NBA: Changing of the guards MUSIC for Rockets, Wizards Page 48 Sounds for the GAMES: Pleasant play holiday for Zelda fans Page 15 season Page 28 MOVIES: ‘Sound of Metal’ a resonant success Pages 16-17 stripes.com Volume 79 Edition 165 ©SS 2020 FRIDAY,DECEMBER 4, 2020 $1.00 IRAQ Biden facing much pressure over defense secretary pick BY STEVE PEOPLES AND ROBERT BURNS Associated Press WASHINGTON — President- elect Joe Biden is facing escalat- ing pressure from competing fac- tions within his own party as he fi- nalizes his choice for secretary of defense. Black leaders have encouraged the incoming president to select an African American to diversify what has so far been a largely white prospective Cabinet, while others are pushing him to appoint a woman to lead the Department of Defense for the first time. At the same time, a growing col- lection of progressive groups is opposing the leading female con- tender, Michèle Flournoy, citing concerns about her record and private-sector associations. A coalition of at least seven pro- gressive groups warned Biden to avoid Flournoy in an open letter to SEAN HARDING/U.S. Army Biden obtained Wednesday by U.S. soldiers with 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, share medical supplies with The Associated Press that refer- Iraq Army soldiers charged with guarding al Asad Airbase in western Iraq on Feb. 14. enced her record of “ill-advised policy decisions” — particularly in relation to Saudi Arabia, Yemen Drawdown drawbacks SEE BIDEN ON PAGE 6 3 key ways a decreased US presence could help ISIS, Iran BY SAMYA KULLAB Associated Press mediate impact on the campaign against ISIS remnants, US to there are concerns that further withdrawals could set the MOSUL, Iraq — In a quest to root out Islamic State stage for another resurgence of the extremist group. continue hideouts over the summer, Iraqi forces on the ground Although Iraqi forces have become more independent cleared nearly 90 villages across a notoriously unruly ANDY WONG/AP in combat missions, the country is reeling from ongoing training northern province. But the much-touted operation still re- anti-government protests, rampant corruption and politi- President-elect Joe Biden is lied heavily on U.S. intelligence, coalition flights and plan- Afghan, Iraqi cal divisions that reach into the security apparatus. All of being pressured to appoint a ning assistance. woman as secretary of defense, that means foreign support is still crucial. While the planned U.S. troop drawdown in Iraq from forces but facing opposition to leading 3,000 to 2,500 by mid-January is unlikely to have an im- SEE DRAWBACKS ON PAGE 5 Page 4 candidate Michele Flournoy. PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, December 4, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EUROPE GAS PRICES EXCHANGE RATES Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel So. Korea (Won) 1,091.70 Germany $2.395 $2.815 $3.067 $2.777 Azores .. .. $2.967 .. Military rates Switzerland (Franc) 0.8906 Change in price +1.8 cents +1.5 cents +1.3 cents +4.0 cents Change in price .. .. +1.3 cents .. Euro costs (Dec. 4) $1.19 Thailand (Baht) 30.18 Dollar buys (Dec. 4) 0.8013 Turkey (Lira) 7.7796 Netherlands .. $3.262 $3.484 $3.330 Belgium .. $2.377 $2.621 $2.423 British pound (Dec. 4) $1.31 (Military exchange rates are those available to Japanese yen (Dec. 4) 102.00 Change in price .. +3.0 cents +3.3 cents +6.7 cents Change in price .. No change No change No change customers at military banking facilities in the South Korean won (Dec. 4) 1,072.00 U.K. .. $2.714 $2.966 $2.676 Turkey .. .. $2.852 $3.354* country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Commercial rates Germany, the Netherlands and the United King­ Change in price .. +1.5 cents +1.3 cents +4.0 cents Change in price .. .. +1.3 cents No change Bahrain(Dinar) 0.3770 dom. For nonlocal currency exchange rates Britain (Pound) 1.3459 (i.e., purchasing British pounds in Germany), Canada (Dollar) 1.2899 check with your local military banking facility. China(Yuan) 6.5450 Commercial rates are interbank rates provided PACIFIC GAS PRICES Denmark (Krone) 6.1217 for reference when buying currency. All figures Egypt (Pound) 15.6720 are foreign currencies to one dollar, except for Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel Euro 0.8224 the British pound, which is represented in dol­ Japan .. $2.859 .. $2.569 South Korea $2.199 .. $2.869 $2.579 Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7513 lars­to­pound, and the euro, which is dollars­ Change in price .. +1.0 cents .. +4.0 cents Change in price +2.0 cents .. +1.0 cents +4.0 cents Hungary (Forint) 294.12 to­euro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2636 Okinawa $2.189 .. .. $2.569 Guam $2.199 $2.619 $2.869 .. Japan (Yen) 103.81 Kuwait(Dinar) 0.3043 Change in price +2.0 cents .. .. +4.0 cents Change in price +2.0 cents +2.0 cents +1.0 cents .. Norway (Krone) 8.7667 Philppines (Peso) 47.99 Poland (Zloty) 3.68 *DieselEFD **Midgrade Saudi Arab (Riyal) 3.7513 For the week of Dec. 4-10 Singapore (Dollar) 1.3330 WEATHER OUTLOOK EXCHANGE RATES FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 44/33 Kabul Seoul 62/35 44/29 Baghdad 71/49 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar Mildenhall/ 45/29 54/37 68/39 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 41/37 40/34 51/36 Iwakuni Kuwait City 57/37 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo 71/64 79/71 Ramstein 42/35 56/43 Guam 43/34 40/33 85/79 Riyadh Lajes, 82/63 Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 64/59 39/33 86/72 Aviano/ 43/40 Vicenza 39/28 Naples 58/46 Okinawa Morón 70/63 55/46 Sigonella Rota 57/42 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 58/47 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 84/76 64/53 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 38 Comics ................... 40-41 Classified .....................36 Crossword ............. 40-41 Faces .......................... 35 Opinion ....................... 39 Sports ................... 42-48 Friday, December 4, 2020 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 PACIFIC Micronesia cuts Christmas drop over virus fears BY WYATT OLSON Stars and Stripes Coronavirus fears have spurred the Federated States of Microne- sia to opt-out of this year’s Oper- ation Christmas Drop, an annual U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES Air Force mission bringing food, The USS Maryland floats beside the capsized USS Oklahoma on Dec. 7, 1941, as the USS West Virginia clothing and other donated suppli- burns in the background following Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. es to thousands of remote Pacific islanders. “The citizens of [Micronesia] Pentagon ID's remains of Indiana recognize the value of Operation Christmas Drop, which is the longest-running U.S. humanitar- MATTHEW GILMORE/U.S. Air Force brothers who died at Pearl Harbor ian assistance program entering Loadmasters watch bundles its 69th consecutive year, and parachute down to Nomwin, Fed­ BY WYATT OLSON Guadalcanal on Nov. 13, 1942. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam choosing to cancel was not an easy erated States of Micronesia, on Stars and Stripes The Oklahoma was moored on for analysis. decision to make,” the nation’s Dec. 13, 2019, during the annual FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii — Battleship Row at Ford Island, There were at least 10 sets of president, David Panuelo, said in Operation Christmas Drop. The remains of a pair of brothers Pearl Harbor, on the morning of brothers serving aboard the Okla- a news release Tuesday. who died aboard the USS Oklaho- the attack. It was hit with multiple homa at the time of the attack. Panuelo said he had “full trust be disinfected prior to delivery ma during the Dec. 7, 1941, Japa- torpedoes released from Japanese The three Barber brothers – and confidence” in U.S. armed across the islands,” he said. “Ev- nese surprise attack on Pearl Har- aircraft, and the battleship quick- Malcolm, LeRoy and Randolph – forces to carry out the annual sup- ery effort is being made to keep all bor have been identified. ly capsized. had all enlisted in the Navy in 1940 ply drop in a safe manner. participants and recipients in- Navy Fire Controlman 2nd Surviving crew members jump- and were firemen on the Oklaho- “We are cancelling Operation volved safe and healthy so we can Class Harold F. Trapp, who died at ed 50 feet into the flaming water or ma. None survived. Christmas Drop this year not due continue to carry out this amazing age 24, and Navy Electrician’s scrambled across mooring lines to The remains of some have only to a lack of trust and confidence, tradition of humanitarian assist- Mate 3rd Class William H. Trapp, the nearby USS Maryland; 429 recently been identified. but due to ongoing concerns from ance.” 23 at the time of his death, were of- crew members died in the attack. Seaman 2nd Class Calvin H. our citizens in our most remote The primary U.S. Air Force ficially accounted for Nov. 24, the The ship was refloated and sal- Palmer and Seaman 2nd Class and vulnerable communities units involved in this year’s air- Defense POW/MIA Accounting vaged in 1943. Some crew mem- Wilferd D. Palmer were officially about the COVID-19 Pandemic,” drop include the 36th Airlift Agency announced on its website bers’ remains from the Oklahoma accounted for by DPAA in March he said in the news release. Squadron, 374th Airlift Wing, Tuesday.