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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 28 Jan 2008 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• Coalition Soldiers killed in IED attack (Ninewah)
• Jan. 27 airpower summary: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provide show of force AFPN 28 Jan 2008
• Coalition Forces in Iraq Capture Alleged Terrorist Scout AFPS 28 Jan 2008 -- Coalition forces in Iraq today captured a suspected terrorist scout during operations in the Risalah area of Baghdad, military officials said.
• 3ID Completes Operation Browning Army News 28 Jan 2008 -- For three days, Coalition Forces weathered harsh cold and deadly pressure-plate improvised explosive devices to secure a foothold in southern Arab Jabour, beginning with an air assault Jan. 20.
• Air Force General Lauds Joint ‘Marne Thunderbolt’ Success AFPS 28 Jan 2008 -- A top Air Force officer here praised the joint-service effort that has made Operation Marne Thunderbolt successful.
• Army Reserve Chief: One-Year Deployment Alert Needed Army News 28 Jan 2008 -- Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz visited the Camp Bucca detention facility in southern Iraq Jan. 19 and told Soldiers that Army Reserve units preparing to deploy would benefit from a full year on alert.
• NATO Chief: Military Alone Can’t Solve Afghanistan’s Problems AFPS 28 Jan 2008 -- The military cannot solve the problems of Afghanistan by itself, NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe said today.
• Afghan Police Trainer Cites Steady Progress AFPS 28 Jan 2008 -- Coalition forces are making slow but steady progress training the Afghan police force, a top leader in the effort said Jan. 25.
• Center Blazes Trail in Afghanistan Emergency Services AFPS 28 Jan 2008 -- The Joint Provincial Coordination Center in Jalalabad is serving as a model in eastern Afghanistan for synchronizing the efforts of the U.S. forces, Afghan National Police, Afghan Border Police, Afghan National Army, and emergency fire and medical services.
• Pro-Taliban commander among 66 captured militants in Pakistan RIA Novosti 28 Jan 2008 -- Pakistani troops have captured a pro-Taliban commander among 66 alleged militants in the northern Swat valley during an offensive against followers of a radical cleric, an Afghan news agency said Monday.
• Afghanistan: Kabul Spurns UN Envoy Candidate RFE/RL 28 Jan 2008 -- Opposition within the Afghan government appears to have derailed the prospect of senior British diplomat and former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown's appointment as a new UN "super envoy" in Kabul, forcing the UN Secretary-General's Office to seek another candidate for the post.

Defense Policy / Programs

• President Bush Delivers State of the Union Address The White House 28 Jan 2008
• Full Text of the Democratic Response to the State of the Union by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius The Democratic Party 28 Jan 2008
• Bush: U.S. Future Depends on Confronting Enemies, Advancing Liberty AFPS 28 Jan 2008 -- As President Bush outlined a full agenda of initiatives tonight during his final State of the Union address, he emphasized that a prosperous future for America “depends on confronting enemies abroad and advancing liberty in troubled regions of the world.”
• Fiscal 2008 New Start and Additional Fiscal 2007 Joint Capability Technology Demonstrations Announced 28 Jan 2008 -- The Department of Defense announces the selection of seven Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) projects for fiscal 2008 and three JCTD projects that started at the end of fiscal 2007.
• Bush Signs Fiscal 2008 Defense Budget Legislation Into Law 28 Jan 2008 -- President Bush signed the long-delayed and sometimes-contentious fiscal 2008 National Defense Authorization Act into law today.
• Bush Urges Programs to Benefit Military Families, Wounded Troops 28 Jan 2008 -- President Bush called on Congress tonight to reward the contributions servicemembers and their families make every day through better services and laws that let them share unused education benefits and give military spouses hiring preference for federal jobs.
• ACC pilot hearing protection combines with headset AFPN 28 Jan 2008 -- Air Combat Command pilots are now using a new customized hearing protection system that not only protect the pilots' hearing but also provides a platform for radio communication.
• Dover plays key presidential support role AFPN 28 Jan 2008 -- While there are numerous benefits to being the president of the United States, the ability to travel lightly is generally not considered one of them
• Holloman weapon loaders compete for last time on F-117 AFPN 28 Jan 2008 -- The final F-117 Nighthawk Weapons Load Crew of the Year Competition put Holloman Air Force Base Airmen to the test Jan. 18.
• CENTAF commander applauds theater hospital Airmen AFPN 28 Jan 2008 -- The U.S. Central Command Air Forces commander and command chief had high praises for the Airmen manning the Air Force Theater Hospital during their tour here Jan. 26.
• Manas center helps Airmen return home quicker AFPN 28 Jan 2008 -- Members of the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's Expeditionary Theater Distribution Center here tested a new process to help Airmen deployed for "in lieu of" taskings for the Army return to their families faster.
• Tyndall squadron prepares for 'pipeline' Raptor pilots AFPN 28 Jan 2008 -- Opportunities to train on the F-22 Raptor are highly competitive, and pilots picked to fly the world's premier fighter have been chosen from the ranks after logging years on other airframes -- until now.
• Cooperation, Attentiveness Keys to Military Health Success AFPS 28 Jan 2008 -- Increasing cooperation across the military health community and responding to health care feedback should guide health professionals serving U.S. troops, a top Pentagon official said.
• Military Health Care Rivals Private Industry, Pentagon Official Says AFPS 28 Jan 2008 -- Providing troops quality health care through a military system that rivals and even outperforms the private sector is a top Defense Department priotity, a senior Pentagon official said today.
• Guard Soldiers Train Djiboutians in Anti-Terrorism Tactics Army News 28 Jan 2008 -- After completing 70 days of training under Guam National Guard Soldiers, 60 Djiboutian National Army soldiers graduated from the Able Dart 08-01-Tadjoura Train-the-Trainer Course at the Regiment Inter-Army Tadjoura compound last week.
• Volunteers Still Helping Clean up Korean Oil Spill Army News 28 Jan 2008 -- Volunteers from a company near the Demilitarized Zone in Korea traveled to Mallipo Beach Jan. 27 to help clean up Korea's worst oil spill.
• New Core Staff Deploys to Horn of Africa Navy NewsStand 28 Jan 2008 -- More than 80 sailors deployed Jan. 28, to take over the reins of key staff billets for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA).
• U.S. Military Discusses New Military Strategy at Rice University Navy NewsStand 28 Jan 2008 -- Officers from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard held a town hall type discussion at Rice University, Jan. 23, focusing on a new Maritime Strategy.
• Houston Hosts First "Conversation with the Country" of 2008 Navy NewsStand 28 Jan 2008 -- The home of one of the largest seaports in the United States hosted the first "Conversation with America" symposium of the year, Jan. 24, to discuss a new military strategy – "A Cooperative Strategy for the 21st Century Seapower," at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Houston Branch.
• USS Blue Ridge Arrives in Hong Kong Navy NewsStand 28 Jan 2008 -- USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), the U.S. 7th Fleet flagship, anchored out in Victoria Harbour Jan. 28, as part of a scheduled port visit.
• USS Carl Vinson Hosts Assistant Secretary of the Navy Navy NewsStand 28 Jan 2008 -- Crew members aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) "Gold Eagle" welcomed Vice Adm. David Architzel, the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, for a tour of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, Jan. 25, in Newport News.
• 8 fuels Airmen surpass million-gallon mark in 4 months AFPN 28 Jan 2008 -- Eight Airmen in the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Fuels Management Flight here each pumped more than 1 million gallons of JP-8 jet fuel in just four months.
• Rice, Australian Counterpart, Stress Amity Despite Iraq Pullout VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith Monday stressed the enduring nature of the two countries' alliance despite Australia's decision to remove troops from Iraq by mid-year
• Press Briefing by Dana Perino The White House 28 Jan 2008
• Press Briefing by Ed Gillespie, Counselor to the President, on the President's State of the Union Address The White House 28 Jan 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 28, 2008
• BAE SYSTEMS TO LEAD SOFTWARE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING INITIATIVE FOR MoD BAE Systems 28 Jan 2008 -- BAE Systems’ Military Air Solutions business has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence to lead a pan-industry and academic consortium which will provide research and guidance to embed a more coherent approach to the procurement and development of what is known as High Integrity and Safety Critical Software (HI&SCS).
• Boeing Completes On-Orbit Handover of Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite to U.S. Air Force Boeing 28 Jan 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced the successful on-orbit handover of the first of six Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites to the U.S. Air Force.
• Boeing to Provide Apache Longbow Flight Simulator to Egypt Boeing 28 Jan 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $20 million contract to provide an AH-64D Apache Longbow Crew Trainer (LCT) and Life Cycle Support to the Egyptian air force.
• EADS Defence & Security’s Operations Support System increases the efficiency of Bundeswehr helicopter deployment EADS 28 Jan 2008 -- The German Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) has placed the third tranche order worth more than €40 million with EADS Defence & Security (DS) for the Operations Support System that prepares, plans and executes missions for the NH90 European transport helicopter
• General Dynamics Awarded $64 Million for Missile Systems by Spanish Army General Dynamics 28 Jan 2008 -- General Dynamics European Land Systems announces that its General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas operations in Spain has signed a $64 million (approximately 44 million Euros) contract with the Spanish Army for the supply of Air Land (ER) Spike Missile Systems for the HAD Tiger helicopters.
• Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial System Surpasses Expectations, Establishes Delivery Record in 2007 Northrop Grumman 28 Jan 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial system program finished 2007 on a high note, exceeding its previous record by delivering five production aircraft to the U.S. Air Force.

Other Conflicts

• 2 soldiers, 38 Tamil Tigers killed in spiralling fighting in Lanka IRNA 28 Jan 2008 -- Sri Lankan security forces killed 38 Tamil Tigers and lost two soldiers in spiralling fighting with the rebels in the island's embattled north, where the Air Force jets today raided an LTTE base.
• UN officials hold talks with Sudan on deployment of Darfur peacekeepers UN News Centre 28 Jan 2008 -- Senior United Nations officials met with Sudanese Government and African Union (AU) officials over the weekend to discuss ongoing issues relating to the deployment of the joint UN-AU peacekeeping mission (UNAMID) to the war-wracked region of Darfur.
• Continued border closings between Israel and Gaza threaten supplies – UN UN News Centre 28 Jan 2008 -- All border crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip remain closed, leaving hundreds of trucks carrying United Nations relief supplies waiting to enter Gaza while threatening the supply of canned meat to Palestinians living inside the territory, UN officials said today.
• Ban Ki-moon to appoint new UN envoy for Chad, Central African Republic UN News Centre 28 Jan 2008 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has informed the Security Council of his intention to appoint Victor Da Silva Angelo of Portugal as his Special Representative for the new United Nations peacekeeping mission to Chad and Central African Republic (CAR).
• UN rights expert on freedom of religion voices concern about Israeli restrictions UN News Centre 28 Jan 2008 -- The security restrictions imposed by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory are intrusive, disproportionate, discriminatory and arbitrary, an independent United Nations human rights expert has stated, warning that they restrict the access of Muslims, Christians and Jews to worship at their holy places.
• Egypt Tightens Control Along Gaza Border VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- Egyptian authorities are slowly trying to reestablish control over the border with the Gaza Strip
• ISRAEL-OPT: Medical supplies in Gaza running low IRIN 28 Jan 2008 -- The Israeli-imposed restrictions on imports to the Gaza Strip are threatening the lives of vulnerable patients, the Oxfam aid agency has said.
• UGANDA: Death of LRA's deputy leader casts shadow over peace talks IRIN 28 Jan 2008 -- The reported death of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) deputy leader, Vincent Otti, is expected to cast a shadow over peace talks between the rebel groups and the Ugandan government, scheduled to resume in Southern Sudan this week, local observers have said.
• KENYA: Violence paralyses western towns as political crisis deepens IRIN 28 Jan 2008 -- Increasing violence and tension in several towns in western Kenya continue to hinder the provision of basic services such as health, education and transport, in addition to causing untold suffering to thousands of people displaced since the unrest began in late December.
• PHILIPPINES: Efforts to boost awareness of IDP rights IRIN 28 Jan 2008 -- International humanitarian agencies and Filipino non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are stepping up education and information campaigns to raise awareness among rival military forces about the human rights entitlements of internally displaced people (IDPs).
• Kosovo talks hope remains - Russian Foreign Ministry RIA Novosti 28 Jan 2008 -- Although hope remains that talks could be resumed on Kosovo, currently pressing Serbia for independence, it is fading, the Russian envoy to the status negotiations said on Monday.
• About 3,000 Palestinians detained in Egypt RIA Novosti 28 Jan 2008 -- Egyptian security forces have detained 3,000 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who tried to make their way to Cairo and other Egyptian provinces from the Sinai Peninsula, the Al-Ahram paper said Monday.
• Russian peacekeepers start rotation in Sudan RIA Novosti 28 Jan 2008 -- The Russian air group, part of the United Nations Mission in Sudan, will start on Monday a regular rotation which will last until February 2, the Russian Air Force said.
• Abbas Government Says Arabs Support Plan to Take Over Gaza Borders VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- Close aides to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas say they have received backing from Arab governments to take over crossing points and borders in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Egypt.
• Somalia Attack Kills Aid Workers, Somali Journalist VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- A remote-controlled bomb in Somalia has killed two aid workers, their driver and a local journalist in the southern town of Kismayo.
• Ethnic Clashes Spread in Kenya VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- Police battled rampaging youths in western Kenya as ethnic clashes that have left more than 100 people dead in the past four days spread across the country
• Niger Rebels Dismiss Mountain Violence as Communal Feud VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- Local officials in Niger have accused rebels of taking civilians prisoners in an attack last Friday near the town of Arlit.
• EU Launches Chad Protection Force VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- The European Union has officially launched a European peacekeeping force for Chad and the Central African Republic to protect hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled violence in the region, including strife-torn Darfur

News Reports

• Thailand Picks New Prime Minister After 15 Months of Military-Backed Rule VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- Thailand's governing coalition in parliament has chosen former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej as the country's new prime minister
• Indonesia's Suharto Given State Funeral VOA 28 Jan 2008 -- Indonesia's former president Suharto has been laid to rest during a state funeral at the family mausoleum in the Central Java city of Solo