Volume 79, No. 95B ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas US to pull 1,700 out of Iraq by November BY ROBERT BURNS Associated Press WASHINGTON — The United States plans to reduce its military force in Iraq from the current 5,200 to about 3,500 by November, U.S. officials said Friday. The cut would be in line with President Donald Trump’s repeated call to bring troops home and his reelec- tion campaign pledge to end what he calls “endless wars.” HURRICANE LAURA The plan to shrink the U.S. force in Iraq was first re- ‘ We look ported by the forward Wall Street Journal. Of- to the ficials who day when confirmed we don’t the plan spoke on condition Picking up have to of anonym- be there. ’ ity to discuss a matter not President yet publicly Donald Trump announced. American troops are in Iraq to train and advise Iraqi security forces bat- the pieces tling the Islamic State, but the relationship has been rocky at times in large part because of periodic attacks by Iran-backed militia groups that are not fully Weeks without power, water controlled by the Iraqi govern- ment. U.S. troops, after invading ahead as cleanup underway Iraq and toppling President Sad- dam Hussein in 2003, had with- BY STACEY PLAISANCE Above: A person drawn from the country only to AND MELINDA DESLATTE reacts to damage begin returning in 2014 after ISIS Associated Press from Hurricane militants swept across the Syrian Laura Friday, in border and took control of large LAKE CHARLES, La. Lake Charles, swaths of Iraqi territory. he destructive storm surge La. Left: Damage Trump met last week at the has receded, and the cleanup is seen Friday, White House with Iraqi Prime has begun from Hurricane in Pineville, La., Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Laura, but officials along this during Gov. John “We look forward to the day shattered stretch of Louisiana Bel Edwards’ when we don’t have to be there,” coast are warning return- aerial tour of Trump said then. “We were there Ting residents they will face weeks without and now we’re getting out. We’ll stricken areas in power or water amid the hot, stifling days of the northern part be leaving shortly and the re- late summer. of the state. lationship is very good. We’re making very big oil deals. Our oil SEE PIECES ON PAGE 8 AP photos SEE PULL ON PAGE 3 MILITARY NATION MUSIC Two soldiers killed, three ‘Black Panther’ actor Meet twin brothers hurt in helicopter crash Boseman dies of colon who went viral with during training exercise cancer at age 43 reaction to Phil Collins Page 3 Page 7 Page 14 Silence only sound as players take court for Grand Slam » Tennis, Back page PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Sunday, August 30, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9049 Euro costs (August 31) ........................ $1.16 Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.09 S&P on rise for 5th straight week Dollar buys (August 31) ................... €0.8198 Turkey (Lira) .........................................7.3343 British pound (August 31) ..................$1.30 (Military exchange rates are those Japanese yen (August 31) ................103.00 available to customers at military banking South Korean won (August 31) ....1,155.00 The Associated Press clawed back to a small gain for 28,653.87. Commercial rates facilities in the country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3766 2020. The Nasdaq has left both The Nasdaq composite climbed Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For More gains for stocks Friday British pound .....................................$1.3342 those indexes in the dust with 70.30, or 0.6%, to 11,695.63. nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., gave the S&P 500 its fifth straight Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3094 a jump of 30% so far this year, The Russell 2000 index rose China (Yuan) ........................................6.8654 purchasing British pounds in Germany), check with your local military banking winning week. That’s the lon- thanks to big gains for technology 13.78, or 0.9%, to 1,578.34. Denmark (Krone) ............................... 6.2591 gest weekly winning streak for Egypt (Pound) ...................................15.8699 facility. Commercial rates are interbank stocks. A report on Friday showed For the week: Euro ........................................ $1.1890/0.8410 rates provided for reference when buying the benchmark index since De- that U.S. consumer spending The S&P 500 is up 110.85 Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7503 currency. All figures are foreign currencies cember, before the coronavirus Hungary (Forint) .................................297.66 to one dollar, except for the British pound, grew more in July than econo- points, or 3.3%. Israel (Shekel) .....................................3.3616 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, pandemic swept the world and mists expected. The Dow is up 723.54 points, or Japan (Yen) ...........................................105.43 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) sent economies tumbling into On Thursday: 2.6%. Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3055 Norway (Krone) ...................................8.8065 INTEREST RATES recession. The S&P 500 rose 23.46, or The Nasdaq is up 383.83 points, Philippines (Peso).................................48.35 Prime rate ................................................3.25 The S&P 500 rose 0.7%, bring- 0.7%, to 3,508.01. or 3.4%. Poland (Zloty) ......................................... 3.69 Discount rate ..........................................0.25 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...........................3.7503 Federal funds market rate ...................0.09 ing its weekly gain to 3.3%. The The Dow Jones Industrial Av- The Russell 2000 is up 25.87 Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3582 3-month bill ............................................. 0.10 Dow Jones Industrial Average erage rallied 161.60, or 0.6%, to points, or 1.7%. South Korea (Won) .......................... 1182.66 30-year bond ...........................................1.51 WEATHER OUTLOOK SUNDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST SUNDAY IN EUROPE MONDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 66/63 Kabul 95/70 Seoul 87/73 Baghdad 115/78 Kandahar 97/64 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 88/75 91/73 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 61/46 69/56 85/77 Iwakuni 97/75 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 103/89 Brussels 65/57 Guam 108/85 68/52 Ramstein 95/81 87/80 Lajes, 68/48 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 106/77 105/90 82/72 61/51 91/59 Aviano/ Vicenza 74/60 Naples 90/77 Okinawa Morón 84/80 88/60 Sigonella Rota 95/74 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 102/89 85/65 89/70 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 11 Comics ...................... 15 Crossword ................. 15 Gadgets & Technology ..16 Music ....................12-14 Opinion ..................... 17 Sports .................. 18-24 Sunday, August 30, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 MILITARY 2 soldiers killed, 3 hurt in helicopter crash BY CAITLIN M. KENNEY 22, of San Bernardino, Calif. 160th Special Operations Avia- of Coronado and San Diego. Stars and Stripes An element of U.S. Army Spe- tion Regiment, The San Diego The island is where eight Ma- cial Operations Command was Union-Tribune reported, citing a rines and a sailor with the 15th WASHINGTON— Two special conducting the training in the Defense Department official. The Marine Expeditionary Unit died operations soldiers were killed vicinity of Coronado, Calif., when 160th SOAR is headquartered out June 30 off its coast in an amphib- Thursday and three others in- the “aircraft incident” occurred, of Fort Campbell, Ky., and pro- ious assault vehicle accident as jured in a helicopter crash during a SOCOM spokesperson said in vides rotary wing support to spe- they were returning to their ship routine training off the California a statement. The area has been cial operations forces. after finishing training there. coast, officials said Friday. secured and an investigation into The defense official also told Their bodies were recovered WHITNEY HUGHES/U.S. Army On Saturday, the Army identi- the incident is underway. The San Diego Union-Tribune Aug. 7 and a memorial ceremony fied the dead soldiers as Staff Sgt. The helicopter was a Black that the helicopter crashed Thurs- was held Aug. 21 by their unit. An MH-60M Blackhawk flown Vincent P. Marketta, 33, of Brick, Hawk and the soldiers killed and day evening on San Clemente Is- [email protected] by the 160th Special Operations N.J., and Sgt. Tyler M. Shelton, injured were from the Army’s land, which is about 70 miles west @caitlinmkenney Aviation Regiment in 2019. New Air Force policy Pull: Pomepo allows troops to ask says US will to be near their kids help with shift BY ROSE L. THAYER to Iraqi police Stars and Stripes ‘ This program truly AUSTIN, Texas — A noncom- shows how the Air FROM FRONT PAGE missioned officer became the Force cares for companies are making massive first member of the Air Force to deals. ... We’re going to be leaving receive a duty assignment based their airmen and and hopefully, we’re going to be on a new policy to consider child- leaving a country that can defend custody agreements. families. It provides itself.” Master Sgt. William Rotroff, an an opportunity for Last month, the top U.S. gen- F-35 integrated section chief with eral for the Middle East said the 756th Aircraft Maintenance airmen to continue he believed the U.S. will keep a Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, serving... and not smaller but enduring presence in Ariz., got approval for the move to the country. Marine Gen. Frank Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., to be have to choose McKenzie, commander of U.S. near his son, Chevvy, less than between their Central Command, said he be- 24 hours after he submitted the lieves the Iraqis welcome U.S.