CENTCOM Talking Points On The Baghuz Strike In Syria

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following—

Any documents, files, or records from United States Central Command (CENTCOM) on the Baghuz strike that occurred in Syria on March 18, 2019, which were officially acknowledged by CENTCOM when the New York Times sought official comment for a report that was published on November 13, 2021. Specifically, please include final talking points, documents from which information was pulled to put into talking points, and the final agreement from whoever was going to use the talking points.

And, as a subset of the aforementioned category, please provide any documents, files, or records, which were officially handled or signed off on by Captain William Urban, a four-star general officer who is CENTCOM's Lead Spokesperson and the Special Assistant for Public Affairs to the Commander. These could be records containing guidance that was referenced and relied upon when CENTCOM's Office of Public Affairs responded to questions from journalists or representatives of the news media.

The report from the New York Times claimed, "In the last days of the battle against the Islamic State in Syria, when members of the once-fierce caliphate were cornered in a dirt field next to a town called Baghuz, a U.S. military drone circled high overhead, hunting for military targets. But it saw only a large crowd of
women and children huddled against a river bank."

"Without warning, an American F-15E attack jet streaked across the drone’s high-definition field of vision and dropped a 500-pound bomb on the crowd, swallowing it in a shuddering blast. As the smoke cleared, a few people stumbled away in search of cover. Then a jet tracking them dropped one 2,000-pound bomb, then another, killing most of the survivors," the report added.

Urban, who was described by the Times as the chief spokesman for CENTCOM, stated, “We abhor the loss of innocent life and take all possible measures to prevent them. In this case, we self-reported and investigated the strike according to our own evidence and take full responsibility for the unintended loss of life."

As a professional reporter who has a track record of coverage of the United States Defense Department and its military branches, including strikes by manned and unmanned aircraft, I assert that I should be designated as a media requester for the purpose of assessing fees.

Given the amount of public interest, I additionally ask that any and all fees be waived. In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of any and all charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request be filled electronically, by email attachment if available.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as required by the statute.

Sincerely,

Kevin Gosztola

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby amend the previous request with the following, as it was overly broad and could be construed to cover information that is clearly classified and sensitive.

Any documents, files, or records from United States Central Command (CENTCOM) on the Baghuz strike that contain final talking points, documents from which information was pulled to put into talking points, and the final agreement from whoever was going to use the talking points.

The strike occurred in Syria on March 18, 2019, and was officially acknowledged by CENTCOM when the New York Times sought official comment for a report that was published on November 13, 2021.

As a subset of the aforementioned category, please provide any documents, files, or records, which were officially handled or signed off on by Captain William Urban, a four-star general officer who is CENTCOM's Lead Spokesperson and the Special Assistant for Public Affairs to the Commander. These could be records containing guidance that was referenced and relied upon when CENTCOM's Office of Public Affairs responded to questions from journalists or representatives of the news media.

The report from the New York Times claimed, "In the last days of the battle against the Islamic State in Syria, when members of the once-fierce caliphate were cornered in a dirt field next to a town called Baghuz, a U.S. military drone circled high overhead, hunting for military targets. But it saw only a large crowd of
women and children huddled against a river bank."

"Without warning, an American F-15E attack jet streaked across the drone’s high-definition field of vision and dropped a 500-pound bomb on the crowd, swallowing it in a shuddering blast. As the smoke cleared, a few people stumbled away in search of cover. Then a jet tracking them dropped one 2,000-pound bomb, then another, killing most of the survivors," the report added.

Urban, who was described by the Times as the chief spokesman for CENTCOM, stated, “We abhor the loss of innocent life and take all possible measures to prevent them. In this case, we self-reported and investigated the strike according to our own evidence and take full responsibility for the unintended loss of life."

As a professional reporter who has a track record of coverage of the United States Defense Department and its military branches, including strikes by manned and unmanned aircraft, I assert that I should be designated as a media requester for the purpose of assessing fees.

Given the amount of public interest, I additionally ask that any and all fees be waived. In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of any and all charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request be filled electronically, by email attachment if available.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I apologize for the earlier request that had a crucial flaw in its drafting. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as required by the statute.

Sincerely,

Kevin Gosztola