The CENTCOM Newsletter for the week of 12 December 2005 can be found here. Among the stories covered this week: Iraq — This is an exciting period in the history of Iraq. With the end of more than three decades of Ba'ath party rule in the spring of 2003, the Iraqi people are now taking sovereign control of their country. Although democratically—inclined forces have been challenged by insurgents, the election of a permanent government is a major step toward securing the nation's future. Kandahar, Afghanistan — When humanitarian organizations are unable to safely operate in the dangerous eastern and southern regions of Afghanistan, it is the engineers of Task Force Pacemaker who step in to assist the local people.  Since the Soviet takeover in the 1980s, followed by the rule of the Taliban, Afghanistan became a land devastated by years of war and seasons of drought.  Lacking an effective physical and political infrastructure, it may be seen as a country...(Read Full Post)