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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 17 Feb 2004 [PDF]
• SOLDIER DIES OF INJURIES SUSTAINED IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT CENTCOM Release 17 Feb 2004
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties

• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing 17 Feb 2004 -- Senior Advisor to the CPA, Daniel Senor and Deputy Director for Coalition Operations Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt
• ICDC, TF ALL AMERICAN SECURE THE AL ANBAR REGION CENTCOM Release 17 Feb 2004-- During the last 24 hours, Iraqi Civil Defense Corps forces conducted 15 independent patrols.
• 4TH INFANTRY OPERATIONS FOR THE PAST 24 HOURS CENTCOM Release 17 Feb 2004-- Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment captured two individuals suspected of attacking Coalition forces with rocket propelled grenades Sunday morning. The soldiers located and confiscated three AK-47 assault rifles and one bolt-action rifle.
• TF OLYMPIA MEETS WITH NGOs IN NORTHERN IRAQ CENTCOM Release 17 Feb 2004-- Members of Task Force Olympia met with leaders of nongovernmental organizations in northern Iraq Sunday.
• Coalition Enhances Reward Program in Hunt for Enemies AFPS 17 Feb 2004 -- An enhanced, three-tiered reward program is the coalition's latest weapon against insurgents in Iraq, officials announced at a Baghdad news conference today.
• Meteorological Team Aids Operations in Iraq AFPS 17 Feb 2004 -- A three-soldier meteorological team, or MET, is on call 24 hours a day to provide vital weather data at Task Force 1st Armored Division's forward operating base at Camp Falcon. When enemies conduct mortar or rocket attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi residents in and around Baghdad, the team's predictions allow howitzer and mortar gun teams to provide deadly accurate counter-fire.
• Coalition Continues Offensive Operations in Iraq AFPS 17 Feb 2004 -- Calling the military situation in Iraq "relatively stable," Combined Joint Task Force 7's deputy operations director detailed recent military activity during a Baghdad news conference today.

• Transcript: Special Department Of Defense Briefing on Provincial Reconstruction Teams In Afghanistan 17 Feb 2004 -- Commanding General, Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. David Barno and Commander,Combined Joint Military Operations Task Force Col. Mike Perry
• Tactics Changing for Both Coalition Forces, Terrorists in Afghanistan AFPS 17 Feb 2004 -- U.S. and coalition actions in Afghanistan have forced terrorist groups operating there to change their strategies. So coalition forces continue to adapt their tactical approach in response, the top U.S. general in that country said today.
• PENTAGON/AFGHAN/PAKISTAN VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- A top U-S military commander says Pakistan is taking, what he terms, promising moves to deny terrorists sanctuary in the remote area along its border with Afghanistan.
• Afghanistan: EU Delegation Arrives To Discuss Timing Of Elections, Security RFE/RL 17 Feb 2004 -- high-level EU delegation arrives today in Afghanistan for talks on the country's upcoming elections. The bloc has indicated that with continued security worries and low voter registration, June may be too early for the vote.
• Afghanistan: U.S. Expert Discusses Possible Delay In June Election RFE/RL 17 Feb 2004 -- There are growing international concerns that presidential elections scheduled for June in Afghanistan may be delayed.

Other Conflicts

• White House Focuses on Diplomatic Solution to Haiti Crisis Washington File 17 Feb 2004 -- The White House said February 17 that it is focusing on achieving a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Haiti between the government and opposition groups, working closely with the Caribbean community and the Organization of American States.
• Powell Says U.S. Does Not Envision Sending Forces to Haiti Washington File 17 Feb 2004 -- The United States does not envision sending military or police forces to Haiti to stop the violence that has claimed at least 50 lives over the past two weeks, according to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
• POWELL / HAITI VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell Tuesday again urged a political solution to the crisis in Haiti that does not involve the early departure of elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He all but ruled out foreign intervention to put down the current unrest, but said foreign police could be sent in later.
• Georgia: UN chairs meeting aimed at advancing peace process UN News Centre 17 Feb 2004 -- A two-day meeting aimed at addressing the conflict in Georgia opened today in Geneva under United Nations auspices.
• UN official reports improved relations among African Great Lakes countries UN News Centre 17 Feb 2004 -- Relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its neighbours are improving, while the disarmament, demobilization and resettlement of fighters from Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi have proceeded faster than expected, a senior United Nations official said today.
• 'Lots of work to do,' Annan's adviser says ahead of talks on Cyprus settlement plan UN News Centre 17 Feb 2004 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's top adviser for Cyprus arrived in the island nation today after stops in Dublin and Brussels for talks with top European officials.
• Annan says UN could become more actively engaged in Haiti UN News Centre 17 Feb 2004 -- With violence persisting between Haitian government forces and opposition militias, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today the United Nations has been considering how to become more involved in helping the Caribbean country.
• UNHCR / CHAD VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- The United Nations refugee agency says it is mounting an emergency airlift to eastern Chad this week to bring supplies for tens-of-thousands of Sudanese refugees.
• SOMALIA WAR TOLL VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- It has been almost a decade since the United States pulled its troops out of the Horn of Africa country of Somalia. The disastrous U-N intervention to help starving Somalis and capture the country's main warlord in the capital, Mogadishu, left the city in the hands of warring clan militias. The subsequent years of anarchy and fighting have taken an appalling toll on the Somali people and society.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS / U-S VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- An official U-S delegation arrives in Israel tomorrow (Wednesday) for talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on his plan to dismantle Jewish settlements in Palestinian areas. V-O-A's Sonja Pace reports from Jerusalem on the visit and the controversy surrounding the Sharon plan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• BUSH/ MILITARY VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- President Bush says America will not relent until the terrorist threat is removed. The president spoke to a crowd of cheering troops at a military base in (the southern state of) Louisiana.
• Focus: Balancing AC/RC force structure impacts 100K positions Army News Service 17 Feb 2004-- The changes planned under Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker's Active-Component/Reserve-Component Balance focus area will mean more civil affairs, military police, transportation and port operations Soldiers in the Army, and fewer artillerymen, air defense troops and Ordnance Soldiers.
• USS George Washington Joins U.S. 5th Fleet Navy Newsstand 17 Feb 2004-- The USS George Washington (CVN 73) Carrier Strike Group navigated through the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea to join forces with the U.S. 5th Fleet Feb. 16.
• NWS Seal Beach Installs New Force Protection Measure Navy Newsstand 17 Feb 2004-- As part of an ongoing program to protect U.S. Navy ships from terrorist attacks, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach (NWSSB) began installation of a new barrier system in Anaheim Bay in mid-January.
• Reuben James Heads to Central America Navy Newsstand 17 Feb 2004-- USS Reuben James (FFG 57) set sail Feb. 12 en route to Central and South America to perform counter-drug operations in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
• TWO UNITS FROM V CORPS' 22ND SIGNAL BRIGADE RETURN HOME FROM IRAQ V Corps Release 17 Feb 2004-- With flags and signs waving, spouses, children and friends eagerly waited outside the gate of Cambrai-Fritsch Kaserne here last Wednesday Feb. 11 for the buses bringing Soldiers of V Corps' 578th Signal Company, 440th Signal Battalion home from Iraq.

• State Department Noon Briefing, February 17, 2004 Washington File 17 Feb 2004 -- Iraq, Haiti/France, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Israel/Palestinians, India, China, North Korea, Tunisia, Greece/Olympic Games/security, Philippines, Iran
• White House Daily Briefing, February 17,2004 Washington File 17 Feb 2004 -- President Bush's speech at Ft. Polk, Louisiana/war on terror, Haiti/President Aristide, Bush pardon of former mayor of Plano, Texas, Afghanistan, visit of Tunisia's president, visit of Mexico's president

• Russia: Are War Games Meant To Send A Message, Or Simply To Flex Aging Equipment? RFE/RL 17 Feb 2004 -- The Russian military has launched war games billed as the largest military exercise since Soviet times. The drills even involve the test firing of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Is this a case of pre-election fireworks or an important strategic maneuver?
• RUSSIA/MILITARY VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is observing major military exercises that are to include the test-firing of ballistic missiles. Russian officials say the exercises are aimed at testing Russia's military readiness, but some analysts suggest they are a public relations move before the March presidential election.

• EU preparing to take over NATO mission in BiH PLA Daily 17 Feb 2004 -- The European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are preparing for the smooth transfer of NATO's peace-keeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to the EU.
• Indo-US joint air exercise begins PLA Daily 17 Feb 2004 -- In the biggest-ever fighter maneuvers, India and United States Monday commenced a ten-day joint air exercises over the Gwalior skies, north India, accordingto the Press Trust of India(PTI).

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 17 Feb 2004 -- Bremer hints he would block move to cite Islamic law as basis of interim constitution / Afghan president pushes ahead with election goal / U.S. general visiting Ethiopia warns that a clear terrorist threat exists in East Africa / EU urges Serb political parties to avoid alliance with Milosevic party
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 17 Feb 2004 -- Doubts grow over Afghanistan poll date / EU plans huge boost in security spending¨ French officer to assume command of EU military staff / Israeli opposition leader reiterates call for EU, NATO incentives to settle Middle East conflict