MG Quirk Leads Group to Iraq (repost)

DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (U//FOUO) MG Quirk Leads Group to Iraq (repost) FROM: Ron Carback Iraq Issue Manager Run Date: 03/11/2004 FROM: Ron Carback Iraq Issue Manager (TS//SI) MG Quirk led a trip to Baghdad, Iraq in mid-November to meet with our customers and partners as well as our deployed personnel. The group met NCR CENTCOM, Greg Smithberger, in Qatar and then travelled to Baghdad, where they met with CJTF-7 intel units including the CJTF7 Intel Fusion Center, CSG Baghdad, and the Coalition J2 or C2 Brigadier General (P) Barb Fast. Other stops included TF-121, the Iraq Survey Group - Baghdad, SCS Baghdad, Coalition Provisional Authority, tactical SIGINT units, the 1st Armored Division, and Abu Ghurayb Prison. SID/DDDA; Jim Allen, SID/DDAP; Ron Carback, Iraq Issue Manager; Dr. Eric Haseltine, NSA/Associate Director for Research; Greg Smithberger, NCR CENTCOM; and MG Quirk, SIGINT Director, in Qatar as they prepare to visit Baghdad, Iraq. The trip from Qatar to Iraq in a C-130 comes with all the expected modern travel conveniences: a web seat and ear plugs. MG Quirk gains insight into the deteriorating weather conditions from the pilot of the C-130 (the flight out was provided by a unit from the Kentucky National Guard). The group was met by , NCR Iraq, (far left) upon arriving at the Baghdad International Airport. Living quarters were provided at this villa at Saddam's Presidential Palace North at CAMP VICTORY, home to CJTF-7 HQ, near Baghdad International Airport. SID has analysts deployed here, at the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) HQ in Camp SLAYER, within another of Saddam's palace complexes. The primary mission for the ISG is the search for weapons of mass destruction (WMD). For travel outside the the protected zones, helmets, armored vests, and weaponry are expected. The Coalition Provisional Authority Palace, aka Saddam's former presidential palace, located in central Baghdad on the banks of the Tigris River. Here the group met with NCR Iraq staff. The group also met with Ambassador McManaway, then deputy to Ambassador Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority. During the visit, the group passed through the palace's chapel, shown here. Note the mural on the far end depicting Scud missiles rising to the

heavens. One of the highlights of the trip was an opportunity to visit tactical SIGINT units. The 501st Battalion set up their SIGINT collection system here, at the Four Heads Palace in Baghdad. MG Quirk posed with members of the 501st Battalion of the 1st Armored Division at the Four Heads Palace in Baghdad. The group was able to discuss national to tactical integration and SIGINT support from the tactical SIGINTer's perspective. The NSA group: Greg Smithberger, MG Quirk, Ron Carback, , Jim Allen. , View from the Four Heads Palace across Baghdad. The warfighter's precision munitions may make a small hole to start... ...but they bring quite a bit of destruction (inside the Four Heads Palace, home to the 501st). At Abu Ghurayb prison, the group discussed the role of interrrogations and how they can provide leads for SIGINT. They also visited one of Saddam's torture chambers. Departing on the first leg of the trip home. Note from SIGINT Communications: This article originally appeared on February 3rd. "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108