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News

Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 26 May 2004 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• Three Marines killed May 26
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Transcript: Defense Department Operational Update Briefing 26 May 2004 -- Lawrence Di Rita, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs; and Brigadier General David Rodriguez, Deputy Director for Operations, J-3, Joint Staff
• Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing 26 May 2004 -- Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, Deputy Director For Coalition Operations; and Dan Senor, Senior Adviser, CPA
• PENTAGON/SARIN VOA 26 May 2004 -- A top Pentagon official says the discovery of a single artillery shell in Iraq containing a deadly nerve agent could be a significant find or it could be "nothing."
• IRAQ WRAP VOA 26 May 2004 -- U-S forces in Iraq have captured a key aide to Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, during a series of overnight raids in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf. Meanwhile, the Coalition Provisional Authority announces the formation of a new task force to provide compensation to victims of the former regime.
• Sadr Lieutenant Captured, Militia Members Killed AFPS 26 May 2004 -- Coalition forces in Iraq captured a key lieutenant of radical Islamic cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf and killed a "large number" of Sadr's militia overnight in Sadr City, a senior coalition military official in Baghdad said today.
• Marines break ground on new mosque and school improvements Marine Corps News 26 May 2004-- The civil affairs team with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment recently completed the initial stages of a project that will improve a mosque, school and medical clinic in the city.

• Afghanistan: NATO Parliamentarian Warns Of 'Narco-State' RFE/RL 26 May 2004 -- A delegation from NATO's Parliamentary Assembly has returned from a visit to Afghanistan with the warning that Western sponsors of democracy must act fast or risk losing their investment.
• COMBINED FORCES COMMAND AFGHANISTAN RELEASE CENTCOM Release 26 May 2004-- Tuesday evening, coalition forces on patrol south of Qalat in the Zabul Province encountered anti-coalition militia and a fire-fight ensued.
• Combat engineers serve at forefront of 22d MEU (SOC)'s Afghanistan operations Marine Corps News 26 May 2004-- Lance Cpl. Michael Mason has a dirty, exhausting job.
• Refuelers give HMM-266 (Rein) its 'legs' Marine Corps News 26 May 2004-- After weaving through the mountains of south-central Afghanistan, darting back and forth to deter would-be attackers, the three CH-46E Sea Knight assault helicopters of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced) are getting thirsty.
• B-1B supports French, Afghan troops AFPN 26 May 2004-- A B-1B Lancer dropped four Joint Direct Attack Munitions to help French and Afghan troops fighting against Taliban forces in Afghanistan on May 25.
• AFGHAN RAID VOA 26 May 2004 -- U-S and Afghan troops have fought a major battle against suspected militants in southern Afghanistan. Coalition forces say they expect more battles as they step up efforts to hunt down anti-government fighters.
• RFE/RL Afghanistan Report, Vol 3, Number 19 26 May 2004 -- U.S. GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE DETENTION CENTERS IN AFGHANISTAN / KEY WARLORDS IN KABUL TO DISCUSS DISARMAMENT... / ...WHILE ONE OF THEM REPORTEDLY 'IRRITATED' BY ANA PRESENCE... / ...AS U.S. AMBASSADOR WELCOMES WARLORDS' COOPERATION WITH DISARMAMENT PROCESS... / DISTRICT IN SOUTHERN AFGHAN PROVINCE REPORTEDLY FALLS TO NEO-TALIBAN... / ...AS INSURGENTS CLAIM TO HAVE OVERTAKEN ANOTHER DISTRICT / SOUTHERN AFGHAN DISTRICT RECAPTURED FROM NEO-TALIBAN / BODYGUARDS OF FORMER TALIBAN LEADER DETAINED / AFGHAN SECURITY OFFICIALS DETAIN PAKISTANIS / U.S. MISSILES REPORTEDLY LAND IN PAKISTANI TERRITORY / NORWEGIAN SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN / BELGIUM TO DOUBLE ITS FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN / TURKEY SETS CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN PRT... / ...WHILE ANKARA SAYS NATO HAS MADE NO FORMAL REQUEST TO SEND TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN / AFGHAN DAILY WARNS OF RESPONSE IF PRISONER ABUSE CONTINUES / UN LAUNCHES RELIEF PROGRAM IN DROUGHT-STRICKEN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN / THREE KILLED IN CLASH BETWEEN NOMADS OVER A GIRL / CHILD TRAFFICKING A MOUNTING PROBLEM FOR AFGHANISTAN / AFGHAN LEADER ANNOUNCES INCENTIVES FOR TEACHERS... / ...AND APPOINTS NEW ADVISER / ARIANA CINEMA REOPENS IN KABUL / THIS WEEK IN AFGHANISTAN'S HISTORY

• Haiti-based Marines to Return Home by End of June AFPS 26 May 2004 -- Marines now part of Combined Joint Task Force Haiti will leave the island nation by the end of June, Pentagon officials said today.
• PENTAGON/HAITI VOA 26 May 2004 -- The Pentagon says it hopes to bring home by the end of the June the nearly two-thousand Marines deployed in Haiti since February on a peacekeeping mission.

• Remarks of the Secretary of the Navy The Honorable Gordon R. England at the National Press Club Washington, D.C., May 26, 2004 - This summer, the Navy will surge some of our aircraft carriers from their homeports . to generate as many as seven of 12 carriers on station . for Coalition operations with our friends around the world. The ability to push that kind of military capability to the four corners of the world is quite remarkable and recent. Several years ago, we could deploy only two.

Other Conflicts

• Peacekeeping best way to ensure long-term stability, Annan says UN News Centre 26 May 2004 -- With United Nations peacekeeping set to expand as new missions are set up, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has emphasized that these operations remain the best investment in ensuring that stability endures.

• SUDAN / PEACE VOA 26 May 2004 -- The government of Sudan and a southern-based rebel movement have signed an agreement on power-sharing as they move to end Africa's longest civil war.
• U-N/SUDAN VOA 26 May 2004 -- U-N officials have nearly doubled their estimate of the number of people facing starvation in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region, even as a peace accord brought hope of an end to conflict in another part of the country.
• U-S-SUDAN REACT VOA 26 May 2004 -- The United States welcomed the signing late Wednesday of protocols clearing the way to a final settlement of Sudan's two-decade-long north-south civil war. The Bush administration reiterated its readiness for fully normal relations with Sudan, provided the separate conflict in the western Darfur region is also settled.
• Sudan: Annan hails endorsement of peace protocols, urges progress on Darfur UN News Centre 26 May 2004 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today hailed the endorsement of agreements aimed at ending two decades of war between the Sudanese Government and rebels in the south, while urging progress in resolving the crisis in Darfur, located in the western part of Africa's largest country.
• SUDAN / PEACE VOA 26 May 2004 -- Last-minute disagreements have held up the signing of a peace accord between Sudan and the southern based rebel movement.

• U-S / TURKISH CYPRUS VOA 26 May 2004 -- The Bush administration Wednesday said it no longer recognizes veteran Turkish-Cypriot political figure Rauf Denktash as the leader of the Turkish community on the island. Mr. Denktash, the elected president of the self-declared Turkish Republic in Northern Cyprus, angered U-S officials by opposing the United Nations' Cyprus settlement plan.
• LIBERIA: Police identify four suspects linked to US civilian killing IRIN 26 May 2004 -- Liberia's police said on Wednesday they had identified four suspects linked to the stabbing to death of an American civilian two days ago, adding that a four thousand dollar bounty has been offered for information leading to their arrest and prosecution.
• AFRICA: African Union inaugurates its Security Council IRIN 26 May 2004 -- The African Union (AU) on Tuesday inaugurated its Peace and Security Council (PSC), hailing it as a manifestation of Africa's determination to end conflicts and wars that have been witnessed across the continent for decades.
• RWANDA: UN mission threatens action on Hutu rebels IRIN 26 May 2004 -- The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, known by its French acronym MONUC, could soon use force to disarm Rwandan Hutu rebels based in eastern Congo, a senior UN official said on Wednesday.
• BURUNDI-DRC: UN mission deploys more troops to South Kivu IRIN 26 May 2004 -- The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has deployed additional troops to improve security in eastern province of South Kivu, an official told IRIN on Wednesday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• UNSC Resolution on International Criminal Court Washington File 26 May 2004 -- Following is the text of a question taken at the May 25 regular State Department briefing; an answer was posted the next day

• Navy Commissions New Guided-Missile Destroyer 26 May 2004 -- The newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Pinckney (DDG 91) will be commissioned on Saturday, May 29, 2004, during an 11 a.m. PDT ceremony at the Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme, Calif.
• Contract flights to resume for CENTCOM R&R program Army News Service 26 May 2004-- The Army plans to resume military contract rest and recuperation flights from the Central Command area of operations to the United States on or about June 15, according to officials.
• Army on track to meet recruiting, retention goals Army News Service 26 May 2004-- One of the Army's most deployed divisions is on schedule to meet its retention goals for fiscal year 2004, and the rest of the Army appears to be on track as well.
• 'On Point' shares OIF lessons learned Army News Service 26 May 2004-- A little more than a year after the end of major hostilities, the Army released May 25 its first major study on operations that liberated the Iraqi people.

• Indian Army chief for indigenization of weapons IRNA 26 May 2004 -- General N C Vij, chief of staff of the Indian Army, advocated indigenization of weapons so that "India does not have to look over its shoulders when the chips are down."

• White House Daily Briefing, May 26 Washington File 26 May 2004 -- President's schedule, war on terrorism/threat level/possible attack, NATO role in Iraq, prison abuse/Geneva Convention, protection at World War II memorial, criticism of Kerry on war, Amnesty International/human rights abuses, Iraq government after June 30, Sudan
• State Department Noon Briefing, May 26 Washington File 26 May 2004 -- Sudan, human rights, Iraq, Cyprus, Reward for Zarqawi/discussion, Worldwide Caution, Japan, Finland, Pakistan, Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, China/Taiwan, Israel/Palestinians

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 26 May 2004 -- No invitation to NATO summit for Mideast nations / Fourth UN chief in five years quits Kosovo / NATO troops find significant stock of weapons in Bosnia / NATO peacekeepers continue to downsize force in Bosnia / Afghans may get a part-time army as West hesitates / Italy sees Iraq role for NATO, allies doubtful / Greece prepares for "dirty bomb" threat / U.S. puts off consideration of exemption from ICC amid reports of strong opposition¨ / U.S. Congressman speaks of boosting missile defence cooperation with Moscow
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 26 May 2004 -- Czech military offers to train Greeks to deal with chemical attacks on Olympics / Powell: U.S. must pursue realistic goals in Iraq / Occupation made world less safe, says IISS think tank / Close allies in Middle East reject Bush offer

• State's Boucher Says U.S. Respects Human Rights while Fighting Terror Washington File 26 May 2004 -- State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States has not lessened its concern for human rights and that the application of the rule of law is an essential part of the U.S.-led war on terrorism.
• U-S REACT / AMNESTY VOA 26 May 2004 -- The Bush administration Wednesday rejected criticism from Amnesty International that the U-S-led war on terrorism and invasion of Iraq have sacrificed human rights considerations in the name of security. The White House countered that U-S actions have liberated the people of Iraq and Afghanistan and afforded them human rights protections.
• World: Amnesty Lashes Out Against War On Terrorism In Annual Rights Report RFE/RL 26 May 2004 -- A "war on global values." That's how Amnesty International is summing up the past year in human rights. In its annual report released today, the London-based human rights watchdog says governments and armed groups have produced the most sustained attack on human rights and international humanitarian law in 50 years. And it says the policies pursued by governments in the U.S.-led war on terrorism have actually made the world a more dangerous place.
• AMNESTY REPORT VOA 26 May 2004 -- In its annual assessment of human-rights violations on a global scale, Amnesty International is blaming both armed groups and governments for perpetuating what it calls the most sustained on attack on basic values and international humanitarian law seen in 50 years.