Six U.S. Army helicopters were forced to land unexpectedly when their flight from Lithuania to a temporary Polish base near the German border encountered bad weather. According to Bloomberg, the thick fog caused the aircrafts to land in a field in the remote village of Gruta – much to the surprise of the small, rural community.
Because the town is only 100 miles outside of Kaliningrad, Russia, residents were initially alarmed that the helicopters were related to the turmoil in Ukraine. Once the community of 1,600 people realized the commotion was being caused by Americans, however, they flocked to the field to meet the servicemembers and take pictures with them, reported CNN. They even handed out pamphlets written in English with information about their town. The village's website has been updated to include photographs from the exciting encounter.
Gruta resident Waldemar Krukowski told Bloomberg, "Those Americans were really heaven sent. Now, when I think about it we could have served them some food, but we were in shock and the boys had to go."
Military Times noted that the dangerous weather forced six other American helicopters to land in the town of Nowa Wies, roughly 290 miles away.
On Wednesday, Sept. 10, President Obama addressed the nation. His speech was mainly on the plans to handle the Islamic militant group calling themselves the Islamic State. The terrorist organization is currently located in Iraq and Syria, a country involved in a brutal civil war. It is responsible for the beheadings of two American journalists earlier this month.
A different direction
CNN noted that Obama's plans represent a shift from his usual strategies. He wants to help Syrian rebel soldiers fighting the militant group, something he was originally opposed to. The president also plans to authorize massive airstrikes over areas inhabited by the religious extremists, a more aggressive strategy than his previous plans. According to CNN, both his Democratic peers as well as members of the GOP applauded this forceful step.
Not a war
While Obama is taking military action, he made it very clear that the U.S. is not entering a war and that American troops would not be sent to fight. According to The Washington Post, the president wanted to make sure civilians understood that this situation would not be like the war in Iraq, but rather a mission to stomp out terrorists. CNN noted that America will be sending 475 military advisors to Iraq. These servicemembers will be helping arm and instruct local fighters.
The takeaway
Ultimately, the president wanted his goal to be heard.
"Our objective is clear: We will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy," he stated.
Currently, Obama believes he has enough power, based on policies enacted when the U.S. was fighting Al Qaeda, to authorize putting his plan into action, noted CNN. According to The Washington Post, the president hopes to gain extra support and resources from Congress to implement his plans as successfully as possible.
President Obama is set to announce his strategy for dealing with the Islamic militant issue in Syria on Wednesday, Sept. 10. According to CNN, Obama's plan will include economic, diplomatic and military action.
In a recent interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," the president touched upon some of the topics he will cover in his national address. He mentioned the implementation of a three-step plan that would include increasing airstrikes and further investigating members of the radical group who have started referring to themselves as the Islamic State. He described the new strategy as including more offensive tactics – something many have been hoping for since the extremist organization beheaded two American journalists earlier this month.
The New York Times noted that these gruesome murders, which were documented on video and distributed internationally via the Internet, have been instrumental in Obama's decisions. They have also swayed public opinion toward taking military action. The president considered using missiles in Syria last year when Bashar al-Assad began using chemical weapons, but he decided to cancel the plan when he received a lack of support from Congress. The determination and growing power of Islamic militants, however, has radically altered the political climate, according to the Times.
CNN noted that even though military action is a facet of the strategy, as of now President Obama will not be putting U.S. troops on the ground. Instead, he plans to provide support for Syrian and Iraqi troops. He told "Meet the Press" that while the religious extremist group is not currently an imminent threat to the U.S., it could evolve to be a problem if not handled properly and quickly.
"What I want people to understand is that over the course of months, we are going to be able to not just blunt the momentum of (ISIS), we are going to systematically degrade their capabilities, we're going to shrink the territory that they control and ultimately, we're going to defeat them," Obama said.
Jeff Monken was appointed the new coach of Army football on Dec. 24, according to Go Army Sports. Prior to accepting this position, Monken worked with the football programs at Georgia Southern University, Navy and Georgia Tech.
Go Army Sports noted that he brought Georgia Southern to some of the most exciting and monumental wins in the school's history. He was nominated for a Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, produced players who went on to be drafted by the NFL and even helped to raise the overall GPA of his team during his time as head coach.
On Sept. 6, Monken put that winning coaching technique to good use as Army took on Buffalo at West Point. The riveting match ended with Army taking the victory 47-39 over Buffalo, according to USA Today. In the past, Army football has struggled to make a successful name for itself. USA Today noted that since its peak in 1996, the program has had a 51-149 record. Monken's expertise seems to signal a turning point for the Black Knights, however, as he hopes to lead Army football into a new, victorious era.
According to Newsweek, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is observing the 13th anniversary of the attacks by unveiling new exhibits. On Sept. 7 the museum opened its display documenting the search and capture of Osama bin Laden.
The exhibit features artifacts and photographs from the 2011 mission, including a shirt worn by a member of the U.S. Navy Seal Team 6, the servicemembers active in completing the assignment. The New York Times noted that the museum will also release a new video, featuring narration by Whoopi Goldberg. The video sheds light on the story of the 9/11 "survivor tree," a pear tree badly damaged during the attacks that was excavated from the rubble and later replanted in the Bronx. Today, the tree has blossomed back to full health with the help of the New York City Parks Department.
Newsweek noted that the 9/11 Memorial has hosted upward of 15 million visitors since it opened its doors in 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. The museum, which opened in May 2013, has been visited over 900,000 times.
The Pentagon has announced roughly 200 U.S. servicemembers will be sent to train in Ukraine as part of an annual peacekeeping exercise called Rapid Trident, according to The Associated Press. The exercise, which will take place in western Ukraine, will run from Sept. 15 to Sept. 26.
Support far away from the conflict
According to The Hill, this will be the first time U.S. military members have traveled to Ukraine since government officials in Kiev began fighting against pro-Russian separatists in the country. American personnel will be stationed hundreds of miles away from the border of Ukraine and Russia.
The exercise will not include live fire weaponry. Instead, the AP reported that efforts would include practicing convoy operations, patrolling and learning tactics to locate and defuse improvised explosive devices. Soldiers involved in the exercises will be taken from Italy's 173rd Airborne Brigade. Although the troops will not support Ukrainian soldiers in combat, the Pentagon has announced that more non-lethal aid has been delivered to Ukrainian military personnel in the eastern part of the country. The delivered aid included helmets, explosive disposal robots, radios, body armor, first-aid kits and more.
Uniting against Russia
This is the latest step being taken to bolster support in NATO countries after Russia has reportedly entered Ukrainian territory. President Barack Obama denounced Russia's intervention in the region during a speech in Estonia, according to The Hill. Now, U.S. officials and NATO forces are beginning to plan additional military exercises in parts of eastern Europe. Further sanctions against Russia are also being considered, and Obama may propose the tougher measures during a NATO summit in the near future.
Obama has also revealed plans to strengthen ties between NATO and Ukraine, according to a White House press release. Increased engagement between the organization and Ukrainian civilians and military personnel is intended to reinforce the bonds between the two. Additionally, Obama and other allied leaders will meet with President Poroshenko at the Wales Summit to plan further measures to increase the ties between NATO and Ukraine.
Currently, the U.S. is focusing on constant rotations of air, sea and land personnel through Europe to show support to Allies nervous about the events in eastern Ukraine. Obama has also requested approval from Congress of a European Reassurance Initiative of $1 billion, which would allow for an increased military presence in the region and build greater partnerships with NATO allies.
President Barack Obama has authorized sending 350 additional military servicemembers to Iraq to help protect U.S. personnel and facilities following a Department of State request, according to a White House press release. The Department of State requested the increased military personnel following an interagency review, and the troops will be used for security and support of the Iraqi government. They will not serve in combat roles, however.
More military support in Baghdad
While the current number of troops in Iraq is 763, some troops will be leaving the country. Around 55 troops who have been in Iraq since June will be able to leave to other areas within the region. In total, the number of U.S. military members in Iraq once the 350 troops arrive will be roughly 820, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a statement. Just under half of that amount – 405 troops – will be stationed in Baghdad.
Those aren't the only military members stationed nearby U.S. facilities in Iraq. According to Military Times, sailors and marines in the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group will lengthen their stay in the Fifth Fleet region – the area just off the coast of the Middle East – for three weeks. They will be stationed in the area while Obama and government officials continue to study ways to combat Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant insurgents.
Tensions between US and ISIL grow
Obama authorized airstrikes against ISIL targets on Aug. 28 to help besieged civilians in the town of Amirli, according to a White House press release. Those airstrikes were conducted on Aug. 30. Just days later, ISIL militants released a second video beheading an American citizen, Military Times reported. Steven Sotloff – a freelance journalist – read an ISIL statement before he was murdered on screen.
"You've spent billions of U.S. taxpayers' dollars and we've lost thousands of our troops in our previous fighting against the Islamic State," Sotloff said in the video. "So where is the people's interest in reigniting this war?"
Shortly afterward, a hooded ISIL militant – similar to the person in the previous James Foley video – appeared, saying another brief message before murdering Sotloff.
"I'm back, Obama, and I'm back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State," the man said.
The National Security Council has stated the video is authentic, according to Military Times. Since the video's release, Obama has stated the terrorists responsible for the murder of Sotloff will be found and taken to justice.
"We will not be intimidated. Their horrific acts only unite us as a country and stiffen our resolve to take the fight against these terrorists," Obama said, according to Military Times. "And those who make the mistake of harming Americans will learn that we will not forget, and that our reach is long and that justice will be served."
ISIL militants are still holding at least one hostage – a British citizen, according to The Guardian. The government of the United Kingdom failed in rescuing the citizen during an operation earlier this year.
Recently, military officials and reporters have warned of the imminent military airstrikes in Syria after President Barack Obama authorized aircraft surveillance missions over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant territory. However, the president stated in a press conference recently that airstrikes in Syria would not occur in the near future, as a plan of action in Syria is still being formulated.
No strategy in Syria yet
"We don't have a strategy yet," Obama told reporters. "We need to make sure that we've got clear plans, that we're developing them. At that point, I will consult with Congress and make sure that their voices are heard, but there's no point in me asking for action on the part of Congress before I know exactly what it is that is going to be required for us to get the job done."
Surveillance missions in Syria began just days before Obama gave statements in a press conference regarding military missions in the region. Now, it is clear the president will be taking his time to assess the threat posed by ISIL, sort through options designed by the Pentagon and consult with Congress about future measures in the country. Congress is still gone during the summer recess, and they will return come early September. According to CNN, Obama has made it clear that planning military intervention in Syria will take time, and a careful regional strategy must be formed before action is taken.
Commitment to Iraq
In the meantime, the president has reiterated military commitment to U.S. officials in Iraq. Airstrikes are already being used in defense of American personnel in Erbil and Baghdad, according to The Associated Press. ISIL militants have attempted to secure more area within the region and threaten U.S. individuals, but airstrikes have successfully pushed the militants back from the Mosul dam and from other key areas.
However, the military measures alone will not extinguish ISIL, according to the president.
"The idea that the United States or any outside power would perpetually defeat ISIS … is unrealistic," Obama said. "Our military is the best in the world. We can route ISIS on the ground and keep a lid on things temporarily. But then as soon as we leave, the same problems come back again."
Instead, Obama stated that a strong Iraqi government with a clear handle on defensive security will be necessary to make headway in the area. To establish that government, the people of Iraq would need to make compromises. In addition to that, the president encouraged surrounding regions and people to band together to help defeat ISIL.
"This should be a wake-up call to Sunni, to Shia – to everybody – that a group like ISIS is beyond the pale; that they have no vision or ideology beyond violence and chaos and the slaughter of innocent people," Obama said. "We've got to all join together – even if we have differences on a range of political issues – to make sure that they're rooted out."
An uncertain future
The AP equated Obama's aim to collaborate with Congress to similar events one year ago when the president sought to authorize airstrikes in Syria in retaliation for chemical weapons use. However, in a change of heart, Obama brought the issue to Congress for approval. Facing further scrutiny, Congress rebuffed his request for a vote and the president later canceled any plans to intervene in Syria. Some believe requesting another congressional vote could cause the same turn of events. However, Obama has not revealed plans to request a vote from Congress if he decides to authorize future airstrikes in the region.
Shiite Turkmen in northern Iraq facing off with Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant forces may receive humanitarian aid requested by the Obama administration, according to The Associated Press. The Turkmen have been under siege from ISIL forces for weeks, and now defense officials are focused on militants moving toward the Iraqi town of Amirli just 105 miles north of Baghdad. Currently, it is estimated that between 12,000 and 15,000 individuals have no access to food or water.
The situation
According to Fox News, Shiite Turkmen clashed with ISIL forces weeks ago. Residents of Amirli put up a fierce resistance against ISIL militants, preventing them from entering the town, but now the Sunni forces have cut off Amirli from the outside world, depleting their resources and leaving the people without fresh water, food or medicine despite airdrops coordinated by the Iraqi military. ISIL forces have blocked off roads to and from the town as well, cutting off any routes of escape other than by air. The United Nations has warned of a possible massacre that may occur within days.
Taking Amirli is part of ISIL's broad offensive to commandeer large clusters of land from Syria to western and northern Iraq. Fueling the fight against Amirli's residents is the militant group's disdain for Iraqi minorities, including the Shiite Turkmen – which make up Iraq's third-largest ethnic population, according to Fox News. Thousands of Turkmen have already had to flee their homes across the nation since ISIL forces captured the city of Mosul and a number of other towns and villages.
The second humanitarian mission
This would not be the first humanitarian mission in Iraq. Earlier this month, U.S. servicemembers delivered humanitarian aid to thousands of Yazidis trapped on Mount Sinjar by ISIL militants, according to a White House press release. Several airdrops delivered 114,000 meals and 35,000 gallons of fresh water to the threatened individuals – who numbered in the tens of thousands. That mission was carried out successfully after U.S. military advisors traveled to Mount Sinjar to find that the civilians used many of the resources before sneaking away from Mount Sinjar and evading ISIL forces over a series of nights.
Civilians on Mount Sinjar were also assisted by American airstrikes against ISIL targets. It is unclear if U.S. forces will use airstrikes to assist the people in Amirli or if airstrikes will be used primarily for the defense of U.S. officials in Baghdad.
President Barack Obama has authorized manned and unmanned aircrafts to fly over the embattled nation of Syria to gain intelligence about Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant forces within the country, according to The Associated Press. The move could be the first step in launching airstrikes against the militants. However, the Obama administration worries that such a maneuver may help Syrian President Bashar Assad, who ISIL and U.S.-aided rebel forces are attempting to ouster.
A delicate balance
U.S. officials have expressed their concern in aiding the Syrian president, saying that airstrikes would be used for the purpose of attacking ISIL forces only, not helping Assad.
"We're not interested in trying to help the Assad regime," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday, according to the AP. "There are a lot of cross pressures here."
Currently, no military action has been authorized by Obama. The flights over Syria are being used solely for gaining intelligence over the region. However, some claim this is the natural first step to calculated military airstrikes, saying additional data must be obtained first. Obama approved the surveillance flights recently, and the missions over Syria have already begun. Pentagon officials are already drafting options for the president. Some of those options include airstrikes, according to the AP.
Rising tensions
Recently, the Syrian government warned the White House that any military airstrikes against individuals in Syria would be considered a breach of the country's sovereignty and an act of aggression, according to The New York Times. Instead, the government – led by Assad – has agreed to collaborate, and has attempted to gain U.S. support in striking ISIL militants. The White House has stated that it will not work with Assad nor will U.S. forces inform the Syrian president in advance of any military operation.
Faced with a hostile Syrian airspace, military forces have multiple options, according to the Times. American fighter jets could fly close to the border and launch precision long-range weapons from protected airspace. The U.S. military could also jam Syrian air-defense systems, giving fighter planes a period of time to locate and attack ISIL forces within the country. Moreover, American forces could rely on stealth fighter planes that can evade radar or precision missiles launched from sea.
Fighting ISIL
Obama has refused to take military action in Syria thus far, according to the AP, but that may change as governmental officials suggest the only way to eliminate ISIL forces is to take action in the embattled country. American tensions against ISIL increased after the militants released a video of their men executing an American journalist. James Foley was murdered by the militants on video after being held hostage in Syria. Although U.S. military forces attempted to rescue American hostages held in Syria earlier this summer, the targets could not be found. There are still American hostages being held by ISIL forces, and further intelligence inside Syria could allow U.S. servicemembers to coordinate another rescue mission or allow Americans to attack ISIL leaders.