23 January 2003 Military News

Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

Disarmament process stalled in northern Afghanistan, UN mission says UN News Centre 23 Jan 2003 -- Weapons collection in northern Afghanistan has stalled due to disagreements between two key factions assisting the multi-party force monitoring the demobilization programme, according to the United Nations mission in the country
RFE/RL Afghanistan Report, Vol 2, Number 4 23 Jan 2003 -- GAUGING THE THREAT OF TERRORISM IN AFGHANISTAN / HERAT TEACHERS MEET TO DISCUSS EDUCATION / AFGHANISTAN'S CHIEF JUSTICE SAYS COEDUCATION IS UNLAWFUL... / ...AND BANS CABLE TV IN AFGHANISTAN... / ...BUT AFGHAN MINISTER OF INFORMATION ANNOUNCES THAT THE BAN WILL BE LIFTED / CABLE TV COMPANIES IN AFGHANISTAN WILL FORM ASSOCIATION / CHIEF JUSTICE ALSO ANNOUNCES THAT AFGHAN ULEMA WILL FORM NATIONAL COUNCIL / FORMER AFGHAN PRESIDENT CALLS FOR PARTICIPATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY / AFGHAN DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS MUJAHEDIN SHOULD BE FOUNDATION OF NATIONAL ARMY / GOVERNORS IN SOUTHEASTERN AFGHANISTAN MEET TO IMPROVE SECURITY... / ...AS AFGHAN SECURITY FORCES FOIL MISSILE ATTACK AGAINST PAKTIYA MILITARY DIVISION / AFGHAN COMMANDER WARNS OF POSSIBLE RETURN TO CIVIL WAR... / ...AS AFGHAN MILITARY VEHICLE IS ATTACKED NEAR PAKISTANI BORDER / ...AND AFGHAN FORCE IN KONAR STRUGGLES TO RETAIN ITS SOLDIERS IN REGION OF ISLAMIC MILITANT ACTIVITY / U.S. ENVOY SAYS PAKISTAN-U.S. PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST SECURITY ON PAKISTANI-AFGHAN BORDER / BUT ATTACKS AGAINST US FORCES CONTINUE: U.S. HEADQUARTERS FIRED UPON... / ...TWO U.S. TROOPS INJURED IN BLAST NEAR KHOST... / ...AND U.S. FORCES COME UNDER ATTACK TWICE IN CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN / AFGHAN MINISTRY TO BEGIN REGISTERING FOREIGN EXPATRIATES FOR SECURITY REASONS... / ...AND AFGHANS WILL BE ISSUED IDENTITY CARDS / FIRST-EVER WOMEN'S AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT OPENS IN JALALABAD / PAKISTANI REPORT CLAIMS PRESIDENT KARZAI WILL INSTITUTE HIGH-LEVEL GOVERNMENT CHANGES / REPATRIATED AFGHANS SUFFERING / THIS WEEK IN AFGHANISTAN'S HISTORY
1st FSSG custom-tailors units in Kuwaiti desert USMC 23 Jan 2003 -- In just a few short days, what was once an empty desert quickly became the rallying point for the 1st Force Service Support Group's portion of the largest Maritime Prepositioning Force offload in the history of the Marine Corps since the Persian Gulf War.

Other Conflicts

Annan heads to Paris summit for talks on Cote d'Ivoire UN News Centre 23 Jan 2003 -- As United Nation Secretary-General Kofi Anan prepared to leave for Paris today to attend high-level talks on the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, his top envoy continued her mission aimed at strengthening the humanitarian response to the steadily deteriorating situation in that country
U-S-Sudan VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- The United States is expressing concern that recent military moves by the Sudanese government could upset efforts to end the nearly two-decade-long conflict between the Khartoum government and southern rebels. Peace talks between the two sides in Kenya resumed Thursday
DR of Congo: UN mission refutes charges of bias by rebel group UN News Centre 23 Jan 2003 -- Reacting to charges of bias and partiality levelled by a rebel faction operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations peacekeeping mission in that country today strongly reaffirmed its objectivity
Security Council members agree to extend mandate of UN mission in Western Sahara UN News Centre 23 Jan 2003 -- Stressing that the responsibility for a solution to the situation in Western Sahara rested solely with the parties, the members of the United Nations Security Council today said they agreed to extend the mandate of the UN mission there to give the parties time to consider the proposal presented to them recently by the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, James A. Baker III
IVORY COAST/FIGHTING VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- Ivory Coast's army is accusing neighboring Liberia of sending troops across the border to help Ivorian rebels. The accusation came as fighting continued Thursday in western Ivory Coast near the Liberian border
IVORY COAST / FIGHTING VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- Rebel attacks continued Thursday in western Ivory Coast, near the Liberian border. The latest fighting could further complicate peace negotiations underway outside Paris
BURUNDI FIGHTING VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- Burundi's president travels to South Africa Friday where he will hold talks with a rebel leader aimed at preventing the country's fragile peace accord from falling apart. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by renewed fighting during the past week
IVORY COAST/TALKS VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- With one day remaining in their talks, negotiators at Ivory Coast peace talks outside Paris have yet to reach a final agreement. The Ivorian president is en route to Paris for a summit meeting with French and African heads of state, and the negotiators may leave it to the summit participants to resolve the final issues
SUDAN TALKS VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- The United Nations is urging the parties in Sudan's civil war to respect their cease-fire agreement and bring an end to the suffering of the Sudanese people. Peace talks aimed at ending 20-years of civil war in Sudan are being held in Kenya
UN envoy concerned at repeated violations of 'Blue Line' in southern Lebanon UN News Centre 23 Jan 2003 -- Reacting to attacks on Israeli positions across the withdrawal line in southern Lebanon, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Terje Roed-Larsen, has voiced concern at the pattern of repeat violations

Defense Policy / Programs

White House Daily Briefing White House 23 Jan 2003
Frank Cable wins Battle "E" COMSUBPAC 23 Jan 2003 -- USS Frank Cable (AS 40) was recognized as the 2002 Battle Efficiency,"E," award recipient in the tender category, as announced by Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
DOD ANNOUNCES TOP CONTRACTORS FOR FISCAL 2002 23 Jan 2003 -- The Department of Defense announced today that the fiscal year 2002 report of "100 Companies Receiving the Largest Dollar Volume of Prime Contract Awards (Top 100)" is now available on the World Wide Web.
MANNED GROUND COMBAT VEHICLES DESIGN TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS Army Release 23 Jan 2003 -- In conjunction with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), The Army announces the creation of a cooperative design team to develop and integrate the Manned Ground combat Vehicle (MGV) platforms of the Future Combat System (FCS), as part of The Army's Lead System Integrator (LSI) contract.
NAVY NAMES NEW DESTROYERS HONORING NAVAL HEROES 23 Jan 2003 -- Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England has selected the names of three great naval heroes for the next Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyers. Fleet Adm. William F. Halsey, Jr., Adm. Forrest Sherman and Adm. David Glasgow Farragut will each have a guided-missile destroyer sail under their names
Fighter squadron deactivating after deployment AFPN 23 Jan 2003 -- "Mission complete" are familiar words of relief to military people who have completed their duty and relinquished their post.
B-52 sees biggest improvement in 15 years AFPN 23 Jan 2003 -- After three years of planning, Air Force flight test experts here introduced a new offensive avionics system for the B-52 Stratofortress.
RUMSFELD / GLOBAL OPINION VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- Since taking over at the Pentagon two years ago, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has talked about transforming the military to meet new security threats of the 21st century. Now, Mr. Rumsfeld also appears to have taken on the challenge of trying to transform global public opinion about the danger posed by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein
FRANCE / U-S VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- French officials have expressed anger at remarks made Wednesday by U-S Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Mr. Rumsfeld dismissed French and German opposition to military action against Iraq, calling the two nations part of the "old Europe." French-U-S relations are already strained by the disagreement over Iraq policy

News Reports

SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 23 Jan 2003
SHAPE News Summary Analysis SHAPE 23 Jan 2003
VENEZUELA VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- has certainly aggravated and made more tense the political situation and, in some ways, rallied the opponents of Chavez around a particular action. On the other hand, they are now discovering that Chavez looks like he is going to be able to survive the strike, and he is pulling the different levers of power that he has to resist what they're trying to do
U-S-Venezuela VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- The United States is urging the sides in Venezuela's political dispute to give careful consideration to settlement proposals offered earlier this week by former President Jimmy Carter. Secretary of State Colin Powell joins in a meeting on Venezuela Friday at the Washington headquarters of the Organization of American States, the O-A-S
Israel/Factions VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- In Focus today: factions in Israel. In preparation for next week's elections (Jan. 28), various political parties and population groups in Israel are trying to reconcile their differences in order to win the majority of votes.
LIBYA / U-N HUMAN RIGHTS VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- This week at the United Nations Geneva office, Libya assumed the chairmanship of the U-N Human Rights Commission. Many American newspapers see that as a contradiction
ISRAEL ELECTION PREVIEW VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- Israeli voters go to the polls next Tuesday to elect a new parliament. Opinion polls during the past several weeks have fluctuated, but it appears the Likud party of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will win, but not gain enough seats to avoid a coalition government