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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 15 Nov 2005 [PDF]
• MARINE DIES FROM SMALL-ARMS FIRE
• MARINE DIES FOLLOWING IED ATTACK
• Marine dies in IED attack during Operation Steel Curtain
• THREE U.S. SOLDIERS KILLED BY ROADSIDE BOMB
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties

• Transcript: News Briefing with Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr 15 Nov 2005 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr.
• CENTAF releases airpower summary AFPN 15 Nov 2005 -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today’s airpower summary.
• Controllers keep Balad traffic flowing AFPN 15 Nov 2005 -- A director producing a blockbuster film must know where each actor and camera is at all times to ensure the right shot.
• Teamwork keeps Balad power on AFPN 15 Nov 2005 -- A group of Airmen has the tough and fast-paced job of maintaining all the generators that power this desert base.
• Coalition Forces Capture High-Level Baath Party Leader AFPS 15 Nov 2005 -- Coalition forces captured the leader of the New Baath Party in Diyala province, Iraq, during a Nov. 9 patrol, officials announced today.
• Roadside Bomb Kills Three U.S. Soldiers Near Baghdad AFPS 15 Nov 2005 -- Three Task Force Baghdad soldiers were killed today when their patrol struck an improvised explosive device northwest of Baghdad, military officials in Iraq reported.
• U.S. Servicemember Killed, Another Wounded in Afghanistan AFPS 15 Nov 2005 -- A U.S. servicemember was killed by an improvised explosive device near the Pakistani border southeast of Gayan, Afghanistan, today.
• New phase of 'Steel Curtain' continues in Ubaydi Army News 15 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers, together with Marines in Regimental Combat Team–2, began a new phase of “Operation Steel Curtain” Nov. 14 by entering the town of Ubaydi, located on the banks of the Euphrates River about 20 kilometers from the Syrian border.
• US, Iraqi Forces Encounter Resistance in Western Iraq VOA 15 Nov 2005 -- The U.S. military says American and Iraqi forces fighting insurgents in western Iraq have encountered strong resistance as they battle to secure the border region and prevent terrorist infiltrations from Syria.
• Insurgents in Iraq Kill 8 Policemen in Separate Attacks VOA 15 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi police say at least eight policemen were killed in separate insurgent attacks in Baghdad and the northern city of Kirkuk Tuesday.
• Soldiers discover cache near Iskandariyah MNF-I 15 Nov 2005 -- Soldiers of the 1st Battalion 155th Infantry, 155th Brigade Combat Team, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), discovered a weapons cache in an area west of Iskandariyah Nov.13th
• Steel Curtain continues in Ubaydi MNF-I 15 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi Army soldiers and Marines, Soldiers and Sailors with Regimental Combat Team –2 continue Operation Al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) in the town of Ubaydi Nov. 15.
• Coalition Forces capture high level Ba’ath Party leader MNF-I 15 Nov 2005 -- Coalition Forces captured Hamid Sharki Shadid, the leader of the New Ba’ath Party in Diyala Province, during a patrol November 9th.
• Arrest warrants issued for two leaders in the insurgency; one has ties to al Zarqawi MNF-I 15 Nov 2005 -- The Iraqi Central Investigating Court in Baghdad issued arrest warrants for two men suspected of leading and facilitating the insurgency against Coalition and Iraqi Forces and who are responsible for many Iraqi deaths.
• Operation Steel Curtain continues MNF-I 15 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi Army Soldiers and Marines, Soldiers and Sailors continue Operation al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) in Ubaydi.

• Karzai Says International Troops Necessary to Combat Terrorism VOA 15 Nov 2005 -- President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan says domestic security forces are too weak on their own to fight the continuing threat of suicide bombers and terrorism.
• UN Orders Afghanistan Staff To Stay Home RFE/RL 15 Nov 2005 -- The United Nations has told its staff in Kabul to stay home or in their offices today, a day after two suicide bombings killed a German peacekeeper and three Afghans.

Other Conflicts

• Palestinians, Israelis Welcome Gaza Border Accord VOA 15 Nov 2005 -- Israelis and Palestinians say they welcome the Gaza border agreement brokered by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
• Israel, Palestinians Agree on Two Documents on Movement, Access Washington File 15 Nov 2005 -- Negotiators from Israel and the Palestinian Authority November 15 achieved an agreement on facilitating the movement of people and goods within the Palestinian Territories and on opening an international crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border that will put the Palestinians in control of the entry and exit of people.
• Rice Announces Israel, Palestinian Agreement on Movement, Access Washington File 15 Nov 2005 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced November 15 that Israel and the Palestinian Authority have concluded an agreement to open an international border crossing between Gaza and Egypt and increase freedom of movement for people and goods in the Palestinian territories.
• CHAD: Mystery armed groups attack military camp in capital IRIN 15 Nov 2005 -- Chadian authorities on Tuesday insisted they had the situation under control a day after attacks on military camps in and outside the capital, N’djamena, that left at least two of the gunmen dead and 15 under arrest.
• Sudan: inter-ethnic fighting forces UN staff to relocate in Western Equatoria state UN News Centre 15 Nov 2005 -- Inter-ethnic fighting has broken out in the Yambio region of Southern Sudan, leading to the looting and burning of the United Nations health agency's compound there and forcing the evacuation of more than 100 UN and non-governmental organization (NGO) staff, the UN mission in Africa's largest country reported today.
• Security Council sees signs of progress in Central Africa UN News Centre 15 Nov 2005 -- Peace in Africa's restive Great Lakes region is close at hand, the leader of the Security Council mission just back from visiting five countries there told the 15-member body today.
• Rice Brokers Israeli-Palestinian Accord to Reopen Border Crossings VOA 15 Nov 2005 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has brokered a broad agreement between Israel and the Palestinians on operating Gaza Strip border crossings.
• SUDAN: First APCs to arrive in Darfur on Friday IRIN 15 Nov 2005 -- The first armoured personnel carriers (APCs) intended to enhance the peacekeeping capabilities of the African Union (AU) forces are expected to arrive in the western Sudanese region of Darfur on Friday, according to an AU official.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Judge Orders Military Trial at Guantanamo Bay Halted AFPS 15 Nov 2005 -- A federal judge ordered a halt Nov. 14 to the military trial of an Australian detainee captured in Afghanistan and held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, pending a Supreme Court ruling in a related case.

• Senate Approves Spending Measure Governing Detainee Treatment Washington File 16 Nov 2005 -- The Senate overwhelmingly approved a 2006 defense policy spending bill November 15 that also includes amendments that prohibit inhumane and cruel treatment of detainees held in U.S. detention centers and that establish new legal rights for terrorism suspects held by the United States.

• News Analysis: BRAC to enable Army Transformation Army News 15 Nov 2005 -- The process of reorganizing Army installations and commands has officially begun. Nov. 8 was the last day that a joint Congress could reject the recommendations of the Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, Commission.
• DoD Releases Selected Acquisition Reports 15 Nov 2005 -- The Department of Defense has released details on major defense acquisition program cost and schedule changes since the June 2005 reporting period.
• VAW-123 Gives Early Warning for a Great Deployment Navy NewsStand 15 Nov 2005 -- The "Screwtops" of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123, based out of Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va., embarked aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in November with more than 160 Sailors, including 13 pilots and 18 naval flight officers (NFO), to participate in the carrier's Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA).
• Carrier Qals Get Air Wing, KH Crew Back Up to Speed Navy NewsStand 15 Nov 2005 -- USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and all embarked air crews of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 got underway in November to conduct carrier qualifications (CQ).
• Kitty Hawk Commences ANNUALEX ‘05 Navy NewsStand 15 Nov 2005 -- The USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Carrier Strike Group began the main event of its fall underway period Nov. 9, when it joined with other components of the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in support of Annual Exercise (ANNUALEX) 2005.
• USS Jimmy Carter Arrives at New Home Navy NewsStand 15 Nov 2005 -- The last of the Seawolf-class submarines, USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), arrived at its new home of Naval Base Kitsap Nov. 9 from Groton, Conn., to the delight of more than 300 family members and Navy personnel waiting pierside.
• Osprey Lands on Wasp In Port Navy NewsStand 15 Nov 2005 -- Aircraft handlers and crash crew personnel aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) had a unique training opportunity Nov. 2 while in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
• USS Carl Vinson Moves to Northrop Grumman Newport News for RCOH Navy NewsStand 15 Nov 2005 -- Sailors from USS Carl Vinson completed the final milestone in the transition of the “Gold Eagle” from the fleet to the shipyard Nov. 11 by moving the “Gold Eagle” from Pier 14 at Naval Station Norfolk to dry dock 11 at Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard, beginning in earnest the ship's refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH).
• VAW-123’s New Propellers Take Flight Aboard Enterprise Navy NewsStand 15 Nov 2005 -- The E-2C Hawkeyes of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123, currently underway aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65), are continuing to benefit from the aircraft's new NP2000 eight-bladed propellers.

• Turkish Parliament Seeks Probe of Alleged Army Abuse Against Nationalist Kurds VOA 15 Nov 2005 -- Turkey's ruling party on Tuesday backed opposition demands for a parliamentary inquiry into a bombing incident that was allegedly carried out by Turkish security forces

• Ukraine FM: Moscow Violating Deal On Black Sea Fleet RFE/RL 15 Nov 2005 -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk today accused Russia of violating an agreement that allows Moscow to base its Black Sea Fleet in a Ukrainian port.
• Ukraine: Government Faces Uphill Battle In Achieving NATO Aspirations RFE/RL 15 Nov 2005 -- Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko visited the Czech Republic and Slovakia this week to discuss ways of strengthening Ukraine's military cooperation with these two NATO countries. Both Prague and Bratislava assured Hrytsenko that they support Ukraine's NATO bid

• India Says Russian Military Imports Reaching $9 Billion RFE/RL 15 Nov 2005 -- India's defense minister said today that New Delhi is spending nearly $9 billion on Russian weapons and military equipment.

• Australia-U.S. Ministerial To Focus on Security Issues, Bird Flu Washington File 15 Nov 2005 -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will travel to Adelaide, Australia, November 17-18 to participate in the 17th Australia-U.S. Ministerial (AUSMIN) meeting with senior Australian government officials, the State Department announced November 14.

• State Department Briefing, November 15 Washington File 15 Nov 2005 -- Israel/Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Cyprus, Balkans, Spain/EU, Guantanamo Bay/potential visit of U.N. special rapporteur

Defense Industry

News Reports

• Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence, stability and security are key – UN official UN News Centre 15 Nov 2005 -- Continuing his official visit to Lebanon today, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political affairs emphasized the world body’s desire and support for the country’s sovereignty, independence, stability and security.

• EU, U.S. Slam Andijon Convictions RFE/RL 15 Nov 2005 -- The European Union has imposed sanctions and the United States has condemned as unfair the sentencing of 15 men to prison for their alleged roles in last May's bloodshed in the Uzbek city of Andijon.
• UN Rights Chief Says Uzbek Trial Appears Unfair RFE/RL 15 Nov 2005 -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has said the 15 men convicted for their alleged roles in last May's bloodshed in the Uzbek city of Andijon must be granted an appeal.