UPDATE: House Votes To Expedite Airport Screening For Troops

By Adrianna McGinley

The House is scheduled to vote Tuesday on legislation that would expedite airport security screening for members of the Armed Forces.

H.R. 1801 would give the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) six months to implement a risk-based system for screening members of the military and their families traveling on official orders. 

The legislation, introduced by Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.), was sparked in 2007 when 200 soldiers traveling home from Iraq to Hawaii were detained during a layover at Oakland International Airport and denied entry to the passenger terminal.

“Our soldiers who are putting their lives on the line in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and elsewhere should be afforded extra respect when returning home to their loved ones and shouldn’t be viewed as potential terrorists in our airports,” Cravaack said.

The House Committee on Homeland Security unanimously agreed in September to bring the legislation to the floor for consideration.

Update on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 10:25PM by Staff

As expected, the Risk-Based Screening for Members of the Armed Services Act passed the House unanimously Tuesday evening. The vote tally was 404-0.

Detainee Language In Defense Bill Irks Pentagon's Top Lawyer

By Lisa Kellman

Defense Department General Counsel Jeh Johnson spoke out Tuesday against provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act’s (NDAA) that would force give the military full control of handling suspected terrorists.

The Senate and House have each drafted versions of the 2012 NDAA, the primary funding bill for the Department of Defense, and while there is broad agreement on the major issues, the detainee-related provisions inserted by Republicans are a point of contempt.

The provisions would amend the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) Act that gave the president increased authority to capture and prosecute suspected terrorists. The new policies proposed would restrict transfer of detainees out of U.S military prisons and force civilian governments to turn over terror suspects to the U.S. military.

Johnson, who spoke at The Heritage Foundation, argued that pending legislation from Congress will “limit the executive branch’s and military’s counterterrorism options, complicate our efforts to achieve continued success and will make military detention more controversial, not less.”

Johnson recommended a “less controversial, more credible and sustainable legal framework” similar to that afforded by the AUMF.

The Washington Post has more on the story…

UN Officials Fear Afghan Surge Could Undermine Humanitarian Efforts

UN officials believe the living conditions of Afghan civilians will be harmed by an expected intensification of the conflict. They also note that recovery and reconstruction efforts in the country could be undermined by the widening conflict, as NATO and Afghan forces continue a major military operation in Helmand province.

"Afghanistan needs long term development and many donors support recovery and reconstruction efforts," said Robert Watkins, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, as he outlined a new framework for the 2010 Humanitarian Action Plan (HAP)."However the impact is often undermined by emergency situations and conflicts”, Watkins said.

The current military surge in Helmand Province has already forced 10 000 civilians out of their homes.

Laurent Saillard, director of ACBAR( Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief ) also said he did not expect an improvement in the security situation for civilians in the country. “ We assume that, in regards to the military presence, there will be an intensification of the conflict, which will impact on the living conditions of civilians in Afghanistan.”

Amnesty International estimates the war claimed over 2400 civilian casualties last year, the highest total since 2001, when military operations first began.

The new HAP also addresses growing concerns over the use of aid as a political and strategic tool by the military, by increasing the role of NGO’s in the distribution of aid. “Distribution of humanitarian assistance should remain solely within the realm of humanitarian actors and not the military” said Watkins, “ The distribution of aid by military personnel gives the wrong signal to communities who then perceive all aid to be associated with the military. This has lead to threats of violence against the humanitarian community and hampered their ability to deliver needed services.”

Pelosi Lauds Improved Benefits for Veterans

By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service

Veterans and their families are receiving attention and better benefits as result of the recently passed supplemental bill, according to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. She expressed her delight for the military families during her weekly press briefing. Pelosi also said the legislation not only helped our service men and women but included a provision that extends the G.I. Bill of Rights to families of the fallen.

“When we passed the bill last year, we were very proud of it. You would be able to transfer benefits, from a veteran who wasn’t interested in using it, to a family member. What emerged in conversations with family members is that if your family member fell in combat, you lost the benefit. So for us, this is a specific but very important improvement,” said Pelosi

She said members of the House met with veteran service organizations this week and the organizations that were pleased with how the new law will benefit them.

Members of the House were also able to announce advanced appropriations funding this week. It is something the veteran service organizations have been requesting for years and Pelosi said that it was “a giant step forward.”

As she continued to discuss what the House is doing to help U.S. service men and women she noted a change on what she called the “authorizing side.” The Armed Services Committee marked up its bill. That includes a pay raise for veterans, $1.9 billion for family housing and an internship pilot program for military spouses.

Iraqi Government Official: Iraqi Security Ready for U.S Withdrawal

By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service

On Monday, Dr. Rafe Al-Eissawi, Iraq’s deputy prime minister, made a speech at the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace Center in which he addressed the issue of U.S withdrawal from Iraq. Al-Eissawi insists that Iraqi security forces are ready to take over the protection of the country.

Al-Eissawi was optimistic that the Iraqi security forces could meet the requirements expected by the U.S to allow for the American withdrawal of its troops to optimize Iraqi stability and security after the 2010 Iraqi general elections that will determine the new members of the national parliament.

"Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end," announced U.S. President Barack Obama on February 28.

Speaking on his assessment of the withdrawal, Al-Eissawi said “We consider the Iraqi forces are capable of controlling the situation.”

Iraq has acknowledged and taken measures to fill the vacuum left by the rapid departure of American forces and the gradual dispersion of American influence, Al-Eissawi said. “We are fully aware of the challenges that may take place accompanying this control shift of transition from mixed Iraqi-American to purely Iraqi security forces.”

But Al-Eissawi recognized that the Iraqi security forces’ capacity to take over the security of Iraq would not come immediately but would rather require that the national forces remain under American auspices, saying that Iraq “may need the American force in the next period, focusing more and more on training and some logistic support, which is considered to make a great difference.”

According to Al-Eissawi, the effectiveness of the withdrawal depends upon “The necessity of commitment and implementation of the SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement that provides a framework of cooperation between two countries as one state stations troops in another state) between Iraq and America and the timing of withdrawal of the main troops from the main cities and the capacity building of the Iraqi security forces that will be able to cover the security vacuum that may take place accompanying the withdrawal.”