Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

• CJTF-HOA adds new system to its arsenal Marine Corps News 29 May 2003-- Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa recently added an Air Defense Integrated System (ADSI) to its arsenal, enhancing their ability to fight terrorism in the east African region.

• RFE/RL Afghanistan Report, Vol 2, Number 18 29 May 2003 -- AFGHANISTAN: THE LAND OF PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM / AFGHAN TEST GROUP SHOWS HIGH URANIUM LEVELS / NORTHERN WARLORD VOWS HE WILL NOT BE DISARMED BY RIVAL / WARRING COMMANDERS FROM MAZAR-E SHARIF TO BE TRIED / GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO BE PAID THROUGH MONEYCHANGERS / UN ASSISTS AFGHANISTAN WITH CENSUS / LOCAL TALIBAN COMMANDER KILLED IN CLASH / INSECURITY LEADS UN TO HALT MINE-CLEARING OPERATIONS IN PROVINCES / FEWER AFGHAN REFUGEES RETURNING DUE TO LACK OF SECURITY / HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CONDEMNS DEATHS OF AFGHAN SOLDIERS / NEW COMMANDER FOR U.S.-LED FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN / GERMANY EXPANDS MILITARY PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN... / ...AND FRANCE CONSIDERS SENDING SPECIAL FORCES / PLANE CARRYING SPANISH ISAF PEACEKEEPERS CRASHES, KILLING 75 / CANADA TO TAKE COMMAND OF ISAF UNDER NATO / BRITAIN EXPECTED TO RELEASE AFGHAN HIJACKERS / AFGHAN ADMINISTRATION'S CHAIRMAN MEETS IRANIAN TRADE MINISTER / RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN ACCUSES TURKMENISTAN OF TIES TO FORMER TALIBAN REGIME / BRITAIN TO SUPPLY NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES TO IRAN / PAKISTANI MINISTER SAYS WORK ON TAP PROJECT WILL BEGIN IN 2004 / AFGHAN WOMEN STILL STRUGGLING FOR RIGHT TO EDUCATION, WORK / THIS WEEK IN AFGHANISTAN'S HISTORY

Other Conflicts

• UN / PEACEKEEPERS VOA 29 May 2003 -- The United Nations today (Thursday) honored international peacekeepers, many of who have died in the line of duty. The U-N's first Day of International Peacekeepers comes as the Security Council considers sending a multinational force to the Democratic Republic of Congo
• REFUGEE SURVEY VOA 29 May 2003 -- In its annual survey, the U-S Committee for Refugees lists more than 13-million people as refugees and asylum seekers and nearly 22-million as internally displaced persons. The report says conflict and human-rights abuses last year added more than four-million people to that total. The report's authors criticized the U-S and other governments for increasingly restricted access for refugees, leaving many in limbo for years.

• Bush to Press for "Measurable, Concrete Action" on Mideast Peace Washington File 29 May 2003 -- The purpose of President Bush's planned June 4 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas is to "take advantage of this moment" and "play a very helpful role in bringing Israelis and Palestinians together, to help them take concrete steps to implement the roadmap toward peace," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters May 29.
• ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS SUMMIT VOA 29 May 2003 -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas met his Israeli counterpart, Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem Thursday evening and both sides are describing the talks as "positive." The two leaders agreed on some initial steps to ease tensions as they lay the groundwork for their discussions next week with President Bush.
• UN: Georgian-Abkhaz Peace Process Focuses On Security In Border Region RFE/L 29 May 2003 -- A political settlement between Georgia and separatist Abkhazia remains far off. But officials involved in the latest UN efforts to advance the peace process say a project to return internally displaced Georgians to the province could be crucial to reviving peace talks. The UN mission in Georgia has completed a study of security needs in the Gali region and there is expected to be growing pressure on the two sides to reach a deal. But progress is likely to be slow, in part due to political divisions among Abkhaz leaders.
• DR of Congo: UN keeps up efforts to revive peace talks over war-ravaged Bunia UN News Centre 29 May 2003 -- In the midst of the calm that has settled over the north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations is pressing ahead with diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in and around the town of Bunia - trying to revive peace talks between rival ethnic factions and delivering basic services to desperate people forced from their homes by the fighting.
• Annan welcomes regional leaders' declaration on Colombia UN News Centre 29 May 2003 -- Reacting to a call by regional leaders for a peaceful end to the decades-long conflict in Colombia, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed their support for his continuing involvement in bringing about a negotiated settlement.
• UN again suspends mine clearance in parts of Afghanistan UN News Centre 29 May 2003 -- The United Nations has again suspended mine clearance along parts of one of Afghanistan's most important routes for commerce and relief aid after new attacks and threats to de-mining teams on the road between the capital, Kabul, and the southern city of Kandahar.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS VOA 29 May 2003 -- The Israeli and Palestinian Prime Ministers began talks Thursday, as part of preparations for a summit in Jordan next week with President Bush.
• BUSH / MIDEAST OVERNIGHT VOA 29 May 2003 -- President Bush heads to Europe Friday where he will take part in meetings of the G-8 economic summit before meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Jordan.
• U-S / CONGO FORCE VOA 29 May 2003 -- The United States has declared its support for a U-N draft resolution to dispatch a French-led emergency military force to the war-ravaged northeastern Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U-N Security Council is expected to approve the measure as early as Friday.
• MORE "ROAD MAP" REACTION VOA 29 May 2003 -- U-S newspapers continue to focus on what appears to be the first significant movement in months, maybe years, toward peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. Almost every paper includes caution in its analysis, due to previous failures, but several conclude that the fall of Saddam Hussein's Iraq has changed the playing field dramatically.
• ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN SUMMIT VOA 29 May 2003 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas are scheduled to meet latter in the day for their second summit in less than two weeks. The location of the talks was not immediately announced for security reasons. While their first meeting yielded no tangible results, both leaders are under pressure to do better this time around.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS VOA 29 May 2003 -- In its annual report issued this week, the human-rights group Amnesty International condemns abuses by Israel and by Palestinian militants.
• MIDEAST SUMMIT PREPS VOA 29 May 2003 -- Two top U-S envoys to the Middle East are in Egypt to help prepare for a meeting next week between President Bush and Arab leaders.

Defense Policy / Programs

• The debate over new nuclear weapons VOA 29 May 2003 -- Last week, as part of its debate on the 2004 defense budget, Congress freed the US Government to pursue research on new nuclear weapons. Opponents say the provocative move puts the United States on a path to develop and eventually use nuclear weapons again. Proponents of repealing the ban say America has no other choice if it wants to protect itself.

• Army partially lifts Stop-Loss order Army News Service 29 May 2003-- The Army has lifted "Stop Loss" for active-component units involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom and for soldiers in about half of the specialties that had been required to stay on active duty.
• ARMY ANNOUNCES CHANGES IN STOP LOSS US Army Release 29 May 2003-- On May 27, 2003, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Reginald J. Brown approved the termination of "Stop Loss" for active component (AC) units, and the lifting of "Stop Loss" for selected officer specialties and enlisted specialties. The Stop Loss policy was initiated to allow the Army to retain soldiers, who are determined to be essential to the national security of the United States, on active duty beyond their date of retirement, separation, or release from active duty for an open-ended period.
• Visitors Impressed with USS Lake Erie Navy Newsstand 29 May 2003-- Acting Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Hansord T. Johnson, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Adm. Walter Doran visited Sailors aboard USS Lake Erie (CG 70) recently in its homeport of Hawaii.
• Constellation Carrier Strike Group Returns Home From Operation Iraqi Freedom Navy Newsstand 29 May 2003-- The USS Constellation (CV 64) Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is scheduled to return to San Diego June 2, following a successful seven-month deployment in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch.
• USNS Comfort Stops in Rota in Return to Homeport Navy Newsstand 29 May 2003-- Hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is returning home after nearly six months underway. The ship pulled into Rota's naval station May 26 to pick up supplies and fill their gas tank before the final leg home to Baltimore.
• Squadron steadily punished Iraq's war assets Marine Corps News 29 May 2003-- They were the first Camp Pendleton aircraft squadron sent home from the war - but not before leaving scores of enemy tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery pieces blackened and useless.
• Sentry crews finish mission, end era AFPN 29 May 2003-- As the big white bird gracefully touched down on the windblown runway at a forward-deployed location May 28, the mission of the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia completed a 13-year, continuous mission.
• F-16 crashes in South Korea AFPN 29 May 2003-- An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed here May 29 while taking off on a training mission. The pilot ejected safely and was treated at the base hospital.

• Top Military Research Lab Part of Worldwide Search for SARS Cure AFPS 29 May 2003 -- The military has joined a worldwide effort to find a cure for the sometimes deadly SARS virus.

• Baltics: Tempest Over Minorities Erupts During NATO Assembly RFE/L 29 May 2003 -- Russian minority rights in the Baltic states are once again on the international agenda. That's thanks to the efforts of the Russians attending this week's meeting of NATO's parliamentary assembly in Prague. They presented a report accusing Latvia and Estonia of mistreating their Russian communities. The Baltic countries dismiss the allegations -- and they say Russia is artificially trying to keep the issue alive in a bid to derail ratification of NATO membership

News Reports

• President Bush Set to Depart on Five-Day Overseas Trip AFPS 29 May 2003 -- President Bush will discuss the Middle East peace process and rebuilding Iraq, among other issues, during a five-day overseas trip set to begin May 30, a top adviser said May 28.
• ZIMBABWE / POLITICS VOA 29 May 2003 -- Zimbabwe's armed forces issued a warning Thursday about protests planned for next week against the government of President Robert Mugabe. The statement came as the country's opposition leader made his widely-expected call for what he hopes will be the largest peaceful demonstrations in the country's history.
• E-U CONSTITUTION VOA 29 May 2003 -- A convention on the future of Europe is rushing to finish a draft E-U constitution in time for the organization's expansion into Eastern Europe next year. But there are strong disagreements over how much power pan-European institutions should have compared to the individual member states.
• VENEZUELA / POL VOA 29 May 2003 -- Venezuela's government and political opposition have signed an agreement to produce an electoral solution to the country's 18-month political crisis. But many in the opposition have serious reservations with the effectiveness of the agreement that was mediated by international facilitators led by Cesar Gaviria, secretary-general of the Organization of American States
• NIGERIA / INAUGURATION VOA 29 May 2003 -- Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has been sworn in for a second four-year term, marking the first time Africa's most-populous country returns a civilian government to power.
• NIGERIA / OBASANJO VOA 29 May 2003 -- Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo faces many challenges as he begins his second term as president of Africa's most populous nation. Mr. Obasanjo says he intends to get Nigeria on the road to prosperity and stability.
• ASIA SARS VOA 29 May 2003 -- Taiwan is reporting 50 new cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome cases, but the government says the new infections are a result of reclassification and not a fresh outbreak.
• NIGERIA / INAUGURATION VOA 29 May 2003 -- Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has been sworn in for a second four-year term amid allegations of vote-rigging in last month's election.