4A NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2006
>> SPEAKER
Congress candidate speaks at ECM forum
Republican Chuck Ahner to challenge incumbent Dennis Moore to represent Kansas' 3rd District
BY ERIN CASTANEDA
A U.S. House of Representatives candidate spoke at a university forum Wednesday at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries. Chuck Ahner, a Republican, spoke to approximately 35 people about his candidacy and what he could offer if voted into Congress.
Ahner won the primary elections in August. He will run against incumbent Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Lawrence.
Ahner said he hoped people could look beyond his lack of name recognition.
"People look for star power to go to Washington," Ahner said. "I ask people to look at my record."
Ahner fielded questions from the audience about issues such as health care, the federal deficit and the Iraq War.
Ahner, a former military intelligence officer, said he was embarrassed about the failure of U.S. intelligence leading up to the Iraq War.
Robert Friauf, professor emeritus of physics and astronomy and a Democrat, said he came to the forum to listen to the other side's opinion.
"I think the candidate handled himself well, but I don't agree with everything." Friauf said.
Kansan staff writer Erin Castanea can be contacted at ecastanea@kansan.com.
Edited by Derek Korte
Milton's opens second location to increase options for students
KANSAS UNION
BY NATE MCGINNIS
Milton's, a favorite downtown Lawrence restaurant, has moved into the third floor of the Kansas Union, providing a new on-campus food choice.
Milton's, which opened two weeks ago, serves breakfast from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., and lunch from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Nixon said the Union location had a slightly different menu from
"It's a terrific space and a great chance to be able to offer more options to the students," said Kim Nixon, manager of Milton's in the Union.
the downtown location. The Union location, because it lacks a pizza oven, offers more sandwich choices than the downtown store, 920 Massachusetts St. The new location also does not have an espresso bar, but specialty coffee drinks are available at the Milton's coffee bar on the first floor of the Union.
Dave Lewis, owner of Milton's, said he was excited about the opportunity to tap into the student population and to use the restaurant to increase Milton's visibility at the University of Kansas.
"It's a good opportunity to enhance the coffee shop and have a little more presence on campus,"
Lewis said.
Lewis said he would like to see students come to the restaurant more and is advertising to students.
Milton's space in the Union was previously occupied by the Westside Deli and Bistro, a local business at 4931 W. Sixth Street.
Michael Levy, owner of Westside Deli and Bistro, was on vacation and not available to comment about why his Union location closed.
Kansan staff writer Nate McGinnis can be contacted at nmcginnis@kansan.com.
>> IRAQ WAR
Edited by Travis Robinett
Iraqi troops soon ready to take over Despite no signs of an end to the violence, the U.S. may hand over security control to Iraqi forces within 18 months
By ELENA BECATOROS Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq — The top U.S. commander in Iraq expressed optimism Wednesday that Iraqi forces are making enough progress to provide their own security within 18 months. But violence showed no sign of abating, with 66 people killed nationwide, including 24 in a Baghdad market bombing.
Sgt. Gregory Lock, left, with the 101st Airborne Division, gets a kiss from his wife Dewanna during a homecoming ceremony at Fort Campbell, Kv after spending a year in Iraq.
The U.S. military also reported Wednesday that a Marine was killed in action the day before in the volatile western Anbar province.
U. S. troops leaving immediately. It is part of a U.S. military plan to hand over responsibilities, move into large bases and provide support while Iraqis take the lead. A U.S. drawdown would start after that occurred.
Gen. George Casey said Iraqi troops were on course to take over security control from U.S.-led coalition forces, a move that would bring the foreign forces a step closer to withdrawal from the country.
His comments came even as violence surged in the capital and elsewhere, undercutting claims by U.S. and Iraqi officials that a Baghdad security crackdown has lowered Sunni-Shiite killings, which had risen in June and July.
"I don't have a date, but I can see over the next 12 to 18 months, the Iraqi security forces progressing to a point where they can take on the security responsibilities for the country, with very little coalition support," he said.
That takeover would not mean
Greg Williamson/Associated Press
in the past, only to have killings flare again once American forces left.
A bomb struck one of Baghdad's largest market areas, where food, clothing and household goods are sold, killing at least 24 people and wounding 35, police said.
On Monday, U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell said the murder rate in Baghdad had fallen by 46 percent from July to August and "we are actually seeing progress out there." That figure could not be independently confirmed.
U. S. officials attributed the fall in sectarian killings to a major security crackdown launched Aug. 7. About 8,000 U.S. troops and 3,000 Iraqi soldiers were sent to the capital to search homes systematically and patrol the streets.
In Hillah, 60 miles south of the capital, a man posing as a potential army cadet left a bomb-laden bicycle outside a recruiting center, killing 12 people, police said. Insurgents often target Iraqi army and police recruits as a way to discourage volunteers.
Similar operations have curbed violence for limited periods of time
Elsewhere, a roadside bomb killed a family of five in Buhriz, 35 miles north of the capital, when a roadside bomb struck their car. Bombings and shootings elsewhere in the country killed another 25 people, according to police.
Still, Casey said he was optimistic about security in Iraq and he said an operation to crack down on violence in the capital was producing results — although more needed to be done.
"I'm pleased with the progress to date, but we have a long way to go." Casey said. "And we're not going to let up until we get where we're going and bring security to the neighborhoods of Baghdad."
Asked if Iraqi forces were capable of taking over completely after the 12 to 18 month period, allowing U.S.-led coalition forces to withdraw, Casey said that would depend on the situation at that time.
"I'm not sure yet," he said of the Iraqi security capability. "And we'll adjust that as we go. But a lot of that, in fact the future coalition presence, 12 to 18 months from now, is going
to be decided by the Iraqi government."
The coalition has been training and equipping Iraqi forces, and Casey said they are now "75 percent" along the path of being able to operate alone.
"There's still more work to do for them to become independent," he said, adding that "during that process, they will still have our support and our substantial presence here to assist them."
soldiers in the south mutinied and refused to be deployed to Baghdad for a massive security operation under way in the capital, and by the looting last week of a base that British forces had turned over to Iraqi authorities.
This week's bloodshed included some of the fiercest fighting in months between the Iraqi army and Shiite militiamen loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Monday's battle in the town of Diwaniyah left 73 people dead — 50 militia and 23 soldiers.
Casey also said the U.S. was troubled by an incident in which Iraqi
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