The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 15, 2004, Image 22

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COLLEGE STATION UTILITIES AND THE COLLEGE STATION PARKS
AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PRESENT THE
• 2004
Music
Series
SATURDAY. APRIL 17
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with Django Walker
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BY0B. No glass containers. - Soft drinks and snacks available to buy.
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For more information, call (979) 764-3486 or visit ww.cstx.gw
gH ^ College Station Utilities /<>/. V
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Thursday; April 15, 2004
in Post Oak Mall
50< Longnecks 8-11
$1.00 U-Call-lts 8-11
$2.50 32oz. Draft Beer all night
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Call 696-3031 for more info
10B
Thursday, April 15, 2004
U.S. soldiers’ Iraq tours extendi.
By Robert Burns
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — More
than 10,000 American soldiers
who were to return this month to
home bases in Louisiana and
Germany will have their tour in
Iraq extended at least three
months to help combat the surge
in anti-occupation violence,
defense officials said Wednesday.
The decision, which has not
been announced publicly, breaks
the Army’s promise to soldiers
and their families that assign
ments in Iraq would be limited
to 12 months. The affected sol
diers already have been in Iraq
for a year.
Welcome-home ceremonies at
Fort Polk, La., scheduled for this
month, have been canceled. In
Baumholder, Germany, some sol
diers’ families have stopped
marking the days off the calendar.
The top U.S. commander for
the Middle East, Gen. John
Abizaid, decided that the
increase in violence was so
threatening that he needed to
have the extra firepower, offi
cials say.
Defense Secretary Donald H.
Rumsfeld was fine-tuning the
new plan Wednesday; his
spokesmen declined to discuss
details. They said it was possible
that Rumsfeld would make it
public on Thursday.
4th Infantry*
has been replaced by:
(■1st Infantry Division
A3oth Infantry Brigade
101st Airborne*
has been replaced by:
Stryker Brigade
Tikrrt
A Q
Baghdad @
1st Armored
Division**
2nd Armored
Cavalry
Regiment**
1st Cavalry
Division
82nd Alrborne'X.
has been replaced by:
1 st Marine
Expeditionary
Operation Iraqi
Freedoni 2
Polish * Na » af
About 12,000
continue
operations
British
N About 12,006
continue
operations.
More than 10,000 troops from the 1st Armored
Division and 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment have
been given a three-month extension in Iraq. The 0
original rotation plan - Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 - 0 1(
would have brought them home by May.
• Candidate^ to return to Iraq in early 2005 " Duty extended three months
tOO mi
SOURCES US Central Command. Associated Press
The tour extensions come at
a particularly delicate moment.
At least 87 troops have been
killed in April, the deadliest
month since they set foot in Iraq
in March 2(X)3. The number of
wounded also has skyrocketed.
The advantage of keeping
soldiers of the 1st Armored
Division and the 2nd Armored
Cavalry Regiment in Iraq for an
extra three months — rather
than bringing in an equivalent
number from elsewhere — is
that these soldiers have
unmatched combat experience
in Iraq.
The Army is so stretched by
its commitments in Iraq.
Afghanistan, the Balkans and
elsewhere that it has few. if
any, forces immediately avail
able to substitute in Iraq for
the 1st Armored or 2nd
Man in stolen vehicle allegedly
hit pedestrians deliberately
By Jay Cohen
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
FUQUAY-VAR1NA. N.C. — A man drove a
pair of stolen vehicles across three counties
Wednesday and apparently went out of his way to
hit at least five pedestrians along the way. killing
one of them, police said.
A suspect wearing a T-shirt and boxer shorts
was eventually arrested in Fuquay-Varina, where
he had driven a pickup truck that apparently was
stolen from one of the pedestrians after the first
vehicle was abandoned, police said.
Police said they had not been able to identify him.
“We have no idea what his motivation was dur
ing this entire incident,” said Fayetteville police
Lt. Katherine Bryant.
“It looks like he pulled into neighborhcxxls
looking for people.” Bryant said. “He didn’t stay
on main streets.”
The violence started with the theft of a van
belonging to the city of Fayetteville, authorities said.
Bryant said a maintenance department employ
ee started the van to warm up the engine and left it
parked. No one saw the van being taken, she said.
Over the next hour and 45 minutes, the thief
drove from Fayetteville to the Raleigh area, appar
ently deliberately running down pedestrians,
according to Fayetteville police and the state high
way patrol.
The first victim was hit within minutes after the
van was stolen, Fayetteville police said. David
McCaskill, who is in his 70s. was walking his clog
when he was hit, police said.
Parents'(Weekend
I E \ A S A & M
I N I V fc K S I I \
April 16-18, 2004
.’niverttity Awards Ceremony
Maroon & White Game
Bcvo Burn BBQ
V, Midnight Yell
More...
'Weekend'.
/ / parrntre ccUrnd-iMim.rdo
National Alcohol Screening Day
Rudder Fountain 11 AM - 2 PM
Are you concerned about the drinking habits of a friend,
family member, or yourself? Visit the resource table
today to find out more about alcohol and your health.
Trjev* iVlrM UwKmuni
TJDENT
IFE
Ti
Alcohol 6c Drufj
Education Programs
Student Counseling Service
(iliun
Texas
b 1 other
overso
7:30 p.m.
The p
Armored Cavalry,
Also, these units k\
heavily involved in o
most important U.S
missions there: train
sands of Iraqi securitj
Those Iraqi army an
defense corps members
tral to the Pentagon's
eventually turning ovei
control to the Iraqis and J
out U.S. troops.
Abizaid had plannee
of the current rotation
forces into Iraq, to redJ dney V
U.S. troop presence fron.1 ority p;
135,000 to about 115,0ft), ai
But the surge thisr ly
anti-occupation
restive areas in and i
Baghdad and in thesojBninistr;
I breed Abizaid to changt; Approve
He indicated on Tuesdaj
needed more forces tinBd she '
nally planned. He wouldo| t after-
reporters exactly how m
where he would gel then —
Fort Polk, the Amiyti
L.ouisiana that is home
2nd Armored Cavalry, iv
new s release last Thursd.
ing the regiment’s comira
Col. Bradley W. May,
“elements” of his noil
remain in theater
initially announced."
He did not say hownn
diers were affected. A
official, speaking on
anonymity, said We
would be about 3
NEWS INBRIlf
Price increases 1 :
gas, clothing cai
inflation worries
WASHINGTON |
prices for gasoline, air t
clothing propelled consurn
0.5 percent higher in I
ing the possibility that the
Reserve may raise interest
this summer.
Wednesday's reading
Consumer Price Index, (he?
ment's most closely watch*
tion measure, revived
about the prospects of anir
flare-up now that the ectr
rebounding, economists sac J
The report by the
Department "confirms ini'!
fear: Inflation is
Stephen Cecchetti, ecoi
fessor at Brandeis
"Details confirm that thei
increase isn't in somei
place, or the consequence^
special factor."
The 0.5 percent in
pares with February's Ci|
cent increase
January’s figure.
Especially jolting was:
percent increase in coreo
prices, excluding energyait|
costs. The increase was II
cent in both JanuaryandFi
mor wil<
c ard ri
lursday
Palestinian detail
(
kisses groundaf
2 years behind I SC.
NEWARK, NJ
to be free, a
kissed the ground
his release after
two years behind bars,
Farouk Abdel-Muhti. %
been caught up in thefeder:
net that took more
people into custody after If'
11, 2001, attacks.
Kate
eive tl
Frid
“I am
ate Mai
He sued the federal gr' ^
in November 2002
held him far
standards allow, and
Thursday, a
his release.
He was freed late Mondt
sent back to New
had been living
arrested. He was
in New Jersey and I
and eventually Atlanta,
"I kissed the lant
finally felt freedom,"
said Tuesday. "This is art
for me, but for everyone ^
fighting for their rights, to
justice and democracy. 1
Immigration officials
Muhti had violated the la#If
staying his visa after he
this country in the l 1
Abdel-Muhti r
a stateless Palestinian,
no nation to which he
fully be deported, The
ordered his releases#
ernment did not prove!*
blame for the fact he I*
been deported.
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