Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

• 101st Airborne Commander Describes Stability Ops, Past Battles AFPS 13 May 2003 -- The troopers of the 101st Airborne Division are making significant progress in stabilization operations in northern Iraq, the division commander said today during a teleconference with the Pentagon press corps.
• Soldiers of 173d Airborne Brigade remain neutral during turf battles US Army Europe Release 13 May 2003-- At some point during the night, a group of armed Kurds stormed into Mohammad Hamady's home to force him and his family out. During the argument Hamady reached for a glass of water, the Kurds fired a burst of AK47 fire at his feet to punctuate their point, there would be no more debate, and there was no more time, not even for a drink of water.

Other Conflicts

• Powell Says Saudi Attack Will Not Deter U.S. Peace Efforts Washington File 13 May 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell condemned the terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia May 13, saying it "once again reminds us that terrorism is a global phenomenon that we all must fight."
• U-N / W AFRICA / IRAQ VOA 13 May 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council has canceled a mission to war-torn West African nations to focus on the negotiations on lifting sanctions against Iraq.
• NY/ISRAELI-ARAB PEACE EFFORT VOA 13 May 2003 -- A group of prominent Israelis, Palestinians and Americans is throwing its support behind a grassroots Internet campaign to help end the conflict in the Middle East.
• CONGRESS / SUDAN VOA 13 May 2003 -- President Bush's certification to Congress that parties in the Sudan conflict have made progress in negotiations is coming under scrutiny on Capitol Hill. A congressional subcommittee held a hearing Tuesday on prospects for achieving a final settlement between the government in Khartoum and southern rebels.
• Annan urges Israelis and Palestinians not to let extremists 'hijack' peace process UN News Centre 13 May 2003 -- Calling on Israel and the Palestinians not to "allow extremists to hijack the process and dictate agendas," United Nations Secretary-General today urged both sides to "recognize that they are partners in this endeavour and can only succeed or fail together" in the search for peace in the Middle East.
• Violence continues in northeast DR of Congo as rebels vie for Bunia - UN UN News Centre 13 May 2003 -- Violence erupted again in the north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as Lendu militia, who were driven out of Bunia yesterday by rival Hema fighters, have regrouped and launched a counter-offensive to regain control of the town, the United Nations said today.
• Security Council rededicates itself to peaceful settlement of conflicts UN News Centre 13 May 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council rededicated itself today to seeking the peaceful settlement of conflicts with a triple firewall strategy: preventing disputes from arising, preventing existing disputes from escalating into conflicts, and containing and resolving conflicts when they occur.
• Annan calls on Security Council to be 'imaginative' in pre-empting conflicts UN News Centre 13 May 2003 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on the Security Council today to exercise imagination and influence in its key role of pre-empting volatile issues before they erupt into full-fledged threats to peace.
• Bush Pleased Efforts On Middle East Peace Have Begun Washington File 13 May 2003 -- Asked for President Bush's assessment of Secretary of State Colin Powell's discussions in the Middle East over the weekend with Palestinian and Israeli leaders, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said Bush "is pleased that the efforts on the road map are now beginning."
• Transcript: Powell Says Action on Middle East Roadmap Should Start Now Washington File 13 May 2003 -- In a lengthy interview with the Arabic daily newspaper "Al-Quds" May 11, Secretary of State Colin Powell stressed that Israeli and Palestinian leaders should begin immediate efforts to implement the U.S.-sponsored roadmap. "We need to get started," he emphasized.
• U.S. Concerned Over Fighting in Bunia, DRC Washington File 13 May 2003 -- Greatly concerned about the fighting in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United States has given additional resources to peacekeeping efforts there and is working in the Security Council to see how the U.N. peacekeeping mission might get better control of the situation.
• CHECHNYA / BLAST VOA 13 May 2003 -- The death toll has risen to 54 following the truck bomb blast Monday on a government complex in Russia's breakaway region of Chechnya. Around 300 people were injured, many of them seriously. Questions are again being raised about security procedures at government facilities in the troubled region.
• UNICEF/D-R-C VOA 13 May 2003 -- The U-N children's agency is rushing emergency supplies to victims of the recent massacre and other fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Middle East: Leaders Agree To Talks Following Powell Trip RFE/L 13 May 2003 -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is in the Middle East in a new attempt to push the peace process forward between Israel and the Palestinians. News reports from the region say Powell's visit did not appear to achieve a breakthrough. But Powell's visit may have helped bring the two sides together for the first time in years.
• CHINA/MIDDLE EAST VOA 13 May 2003 -- China's Foreign Ministry says it will send a special envoy to the Middle East, to help international efforts to build peace.
• POWELL JORDAN WRAP VOA 13 May 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell has been promoting the new international 'road map' for Middle East peace during a visit to the region. He concludes his tour of the Middle East with talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after visiting Israel, the West Bank, Egypt, and Jordan. During a news conference in Jordan's capital, his next-to-last stop, Mr. Powell vowed the United States is committed to implementing this latest peace plan.
• ISRAEL-ISLAMIC MOVEMENT VOA 13 May 2003 -- Israeli police have arrested 15 members of the country's Islamic Movement on charges that it has been helping to finance Palestinian terrorism. Police allege that the organization gave millions of dollars to Hamas, a group that is responsible for numerous suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks.
• IVORY COAST / NIGHTLIFE VOA 13 May 2003 -- Nightlife is slowly returning to Abidjan after the government decided to lift an eight-month overnight curfew. However, many soldiers are also patrolling the streets of Ivory Coast's main city when night falls.
• ACEH/INDONESIA UPDATE VOA 13 May 2003 -- Indonesian leaders say they will consult with Parliament before they launch a new military offensive in Aceh Province, and may suggest the imposition of martial law for the region. It appears a peace accord to end decades of violence is near collapse.
• ACEH INDONESIA VOA 13 May 2003-- Indonesian leaders say they will consult with Parliament before they launch a new military offensive in Aceh province
• PHILIPPINES REBELS DEADLINE VOA 13 May 2003-- The Philippine government has set a deadline for Muslim rebels to abandon terrorism.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Romanians beat 1,300 in Kandahar Run Army News Service 13 May 2003-- Romanian Army captains Suciu Ioan and Mihal Muresan won the first Kandahar St. Michael's Airborne Association run Thursday, crossing the finish line side-by-side.
• Saipan Near Perfection on 3M Inspection Navy Newsstand 13 May 2003-- During a recent Maintenance and Material Management (3M) inspection, the Afloat Training Group (ATG) of Norfolk, Va., scored USS Saipan (LHA 2) at a near-perfect 99 percent.
• Ronald Reagan Sailors Certified for Underway Operations Navy Newsstand 13 May 2003-- Precommissioning Unit (PCU) Ronald Reagan Sailors have passed "with flying colors" their Phase II Crew Certification, according to Cmdr. Jene Nissen, Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMNAVAIRLANT) Aircraft Carrier Training and Readiness officer.
• First deployed MH-60S helos return from fleet with high praise NAVAIR Release 13 May 2003-- The first operationally deployed detachment of MH-60S Seahawks returned recently from the fleet and reported 100 percent mission completion.
• HMS SCOTT RETURNS TO DEVONPORT Royal Navy News 13 May 2003-- Ocean survey ship HMS Scott returns to Devonport today (Tuesday 13 May) after survey operations in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
• FSSG Marines help Iraqis repair looted, damaged university Marine Corps News 13 May 2003-- Students and faculty of Al Qadisiyah University here may be able to begin a new school year this fall thanks to a construction project headed by the 1st Force Service Support Group, though heavy damage by looters threatened to keep it closed indefinitely.
• NY IMMIGRANTS / MILITARY VOA 13 May 2003 -- Immigrants and first generation Americans have fought for the United States throughout its history. Now, many are serving in Iraq, after joining the volunteer military.
• Hollandia . 59-year legacy of air-to-air training PACAF News 13 May 2003-- Mention the Hollandia campaign to any member of the 80th Fighter Squadron - past or present, young or old - and they'll know what you're talking about.

• CORPS HEADQUARTERS TO UNDERTAKE MAJOR DEPLOYMENT EXERCISE ANTO HQ ARRC 13 Mar 2003 -- The Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps will test its quick entry skill by deploying forward elements to Northern Italy throughout May and early June to practice command and control of a NATO crisis response operation.
• NATO: Russian Officials Praise New Cooperation With Alliance RFE/L 13 May 2003 -- Top NATO and Russian officials meeting today in Moscow praised the spirit of cooperation between Russia and the Western alliance.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 13 May 2003
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 13 May 2003
• RELIGIOUS FREEDOM VOA 13 May 2003 -- The U-S Commission on International Religious Freedom, which makes policy recommendations to Congress and the White House, is singling out a host of countries for special criticism in its annual report released today (Tuesday) in Washington. The commission is also, for the first time, turning its focus to Saudi Arabia.
• FRANCE/STRIKE VOA 13 May 2003 -- Hundreds-of-thousands of French workers went on strike and demonstrated against government plans to overhaul retirement benefits. The mass action virtually shut down transportation, and many public sector businesses.
• EU: 'Aux Barricades!' Pension Reform Stirs Passions (Part 1) RFE/L 13 May 2003 -- Nationwide strikes halted many planes, trains, and buses in France today and hit schools, hospitals and other services as trade unions mobilized a major protest against planned pension reforms. Demonstrations on the same subject also occurred in Austria today. Why are passions being stirred on this usually dry topic?
• W-H-O / SARS VOA 13 May 2003 -- The World Health Organization will soon be issuing new guidelines to prevent SARS from spreading. W-H-O officials say increased surveillance of those suspected of having SARS will be a key part of the new guidelines.
• ASIA SARS VOA 13 May 2003 -- The World Health Organization says it might be close to canceling an advisory against travel to Hong Kong, which has been hard hit by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. While the number of new cases remains low, Hong Kong announced the loss of a second health-care worker to the disease.
• CHINA/W-H-O SARS VOA 13 May 2003 -- World Health Organization officials are expressing cautious optimism about the fight against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in China. They are still worried that the mysterious disease could flare out of control in the vulnerable countryside.
• INDONESIA BASHIR TRIAL VOA 13 May 2003-- An Indonesian court has ruled that the trial of an alleged Muslim militant will continue. Cleric Abu Bakar Bashir is the alleged leader of a regional group that seeks to overthrow the Indonesian government
• SAF/DE KLERK VOA 13 May 2003 -- A South African court has convicted a former security guard of murdering former South African First Lady Marike de Klerk.