for a jihad against Pakistan
• Rallying for the support of Pakistanis to
  overthrow President Musharraf and the govt
• Targeted as a result of a raid on Red Mosque in
  July 07
• Result in killing of Abdul Rashid Ghazi
• 100 other militants
• Pakistanis ignore his statement

27
President Bush plans Mideast Conference

• President Bush hosting Mideast peace conference.
  
• Objective-End Palestinian-Israeli conflict
• Committee Members include Algeria, Bahrain,
  Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, and Saudi
  Arabia

28
Osamas Message and the Next Target

• Video
• http//link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid4523
  29876/bclid1202413571/bctid1203052326
• Source http//in.news.yahoo.com/070921/211/6l1l3.
  html

29
President Bush plans Mideast Conference

• Both sides want different outcomes
• Palestinians want outline for peace deal
• Israel wants more vague declarations
• Hamas-seized Gaza Strip considered hostile
  territory

30
President Bush plans Mideast Conference
31
Syria
32
Syria

• In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the
  Golan Heights to Israel.
• Slightly larger than North Dakota.
• Population19,314,747
• Sunni 74, Shia 16, Christian 10

33
Review of Issues

• U.S. Military Deaths
• Private Contractors outnumber US Forces
• Blackwater Situation
• Osamas Message and the Next Target
• U.S. Patrol of Iran-Iraq Border
• Secretary of State visit to Middle East
• President Bush plans Mideast Conference
• Coalition Capture of Iranian Commando

34
Conclusion

• Iraq
• Iran
• Afghanistan
• Syria

35
Any Questions?