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News

Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 03 Aug 2004 [PDF]
• MARINE KILLED IN ACTION IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE
• BLAST KILLS TWO SOLDIERS IN BAGHDAD
• SECOND MARINE DIES OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION MONDAY
• MARINE DIES OF NON-HOSTILE GUNSHOT WOUND
• SOLDIER DIES IN NON-COMBAT RELATED INCIDENT

• Iraq Violence Claims U.S. Servicemembers, Iraqi Guardsmen AFPS 03 Aug 2004 -- Four U.S. servicemembers have been killed in Iraq over the past 48 hours -- two Marines in Fallujah and two soldiers in Baghdad.
• IRAQI, MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE SOLDIERS DETAIN THREE IN WESTERN NINEVAH CENTCOM 03 Aug 2004 -- Iraqi National Guard and Multi-National Force Soldiers conducting joint operations detained three people suspected of terrorist activities and confiscated unauthorized weapons and munitions in the western Ninevah Province city of Avgani Aug. 2.
• 11th MEU (SOC) assumes control of Iraqi provinces Marine Corps News 03 Aug 2004 -- The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) assumed operational control of the An Najaf and Al Qadisiyah provinces during a ceremony here July 31.

• Afghanistan: With No Money or Military, Lone Female Presidential Candidate Depends On Supporters For Strength RFE/RL 03 Aug 2004 -- Afghanistan's presidential race is starting to heat up, with most of the attention being given to the rivalry between the country's two top candidates -- the sitting president Hamid Karzai and his former Education Minister Yunis Qanooni. But Afghanistan's only female candidate is also drawing attention.
• Afghan, Coalition Forces Hit Militants Near Pakistan Border AFPS 03 Aug 2004 -- Afghan troops supported by coalition ground forces and warplanes fought an all-day pitched battle with militants near the Pakistani border Aug. 2.
• AFGHANISTAN/INSURGENTS VOA 03 Aug 2004 -- U.S-led coalition forces in Afghanistan say they have killed up to 50 suspected insurgents linked to the ousted Taleban government.

Other Conflicts

• More work needed to repair physical, psychological damage in Kosovo - Annan UN News Centre 03 Aug 2004 -- While there has been some progress in reconstructing buildings and restoring community relations in Kosovo after March's deadly outbreak of ethnic violence, Secretary-General Kofi Annan says a lot "remains to be done to repair the physical and psychological damage."
• Annan sees positive signals that Sudan will cooperate with resolution UN News Centre 03 Aug 2004 -- Sudan is indicating it wants to comply with the Security Council's demand that it show progress in meeting its dual pledges to disarm the armed militias that have conducted deadly attacks in the troubled Darfur region and to restore security for the estimated 1.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today.
• Security Council set to hear briefing by Annan on Côte d'Ivoire and Sudan UN News Centre 03 Aug 2004 -- A briefing by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on recent developments in Côte d'Ivoire and Sudan is among the highlights of the Security Council's work for the month of August, the President of the 15-member body said today.
• PALESTINIANS / POLITICS VOA 03 Aug 2004 -- Palestinian militants have twice raided a Gaza city hospital to kill two men convicted of collaborating with Israel. The attacks took place despite promises by the Palestinian Authority to calm the political unrest between supporters and opponents of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS VOA 03 Aug 2004 -- Three Palestinian militants died in the Gaza Strip Tuesday in a failed attempt to bomb Israeli troops. The incident came as Israeli forces continued their efforts to destroy tunnels used to smuggle weapons from Egypt.
• IVORY COAST / ANNAN VOA 03 Aug 2004 -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is blaming Ivory Coast's political leaders for the country's instability, and has called on leaders to put the country's interests ahead of their personal ambitions in restoring peace. Mr. Annan said the time for peace in Ivory Coast is now. Carrie Giardino, who spoke with Mr. Annan at last week's West African summit in Accra, has this report.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Coast Guard Supports Terror War in Iraq, at Home AFPS 03 Aug 2004 -- The U.S. Coast Guard is an active player in the war on terror, both in Southwest Asia and on the home front, according to Adm. Thomas H. Collins, commandant of the Coast Guard.
• Experts Develop Future Food for Future Warriors AFPS 03 Aug 2004 -- The Defense Department's Combat Feeding program at the U.S. Army Soldier System Center in Natick, Mass., is a "one-stop shop for all combat-rations development, field food-service equipment and total combat feeding systems," according to the Defense Department's combat-feeding director.

• 2nd FAST trains with British Royal Marines Marine Corps News 03 Aug 2004 -- The Fleet Protection Group British Royal Marines and the 2nd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team, Marine Corps Security Force Battalion, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism) conducting training here as part of the ongoing joint exercise Tartan Eagle, a multi-location exercise with approximately three weeks in the U.S. and three weeks in the United Kingdom.
• Permanent 4th MEB (AT) battalion gearing up for activation 03 Aug 2004 -- The 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism) is preparing to activate a permanent AT battalion. Since it's re-activation in November of 2001, the brigade has trained different battalions from 2d Marine Division to use as task forces for the 4th MEB (AT) missions.

• USS Comstock Assumes Role as Afloat Forward Staging Base Navy Newstand 03 Aug 2004 -- USS Comstock (LSD 45) assumed duties as Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) in the Northern Arabian Gulf (NAG) July 20.
• Submarine Texas Christened at Newport News Navy Newstand 03 Aug 2004 -- First Lady Laura Bush smashed a bottle of champagne to christen the Navy's newest nuclear-powered submarine Texas (SSN 775) in front of a cheering crowd of 4,500 people at Newport News shipyard July 31.
• USS Ticonderoga Returns to Pascagoula for Decommissioning Navy Newstand 03 Aug 2004 -- The guided-missile cruiser USS Ticonderoga (CG 47) returns to its homeport at Naval Station Pascagoula Aug. 3, after completing its final and most successful deployment before the ship's decommissioning Sept. 30.
• USS Thomas S. Gates Returns from Deployment Navy News Service 03 Aug 2004 -- USS Thomas S. Gates (CG 51) returned to her homeport at Naval Station Pascagoula, Pascagoula, Miss., Aug. 2, after a successful five-month deployment for her crew of nearly 400 Sailors and officers.
• Bowman Cites Virginia's Alpha Trials as a Success Navy News Service 03 Aug 2004 -- PCU Virginia (SSN 774) returned to General Dynamics' Electric Boat Shipyard here July 30 after successfully completing its Alpha Sea Trials (AST).
• Naval Hospital Deploys More Corpsmen Navy News Service 03 Aug 2004 -- As 13 Navy hospital corpsmen returned to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton from Iraq July 14, more than 30 other hospital corpsmen were preparing to deploy to replace the returnees in support of the global war on terrorism.

• Air Force general denies Schmidt appeal AFPN 03 Aug 2004 -- A U.S. Air Force general has denied the appeal of an Illinois Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot regarding the punishment he received for his role in a 2002 friendly fire incident in Afghanistan.
• Army, Air Force sharing battle information AFPN 03 Aug 2004

• Fact Sheet on Updated U.S.-UK Extradition Treaty Washington File 03 Aug 2004 -- In April, President Bush sent an updated U.S.-United Kingdom (UK) Extradition Treaty to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to begin the process of ratification.

• State Department Noon Briefing, August 3 Washington File 03 Aug 2004 -- Uzbekistan, Department/passport application acceptance suspended in New Jersey, Iraq, Sudan, terrorism, Israel/Palestinians, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Iran, Turkey
• White House Daily Briefing, August 3 Washington File 03 Aug 2004 -- President's schedule, terror alerts, national intelligence director, congressional approval of 9/11 recommendations, U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 03 Aug 2004 -- Italian police and intelligence officials meet after latest terrorism threat / Gunmen kill Turkish hostage, prompting Turkish truckers to pull out / State Department defends arms deal with Jordan / U.S. says Iran must cooperate on nuclear program / Authorities in Abkhazia say breakaway region of Georgia is in "state of war"
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 03 Aug 2004 -- Plot to attack U.S. and Britain / Philippines said accepts expulsion from U.S. coalition / UN deadline means war, say Sudan's armed forces