War tours strain US military readiness

WASHINGTON: Strained by repeated war tours, persistent terrorist threats and instability around the globe, there is a significant risk the U.S. military may not be able to respond quickly and fully to new crises, a classified Pentagon assessment has concluded.

This is the third year that the risk level has been set at “significant” _ despite improved security conditions in Iraq and plans to cut U.S. troop levels there. Senior military officials spoke about the report on condition of anonymity because it is a classified document.

The risk assessment, drawn up by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, paints a broad picture of the security threats and hot spots around the world and the U.S. military’s ability to deal with them. Mullen has delivered it to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The assessment is prepared every year and routinely delivered to Congress with the budget. Because the threat is rated as significant, Gates will send an accompanying report to Congress outlining what the military is doing to address the risks. That report has not yet been finished.

source : jang.com.pk

Two JI leaders arrested on charge of 1971 war crimes

DHAKA: Two local leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami were arrested in northwestern Rajshahi district on charge of killing of a ‘freedom fighter’ in 1971 war, signaling a countdown to war crimes trial vowed by ruling Awami League government to hold.

The officer-in-charge of the Mohanpur police station Asaduzzaman Milon said, the police had arrested Daud Hossain, 70, and Nur-a-Anwar, 65, of Dayangpara Barabari village in Mohanpur. This is the first case in which any person accused of war crimes has been arrested since November 30, 1973, when a general amnesty for the collaborators who had not killed or committed major crimes was declared by the then Prime Minister, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. But a central leader of the party said in Dhaka that they had no information about the arrest of their two local leaders in Rajshahi.