Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

• UNGA / KARZAI VOA 23 Sept 2003-- Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned world leaders at the U-N General Assembly today (Tuesday) that terrorism threatens the progress that is being made in Afghanistan
• President Pledges Continued U.S. Support for Afghanistan Washington File 23 Sept 2003-- President Bush congratulated interim Afghan President Hamid Karzai September 23 for the success his country has attained since the defeat of the Taliban regime less than two years ago, and pledged accelerated U.S. support, according to a senior U.S. administration official.
• Bush Challenges U.N. to Help Iraq, Afghanistan Washington File 23 Sept 2003-- In his third annual speech to the U.N. General Assembly September 23, President Bush urged the United Nations to "take decisive action" and "show courage" to address the challenges of the day: help for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the humanitarian crises of AIDS and human trafficking.
• Terrorism Still a Threat to Afghanistan and South Asia, Karzai Says Washington File 23 Sept 2003-- Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned on September 23 that terrorism continues to threaten his country and can harm the region as a whole.
• U-N / LIBERIA VOA 23 Sept 2003-- The U-N refugee agency says thousands of Liberians are continuing to flee to neighboring Guinea, despite the peace agreement signed between the Liberian government and rebel forces
• LIBERIA/REBEL LEADER VOA 23 Sept 2003-- The leader of the rebel group that spearheaded a campaign to unseat exiled former President Charles Taylor has returned to Liberia

Other Conflicts

• Indian soldier killed, six injured in artillery shelling in J&K IRNA 23 Sep 2003 -- Pakistani troops pounded Rajouri-Poonch border belt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir with artillery and mortar shells killing a Indian Army soldier and injuring six persons in fresh border skirmishes since Monday night, official sources said Tuesday.
• Serbia: After Many Delays, Belgrade-Pristina Talks On Kosovo Look Set To Start RFE/RL 23 Sep 2003 -- International officials appear confident that a long-awaited direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will begin within weeks. The talks will focus on technical issues and not on the final status of the UN-administered province. Diplomats from the six-nation Contact Group are meeting today and tomorrow in New York to discuss a plan for the talks, for which analysts say both sides are ill-prepared.
• US-ARAFAT VOA 23 Sept 2003-- Ms. Judy Barsalou, of the U.S. Institute of Peace, talks about recent U.S. policies towards Yasser Arafat and his government.
• BUSH-UN-MIDEAST VOA 23 Sept 2003-- President Bush, in his U-N General Assembly speech Tuesday, called on the Palestinians to follow the lead of Iraq in developing democratic institutions, while his French counterpart, Jacques Chirac, urged a new international push to implement the "road map" to an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord
• IVORY COAST / RECONCILIATION VOA 23 Sept 2003-- Ivory Coast's rebels say they have pulled out of the government of reconciliation, accusing the president of stalling the implementation of the Marcoussis peace deal signed last January
• Armed Groups in Colombian Conflict Using Thousands of Child Soldiers Washington File 23 Sept 2003-- More than 11,000 children are reported to be fighting for armed groups in Colombia that the U.S. State Department has designated as terrorist organizations.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Guard battles Isabel's destruction Army News Service 23 Sept 2003-- More than 2,500 Army and Air National Guard troops in five states and the District of Columbia turned out with chainsaws, trucks and water trailers to help people along the East Coast deal with the devastation of Hurricane Isabel.
• 22d MEU completes first at-sea training exercise Marine Corps News 23 Sept 2003-- Approximately five months prior to embarking as the first Expeditionary Strike Group/MEU, hundreds of Marines and Sailors from the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) spent the first weeks of September at sea becoming familiar with shipboard life and conducting detailing training of ship-to-shore movement.
• Cushing completes successful underway demonstration 7th Fleet 23 Sept 2003-- USS Cushing (DD 985) successfully completed its underway demonstration (UD), marking a significant step forward in its training cycle. Since the Spruance-class destroyer entered dry dock in February, Cushing has been training hard to prepare for any mission.
• Cowpens, Vandegrift arrive in Zhanjiang 7th Fleet 23 Sept 2003-- USS Cowpens (CG 63) and USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) became the first U.S. Navy ships to visit the People's Republic of China navy's South Sea Fleet headquarters in Zhanjiang, China, when they pulled into port here Sept. 22.
• U.S. Official Defends U.S. Treatment of Enemy Combatants Washington File 23 Sept 2003-- The United States has treated and will continue to treat enemy combatants detained in the war against terrorism humanely and in a manner consistent with the principles of international law, says David T. Morris, political counselor at the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
• U.S. Signs Article 98 Agreement with Kazakhstan Washington File 23 Sept 2003-- The United States on September 22 signed an Article 98 agreement with Kazakhstan, under which Kazakhstan pledges not to turn over American citizens to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• Coping with Extended Reserve Service VOA 23 Sept 2003-- Some 300,000 men and women in U-S reserve and National Guard forces were called to active duty over the past two years to support the war on terrorism and the reconstruction of Iraq. Less than half of these part-time soldiers, sailors and airmen have returned home. those who remain on duty now find themselves not knowing how long they'll be in service. and away from their civilian lives

• U.S./Turkey: Fresh Loan Pact Agreed As Ankara Awaits Decision On PKK RFE/RL 23 Sep 2003 -- As Washington continues to negotiate the terms of Ankara's possible participation in its stabilization efforts in Iraq, both sides yesterday said they had reached an agreement on a new, hefty loan pact. Officials in both capitals deny the deal is aimed at winning over the Turkish public, which remains largely opposed to sending troops to the country's war-torn neighbor. Yet, one of the conditions attached to the loan pact is that Turkey must cooperate with the U.S. in Iraq.

• NATO: New Chief Will Need All His Political Skills To Refocus, Consolidate Alliance RFE/RL 23 Sep 2003 -- NATO has chosen as its new secretary-general a Dutchman who has displayed consummate political and diplomatic skills. As foreign minister of the Netherlands, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has firmly supported the need to keep the trans-Atlantic alliance intact and vigorous. And at a time of trans-Atlantic tension, he has been able to steer a course friendly to the United States while not alienating European nations. De Hoop Scheffer will take over leadership of NATO at a critical moment, as the alliance strives to develop a new role in the post-Cold War era.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 23 Sep 2003 -- Dutch foreign minister named new NATO chief New NATO chief Scheffer says alliance has new role / U.S. rejects French plan to hasten Iraqi sovereignty / Russia to open first base abroad since Soviet days
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 23 Sep 2003 -- Britain's backing of EU plans for joint defense project viewed / EU foreign policy chief Solana sets priorities for EU security / EU set to demand permanent seat at UN Security Council / Russian General Staff wants to provide NATO with reports on military spending / Belgian court throws out appeal against decision to send on war crimes case against Gen. Franks to the U.S.

• U.S. Issues 20,000 Immigrant Visas to Cubans in 2003 Washington File 23 Sept 2003-- Under the auspices of the Migration Accords with Cuba, the United States issued more than 20,000 immigrant visas to Cuban nationals in Fiscal Year 2003, according to a September 22 press statement issued by the State Department.
• President Addresses UN General Assembly White House 23 Sept 2003-- Last month, terrorists brought their war to the United Nations itself. The U.N. headquarters in Baghdad stood for order and compassion -- and for that reason, the terrorists decided it must be destroyed. Among the 22 people who were murdered was Sergio Vieira de Mello. Over the decades, this good and brave man from Brazil gave help to the afflicted in Bangladesh, Cypress, Mozambique, Lebanon, Cambodia, Central Africa, Kosovo, and East Timor, and was aiding the people of Iraq in their time of need. America joins you, his colleagues, in honoring the memory of Senor Vieira de Mello, and the memory of all who died with him in the service to the United Nations.
• U-N/DRUGS VOA 23 Sept 2003-- The U-N Office on Drugs and Crime says the production, trafficking, and abuse of synthetic, so-called designer drugs, is increasing worldwide
• U-N / CHIRAC / UNILATERALISM VOA 23 Sept 2003-- French President Jacques Chirac has used his speech to the U-N General Assembly to deliver a blistering attack on U-S actions in Iraq
• UNGA / TUESDAY VOA 23 Sept 2003-- President Bush has locked horns (clashed) at the United Nations with French President Jacques Chirac and U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan over the U-S decision to act unilaterally in Iraq.