Iraq

CentCom to boost staffing in Qatar

TAMPA - The U.S. Central Command plans to beef up staffing levels by several hundred at its headquarters in Qatar in the coming weeks, the Central Command said in a statement Friday.

The move is being made to provide support to operational commanders in the region, including Gen. John Abizaid, the head of Central Command. Central Command has a staff of more than 2,000, and most of those staffers will remain in Tampa.

The Central Command said the specific number of personnel to be deployed to Qatar has yet to be determined. News reports have placed the number at 400.

The Central Command built the facility in Qatar in preparation for the war in Iraq, and retired Gen. Tommy Franks ran the war from there.

The Central Command said it has maintained more than a hundred staff members in Qatar since the facility was established in late 2002. Staffing has ebbed and flowed dependent upon operations and exercises.

Since replacing Franks in July, Abizaid has traveled extensively in the region. Abizaid returned to Tampa this week after nearly two weeks in Afghanistan and Iraq.

DENVER - A soldier who refused to return to Iraq so she could care for her children will not be punished, the Army said Friday.

Spc. Simone Holcomb, 30, had feared she would face criminal charges and a discharge that would cost her the benefits she earned in the Colorado National Guard.

But Army Maj. Steve Stover said the medic will face no administrative or criminal penalties.

For compassionate reasons, she will be allowed to remain at Colorado's Fort Carson and will be given time to resolve the custody dispute that led to her refusal to return to Iraq, the Army said.

WASHINGTON - In an escalation of White House efforts to circumvent what President Bush calls the news media "filter," the Pentagon plans to launch a 24-hour satellite channel from Baghdad to make it easier for U.S. TV stations to air government-authorized news about Iraq.

The satellite link, dubbed "C-Span Baghdad" within the administration, is to go on the air in a week or two. Administration officials say U.S. news organizations have emphasized violence and setbacks in occupied Iraq, while downplaying progress. They say the Baghdad channel is designed to make it easier for local U.S. stations to interview U.S. authorities in Iraq and offer live coverage of military ceremonies and briefings relevant to their areas.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times 490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 Contact the Times | Privacy Policy Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright