The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 5, 2002 - 7 Number of U.S. troops increase in Afghanistan WASHINGTON (AP) - As many as nine American soldiers have died in a U.S.-led assault in Afghanistan - eight killed when troops on two helicop- ters took enemy fire in the largest offensive of the five-month war against ter- rorists, Pentagon officials said yesterday. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said enemy forces had sustained "much larger numbers of killed and wounded, and there will be many more." He said the assault would continue. Another Pentagon official estimated at least 100 al-Qaida or Taliban fighters had died, possibly many more. Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said al-Qaida fighters were in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, well dug-in, well-forti- fied and with "lots of weapons." "We knew that al-Qaida would have two choices, to run or stay and fight," Myers said. "It seems they have chosen to stay and fight to the last, and we hope to accommodate them. "Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. Central Command, said eight or nine Americans were killed in the engagements - the exact number was not yet clear. "The fog of war will persist until we are able to have discussions with people who have been involved in this fight," he said. He said the allied force of about 2,000 soldiers - close to half of them Afghans, the rest U.S. and coalition soldiers - was "making good progress as we speak." But he also said the war had entered a phase of even greater danger, with large numbers of U.S. troops engaged in ground operations that were often left before to Afghan allies. "Any time one has a higher concentration of force on the ground, one can anticipate higher casualties," he said. Officials said one American was killed when a helicopter, low to the ground, was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, made a hard landing and then managed to take off again. The grenade apparently bounced off the helicopter and did not explode. The soldier who died may have been knocked out of the helicopter by the force. Franks said a Chinook helicopter arrived in the area and came under fire but managed to land and discharge troops. They were immediately fired on by the enemy, he said, and some Americans were killed. Pentagon officials initially said the second helicopter crashed from being fired upon; Franks said it actually may have been a crash landing. Franks said the U.S. side had taken some prisoners but he did not know whether they were combatants or civilians. The deadly battle prompted the Pentagon to do what it has avoided in the past - estimating the number of enemy dead. Franks said 100 to 200 were believed killed but it could be much higher. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said President Bush considered the continuing operation "highly successful in military terms." Bush "mourns the loss of any American life," Fleischer said. "The president has said to our country that we need to be prepared for casu- alties." At least 40 American troops were wounded in the exchanges, which occurred in an operation started Friday against suspected al-Qaida and Tal- iban believed regrouping near Gardez in eastern Afghanistan. Rumsfeld said the casualties, including wounded, had been evacuated from the region. He said half of the wounded were already back in the fight. AP PHOTO An Afghan fighter with the U.S.-allied forces mans his post yesterday In an advanced fort on the outskirts of the Paktia province village of Lakhtewal, Afghanistan. WiAte House, Congress wartCo nfli cts continue President Bush upset by U.s. war casualties MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - President Bush said yester- day he was saddened by the loss of American lives in the battle in Afghanistan, but promised to keep the pressure on al-Qaida until the terror organization is finally routed. "History has called us to defend freedom," Bush said, responding to reporters' questions on the latest casual- ties in Afghanistan. The president spoke hours after nine American sol- diers died in a U.S.-led assault, eight of them when troops on two helicopters took enemy fire in the largest offensive of the five-month war against terrorists. "I have said repeatedly, we are in a dangerous phase of this war," Bush said after a meeting with teachers to promote his education agenda. "These are killers, these are murderers," the president said of the al-Qaida and Taliban fighters. Bush said he did not know the whereabouts of al- Qaida leader Osama bin Laden or how many other top al-Qaida figures might be in the area of the current combat. "He's been awfully quiet ... I know there's no cave deep enough for Mr. bin Laden," he said. "I am saddened by the loss of life," the president said. But he added, "I am just as determined now to fulfill this mission." UNITED WAY Continued from Page 1 nondiscrimination policies. Last fall, MSA passed a resolution urging the admin- istration to consider alternative charities than United Way. "It was the public action of the students who height- ened community awareness about this issue," Ken Stewart, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender staff member and MSA representative, said. Stewart said students wanted to make the public aware of the administration's policy versus their actions. "The decision to include the Boy Scouts among the organizations that will only receive designated funds from donors to the Washtenaw United Way is consistent with the University's nondiscrimination policies and our desire to build an environment that welcomes every member of our community," Interim President B. Joseph White said. "The board listened to the manyexpressions of con- cern that came from the community, including those from University faculty, staff and students, and I thank them for their consideration," White added. To make up for the lost funding, the Boy Scouts "will go out and look at foundations and individuals who feel our values are important," Poole said. WASHINGTON (AP) - Homeland secu- rity chief Tom Ridge is turning down a bipar- tisan request from a Senate committee that he testify, his spokeswoman said yesterday, the latest White House-Congress difference over the war on terror. The two top members of the Senate Appro- priations Committee - Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Ted Stevens (R- Alaska) - wrote to Ridge yesterday asking that he appear before their panel. Ridge coordinates the government's anti- terrorism effort at home, though the pro- grams themselves are carried out by dozens of other agencies. Appropriations controls much federal spending, including the $38 bil- lion - double this year's total - that Presi- dent Bush has proposed for next year's domestic security programs. "Your views and insights on the policies necessary to meet these objectives are critical to the committee and the nation," the senators wrote. Ridge spokeswoman Susan Neely said he would not testify because he is an adviser to the president, not a Senate-confirmed head of an agency that implements policy. "Assistants to the president work for the president," Neely said. "And the president has spoken his recommendations to the Sen- ate and House" in the budget he sent Con- gress last month, she said. Byrd spokesman Tom Gavin had no com- ment on Ridge's refusal until the committee receives the homeland security director's for- mal response. Asked if Byrd would compel Ridge's appearance through a subpoena, Gavin said Byrd has not discussed that possi- bility. Republican Stevens' signature on the Appropriations Committee letter makes this appear to be a dispute between the executive and legislative branches over the release of information, not a partisan conflict. Last week, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and other Democrats asked questions about Bush administration plans for continuing the conflict in Afghanistan that prompted some Republi- cans to accuse Democrats of politicizing the war, while Democrats said they merely wanted details. Back to the books Blood tests may help to detect breast cancer in earlier stages WASHINGTON (AP)- Scientists are KELLY LIN/Daily LSA sophomore David Edwards returned to the Shapiro Undergraduate Library yesterday to study, after his week away for Spring Break. CRIME Continued from Page 1 not involved a person getting harmed. "It is alarming that we have had a number of incidents, but most of these incidents have been against property, she said. DPS Director William Bess said the depart- ment is addressing students concerns and is working hard to crackdown on crime. But, he said there can always be change, especially if students continue to complain about a lack of security. PROTEST Continued from Page 1 Kiblawi said the protesters were calling for peace and an end to bloodshed. Community member Odine Haber said she was marching because more people are being killed and she feels the violence is mounting. "There could be negotiation. There must be negotiation," Haber said. "It's otherwise going to be destruction on both sides or peace, there are not that many choices." Ann Arbor resident Monica Weinheimer said she sees the U.S. as supporting an oppressive occu- pation, adding that U.S. aid to Israel seems to be - nv r~tn nr .,~m +i the R1 miiPFac~t If-ndlna "Maybe we need to be a little more aggressive," he said. "We can always improve the behavior of residents and the collaborative efforts of crime pre- vention." Irland also said she felt that security was "doing pretty much everything they can." "Girls should make sure the door is shut and lock their room whey they are sleeping," she said, adding that roommates sometimes cause problems. "There are people we know that have trouble with roommates leaving the door unlocked." tinians," Duncan said. LSA junior Hafsa Hussain said the group's message was meant to be heard beyond campus. "People aren't aware of the plight of the Pales- tinian people," she said. University alum Henry Herskovitz said American Jews need to take the initiatiye and convince the American government to stop funding Israel's occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. "I am a Jew," he said. "I would like to see the American Jewish community understand the situa- tion and understand that the occupation which is funded by American taxpayers is killing both Palestinians and Israeli Jews." gU'hool of Art an sinei se1( n fior Jason testing blood from more than 1,000 women for a protein that might signal breast cancer, hoping to create for women the kind of blood test men have for prostate disease. It's too soon to know if the experiment will work. But the quest for new ways to catch early tumors or even precancerous cells - from blood testing to analyzing nipple fluid - is heating up amid contro- versy over mammograms. Proponents foresee a day when the X-ray routinely comes with a backup test. "Mammography is not the end-all," says Alan Hollingsworth, a clinical doctor at Oklahoma City's Mercy Health Center, one of seven U.S. hospitals participating in Matritech Inc.'s blood-test research. With a hint from another test that a PEACE CORPS GI Continued from Page 1 Cont ally go up too," Damm said. goo While the University's ranking may has increased, International Center leve Director Rudie Altamirano said C there has not been a noticeable also increase within the last year, but imp( more of a continual flow of students "I interested in service. und "It never stops. The interest in neg international experiences has been a B constant here," Altamirano said. exte Damm said the type of education in s students receive at the University urge leads to a strong interest in volun- "I teer work despite international don events, the economy or recruiting. do o "I think that it is inherent in the said students who chose to go here, per- B: sonally. cont The office that does the recruit- "I ing does a wonderful job, but we duty have students who come in with a that predisposition for service," Damm "V said. dest "Students are encouraged to think . S about the world here, and they're that encouraged to think about social as Ii justice issues," she added. Volk University alum Shelley Coe, a coor Peace Corps volunteer, said her rea- son for ioinin2 was out of a desire J EO inued from Page 1 d. On the other hand, if you're a GSI ybe you feel it's the only way to have rage over the system," he said. ommunications Prof. Michael Traugott said that the threat of a walk-out is an ortant leverage in bargaining. 'd be concerned about a strike, but I erstand the meaning of labor contract otiations," he said. ut Traugott said his support does not nd to a willingness to cancel his lectures olidarity with GEO as the union has d. will go to deliver my lecture (Monday). I t know what undergraduate students will or what my graduate students will do," he 1. iology Prof. Russ Butler also said he will inue to teach in the event of a strike. will not stop my class. I have a greater to the student body than to a subset of body," Butler said. Will it affect my class? Certainly. Will it roy my class? No," he added. ome faculty have taken steps to ensure the walk-out and future action will have ttle effect as possible on classes. Pat Van- kinburg, kinesiology academic programs rdinator, said her department has a plan in A rEITIJ "I will not stop class. I have a greater duty to the student body than to a subset of that body" - Russ Butler Biology professor case of the March 11 strike. Kinesiology classes will continue as sched- uled because faculty members will teach dis- cussions normally led by GSIs, she said. VanVolkinburg added that in the event of an extended strike, classes would still have instructors, although some discussions may be combined. Butler, like several other faculty members, said he did not know enough about the issues of the strike to support either GEO or the Uni- versity wholeheartedly. He has only been able to take a cursory glance at the facts, he said. Communications Prof. Richard Allen said he does not know as much as he would like about the negotiation issues and he believes this is fairly typical for faculty. "I think they will now, given the severity of the issues, look at them in much greater detail. I know I will," he said. tumor might be forming, "you could look harder. There are ways to look harder than just with mammography." Mammograms can detect tumors when they're tiny, often meaning the difference between surgery that severs or spares the breast. Whether they also save lives is under hot debate. The U.S. government thinks so, and strongly urges women over age 40 to get one at least every other year. Regardless, an estimated third of women don't get regular mammograms. Other scientists argue that studies back- ing mammograms are too flawed to deter- mine if the procedure reduces death. Mammograms are certainly not perfect. They can miss tumors or flag suspicious spots that turn out to be benign. More powerful imaging techniques, like ultra- sound or MRI, can better pinpoint tumors but are too corplex and expensive to use on everybody. The presence of prostate-specific anti- gen (PSA) protein in men's blood suggests they may have either an enlarged or can- cerous prostate. So why not a blood test for breast cancer? Nuclear matrix proteins, or NMPs, help form the skeleton of cell nuclei as cells reproduce. Changes in nuclei size or shape can signal cancer. The theory: Different cells use different NMPs,-so changes in the type or amount of a certain NMP in the blood could signal cell changes that mean cancer. Matritech Inc., which licensed rights to NMP research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, already sells a test that helps diagnose bladder cancer by finding NMP-22 in urine.