Set on Revenge ISIS Promises Retribution for Al-Baghdadi’S Death
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Volume 78, No. 142B ©SS 2019 CONTINGENCY EDITION SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2019 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas Set on revenge ISIS promises retribution for al-Baghdadi’s death BY SOUAD MEKHENNET AND JOBY WARRICK The Washington Post hen Islamic State finally broke its silence about the killing of Abu Bakr al-Bagh- W dadi, it did so with a 1,200- word communique that included Koranic verses, florid tributes and one very specif- ic warning: Americans would pay for the death of the terrorist group’s leader. “Do not get too joyful or arrogant,” said the statement issued Thursday by ISIS’s al-Furqan media outlet. Referring to the group’s newly appointed chief, it added, “Someone has now come to make you for- get the horrors [that you already] have seen, and the cups of bitterness that you have tasted.” An ISIS fighter fires an automatic The statement was a more formalized weapon in a screen grab from a video posted online on March 18. version of a threat that has been echoed AAMAQ NEWS AGENCY/AP SEE REVENGE ON PAGE 4 Afghanistan’s military sees troubling rise in casualties BY SUSANNAH GEORGE according to the U.S. Special The persistently high number The Washington Post Inspector General for Afghani- of casualties comes as Ameri- stan Reconstruction’s quar- can and Taliban negotiators KABUL, Afghanistan — As terly report, which was released look to resuscitate peace talks Afghanistan’s conflict intensifies, Thursday. that were upended by President casualties among the country’s Afghanistan’s military has Donald Trump in September. A security forces are continuing to struggled with high casualty key element of any peace deal is increase, a troubling sign while rates for years. Last year, the expected to be a withdrawal of American and Taliban negotia- Pentagon described casualties U.S. forces, a move that would in- tors look to revive talks toward among Afghan security forces as crease pressure significantly on a peace deal likely to include a “unsustainable.” Afghanistan’s military. withdrawal of U.S. troops from The government does not re- Earlier in October, the U.S. the country. lease the exact number, but in military mission in Afghanistan Casualties among Afghan secu- late 2018, President Ashraf Ghani announced that it already had rity forces increased by 5 % from said more than 28,000 members RAHMAT GUL/AP begun to reduce the number of June through August compared of the Afghan security forces had with the same period last year, Afghan soldiers take part in a graduation ceremony last week. been killed since 2015. SEE CASUALTIES ON PAGE 4 MILITARY MILITARY MUSIC Immigration policies Upgrades to aging Scottish crooner Capaldi hurting recruiting, B-2 fleet running channels feelings of loss attorney claims late, over budget on passionate pop debut Page 2 Page 3 Page 15 Midshipmen roll past Huskies » College football, Back page PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Sunday, November 3, 2019 MILITARY Lawyer: Immigration policies hurt recruiting BY CAITLIN M. KENNEY longer for a military member to Stars and Stripes By the numbers naturalize than his or her civil- ian counterpart. And a military WASHINGTON — Policy member’s application is much changes by the Defense Depart- more likely to be denied.” ment during the last few years The Pentagon did not com- have made the process of apply- ment this week about the hearing ing for U.S. citizenship more ar- 7,360 discussion . duous for service members than Veterans who do not complete civilians, and it’s deterring people The number of military the naturalization process during from enlisting, an immigration authorizations that granted their service and find themselves attorney told House lawmakers. in legal trouble after they transi- Margaret Stock, an immigra- U.S. citizenship status in tion out could face deportation. tion attorney and retired lieu- fiscal year 2017, according Hector Barajas-Varela was tenant colonel from the Army to Rep. Jerry Nadler. honorably discharged from the Reserve, testified at a hearing Army in 2001. He served time for about working with service mem- shooting at a car. He was deported bers who have struggled to gain in 2004 but reentered the United citizenship under Defense De- States illegally and was deported partment immigration policies. in 2010 for a traffic incident. PATRICK SEMANSKY/AP 4,135 “The new policies do not make From Tijuana, Mexico, Bara- our country safer. They harm Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., center, is one of the sponsors of a bill that The number of military jas-Varela not only fought his military recruiting, they hurt would help military children acquire citizenship automatically. deportation case but also helped military readiness and they pre- authorizations in fiscal year other deported veterans after he vent the United States armed member. Stock said. The form states the 2018, a 44% drop, after founded the Deported Veterans forces from utilizing talented im- Service members and veterans service member is serving honor- the Department of Defense Support House in 2013. In 2018, migrants,” Stock said Tuesday at can be eligible for expedited pro- ably and it is required for the ex- he was pardoned by California a hearing by the Judiciary Com- cess to gain American citizenship pedited process. Now, DoD policy changed its policy. Gov. Jerry Brown and natural- mittee subpanel on immigration during times of conflict, accord- states they must find an officer at ized as a U.S. citizen due to his and citizenship. ing to USCIS. A U.S. Citizenship the rank of O-6, such as a colonel SOURCE: Associated Press eligibility from his military ser- The hearing followed recent and Immigration Services pro- in the Army, willing to sign the vice, he said during the hearing. work by Congress to address a gram had immigration offices at form, which can take months and able impact. The total number of Barajas-Varela repeatedly U.S. Citizenship and Immigration boot camps and allowed recruits some service members never get military authorizations declined recommended to the committee Services policy, which went into to file for naturalization when an answer on their naturalization 44% from 7,360 in fiscal year 2017 that there should be a program effect Tuesday, that changed how they reported for training, ac- paperwork, Stock said. to just 4,135 in fiscal year 2018.” in place that walks the service military children who did not ac- cording to Stock. Last year, the “It sends a terrible message,” Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., member through the process of quire citizenship at birth or while program ended because of a 2017 she said. “It’s one of the reasons disagreed. applying for citizenship . living in America could gain citi- Defense Department memoran- why a lot of [lawful permanent “This policy is a reasonable re- “Being a veteran does not mean zenship while living abroad with dum that stated service members residents] are now contacting me quirement to ensure an informed that you get a free pass and never a U.S. citizen parent. must serve for at least 180 days and telling me they’ve decided determination that the service have to pay the consequences for Bipartisan bills introduced in before they can apply for expedit- not to join the military.” member has served honorably as your actions,” he said Tuesday. the House and Senate recently ed citizenship, a period that is lon- Nadler said the changes from required by statute,” he said. “At the same time, it does not attempt to help these military ger than their time in training. the 2017 DoD policy “are unnec- Immigration lawyers are tell- make sense to me to deport our children acquire citizenship auto- Three years ago, service mem- essary and cruel.” ing green card holders “not to join veterans after they have com- matically. One of the bills was in- bers could take USCIS Form N- “They serve no purpose but the military because it will make pleted their sentence and paid for troduced by Reps. Jerry Nadler, 426, “Request for Certification to make it harder for individuals their naturalization process more their actions. For veterans, depor- D-N.Y., chairman of the Judicia- of Military or Naval Service,” to serving our country to become difficult,” Stock said. “There is tation is a double punishment.” ry Committee, and Doug Collins, their local personnel office to be citizens,” he said during the hear- no more expedited military natu- [email protected] R-Ga., the committee’s ranking signed in a matter of minutes, ing. “And they’ve had a measur- ralization. Today, it takes much Twitter: @caitlinmkenney T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............ 14 Books ..........................17-18 Business .......................... 22 Crossword/Comics ............ 19 Gadgets ............................ 20 Music .......................... 15-17 Opinion ............................ 21 Sports .........................24-32 Weather ........................... 22 Sunday, November 3, 2019 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 MILITARY Northrop’s $3B B-2 upgrades run late, over budget BY TONY CAPACCIO maintain it,” she said. Bloomberg First used in 1999 over Kosovo, the B-2 is the only combat air- Upgrades to help America’s craft that can carry America’s aging B-2 bomber fleet detect and heaviest non-nuclear bomb, the evade the improving air defenses 30,000-pound GBU-57 “bunker of rivals China, Russia and Iran buster.” The upgrade program are running almost three years is supposed to be a key example late and over budget. of the “increased lethality” and The service now estimates it prowess in penetrating enemy air will take until at least until Sep- space called for in the Trump ad- tember 2024 before eight of the ministration’s National Defense U.S.’s 20 stealth bombers are Strategy and by General David upgraded to have an initial com- Goldfein, the Air Force chief of bat capability, according to an ANDREW HARNIK/AP staff.