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No. 2 Colombian rebel killed, government says

(CNN) — Colombian forces on Saturday killed the second in command of the country’s main rebel group, a strike the government said was the most significant yet.

Luis Edgar Devia Silva, known as Raul Reyes, died in a joint operation conducted by Colombian national police and military forces, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said.

The fighting took place just across the Ecuadorean border, he said.

Reyes was among 17 killed, Santos said.

Also killed was Guillermo Enrique Torres, called Julian Conrado, who Santos said was a key ideologist for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

The bodies of the two were in the hands of Colombian authorities, Santos said.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe had spoken to Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa to inform him about the situation, Santos said.

Colombian air forces attacked a FARC camp from the Colombian side of the border, Santos said, adding that Colombia did not violate Ecuadorean airspace.

There was no immediate reaction from FARC to the death of Reyes, The Associated Press reported.

Reyes was a member of the seven-man FARC leadership council, known as the general secretariat.

The U.S. State Department had offered a bounty of $5 million for information leading to his arrest, according to AP, as well as the other members of the ruling secretariat.

The Marxist rebel group has been trying for 40 years to overthrow the Colombian government.

On Wednesday, FARC released four former Colombian lawmakers who were among the estimated 750 hostages the group has held in the jungles of Colombia.

In the past two months, FARC has released six hostages overall. Reyes, a former member of the Colombian Communist Party who joined FARC decades ago, played a key mediation role in their release.

FARC has justified hostage-taking as a legitimate military tactic in a long-running and complex civil war that also has involved right-wing paramilitaries, government forces and drug traffickers.

Reyes’ role in FARC was believed to include international relations and financial operations for the group. A former factory manager for Nestle-Colombia, he was a negotiator during peace talks in 1999 and 2002.
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Princes greet Harry from Afghanistan

LONDON, England (CNN) — Prince Harry was welcomed home by his father and brother Saturday, a day after he was quickly withdrawn from serving with the British army in Afghanistan because of the media’s disclosure of his deployment there.

His father — Prince Charles — and his brother — Prince William — were waiting for Harry at the Royal Air Force’s Brize Norton base near Oxford, England.

Prince Harry walked off an RAF transport plane, along with several dozen other British soldiers, at 11:45 a.m. Saturday.

Charles told reporters he was enormously proud of Harry and said he now understood what the families and loved ones of soldiers endured when they were serving abroad. Watch as Harry arrives in UK

He said: As you can imagine it’s obviously a great relief as far as I’m concerned to see him home in one piece.

The prince had been deployed in Afghanistan since December. Major news outlets had agreed to keep the information secret for security reasons, but a Web site broke the news blackout Thursday.

That prompted the British military to withdraw the prince for security reasons four weeks before the end of his 14-week deployment.

Asked if he had mixed feelings about Harry’s premature return, Charles replied: Yes. He went on: I feel particular frustration that he was removed unexpectedly early because apart from anything else, he had been looking forward to coming back with the rest of his regiment.

As you can imagine it’s obviously a great relief as far as I’m concerned to see him home in one piece.

It’s been quite difficult also having to keep quiet about the fact he was serving in that part of the world.

People kept saying to me ‘you must be so frustrated about Harry not being able to serve abroad.’

Charles said he now understood what it’s like for so many families with loved ones serving abroad.

The British Ministry of Defence had earlier described as regrettable the decision of elements of the foreign media to reveal Prince Harry’s service in Afghanistan.

Because of the unique circumstances of the deployment, CNN, as well as other news organizations, chose to honor an embargo requested by the military.

While the deployment has transformed the image of Harry, previously dubbed the playboy prince by many newspapers, veteran PR expert Max Clifford on Saturday criticized what he regards as an ill-conceived publicity stunt.

It just comes across, the whole thing, as a very, very calculated public relations exercise, designed to rehabilitate Harry’s image as a partying posh boy, he told Channel 4 News.

He said Harry was never put in real danger, and said the public was more clear-sighted about the manipulation than the media had been.

Clifford added: The other aspect of it is he’s been shown firing a machine gun at Muslims. What does that say? He becomes a big target. Harry likes to go to clubs and pubs — does that make them targets?

The 23-year-old prince holds the rank of cornet — equivalent to a second lieutenant — and served in Afghanistan as a forward air controller with a group called Joint Tactical Air Control, or JTAC.

At the end of the day I like to sort of be a normal person, and for once I think this is about as normal as I’m ever going to get, he said in a interview while he was there. As far as I’m concerned, I’m out here as a normal JTAC on the ground and not as Prince Harry.

His duties included calling in airstrikes and air support when necessary, guaranteeing the accuracy of bombing on the ground and guarding against incidents of friendly fire.

Prince Harry is the younger son of Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, and the late Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

Last year, the military ruled he could not be sent to Iraq because publicity about the deployment could put him and his unit at risk.

Shortly after the news of the prince’s deployment broke, several Islamist Web sites posted messages alerting their brethren in Afghanistan to be on the lookout for the royal soldier.

Several members of the British royal family saw combat in the past century. Prince Harry’s grandfather, Prince Phillip, served aboard warships in World War II; his great-grandfather — the future King George VI — took part in the World War I naval battle of Jutland; and Prince Andrew, Prince Harry’s uncle, flew Royal Navy helicopters during Britain’s 1982 war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.

Prince Harry’s brother, Prince William, is also an army officer. But as second in line for the throne, he is specifically barred from combat.

The last sitting British monarch to lead troops in battle was George II, who defeated a French force at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743.
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Palestinians: Israeli attacks killing dozens

JERUSALEM (CNN) — The Israeli military says its air and ground operations against militants firing rockets from northern Gaza have hit at least 15 armed Palestinians.

An Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman said the IDF was unable to confirm if those targeted were killed, but Palestinian medical sources told CNN that 32 people were killed and more than 50 wounded since Friday in the area around Jebaliya.

Among the dead were at least nine militants, seven children and 10 adult civilians, the sources said.

Since Wednesday, at least 60 Palestinians have died, the Palestinian medical sources said.

Hamas security and medical sources told CNN that an Israeli airstrike early Saturday in northern Gaza killed Hamas commander Iyyad al-Ashram. Watch as Israeli-Palestinian fighting escalates

The IDF spokeswoman said the operations, close to the border near Jebaliya, mostly involved ground forces backed up by air support. Five Israeli soldiers were wounded, she said.

The Palestinian militans were seen planting explosives and firing at IDF troops, she said.

She also said more than 30 homemade rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza overnight, including six that landed around Ashkelon, injuring an Israeli woman and two children.

Another 19 rockets, called Qassam rockets, were launched from Gaza earlier on Friday, including one that slammed into a house in Sderot, slightly wounding a woman, she said.

Israel’s defense minister has said the Jewish state is ready for escalation in the confrontation with militants in Gaza.

The big military operation is actual and concrete, Ehud Barak said. We are not eager for it [but] are not deterred by it.

The Israeli military maintains it is targeting sites where rockets are built and launched as well as other militant areas.

The short-range homemade Qassam missiles are fired from Gaza into Sderot and surrounding communities on almost daily.

Sderot is a frequent target because it is near Gaza — about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) away. Increased Israeli security has forced militants to fire Qassams from deeper inside Gaza, but the range and accuracy of the unguided rockets have improved in recent months.

Tensions have run high in Gaza since Israel reinforced troops around the region. The Israelis are looking to avoid a repeat of what happened on Gaza’s border with Egypt last month, when hundreds of thousands of people flooded out after militants blasted the border wall. Israeli officials have said they will defend the border vigilantly.

Border access between Gaza and neighboring Israel and Egypt has been greatly restricted since June 2007, when Hamas took over the territory.

Human rights groups have protested the blockade of electricity and fuel shipments into Gaza, blaming Israel for punishing civilians along with the territory’s Hamas leadership.
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Prince Harry heads home from Afghanistan

LONDON, England (CNN) — Prince Harry has been withdrawn from Afghanistan because of the media’s disclosure of his deployment there, the British Ministry of Defense said Friday.

The prince had been deployed to Afghanistan since December. Major news outlets agreed to keep the information secret for security reasons, but a Web site broke the news blackout Thursday, prompting the British military to withdraw the prince for security reasons.

This decision has been taken primarily on the basis that the worldwide media coverage of Prince Harry in Afghanistan could impact on the security of those who are deployed there, as well as the risks to him as an individual soldier, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement issued Friday.

The ministry termed regrettable the decision of elements of the foreign media to reveal Prince Harry’s service in Afghanistan.

Whilst it had been intended that Prince Harry should return in a matter of weeks with the remainder of the Household Cavalry Regiment Battlegroup, the ministry said, the situation has now clearly changed. Watch Prince Harry head home

The British Ministry of Defense confirmed to CNN that Harry was en route late Friday from Afghanistan to Great Britain.

Gen. Richard Dannatt, the chief of Britain’s General Staff, said in a statement released Thursday that he judged it safe to send the prince to Afghanistan — so long as the media didn’t reveal his location.

I am very disappointed that foreign Web sites have decided to run this story without consulting us, Dannatt said. It was my judgment that with an understanding with the media not to broadcast his whereabouts, the risk in (deploying him to Afghanistan) was manageable.

British Defense Secretary Des Browne said Friday that Prince Harry was able to deploy to Afghanistan only because of the cooperation of the media, who exercised a degree of discipline and I think that they should be commended for the fact that they have allowed him that space and time so we could manage the risks associated with that. Watch the prince’s redeeming tour of duty

He added, It is disappointing that the story has broken in the way in which it did.

Withdrawing Prince Harry from Afghanistan was a decision that has been made by the defense staff, and I think everybody will respect that to be the right decision, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Friday. What matters is the safety of Prince Harry.

He added, I think the whole country owes Prince Harry a debt of gratitude for his service, his courage, his bravery, under the most difficult of circumstances in Afghanistan.

The 23-year-old prince holds the rank of cornet — equivalent to a second lieutenant — and serves as a forward air controller with a group called Joint Tactical Air Control, or JTAC.

At the end of the day I like to sort of be a normal person, and for once I think this is about as normal as I’m ever going to get, he said in a recent interview. As far as I’m concerned, I’m out here as a normal JTAC on the ground and not as Prince Harry. Watch reaction to Prince Harry’s withdrawal

Queen Elizabeth II, who was visiting an elderly care home in Windsor on Friday, acknowledged a resident’s compliment of her grandson.

Can I say to you, ma’am, I’m very proud of Harry, Prince Harry, of the job he’s doing, said the man, a former soldier who was not identified.

Because of the unique circumstances of the deployment, CNN, as well as other news organizations, chose to honor an embargo requested by the military.

His duties included calling in airstrikes and air support when necessary, guaranteeing the accuracy of bombing on the ground and guarding against incidents of friendly fire.

Prince Harry is the younger son of Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, and the late Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

Last year, the military ruled he could not be sent to Iraq because publicity about the deployment could put him and his unit at risk.

But Dannatt said the experience has demonstrated that it is perfectly possible for Prince Harry to be employed just the same as other Army officers of his rank and experience.

His conduct on operations in Afghanistan has been exemplary, the general said. He has been fully involved in operations and has run the same risks as everyone else in his battle group. In common with all of his generation in the army today, he is a credit to the nation.

Shortly after the news of the prince’s deployment broke, several Islamist Web sites posted messages alerting their brethren in Afghanistan to be on the lookout for the royal soldier.

O brothers of monotheism, if you find anyone with unusual security in his battalion, know that this could be the Prince Harry. We ask God that he gets caught on your hands, one such posting read.

Several members of the British royal family saw combat in the past century. Prince Harry’s grandfather, Prince Phillip, served aboard warships in World War II; his great-grandfather — the future King George VI — took part in the World War I naval battle of Jutland; and Prince Andrew, Prince Harry’s uncle, flew Navy helicopters during Britain’s 1982 war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.

Prince Harry’s brother, Prince William, is also an army officer. But as second in line for the throne, he is specifically barred from combat.

The last sitting British monarch to lead troops in battle was George II, who defeated a French force at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743.
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Northrop Grumman gets $40B deal to replace Air Force tankers

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The U.S. Air Force on Friday announced one of the largest military acquisition programs in U.S. history, saying the service had chosen Northrop Grumman over Boeing to replace its aging air refueling tanker fleet.

We look forward to partnering with them as we continue to defend our great nation in the future, said Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne.

The announcement was a surprise to many in the business industry who expected Boeing to be favored over the company, which will use a European company’s airframe, Airbus, for the tanker.

The $40 billion deal to start replacing 179 tankers — known as the KC-45A program — will expand to over $100 billion to replace the entire fleet of almost 500 planes, Pentagon officials said.

Boeing proposed a tanker based on its 767 commercial airliner, while Northrop — working with Boeing arch-rival Airbus and its parent company, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS) — offered a model based on the Airbus A330 airliner, which is larger than the 767.

To sweeten the deal, EADS announced it would put a plane assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama, if the company won the contract.

Boeing, a U.S. company, builds planes in the state of Washington.

We had two very competitive offers in this competition, said Sue Payton, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, briefing reporters after Wynne made the announcement. Northrop Grumman clearly provided the best value to the government.

Payton said debriefings were planned for both competitors, and declined to say where Boeing’s offer fell short until after that happens, sometime on or after March 12.

We owe it to Boeing to give them the first debrief on this, she said.

The Air Force has been trying since 2001 to replace the tanker fleet, which has some planes close to 50 years old, according to Air Force statistics.

The average age of the fleet is more than 24 years, while the average age of a U.S. commercial airline fleet is just over nine years, according to Air Force officials.

It will take several years to get the new KC-45 flying, said Gen. Arthur Lichte, commander of Air Mobility Command.

We hope that we’ll get the first aircraft into the test program beginning in 2010. And we’re hoping that the first capability operationally will be about 2013, he said.

Lichte went on to explain the benefits of the new planes.

From my perspective, I can sum it up in one word, ‘more’. More passengers, more cargo, more fuel to off-load, more patients that we can carry, more availability, more flexibility and more dependability, he said, comparing the new tankers to the current fleet. Explainer: How planes refuel at high altitudes

But one lawmaker called the decision to award the contract to Northrop Grumman a blow to the American defense industry and an economic boon for European countries.

These are the same European governments who are unwilling to support us in the global war on terror and over the last few months refused to provide even an additional 100 soldiers apiece for Afghanistan operations, said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-California.

Instead, we have to send 3,200 additional U.S. Marines to Afghanistan while they take $35 billion in American taxpayer contracts.

The contract to replace the aging fleet of air refueling tankers was mired in corruption and political wrangling for years.

In 2004, Congress, led by Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, banned the Air Force from working out a lease and purchase deal with Boeing after a federal investigation uncovered improprieties at the highest levels of the Air Force procurement process.

Critics also complained that Boeing was awarded the contract without competition and that the deal was a bailout for the 767 program, which was facing slumping sales.

Congress forced the Air Force to start a new contract bidding plan that allowed Airbus to compete for the contract.

Pentagon officials said the losing company could protest and ask the Government Accountability Office to investigate the decision, which would delay the program again.

Although the deal announced Friday is one of the largest U.S. military contracts in history, it falls short of the Army’s recent $200 billion Future Combat System program and the Pentagon’s future F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, expected to be over $200 billion.
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