Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

• UPDATE: ONE SERVICE MEMBER DIED OF WOUNDS, 2 WOUNDED IN AFGHAN HOSTILE FIRE INCIDENT CENTCOM 27 Jun 2003 -- Three special operations forces members were wounded during operations in the vicinity of Gardez, in Paktya province Wednesday.
• US Soldier Killed in Afghanistan VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- U.S. military officials in Afghanistan say a special forces soldier has been killed in fighting in the southeastern part of the country.
• AFGHANISTAN / U-S VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- U-S military officials in Afghanistan say a special forces soldier has been killed in fighting in the southeastern part of the country.

• Live fire exercise in Iraq USAREUR 27 Jun 2003 -- Even though 1st Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade, 63rd Armored Regiment, is deployed to Iraq, they're still conducting live fire exercises to hone in on their infantry skills. On the outskirts of Kirkuk, the regiment used a deserted Iraqi military range for life fire exercises.
• Soldiers miss Fedayeen colonel, but uncover sizeable weapons cache Army News 27 Jun 2003 -- Soldiers in Baghdad conducted an early morning raid on an alleged Saddam Feyadeen colonel's house and found a sizeable buried illegal weapons cache in a former Ba'ath Party building in Baghdad June 17 and 18.
• 1/5 recalls battle for Hussein's palace USMC News 27 Jun 2003 -- This is the second installment in a two-part series on 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment's experience in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Other Conflicts

• EDITORIAL: DEVELOPMENTS IN AFGHANISTAN VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- A year and a half after the overthrow of the extremist Taleban regime, Afghanistan's transitional government is making progress. National elections are to be held in June 2004. Commerce is continuing to expand. The World Bank estimates that the Afghan economy grew by ten percent in 2002. Hundreds of U.S. entrepreneurs attended a recent U.S. Department of Commerce investors conference for Afghanistan, a promising sign for rebuilding a nation. And the new Afghan national army has deployed some of its first trained units.

• POWELL-AFRICA VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell urged African leaders Friday to end regional feuds and conflicts, and to fight instead for good governance, and an end to corruption and disease. He told an African economic conference in Washington Friday the continent's future economic prospects depend not on foreign aid but on attracting foreign investment.
• Powell Urges African Leaders to End Regional Feuds VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell urged African leaders Friday to end regional feuds and conflicts, and to fight instead for good governance, and an end to corruption and disease. He told an African economic conference in Washington Friday the continent's future economic prospects depend not on foreign aid but on attracting foreign investment.

• U-S-Mideast VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- The United States is welcoming the agreement-in-principle between Israel and the Palestinians on an Israeli troop pullback in Gaza. U-S officials are also guardedly-optimistic about the prospect of a cease-fire agreement by radical Palestinian factions, though they say armed militant groups will eventually have to be dismantled.
• White House Applauds Agreement to Transfer Security in Gaza Washington File 27 Jun 2003 -- The United States welcomed the June 27 agreement in principle between Israel and the Palestinians that would transfer security responsibilities in Gaza from the Israeli military to Palestinian security forces.
• UN envoy stresses inclusion of Syria and Lebanon in Middle East peace process UN News Centre 27 Jun 2003 -- A senior United Nations envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, arrived today in Beirut for the start of a regional tour that follows-up on Sunday's meeting of the diplomatic Quartet in Jordan, stressing again the importance of including Syria and Lebanon in the Middle East peace process.
• Annan to Security Council: consider more troops for UN mission in DR of Congo UN News Centre 27 Jun 2003 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has sent a letter to the Security Council underlining the importance of the deployment of a brigade-sized UN contingent in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to ensure that the precarious situation in the region does not deteriorate further.
• 'Gravely concerned,' UN refugee chief urges peace force to quell violence in Liberia UN News Centre 27 Jun 2003 -- Expressing "grave concern" over the situation in Liberia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Ruud Lubbers, again today called for an immediate end to hostilities and for deployment of an international peacekeeping force to fill the current security vacuum in the war-ravaged nation.
• Sustained peace in Sierra Leone 'inconceivable' without regional peace - Annan UN News Centre 27 Jun 2003 -- The extended presence of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has assured a stable environment and enabled steady progress in national reconstruction efforts, but sustained peace in the country is "inconceivable" without peace in neighbouring States, Secretary-General Kofi Annan warns in a new report.
• Security Council delegation arrives in Guinea-Bissau UN News Centre 27 Jun 2003 -- A United Nations Security Council delegation arrived in Guinea-Bissau today on the first stop of a planned seven-country mission to West Africa to explore opportunities for regional peace and stability.
• Palestinian Militants Agree to Suspend Attack on Israelis for 3 Months VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- Palestinian militia leaders say Islamic militant groups have agreed to suspend attacks on Israelis for three months. An official announcement of a cease-fire is not expected before Sunday.
• Liberian Rebels Declare Truce to Allow Humanitarian Relief in Besieged Capital VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- The main rebel group in Liberia has declared an immediate cease-fire after days of intense fighting in the capital, Monrovia.
• EDITORIAL: HAMAS MUST BE DISMANTLED VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Peace between Israelis and Palestinians will be possible, said President George W. Bush, only when Hamas and other terrorist groups are dismantled
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS (L 2nd UPDATE) VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Palestinian militia leaders say Islamic militant groups have agreed to suspend attacks on Israelis for three months. An official announcement of a cease-fire is not expected before Sunday.
• 'Significant Progress' Made in Israeli-Palestinian Security Talks VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are said to have made "significant progress" in security talks Friday. Security responsibility for the Gaza Strip could be transferred to the Palestinian Authority in the next day or two.
• Palestinian Militants Agree to Truce with Israel VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- Palestinian militant leaders say they have agreed to suspend attacks against Israelis for three months.
• UN Establishes Mission in Ivory Coast VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- The United Nations has formally established a new mission in Ivory Coast. Its role is to assist a difficult peace process, nine months after the start of a northern rebel insurgency that still divides the west African nation.
• Indonesian Military Finds Mass Graves in Aceh VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- Indonesian police say the military has found the remains of 20 people buried in two mass graves in Aceh Province, where government troops and separatist rebels are locked in battle. The discovery comes as the government issues new rules to restrict foreign media coverage of the conflict.
• LIBERIA / REBELS VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Liberian rebels have called for a new cease-fire, so that a humanitarian catastrophe can be avoided in Monrovia.
• ACEH / MASS GRAVES VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Indonesian police say the military has found the remains of 20 people buried in two mass graves in Aceh Province, where government troops and separatist rebels are locked in battle. The discovery comes as the government issues new rules to restrict foreign media coverage of the conflict.
• ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS (L-UPDATE) VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are said to have made "significant progress" in security talks Friday. Security responsibility for the Gaza Strip could be transferred to the Palestinian Authority in the next day or two.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- The Israeli Army fought fierce battles with Palestinian gunmen on Friday killing three militants in a raid in the Gaza Strip. The violence comes a day after two Palestinians and one Israeli were killed in separate incidents.
• IVORY COAST / U-N VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- The United Nations has formally established a new mission in Ivory Coast. Its role is to assist a difficult peace process -- nine months after the start of a northern rebel insurgency that still divides the west African nation.

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. and Republic of Korea Hold Defense Ministerial 27 Jun 2003 -- The following is the text of a joint statement issued in Washington today by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense Cho Yung Kil

• Revised: Secretary Rumsfeld Delegates Appointing Authority 27 Jun 2003 -- Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld has issued Military Commission Order No. 2 delegating Appointing Authority responsibility to Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.

• CONGRESS/MILITARY VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- The U-S Senate has confirmed Lieutenant General John Abizaid to succeed General Tommy Franks as commander of U-S Central Command. As such, he will oversee U-S troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other countries.
• Pacific Command Chief Calls Fighting Terrorism Top Priority Washington File 27 Jun 2003 -- Sustaining and supporting the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is the top priority for the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), says Admiral Thomas Fargo.
• Agreement aligns Reserve IT functions with G6, NETCOM Army News 27 Jun 2003 -- The Army just got a bit closer to truly being an Army of One -- at least in the information management field.
• DoD Officials Discuss Asia-Pacific Region Challenges AFPS 27 Jun 2003 -- The United States is looking at changing the "footprint" of American forces around the world. But the Asia-Pacific region remains important and any changes the U.S. makes there does not herald disengagement, said DoD leaders during testimony before a House subcommittee June 26.
• 'We Don't Need to Lose People' to Accidents, DoD Personnel Chief Asserts AFPS 27 Jun 2003 -- Aviation and other types of serious accidents across DoD have gone up and the department's senior leaders have vowed to do something about it.
• Nation Will Not Forsake Missing, Not Stop Seeking Fullest Accounting AFPS 27 Jun 2003 -- The quest to account for missing servicemen from the Vietnam, Korean and Cold War and World War II - "is unwavering, untiring and will not fail!" Jerry D. Jennings told the audience during the 34th annual National League of Families conclave here June 27.
• All-Volunteer Force Has 'Come of Age,' Chu Says AFPS 27 Jun 2003 -- After 30 years of existence, America's all-volunteer force has proven to be a success, DoD's top personnel official said here June 27.
• U.S. Commited to Expanding Freedom and Peace, Bush Says Washington File 27 Jun 2003 -- President Bush, in remarks June 27, at a Bush-Cheney 2004 fundraising luncheon event in San Francisco, spoke of his administration's accomplishments, but said more work lies ahead.
• Officials release T-38 accident report AFPN 27 Jun 2003 -- Air Force investigators have determined that pilot error caused a T-38A Talon to crash March 8 near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
• Team testing hazardous-waste detection AFPN 27 Jun 2003 -- Three organizations here are testing and demonstrating what could be the future of buried hazardous-waste detection, ultimately improving the Air Force's compliance with Department of Defense and Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
• Submarine Learning Center Surfaces Navy newStand 27 Jun 2003 -- The Navy's Revolution in training surfaced in Groton with a ribbon-cutting for the Submarine Learning Center (SLC).
• Forces join to show the bigger picture at Cobra Gold 2003 USMC News 27 Jun 2003 -- Staying true to their commander's motto of "Live your oath, accomplish the mission and bring everybody home safely," the Marines and Sailors of Combat Service Support Group 3 did exactly that during their two-month deployment to the Royal Kingdom of Thailand for Exercise Cobra Gold 2003 - a two-week exercise designed to combine all the elements of the Marine Air Ground Task Force for bilateral training with the Thai and Singaporean armed forces.
• Corps joins special ops ranks USMC News 27 Jun 2003 -- Marines have always been known as the few and the proud. But on Friday, the Marine Corps took its first steps toward assembling a group of warriors even fewer and prouder as part of the U.S. Special Operations Command.

• Bosnia-Herzegovina: Sarajevo Ratifies Agreement Exempting U.S. From ICC RFE/L 27 Jun 2003 -- Bosnia-Herzegovina today ratified an agreement that exempts Americans from prosecution by the newly established International Criminal Court (ICC).
• Cambodia Signs Accord to Prevent US Citizens' Extradition to International Court VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- Cambodia and the United States have signed an agreement preventing the extradition of U.S. citizens for trial at the International Criminal Court. The deal came after U.S. Secretary of State discussed the issue with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh last week.
• CAMBODIA / U-S EXTRADITION VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Cambodia and the United States have signed an agreement preventing the extradition of U-S citizens for trial at the International Criminal Court. The deal came after U-S Secretary of State discussed the issue with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh last week.

• Pakistan: Musharraf Urges U.S. To Tackle Terrorism's 'Root Causes' RFE/L 27 Jun 2003 -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, a key ally in the U.S. war on terrorism, was rewarded for his efforts this week with a major U.S. aid package for Islamabad's armed forces and economy. Despite the reward, Musharraf used his visit to Washington to press the Bush administration to address not only the symptoms of Islamic terrorism but what he called its "root causes."

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 27 Jun 2003 -- NATO's Robertson warns of organized crime and extremism inKosovo / Macedonia (sic) to exempt U.S. citizens from international court / Pentagon sends team to inspect Iraq - paper / Romania to send 56 additional peacekeepers to Iraq / UN terror committee finds no evidence linking Iraq to al-Qaida
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 27 Jun 2003 -- More coverage of Gen. Jones' visit to Czech Republic / UN envoy calls for more peacekeepers in Afghanistan / President Bush's advisor tells Europe to follow the lead of U.S. on nukes / U.S. looking at organizing global peacekeeping force operating outside of NATO and UN purview

• EDITORIAL: CASTRO REAFFIRMS HARSH SENTENCES VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's "Supreme Tribunal," the highest level of Cuba's compromised judicial system, has "upheld" the harsh prison sentences imposed on dozens of Cubans whose only crime was to speak out for democracy. The sentences were announced after sham trials were held -- trials that made a mockery of any notion of fairness or due process.
• MACEDONIA / POLITICS VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Two years after Macedonia -- the small, southernmost territory of the former Yugoslavia -- was nearly torn apart by ethnic warfare, there has been considerable progress toward reconciliation and restoring stability. But many doubts remain about Macedonia's future.
• ZIMBABWE / FOOD VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- The World Food Program says more than five million people in Zimbabwe -- almost half the population -- will need food aid from the international community between now and the next grain harvest in April of next year.
• Azerbaijan: Council Of Europe Gives Baku Another Two Months On Issue Of Political Prisoners RFE/L 27 Jun 2003 -- The government of Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliev yesterday came under heavy fire at the Strasbourg-based Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for holding dozens of presumed political prisoners in custody. But Baku avoided formal condemnation on the issue, escaping with a mere warning.
• Angola's UNITA Party Elects New Leader VOA News 27 Jun 2003 -- Delegates from Angola's former UNITA rebel movement have elected Isaias Samakuva as their new leader.
• Russia: Putin Heading Home After Rare Russian State Visit To Britain RFE/L 27 Jun 2003 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is flying home today after a trip to Britain, the first such high-level visit since the 19th century.
• BURMA / ASEAN VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- The Burmese government's detention of democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has sparked a new wave of condemnation. But there is a significant difference between this latest government crackdown and earlier ones. Pressure is now coming from neighboring countries not usually critical of Burma's ruling generals. The military government's treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi has become something of embarrassment for Burma's neighbors.
• EDITORIAL: MUGABE'S DANGEROUS COURSE VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- Robert Mugabe's brutal rule has brought Zimbabwe to the brink of catastrophe. The nation's economy is the worst it's been since Zimbabwe became independent in 1980. Zimbabweans now face a nearly three-hundred percent inflation, serious food and currency shortages, widespread unemployment, and the near collapse of commercial agriculture.
• ASIA FOOD VOA 27 Jun 2003 -- The United Nations World Food Program is asking Asian countries to boost contributions to global food programs. The W-F-P helps more than 100-million people worldwide, but one of the program's greatest challenges is working in North Korea.