Biden Widens His Lead

FACES MILITARY COLLEGE BASKETBALL Mick Jagger Head of AFRICOM Gonzaga dominates in relishes return says ISIS, al-Qaida second half to secure to big screen are ‘on the march’ 17th conference title Page 15 Page 3 Back page Unforgiving terrain slowed recovery of Marines killed in Iraq » Page 6 stripes.com Volume 78, No. 234 ©SS 2020 THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY Taliban POWs set for release Biden before talks BY PHILLIP WALTER WELLMAN Stars and Stripes widens KABUL, Afghanistan — Af- ghan President Ashraf Ghani agreed Wednesday to release Tal- iban prisoners so that peace talks can begin between the government and insurgent group. his lead The launch of intra-Afghan talks is a key precondition for the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. A phased Former VP racks up withdrawal began this week and will be completed in 14 months if wins in 4 more states all sides fulfill commitments out- lined in a deal signed by the U.S. Page 12 and the Taliban on Feb. 29. U.S. officials have expressed doubts that the Taliban will live up to its commitments under the deal and have repeatedly called on them to cut down on violence throughout the country. Intra-Afghan talks were sup- posed to kick off Tuesday, but were delayed over a disagree- ment about the prisoner release. The U.S.-Taliban deal, which was Democratic presidential reached without Kabul’s partici- candidate and former Vice pation, says up to 5,000 Taliban President Joe Biden speaks fighters should be released from in Philadelphia on Tuesday . government jails in exchange for up to 1,000 detainees held by the CAROLYN VAN HOUTEN insurgents before talks begin. The Washington Post SEE TALIBAN ON PAGE 4 Soldiers, family members ‘in limbo’ after Army halts moves amid virus BY KIM GAMEL ments from South Korea and Italy being able to leave.” off-guard and sparked major confu- Stars and Stripes over the next two months to prevent About 2,400 soldiers and fam- sion as officials scrambled to work RELATED the spread of the new coronavirus. ily members in South Korea alone out the details. SEOUL, South Korea — Maj. Marines nix “My husband has PTSD and has will be affected by the order, of- “Frankly it came as a bit of a David Watkins and his wife, Irina, been having suicidal thoughts, and ficials told Stars and Stripes on surprise to all of us,” USFK com- exercise in must be out of their apartment by Wednesday. mander Gen. Robert Abrams next week and already have plane at the end of February we found out said Wednesday during a ques- Norway over tickets to Fort Belvoir, Va., later that he has a brain tumor as well,” Caught off-guard tion and answer session with the this month. she said Tuesday. American Forces Network at Camp virus fears But they’re worried about more “It’s been so scary and stressful The sudden decision, which was than inconveniences after the for the past six months that I can’t announced over the weekend and Humphreys. Page 8 Army halted moves to new assign- even think about the option of not included Italy, caught commanders SEE LIMBO ON PAGE 7 PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Thursday, March 12, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9335 Airlines slash flights, freeze hiring amid virus Euro costs (March 12) ..................... $1.1631 Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.41 Dollar buys (March 12) ....................€0.8598 Turkey (Lira) .........................................6.1912 British pound (March 12) ....................$1.32 (Military exchange rates are those BY DAVID KOENIG Delta Air Lines said Tuesday Delta, the world’s biggest air- Japanese yen (March 12) .................. 101.00 available to customers at military banking South Korean won (March 12) ......1,162.00 Associated Press that travel demand has fallen so line by revenue, said that net Commercial rates facilities in the country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3771 much in the past week, it expects bookings declined 25% to 30% Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For British pound .....................................$1.2942 Airlines are slashing flights, nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., one-third of seats to be empty this in the past two weeks and could Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3736 purchasing British pounds in Germany), freezing hiring and parking month on flights within the Unit- get worse. It will cut interna- China (Yuan) ........................................6.9531 check with your local military banking Denmark (Krone) ................................6.5867 planes to cope with a stunning ed States, which was insulated tional flights by 20% to 25% and facility. Commercial rates are interbank Egypt (Pound) ....................................15.7208 drop in bookings and a rise in from virus fallout for a time. reduce U.S. flying by 10% to 15%, Euro ........................................ $1.1345/0.8815 rates provided for reference when buying cancellations caused by fear over Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7695 currency. All figures are foreign currencies Airlines normally try to lure re- roughly matching cuts previously to one dollar, except for the British pound, the new virus outbreak. Hungary (Forint) .................................295.77 luctant travelers by cutting fares, announced by United Airlines. Israel (Shekel) .....................................3.5477 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary but that likely won’t work with the Delta is also parking some planes, Japan (Yen) ...........................................104.62 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) Kelly said that the outbreak might COVID-19 outbreak. cutting spending, freezing hiring, Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3065 INTEREST RATES Norway (Krone) ...................................9.5939 be worse for airlines than the ter- “If you are scared of flying, offering voluntary unpaid leave, Philippines (Peso).................................50.68 Prime rate ................................................4.25 ror attacks of 2001. An industry you are probably scared at any delaying voluntary pension con- Poland (Zloty) ..........................................3.81 Discount rate .......................................... 1.75 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...........................3.7536 Federal funds market rate ...................1.09 trade group believes that it will price,” said Delta President Glen tributions and suspending share Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3885 3-month bill .............................................0.43 be more damaging. Hauenstein. buybacks. South Korea (Won) ......................... 1,188.50 30-year bond ...........................................1.23 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 42/37 Kabul 46/39 Seoul 43/34 Baghdad 81/58 Kandahar 57/39 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 43/36 56/50 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 47/39 50/41 54/41 Iwakuni 52/47 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 69/64 Brussels 53/47 Guam 74/56 50/46 Ramstein 55/47 80/77 Lajes, 49/44 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 81/55 76/55 61/58 56/49 61/47 Aviano/ Vicenza 51/40 Naples 60/48 Okinawa Morón 72/65 75/52 Sigonella Rota 65/43 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 85/74 65/60 57/53 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 14 Classified .................. 13 Comics ...................... 17 Crossword ................. 17 Faces ........................ 15 Opinion ..................... 16 Sports .................. 18-24 Thursday, March 12, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 MILITARY AFRICOM head cites ISIS, al-Qaida threat BY JOHN VANDIVER in other areas such as the Pacific. last month. Stars and Stripes Townsend described the current U.S. The U.S. during the past two years has force level in Africa as “a bargain for the scaled back some missions in the region STUTTGART, Germany — Islamic American taxpayer.” because of previous cutbacks. As a result, State and al-Qaida are “on the march” in “A few troops and a few bucks go a long AFRICOM’s strategy of “degrading” ex- western Africa, where international efforts way in Africa,” he said. tremist groups in the west of the continent to counter extremists groups are insuf- But Townsend stopped short of calling has shifted to “containing,” the IG said. ficient, the head of U.S. Africa Command for more American forces to counter ISIS There are about 6,000 American mili- said Tuesday. and al-Qaida-linked groups in West Africa, tary personnel in Africa at any given time. Testifying before the House Armed Ser- where European militaries — the French Most of the troops are concentrated in the vices Committee, Gen. Stephen Townsend in particular — are in the lead. East African country of Djibouti, where warned that militant groups operating “Europe can and should do more before the U.S. has its main operational base on in Africa’s Sahel region, which includes CARLOS BONGIOANNI/Stars and Stripes America does more,” said Townsend, add- the continent, and neighboring Somalia Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, could ex- ing that problems with instability in West where troops are helping local forces bat- tend their reach to coastal states. Gen. Stephen Townsend testifies during Africa will be felt

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