U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers depart a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter after loading an injured Afghan soldier in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 17, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

Afghan National Army soldiers prepare to conduct a presence patrol in the village of Alizai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 15, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

U.S. Army soldiers talk with Afghan children during a cordon and search in the village of Alizai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 13, 2006. The soldiers are with Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

A U.S. Army soldier walks across Kabul Highway during a presence patrol in the village of Alizai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 15, 2006. The soldier is a combat medic with Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

U.S. Army soldiers conduct a cordon and search in the village of Alizai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 13, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

A U.S. Army soldier searches a room during a cordon and search in the village of Alizai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 13, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

A U.S. Army soldier kicks in a doorway to a well during a cordon and search in the village of Alizai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 14, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

U.S. Army Capt. Wallace looks up a hole in the roof of a well house during a cordon and search in the village of Alizai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 14, 2006. Wallace is the commander of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

A U.S. Army soldier asks Afghans if they have seen any insurgent activity in the village of Alizai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

U.S. Army soldiers enter a tunnel system found in the village of Alazai in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson

Iraqi children show Navy Seaman Samuel L. Blanco how old they are between a combat patrol in Husayba, Iraq Sept. 23. He and the Marines of Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment paused the patrol to spend time with the kids. Blanco is a 25-year-old hospital corpsman from Justin, Texas and serves under Regimental Combat Team 5 and will be conducting operations in the Habbaniyah area for seven months. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Ray Lewis, 1st Marine Division

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Bomb Plot Shuts Down Baghdad
Baghdad Locked Down But Violence Flares Elsewhere

Operation Enduring Freedom
Afghanistan suicide blast kills 12
Private prison head freed in Afghanistan
Afghanistan mulls herbicide in drug war

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Indian Police: Pakistan Behind Mumbai Bombings
Brit Newspaper Claims Unseen Sept. 11 Video
U.S., EU Fail to Reach Air Passenger Data Deal

Troops on Trial
Army deserter back in U.S., faces uncertainty

Mid-East Ceasefire / Israel at War
Israel Completes Withdrawal From Lebanon

Immigration / Border Control
U.S. fence ends immigration dream of Mexico's Fox - Video

Worldwide Wackos
Iranian video game offers chance to blow up U.S. tanker
U.S. Senate votes to extend Iran sanctions

Politics / Government
Rep. Reynolds: I Warned Hastert About Foley E-Mails
GOP Offers Explanations in Wake of Foley E-Mail Scandal
Congress approves Internet gambling ban bill
Candidate-veteran attacks Bush on Iraq

Mother Nature
Isaac Becomes Hurricane, Heads for Canada
Louisiana Consolidates Levee Boards

Oddities
Missing 'A' in Armstrong Moon Quote Found
Give me that syringe...
Election law keeps son who killed mom free
Police, magistrates condemn on-the-spot fines plan

Other News of Note
All 155 Aboard Likely Dead After Plane Crashes in Amazon Jungle - Video
Russia in spy row with neighbour
Canadian overpass falls; deaths feared

Fox News
Colo. Town Mourns Girl Killed in School Shooting
Wis. Teen Kills Principal, Says He Was Teased
NASA: Next Shuttle Launch Likely to Be at Night
New Nicole Kidman Flick: Lots of Naked People

Reuters: Top News
Brazil dirty cash photos may force 2nd round vote
EU looks for common ground with Sudan on Darfur
Russia suspends Georgia troop pull-out - Video
Thai king endorses interim charter - TV announcement
NASA hopes to launch next shuttle a week early
Yahoo allows outsiders to innovate on Yahoo e-mail
Breast cancer patients poorly informed about therapy
FDA says spinach safe, concerns remain
Miss Czech Republic crowned Miss World 2006
Placido Domingo to write "The Joy of Opera"
Dow may test highs; jobs on tap
Stocks fall after 4-day rally - Video
Dollar gains on majors as third quarter winds down - Video
Oil up after BP shuts Alaska crude, cuts pledged
Gold falls, $600/oz under pressure again
Housing bashes lumber price despite U.S.-Canada deal
On the radar: Talisman Energy
Hedge fund seeks to increase stake in Delphi: WSJ
Nissan to shift part of N.America output to Japan
Amaranth to liquidate remaining positions
Yahoo allows outsiders to innovate on Yahoo e-mail

AP World News
5 found dead in South Carolina home
NL Central up for grabs after Astros win
Autopsy: 110 rounds shot at Fla. suspect
Dodgers beat Giants to clinch playoffs
Famous restaurant returns to New Orleans
Surgery will keep Martinez out 8 months
Food illnesses decline, CDC reports
Rocket found in desert after crashing
Super-luxury homes hit market for $100M
Cards win, cut magic number to 1
Ex-O.C. actress Barton admires Blanchett
Woods leads American Express by 6 shots
Farm Aid aims to educate on healthy food
Dillon calls race-relations 'cathartic'

Military.com
New Bomber Program to Begin 'Black'

CENTCOM: News Releases
AFGHAN, COALITION FORCES RESPOND TO IEDS

MNF-I OFFICIALS REITERATE SUPPORT FOR IRAQI GOVERNMENT

NPS, MND-B SOLDIERS KILL 4 TERRORISTS, DETAIN 7, CONFISCATE WEAPONS

GEORGIAN BATTALION CONTINUES SECURITY MISSION IN INTERNATIONAL ZONE

USJFCOM
USJFCOM sends support teams to CENTCOM - podcast
Newsmaker Profile: Col. Eugene V. "Gene" Bonventre - podcast
Command working to meet the warfighter's needs with focused efforts - podcast
Command seeking information from industry on access management

Department of Defense
NEWS UPDATES
President Reaffirms Commitment To Stand By Afghanistan, Iraq - Story
For Top News Visit DefenseLink

ON THE GROUND
Corpsmen Test Combat Skills, Prepare for Iraq - Story
Combat Cooks Provide Hot Meals in Field - Story
U.S. Marines Aid in Police Station Makeover - Story
U.S., Iraqi Soldiers Team Up to Find Terrorists - Story

IN IRAQ
Ceremony Notes Re-opening of Al Bawasil School
Marines Work to Restore Safety on the Roads
British Forces Kill Escaped al-Qaida Terrorist
Weapons Cache Found Near Kathamayan Mosque
Deployed 'Doc' Mends Bodies and Minds in Iraq
MP Brigade Takes Charge of Detainee Operations

IN AFGHANISTAN
Harriers Complete Combat Runs in Afghanistan
Coalition Routs Taliban, Extremists in Ghazni
10th Mountain Division Soldiers Thwart Extremists

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (PDF)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

CASUALTIES
Officials Identify Army Casualties - Story

Weather
Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut
An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul

Gitmo

National Hurricane Center

Today in History
331 BC- Alexander the Great defeats the Persian army at Gaugamela.
1800 - Spain cedes Louisiana to France in a secret treaty.
1851 - The first Hawaiian stamps are issued.
1885 - Special delivery mail service begins in the U.S.
1886 - The U.S. mint at Carson City, NV, closes.
1890 - Yosemite National Park is established.
1893 - A hurricane kills 1,800 in Mississippi.
1898 - Jews are expelled from Kiev, Russia.
1908 - Henry Ford introduces the Model T ($825).
1936 - General Francisco Franco establishes the state of Spain.
1938 - Germany annexes Sudetenland (1/3 of Czechoslovakia).
1939 - Winston Chruchill refers to Soviet policy as "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."
1942 - The first U.S. jet, the Bell P-59 Airacomet fighter, makes its maiden flight.
1943 - Allied forces captured Naples.
1947 - U.S. control of Haitian customs and governmental revenue ends.
1948 - The California Supreme Court voids a state statute banning interracial marriages.
1951 - The 24th Infantry Regiment, the last all-Black military unit, is deactivated.
1952 - The first ultra high frequency (UHF) television station opens in Portland, OR.
1955 - "The Honeymooners" premieres on TV.
1957 - B-52 bombers begin full-time flying alert to guard against an attack from the U.S.S.R.
1958 - Britain transfers Christmas Island (south of Java) to Australia; NASA is inagurated.
1960 - Nigeria gains independence from Britain.
1961 - In Tristan da Cunha, a volcano believed to be extinct erupts.
1962 -Johnny Carson hosts his first "Tonight Show"; "The Lucy Show" premiers on TV.
1964 - San Francisco's cable cars are declared a national landmark.
1968 - "Night of the Living Dead" premieres in Pittsburgh.
1971 - Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, FL.
1977 - Brazilian soccer great Pele retires.
1979 - The U.S. returns the Canal Zone to Panama after 75 years (not the canal, though).
1980 - Cosmonauts Ryumin and Popov break the space endurance record.
1982 - EPCOT Center opens in Orlando, FL; West Germany's Parliament ousts chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
1986 - President Carter's presidential library/museum is dedicated in Atlanta, GA.
1989 - Thousands of East Germans flee to West Germany; the U.S. issues a stamp labeling an apatosaurus as a brontosaurus.
1990 - At the United Nations, President George H.W. Bush condemns Iraq's takeover of Kuwait.

Birthdays
1207 - King Henry III of England (1216-72)
1781 - James Lawrence, naval hero (War of 1812-"Don't give up the ship!")
1832 - Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison, 1st wife of Benjamin Harrison
1835 - William H. "Red" Jackson Confederate Brigadier General (7th Tennessee Cavalry)
1881 - William Edward Boeing, founder of Boeing Aircraft
1907 - Hiram Fong (Sen-CA)
1909 - Sam Yorty (Mayor-L.A.)
1911 - Edward P. Boland (Rep-MA)
1920 - Walter Matthau, actor (Odd Couple, Bad News Bears)
1924 - Jimmy Earl Carter, 39th Pres (1977-1981); William Rehnquist, Supreme Court (1972-86)/chief justice (1987-2005)
1928 - George Peppard, actor (Banacek, A-Team, Blue Max)
1935 - Julie Andrews, actress/singer (Sound of Music, Mary Poppins)
1936 - Charles G. Fullerton, astronaut (STS-3, 51F)

Passings
1972 - Louis Leakey, anthropologist
1990 - Curtis E. LeMay, General, USAF

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Massucci, Martin J., USAF (MI); F4C shot down (bombardier / navigator, w/Scharf)

Offutt, Gary Phelps, USAF (MO); F100D shot down, remains returned March, 1997

Scharf, Charles J., USAF (CA); F4C shot down (pilot, w/Massucci)

1966
Nix, Cowan Glenn, USAF (FL); released by DRV March 1973 - retired as a Lt. Colonel - alive and well as of 1998