The release of British troops from Iran was supposedly an 'Easter gift' for the people of the U.K.

Apparently, Nutjob had another 'gift' for them, too (from FoxNews):

Iraqi Cops: Bomb That Killed Four Britons Was Iranian
Basra police commander says weapon that killed 4 British troops and their translator was an Iranian-designed projectile


Also out of Iraq:
Truck Bomb Full of Chlorine Gas Kills 20

Labels: Iran, Iraq

An Afghan National Army trainee provides perimeter security during training at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 15, 2007. Approximately 19 U.S. Air Force members provide guidance and mentorship for the instructors, officers and trainees at KMTC. The Internation Security Assistnae Force and the U.S. military provide the maximum amount of guidance for the Afghan National Army to independently sustain the security of its own country. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.


Senior Master Sgt. Robert Spaulding provides mentorship to Capt. Abdul Rahman, Military Police commander, during training at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 15, 2007. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.


Afghan National Army trainees prepare to learn perimeter security during training at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 15, 2007. Approximately 19 U.S. Air Force members provide guidance and mentorship for the instructors, officers and trainees at KMTC. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.


Afghan National Army trainees learn how to secure a perimeter during training at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 15, 2007. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.


An Afghan National Army trainee learns how to provide perimeter security during training at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 15, 2007. Approximately 19 U.S. Air Force members provide guidance and mentorship for the instructors, officers and trainees at KMTC. The International Security Assistance Force and the U.S. military provide the maximum amount of guidance for the Afghan National Army to independently sustain the security of its own country. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.


More photo essays at DefendAmerica

Labels: Afghan National Army, Afghanistan, Kabul, KMTC, photos, USAF

MEDICAL CARE — U.S. Army Pfc. Lauren Hebrank, a medic with 710th Brigade Support Battalion, Task Force Spartan, administers medical care to an Afghan girl at the Korengal Outpost. Hebrank and another female soldier provided medical coverage to infantrymen and residents. U.S. Army courtesy photo - Story

Labels: 710th Brigade Support Battalion, Afghanistan, Humanitarian Aid, Korengal Outpost, Operation Enduring Freedom, photos, Task Force Spartan, US Army

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Bombs and gunmen kill 19 Iraqi and foreign troops - Video
U.S. plans to send more National Guard to Iraq: NBC Video
Militants kill 8 U.S. soldiers in Iraq
Black Hawk Down Near Baghdad

Operation Enduring Freedom
In Kabul's bazaars, Taliban threat is discounted
Taliban claims kidnapping of French nationals: Web
Military.com Blog: Roggio's Daily Iraq Report

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Report: Al Qaeda Threatens to Kill Dalai Lama (Here's hoping the monks kick their collective terrorist @$$...wonder what the libs will say he did to provoke them - be TOO peaceful?)
Three Charged in London Train Bombings
Israeli soldiers kill man in West Bank: army
Scholars restudy Alger Hiss spy case

Other Military News
Veteran Files Claim After Wrong Testicle Removed at Los Angeles VA Medical Center (YIKES!) Guard Tanks Targeted by Sport Shooters
U.S. Army medics train for "shock and horror"
Marine Honored at Buckingham Palace
New Army Uniform Doesn't Measure Up
Spy Chief Criticizes Surveillance Laws
Military.com Op-ed: Price of Appeasement

Worldwide Wackos
Tearful homecoming for Britons freed by Iran - Video
Blair Blasts Iran After Return of Troops, Calls For More International Pressure - GRAPHIC
Reporter's Notebook: Caught Off Guard
U.S. supports "terrorists", Iranian speaker says
U.S. may give Iran access to 5 detainees

Politics / Government
Bush Uses Recess Appointment Power to Install GOP Fundraiser Sam Fox as Ambassador
Dems Cry Foul, Seek Swift Probe
Pelosi's Syria Visit Sparks Criticism
GOP Takes No Poop From Minnesota Pigeons
No sign of compromise on Iraq by Bush, Democrats
McCain questions U.S. helicopter pick
Cheney accuses Pelosi of "bad behavior" in Syria (wow, that's kind. Then again, I suppose calling her a bottom-feeding traitor is probably not politically correct...)
Pelosi visits Saudi Arabia's council

Illegal Immigration / Border Control
Helping Illegals (Video: Activists teach illegals to avoid deportation - at what point are we going to ARREST THESE PEOPLE???)
Man faces deportion after fatal crash

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Did FBI Kill One of Its Own?
Bureau probing death of agent in N.J. shootout
BRAINROOM: 50 FBI Agents Have Died in Line of Duty
Mystery Deepens (Missing Louisiana Preacher's wife)
Home Robbed After ''Everything Is Free' Ad
'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Ordered to Jail, Again
Man Puts Foot Through $300,000 Painting
Cops Arrest Bikini-Clad Firefighter - PHOTO
CNN shooting suspect has long rap sheet
Calif. patrol sued over civil rights (Iranian woman sues police...)
Fla. felons to regain rights more easily

Adventures in Political Correctness
N.C. Senate apologizes for slavery

U.N. News
Saudis invited to broker Lebanon deadlock: U.N.'s Ban
U.N. Security Council to study climate

Media in the Media / Bloggers in the News / Watching the Web
Google Asking Users to Personalize Maps

Science / Medicine / Technology
Leaky Roof Blamed for Tainted Peanut Butter
NEWS IN PICTURES: Siamese Twins
Most Americans don't eat smart and exercise: CDC
Drug reduces work productivity lost to migraines
BlackBerrys, laptops blur work/home balance: poll (Balance? What balance?)
Bursting magnets may delay CERN collider project
Doggy DNA: Scientists have dog size mystery licked
"Electronic paper" edging toward reality
N.M. county passes spaceport tax
Treatment may fuel cancer's spread, study finds

Mother Nature
Dog Found in Montana Reunited With Missouri Owners After 4 Years
Children bear brunt of climate warming: report (Oh, won't somebody think of the children... *sob*)
Spring snow dumps on upper Northeast
Climate change threatens new dust bowl

Oddities
Family Feline Saves the Day (Go, Kitty!)
Japanese Hospital Gets Approval for 'Baby Drop-Off Hatch'
Dentist guilty of urinating in surgery sink (EWWWWW....)
95-year-old woman traps thief
Disease underlies Hatfield-McCoy feud

Other News of Note
Wal-Mart Dog Biscuits Added to Recall - List
Disney Allows Same-Sex Fairy Tale Weddings
Wal-Mart dog treats join pet food recall
FCC seeks to reform 911 call tracking

Fox News
Ford Paid CEO $28 Million in Four Months
Rookies Lead at Masters - LEADERBOARD
Reality Check: Emotions Run High on 'American Idol' as Gina Goes Home
Jennifer Lopez: Music, Acting Careers in Jeopardy
Pop Tarts: Justin Timberlake Stressed Over Sex Scene With Christina Ricci
Popularizer of 'G Spot' Thinks Women Should Explore New Areas Sexually
Former NFL Player Stingley Dies at 55

Reuters: Top News
Former first lady Betty Ford hospitalized in Calif
Ukraine's leaders trade threats, crisis deepens - Video
Singapore ministers set for million-dollar pay hike
Anna Nicole's doctor faces state investigation - Video
Michael Jackson memorabilia set for auction
Wall Street rises with bid for Chrysler - Video
Oil falls after Iran releases Britons
Forex-Dollar hangs near 2-year low versus euro before jobs data
WD-40 shares rise 4.4 pct after results
Longs Drug Stores says March same-store sales rise
Job market blues just starting
Caution could stall economic growth
Ford CEO Mulally gets $39.1 million compensation
Nintendo eyes 62 percent profit rise in '06/07
Third Nikko investor pressures Citi to raise offer
Adidas to consolidate US operations
Halliburton, KBR split up
WCI board says Icahn's offer not best for company

AP World News
Unemployment claims up last week
Worker convicted in Wis. donor flap free
Ky. adds protections for social workers

Military.com
Our New Warfighter's Forum
Advisors: Watching 'The Bachelor'
Def Tech: Next Gen Catapults
Kit Up! Wants You!
Warfighters: Tell us about your gear.

CENTCOM: News Releases
FLOOD RELIEF CONTINUES FOR CHAMKANI RESIDENTS
U.S. HELICOPTER DOWN SOUTH OF BAGHDAD
17 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS CAPTURED IN RAIDS BAGHDAD
ROYAL NAVY COMPLETES TERM AS COMMANDER, TASK FORCE 150
AIRPOWER SUMMARY FOR APRIL 3
HUMANITARIAN AIR BRINGS SMILES TO BAGHDAD NEIGHBORHOOD
SOLDIERS PROVIDE MEDICAL ATTENTION TO RESIDENTS IN RADWINIYAH

USJFCOM
USJFCOM seeks to pass Joint Force Projection ACTD's final exam - podcast
More about the Joint Force Projection ACTD
More about ACTDs USJFCOM gears up for Noble Resolve - podcast
Personnel recovery capability continues process of fielding to the warfighter - podcast

DefenseLink
Gates, Pace Discuss Iraq and Afghanistan - Story
DoD Works to Improve Acquisition Process - Story
Marine Makes Discoveries at Winter Sports Clinic - Story
USS Cleveland Hosts Naturalization Ceremony - Story
Forces Discover Weapons Caches in Afghanistan - Story
Iraqi Forces' Efforts Improve Security in Baghdad - Story

More Headline News
Bush: Troops’ Hard Work Will Impact the World
Gates: Still ‘So Far, So Good’ in Iraq Strategy
England: Firm Political Will Necessary for Victory

Military News
Officials Stress Zero Tolerance of Sexual Assault
USS Nimitz Deploys to Persian Gulf
Troops Embark on ‘Why We Serve’ Mission

War on Terror
Suspected Terrorists Captured - Story
Five Soldiers Killed in Iraq
13 Terrorists Killed In Iraq
Soldier, Marine Die in Iraq

America Supports You
Military Families Enjoy Circus - Story
Elmo Helps Military Kids Deal With Parents' Deployments
Group Puts Flags in Troops’ Pockets
AT&T Helps Support Group

Transformation
Program Connects Troops to Public
Walter Reed Using 3-D
Soldiers Test New Vehicles

Face of Defense
Captain Relates Experience - Story
Engineer's Idea Saves Money
Air Force Surgeon Honored
Wounded Soldier Re-enlists

DefendAmerica
Iraqi Forces' Efforts Improve Security in Baghdad, Official Says - Story
Video: Bloggers' Roundtable
Transcript: Roundtable (pdf)
Bloggers' Roundtable Web Site

ON THE GROUND
Inspection Team Reduces Truck Breakdowns - Story
Civilian Carpenters Lend Soldiers a Helping Hand - Story
Female Medics Take Forward Mission to Heart - Story
Security, Reconstruction Efforts Improving - Story

IN IRAQ
General Petraeus Visits Revitalized Dora Market
Two-Man Team Helps Troops Communicate
Police Graduates Positioned to Protect Residents
Artillery Soldiers Tackle New Mission in Qadisiyh
Officials Sign Agreement to Build New Hospital
Iraqi, U.S. Soldiers Bring Smiles to Schools

IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Government, Coalition Aid Flood Victims
U.S., Coalition Servicemembers Climb 'The Ghar'
Female Aviators Pilot into Strong Career

IN DJIBOUTI
Soldiers Keep Promise, Check on Injured Girl
Postal Specialists Deal With Limited Space
Security Company Stands Watch in Djibouti

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
'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: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

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

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Today in History
0648 BC - Earliest total solar eclipse; chronicled by Greeks
0402 - Battle at Pollentia - Roman army under Stilicho beats Visigoten
0610 - Lailat-ul Qadar, the night the Koran descended to Earth
1106 - Fire in Venice
1652 - Cape Colony, the 1st European settlement in South Africa, established by John of Riebeeck
1663 - King Charles II signs Carolina Charter
1664 - France & Saksen sign alliance
1672 - France declares war on Netherlands
1712 - Slave revolt in New York
1722 - Peter the Great ends tax on men with beards
1724 - Duke of Newcastle becomes English minister of Foreign Affairs
1727 - Denmark signs Covenant of Hannover
1757 - English king George II fires minister William Pitt Sr
1789 - 1st US Congress begins regular sessions, Federal Hall, New York NY
1815 - English militia shoots prisoners, 100's killed
1830 - Joseph Smith & 5 others organize Mormon church in Seneca County, New York
1848 - Jews of Prussia granted equality
1859 - US recognizes Liberal government in México's War of the Reform
1862 - Battle of Shiloh, Union defeats Confederacy in SW Tennessee
1865 - Battle of Sayler's Creek, 1/3rd of Lee's army cut off
1866 - G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) is established
1868 - Brigham Young marries his 27th & final wife
1869 - 1st plastic, Celluloid, patented
1886 - Declaration of Berlin neutralizes Tonga
1889 - George Eastman places Kodak Camera on sale for 1st time
1890 - French troops under Captain Archinard occupy Segu, West-Sudan
1893 - Mormon temple in Salt Lake City dedicated
1896 - 1st modern Olympic games begin in Athens Greece; American, James Connolly, wins 1st Olympic gold medal in modern history
1906 - 1st animated cartoon copyrighted
1909 - 1st credit union established in US; North Pole reached by Americans Robert Peary & Matthew Henson
1912 - Electric starter 1st appeared in cars
1916 - German parliament OKs unrestricted submarine warfare
1917 - US declares war on Germany, enters World War I
1920 - French troop attacks Main/Darmstadt/Hanau
1924 - 4 planes leave Seattle on 1st successful around-the-world flight; Italian fascists receive 65% of vote of parliament; Völkische Block (Nazi's) receives 17.8% of vote in Bayern
1925 - 1st film shown on an airplane (British Air)
1930 - 1st transcontinental glider tow completed; Hostess Twinkies invented by bakery executive James Dewar
1936 - Tornado kills 203 & injures 1,800 in Gainesville GA
1938 - Teflon invented by Roy J Plunkett
1939 - US & UK agree on joint control of Canton & Enderbury Islands (Pacific); Great Britain & Poland sign military pact
1941 - Italian-held Addis Ababa capitulates to British & Ethiopian forces; Beginning of 3 day bombardment of Belgrade (17,000 die); British General Gambier-Parry caught in North Africa; German bombardment on Piraeus (munitions ship explodes)
1943 - British & US offensive at Wadi Akarit, South-Tunisia; Lou Jansen, leader of illegal Dutch political party (CPN) arrested
1944 - Jewish nursery at Izieu-Ain France overrun by Nazis
1945 - Coevorden freed from Nazis; Japanese giant battleship Yamato heads to Okinawa; Massive kamikaze-attack on US battle fleet near Okinawa; US Marines explore Tsugen Shima near Okinawa
1950 - John F Dulles becomes advisor to US Secretary of State Dean Acheson
1954 - TV Dinner is 1st put on sale by Swanson & Sons
1955 - Yemen failed coup by Abdullah Seif el-Islam
1956 - Polish communist Gomulka freed from prison
1957 - NYC ends trolley car service
1964 - Egypt & Belgium restore diplomatic relations
1965 - Intelsat 1 ("Early Bird") 1st commercial geosynchronous communications satellite
1967 - Premier Pompidou forms new French government
1968 - 94.5% of East German voters approve new socialist constitution; Gunpowder stock at a sporting-goods store explodes, killing 43 (Virginia)
1972 - Egypt drops diplomatic relations with Jordan
1973 - Indies troops invade Sikkim; US launches Pioneer 11 to Jupiter & Saturn
1981 - Yugoslav government sends troops to Kosovo
1984 - 11th Space Shuttle Mission (41-C)- Challenger 5 is launched; 1st time 11 people in space
1985 - Sudan suspends constitution after coup under General Swarreddahab
1988 - North pole explorer Matthew Henson buried next to Robert Peary in Arlington
1992 - Microsoft announced Windows 3.1, upgrading Windows 3.0; Serbian troops begin siege of Sarajevo; US Supreme Court rules a Nebraska farmer was entrapped by postal agents into buying mail-order child pornography
1993 - 1st test flight of Ilyushin IL-96M (Moscow)
1994 - Liberal Supreme Court Justice Blackmun (Roe vs Wade) resigns; Palestinian suicide bomber kills 7 Israelis & himself
1997 - Progress M-34 Launch (Russia)

Birthdays
1483 - Raphael [Raffaello Sanzio] Urbino, painter/master builder (Madonna Sistina)
1806 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning, poet (Sonnets from the Portuguese)/Mrs Robert Browning
1823 - Joseph Medill, newspaper editor (Chicago Tribune)
1828 - Charles William Field, Confederate Major General
1866 - Butch Cassidy [Robert Parker], US desperado (Wild Bunch Passage)
1890 - Anthony Herman Gerard Fokker, aircraft pioneer (Spider)
1892 - Donald Wills Douglas, aircraft pioneer (McConnell Douglas)
1903 - Harold Edgerton, foremost high-speed photographer
1910 - Desmond Dreyer, British Admiral
1925 - John Knox, British supreme court justice; Marcus Worsley Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire
1926 - Ian Paisley, clergyman/MP
1928 - James Dewey Watson, chemist (co-discovered structure of DNA)
1929 - "Crazy" Joe Gallo, mobster
1940 - Anne Campbell, MP
1946 - Paul Beresford, MP
1947 - Jan Kees Wiebenga, Dutch MP (VVD)
1950 - Dennis E Eckart (Representative-OH)

Passings
1199 - Richard I the Lion-hearted, King of England (1189-99), dies at 41
1362 - Jacques de Bourbon, Count of Marche, killed in battle
1489 - Hans Waldmann, Swiss military/mayor (Zurich), beheaded
1490 - Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary
1590 - Francis Walsingham English Secretary of State, dies at about 57
1593 - Henry Barrow English puritian/Congressionalist, hanged; John Greenwood English Congressionalist, hanged
1838 - José B de Andrada e Silva, Premier of Brazil (1822-23), dies at 74
1854 - William Strickland, US architect
1862 - Adley Hogan Gladden, Confederate Brigadier-General, dies in battle at 51; Albert Sidney Johnston Confederate General, dies in battle at 59
1865 - John Austin Wharton, Confederate General-Major, dies at 36; Reuben B. Boston, Confederate cavalry Colonel, dies in battle
1926 - Giovanni Amendola, antifascist/editor-in-chief (Il Mondo), dies at 43
1945 - Benjamin M. Telders, president (Dutch Liberal States Party), dies at 42
1961 - Jules J. B. V. Bordet, Belgian bacteriologist (Nobel 1919), dies at 90
1968 - Bobby Hutton, US Black Panther leader, shot to death
1972 - Heinrich Lübke West German President (1959-69), dies at 77
1983 - Ana Maria Salvador guerilla leader, murdered
1990 - Ronald E. Evans, astronaut (Apollo 17), dies of a heart attack at 57
1993 - Hedi Amira Nouira, PM of Tunisia (1970-80)
1994 - Agatha Uwilingiyimana, Rwanda/1st female PM in Africa, assassinated; Cyprian Niayamira, President of Burundi (1993-94), assassinated; Juvénal Habayarimana President of Rwanda (1973), assassinated
1995 - Vieno J. Sukselainen, PM of Finland (1959-61)

Reported Missing in Action
1966
Cook, Dennis P., USN (CA); A4E crashed in water shortly after launch, Killed, BNR

Gates, James W., US Army (LA); OV1A shot down, (pilot, w/Lafayette)

Lafayette, John W.,US Army (VT); OV1A shot down (observer, w/Gates)

1967
Hegdahl, Douglas B., USN (SD); washed overboard in Tonkin Gulf, released August, 1969 - alive and well as of 1998 ** brought back a list of over 200 POWs names which he memorized to the tune of "Old McDonald Had a Farm". **

1968
Kustigan, Michael T., USN (MA)

Pepper, Anthony John, USMC (VA); KIA / BNR

Trimble, James M., USMC (CA); KIA / BNR

1970
The following Civilian journalists all reported missing, believed abducted:
Arpin, Claude, (France)

Flynn, Sean L., ; British TV crew found remains May, 1991

Stone, Dana, ; British TV crew found remains May, 1991

Takagi, Yujiro, (Japan)

Klingner, Michael Lee, USAF (NE); F100D shot down, KIA / BNR

Brassfield, Andrew T., US Army SF (OH); KIA / BNR

1972
The following USAF pesonnel reported MIA when their HH53C was shot down:
Alley, James H. (FL); remains ID'd September, 1997

Avery, Allen J. (MA); remains returned October, 1997

Call, James Henry III; remains returned October, 1997

Chapman, Peter H., (OH); remains returned October, 1997

Pearson, William R. (NH); remains returend October, 1997

Prater, Roy Dewitt (OH); remains returned October, 1997

Also reported MIA this day in 1972:
Dunlop, Thomas E., USN (FL); A7E shot down

Labels: Headlines, History