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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 01 Feb 2006 [PDF]

• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Secretary Rumsfeld and Adm. Giambastiani 01 Feb 2006 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr.
• CENTAF releases daily airpower summary AFPN 01 Feb 2006 -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today’s airpower summary.
• Third country national escorts keep watchful eye AFPN 01 Feb 2006 -- They stand in the background, silently observing third country nationals, or TCNs, with a watchful eye.
• Iraqi Army assumes control of two areas Army News 01 Feb 2006 -- Coalition forces turned over an installation in Baghdad and a region south of Mosul to Iraqi Army units during the last days of January.
• Bombing in Baghdad Kills at Least 8 VOA 01 Feb 2006 -- A bomb in Baghdad has killed at least eight people and wounded at least 50 others.

• United States Is Leading Donor of Assistance to Afghanistan Washington File 01 Feb 2006 -- The United States is the leading donor to Afghanistan, committing increasing amounts of financial resources to Afghan reconstruction, including significant governance, reconstruction and security assistance, according to a State Department fact sheet.
• AFGHANISTAN: Donor conference boost morale – but huge challenges remain IRIN 01 Feb 2006 -- Afghans welcomed further pledges of support from international donors at a key conference in London this week, but called on further government reforms to fight widespread corruption, opium trade and poverty in the post-conflict state.
• Afghanistan Receives New Aid Pledges Of Nearly $2 Billion RFE/RL 01 Feb 2006 -- Afghanistan has received promises of further economic and military support from the international community, including new aid pledges of nearly $2 billion.

Other Conflicts

• Nepal Urged To Restore Democracy as Means To Deal with Rebels Washington File 301 Feb 2006 -- The United States remains troubled by the security situation in Nepal, one year after King Gyanendra dissolved parliament and imposed a state of emergency, according to a State Department statement released January 31.
• NEPAL: One year of direct rule, no end to conflict IRIN 01 Feb 2006 -- A group of local human rights activists in Nepal warned during a large gathering in the capital, Kathmandu, on Wednesday that the situation in the Himalayan kingdom could further deteriorate in the absence of a democratic government.
• Nepal king celebrates a year in power IRNA 01 Feb 2006 -- Despite the 'black day' call given by the opposition on February 1, King Gyanendra on Wednesday celebrated a year in power and promised to hold municipal polls.
• Demonstrators and Police Scuffle on Anniversary of Nepalese King's Takeover of Government VOA 01 Feb 2006 -- Police and protesters have scuffled in Nepal's capital, as authorities tried to prevent anti-government demonstrations marking the first anniversary of the takeover of power by the Nepalese king.

• Hamas Praises Putin For Continued Support RFE/RL 01 Feb 2006 -- A Hamas spokesman today hailed Vladimir Putin after the Russian president said the world must continue to provide aid to the Palestinians.
• Senior Egyptian Official Says Hamas Must Renounce Violence VOA 01 Feb 2006 -- There are conflicting reports from the Middle East about whether the Palestinian president will require the militant group Hamas to renounce violence and recognize Israel before forming a new Palestinian government.
• ICRC Says Everyone Touched by Conflict in Colombia VOA 01 Feb 2006 -- A senior official from the International Committee of the Red Cross who has just returned from a mission to Colombia says every person in that country has been affected by the violence that has been going on there for more than four decades.
• UN Sudan envoy will raise Darfur security problems at peace talks in Nigeria UN News Centre 01 Feb 2006 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative for Sudan will raise the issue of deteriorating security in the country’s western Darfur region when he attends peace talks in Nigeria later this week, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said today.
• Annan reminds authorities in Côte d’Ivoire to protect threatened UN personnel UN News Centre 01 Feb 2006 -- Expressing concern about reported threats against United Nations staff in Côte d’Ivoire, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan today reminded the West African country’s authorities that they bear personal responsibility for preventing violence.
• COTE D IVOIRE: UN will not tolerate more violence, Annan warns IRIN 01 Feb 2006 -- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Wednesday warned both the president and army chief of staff of Cote d’Ivoire that they would be held personally responsible in the case of renewed attacks on UN staff or installations.
• COTE D IVOIRE: Anti-UN sentiment rumbles on IRIN 01 Feb 2006 -- The influential speaker of the Ivorian parliament, Mamadou Koulibaly, said on Wednesday that far from helping bring peace to Cote d’Ivoire, the United Nations peacekeeping force was instead contributing to friction.
• DRC: Military insurgents resume attacks in North Kivu IRIN 01 Feb 2006 -- Renewed attacks by military insurgents in North Kivu Province, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have cut short an interagency mission to evaluate humanitarian needs in area, an official of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Office (OCHA) has said.
• GREAT LAKES: Regional summit to be held after DRC polls, UN envoy says IRIN 01 Feb 2006 -- The next international conference for Africa's Great Lakes region will be held in August or September, after the completion of the political transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to Ibrahima Fall, the special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to the region.
• GREAT LAKES: Highlights of draft protocols and programmes of action IRIN 01 Feb 2006 -- Delegates to the fourth and final preparatory meeting for the international conference on Africa's Great Lakes region analysed draft programmes of action to be tabled before a heads-of-state summit to be held in Nairobi later this year.
• DRC-SUDAN: New agreement could see thousands of refugee repatriations IRIN 01 Feb 2006 -- Thousands of Sudanese refugees living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Congolese refugees living in Sudan could soon be repatriated following the signing of corresponding tripartite agreements between the two governments and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), a spokesman for the agency said.
• Nagorno-Karabakh: Minsk Group Co-Chair Says 2006 'Can Be The Year' For Breakthrough RFE/RL 01 Feb 2006 -- On 10-11 February, the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev, are due to meet on the outskirts of Paris for talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh peace settlement.
• Russia: Putin Calls For 'Universal Principles' In Resolving Frozen Conflicts RFE/RL 01 Feb 2006 -- President Putin said during his 31 January press conference broadcast live on Russian state television that there is a need for "universal principles" to settle "frozen" conflicts such as the one in Kosova or those in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian news agencies reported.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Bush Says U.S. Will Not Retreat From The World RFE/RL 01 Feb 2006 -- U.S. President George W. Bush has said he will not back down from his aggressive foreign policy, which has contributed greatly to his recent low approval ratings among the American public.
• Bush Delivers State of the Union, Sets Out Agenda VOA 01 Feb 2006 -- President Bush has delivered his 2006 State of the Union address to Congress and the nation
• Bush Highlights Concerns Over Iran in State of the Union Speech VOA 01 Feb 2006 -- President Bush used his State of the Union address to reaffirm American opposition to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

• Review Boards Resume for Guantanamo Detainees VOA 01 Feb 2006 -- This week, the U.S. military is starting a second round of hearings at the Guantanamo detention center to determine whether any of the detainees can be released or transferred to the custody of their home countries.
• Defense Department Report: Quadrennial Defense Review Washington File 01 Feb 2006 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld offered journalists some details about the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review at a Pentagon press briefing February 1.

• USS Nassau Provides Assistance to Disabled Cargo Ship Off Kenyan Coast Navy NewsStand 01 Feb 2006 -- USS Nassau (LHA 4) and embarked units provided assistance to a distressed vessel off the coast of Kenya Jan. 31 while conducting maritime security operations (MSO) in the area.
• NORTHCOM Prepares for Possible Pandemic AFPS 01 Feb 2006 -- U.S. Northern Command recently hosted representatives from more than 40 international, federal and state agencies for an exercise designed to provoke discussion and determine what governmental actions, including military support, would be necessary in the event of an influenza pandemic in the United States.
• 12th Air Force structure first of its kind in Air Force AFPN 01 Feb 2006 -- The Air Staff at Headquarters Air Force in Washington is switching to the “A staff” structure today. However, the staff functions at 12th Air Force are already organized under the “A staff” structure.
• Survivors Praise Body, Vehicle Armor to House Subcommittee AFPS 01 Feb 2006 -- Three soldiers just back from Iraq -- including two who credit personal and vehicle armor with saving their lives -- traveled to Capitol Hill today to tell Congress that when it comes to protecting troops, more isn't always better.
• System Must Sustain Benefits, Navy Surgeon General Says AFPS 01 Feb 2006 -- The military health system provides the best health care in the world, and that quality must be sustained, even as the demand and requirements for health care change in the future, the Navy's surgeon general said here today.
• Air Force Medical Evacuation System Makes Miracles Happen, General Says AFPS 01 Feb 2006 -- The Air Force's aeromedical evacuation system is unlike any system that's ever been fielded and has contributed greatly to the joint service team, the Air Force surgeon general said here today.
• Rumsfeld Reports Defense Department Priorities for Coming Years VOA 01 Feb 2006 --U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has set out four priorities for his department for the coming years.

• NATO Troops Formally End Earthquake Relief Mission in Pakistan Washington File 01 Feb 2006 -- NATO formally has ended its 90-day humanitarian mission in Pakistan, which provided emergency personnel and equipment after the South Asia earthquake of October 2005, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced February 1.
• State Department Briefing, February 1 Washington File 01 Feb 2006 -- Iran, India, Russia, Israel/Palestinians, Iraq, Turkey/Cyprus, Canada, Pakistan, United Nations
• White House Briefing, February 1 Washington File 01 Feb 2006 -- President's schedule, Putin/Bush phone call, Bolivia/Bush phones Morales on election, Bush visits Nashville/stressed domestic agenda, health care, immigration, Social Security, U.S. Competitiveness Initiative

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for February 1, 2006

• India first country to sign Integrity Pact in defense sector IRNA 01 Feb 2006 -- Indian Defense Secretary Shekhar Dutt Wednesday stated that probity, transparency and accountability are the hallmarks of the Defence Procurement Policy 2005, which came into effect from July 1, last year.

News Reports

• Ukraine: EU Ready To Start Talks On 'Enhanced' Partnership Accord This Year RFE/RL 01 Feb 2006 -- The EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner has said consultations on a new, "enhanced" partnership treaty between the EU and Ukraine may start as early as this year