Military


05 January 2004 Military News


News

Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

  • OIF/OEF Casualty Update 05 Jan 2004 [PDF]

  • Video Shows Coalition Forces Didn't Desecrate Mosque in Jan. 1 Raid AFPS 05 Jan 2004 -- Coalition Provisional Authority and military officials in Baghdad, Iraq, today showed reporters a video as proof that coalition and Iraqi security forces took extra care not to desecrate the holy site during a raid of a mosque Jan. 1.
  • WRAP-UP OF 4TH ID'S ACTIVITIES CENTCOM Release 05 Jan 2004-- In Dibis, 173rd Airborne Brigade soldiers discovered an ammunition cache during the evening of Jan.2. The cache appeared to have been at the location since before Operation Iraqi Freedom began and consisted of 163 60-millimeter mortar rounds, 17 hand grenades and 17 flares. All the munitions were secured and are scheduled for future destruction by an explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) team.
  • ICDC TROOPS CONTINUE INDEPENDENT MISSION, TASK FORCE SOLDIERS HELP ECONOMY CENTCOM Release 05 Jan 2004-- During the last 24 hours, the 82nd Airborne Division and subordinate units conducted 158 patrols, nine of which were joint patrols with Iraqis.
  • Air Force convoys end in Iraq AFPN 05 Jan 2004-- With the closure of the Tallil Tavern Dining Facility, the dangerous 150-mile convoy trip from here to Kuwait has ended for the Air Force convoy team.
  • Kirkuk airmen provide relief supplies AFPN 05 Jan 2004-- The words of a Kurdish refugee woman living in a tent on the outskirts of Kirkuk keep ringing in the ears of all who heard it.

  • Expanded Army Stop-Loss Affects 7,000 Deployed Troops AFPS 05 Jan 2004 -- The Army's expansion of the stop loss/stop movement program is expected to affect about 7,000 active-duty soldiers deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

  • Afghan Delegates Approve Country's First Constitution Since 1964 Washington File 05 Jan 2004 -- Afghanistan's Constitutional Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) approved a 162-article constitution January 4 establishing a presidential system of government with a bicameral legislature and paving the way for national elections later in 2004.
  • U.S. Praises New Afghan Constitution AFPS 05 Jan 2004 -- Delegates to Afghanistan's Loya Jirga agreed on a new, democratic constitution for the nation Jan. 4.
  • Afghanistan: Loya Jirga Approves Constitution, But Hard Part May Have Only Just Begun RFE/RL 05 Jan 2004 -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has praised Afghanistan's new constitution as a historic achievement. U.S. President George W. Bush says the document lays the foundation for democratic institutions and elections before the end of the year. But observers question whether a country emerging from more than two decades of fighting can be so quickly transformed. They say the ethnic divisions that still exist in the country will make implementation extremely difficult.

Other Conflicts

  • ETHIOPIA / ERITREA VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- Eritrea has rejected the appointment of a former Canadian foreign minister to mediate the long-running border dispute with Ethiopia because, it says, the dispute has already been settled.
  • BURUNDI/ POLITICS VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- A Burundi rebel group that had steadfastly refused to join the country's peace process says it is ready to meet with Burundi's president.
  • ISRAEL / SHARON VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, says some Jewish settlements in the occupied territories will have to be abandoned under a final peace treaty with the Palestinians. Addressing a convention of his ruling Likud Party, he also reaffirmed his commitment to unilaterally separating Israel from the Palestinians, if peace talks fail.
  • South Asia: Talks In Islamabad Raise Hopes Of Progress On Kashmir RFE/RL 05 Jan 2004 -- Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf have met for the first time in more than two years on the sidelines of a regional summit in Islamabad. Although described as a "courtesy call," today's talks lasted more than an hour and have raised hopes for peace through a dialogue on Kashmir.
  • Bhutan operations against Indian separatists in final stage IRNA 05 Jan 2004 -- Bhutan said the military operations to expel Indian separatists out of the Himalayan kingdom has reached its final stages with troops capturing the last of the rebel bases.
  • Myanmar launches military offensive against Indian separatists IRNA 05 Jan 2004 -- Myanmar have launched a military offensive against Indian separatist bases amid a similar crackdown in adjoining Bhutan, Indian officials Monday said.
  • THAILAND/ATTACKS VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- Thailand has declared martial law in three southern Muslim provinces after two days of arson attacks and bombings. As Ron Corben reports from Bangkok, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is blaming Islamic separatists for the violence.
  • ISRAEL / BARRIER VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- A senior Israeli cabinet minister says his country risks significant international isolation over controversial plans for a barrier separating Israel from Palestinian territories.

Defense Policy / Programs

  • NATO / SECRETARY GENERAL VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- NATO's new secretary-general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, says he sees a possible role in Iraq for the alliance. But he stresses that it should first concentrate on its mission in Afghanistan, where it is planning to extend its peacekeeping force beyond the capital, Kabul. The former Dutch foreign minister says he wants to ensure unity among the western allies, who were deeply split last year over the U-S-led Iraq war.
  • NATO: De Hoop Scheffer Takes Over As Secretary-General RFE/RL 05 Jan 2004 -- Former Dutch Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer took over today as the secretary-general of NATO.
  • NATO: New Chief Assumes Command At 'Crucial Moment' For Alliance RFE/RL 05 Jan 2004 -- Former Dutch Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer took office this morning as the new secretary-general of NATO. De Hoop Scheffer succeeds George Robertson, who stepped down at the end of 2003 after four years as NATO chief. De Hoop Scheffer comes aboard as the alliance is considering expanding its stabilization roles in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  • White paper focuses logistics transformation Army News Service 05 Jan 2004-- As the rest of the Army transforms to remain relevant and ready, so must its logistics community for the same reasons, according to the Army's top logistics planner.
  • Latest version of Marine Corps' amphibious fighting vehicles goes further, faster Marine Corps News 05 Jan 2004-- The Marine Corps' newest expeditionary asset is the latest in a series of vehicles that began with the Roebling Alligator in 1932. The new vehicle, formerly known as the Advanced Assault Amphibious Vehicle, was recently renamed the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.

  • India, Russia clear decks for sale of aircraft carrier PLA Daily 05 Jan 2004 -- After weeks of hard negotiations, India has cleared the acquisition of the 45,000-ton aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia, according to the Press Trustof India (PTI).

  • State Department Briefing, January 5, 2004 Washington File 05 Jan 2004 -- Liberia, India/Pakistan, Colombia/Ecuador, Iraq, Iran, Palestinian territories, North Korea, Department, Libya, Egypt, Brazil, Georgia, Cuba/Venezuela
  • White House Briefing, January 5, 2004 Washington File 05 Jan 2004 -- Afghanistan, Guatemala, Bush trip to Missouri/education/No Child Left Behind, DOJ investigation into leak of a CIA agent's name, bin Laden tape?, threat level, Bush trip to Mexico, Iraq

News Reports

  • SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 02 Jan 2004 -- Dutchman takes over as NATO secretary general / New Afghan constitution offers basis for fragile peace / Tape purportedly from Osama bin Laden blasts Mideast peace efforts, says holy war should continue / Opposition leader Saakashvili claims victory in Georgia's presidential election
  • SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 02 Jan 2004 -- SACEUR's visit to Bulgaria announced / Polish army buys Israeli anti-tank missiles / German naval fleet to return to Strait of Gibraltar / Irish EU presidency to begin work on EU defense planning cell / U.S. diplomatic mission planned for Iraq

  • U-S-CUBA-VENEZUELA VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- The United States expressed public concern Monday about the close ties between the governments of Cuba and Venezuela, amid suggestions by U-S officials they may be working together to fan anti-American sentiment and undermine democratic governments in Latin America.
  • U-S / GEORGIA ELECTION VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- The United States says the conduct of Sunday's presidential election in Georgia represents "notable progress" over the parliamentary voting last November that was marred by reports of widespread fraud. U-S officials have congratulated the country's apparent president-elect, Mikhail Saakashvili.
  • EGYPT / CRASH VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- Search and recovery efforts are continuing in the Red Sea for bodies and wreckage following Saturday's jetliner crash off the Egyptian coast, killing 148 people. Investigators plan to utilize special equipment in the search effort.
  • Georgia: Moscow Watches Warily As Saakashvili Comes To Power RFE/RL 05 Jan 2004 -- Moscow is reputed to be wary of Georgia's new president, Mikhail Saakashvili, a U.S.-educated lawyer who is openly pro-Western in his views. Since Eduard Shevardnadze's forced resignation in November, Tbilisi's relations with its powerful neighbor have gone on a roller-coaster ride of mutual accusations and promises to cooperate. How will Saakashvili's presidency affect Moscow's long-term ambitions in the region?
  • GEORGIA/ELECTION VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- As the vote count continues from Sunday's presidential election in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, the pre-vote favorite, Mikhail Saakashvili, appears to be heading for a landslide victory. The 36-year-old U-S-educated lawyer won more than 90-percent of the vote in some areas, although final results will not be released until later this week.