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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 7 Oct 2008 [PDF]
• MND-Soldiers attacked in Mosul
• DoD News: DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• Oct. 6 airpower summary: F-16s conduct shows of force AFPN 7 Oct 2008 -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations.
• Coalition Forces Apprehend Kataib Hezbollah Suspects AFPS 7 Oct 2008 -- Coalition forces captured an alleged weapons smuggler in Kut, southeast of Baghdad, and 11 other suspects in operations.
• Iraq Says Deal Near on Status of US Troops VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- Iraq's FM says country is "very close" to finalizing a deal with the United States that would allow American troops to remain in the country beyond 2008.
• Iraqi Presidency Finally Approves Provincial Election Law VOA 8 Oct 2008 -- Iraq's presidency council approved a long-delayed provincial election law, paving the way for polls in most regions early next year.
• PRT strives to build relationships in remote village AFNS 07 Oct 2008 -- A 40-person team of Airmen, Sailors and Soldiers from the Kapisa and Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team recently traveled to a remote village to provide medical services.
• Seven Years After First Air Strikes, Afghans Hope For Jobs, Peace RFE/RL 07 Oct 2008 -- Seven years ago, the United States began bombing Taliban-ruled Afghanistan after its refusal to hand over Al-Qaeda leaders who plotted the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
• Afghan, Coalition Forces Kill Militants, Detain Taliban Commander AFPS 7 Oct 2008 -- Afghan national security forces and coalition forces killed 43 militants in Qalat district of Afghanistan’s Zabul province.
• Berlin rejects demands for setting troop withdrawal date from Afghanistan IRNA 7 Oct 2008 -- The German government dismissed mounting public calls for specifying a date for a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
• Pakistani minister says no consent given to US for raids in Pakistan IRNA 7 Oct 2008 -- Pakistan's Information Minister: President Zardari not given any form of consent to US or allied forces to strike inside Pakistan.
• Iranian Reports of Downed U.S. Plane Are Contradictory, Official Says AFPS 7 Oct 2008 -- Senior Defense Department spokesman dismissed Iranian reports that a US military aircraft had been forced down in Iran.
• Pentagon denies Iran forced down U.S. plane RIA Novosti 7 Oct 2008 -- The US Department of Defense denied Tuesday reports that Iran forced a US warplane to land in Tehran.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DoD News: Armed Forces Retirement Home Receives Prestigious Accreditation US Dept. of Defense 07 Oct 2008 -- For the first time in its history, the Armed Forces Retirement Home has applied for and received accreditation from the prestigious Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)-Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC).
• Air Force senior leaders take up key decisions AFPN 7 Oct 2008 -- The nuclear enterprise, cyber organization, end strength, force shaping, and command and control just some of the topics discussed at CORONA.
• U.S. continues to evaluate Taiwan's other weapon requests: official CNA 7 Oct 2008 -- The US is "faithfully implementing" the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and will continue to evaluate other arms sales to Taiwan.
• China Warns of Consequences for US Weapons Sales to Taiwan VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- China has warned that a US decision to sell weapons to Taiwan will harm Washington's relations with Beijing.
• US, Vietnam Hold First Political-Military Dialogue VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- The US and Vietnam have discussed possible sales of weapons and spare parts to Vietnam, as well as American military help with disaster relief.
• Russian president to promote new security treaty for Europe RIA Novosti 7 Oct 2008 -- Russian President Medvedev will address international forum in France to propose the creation of a new European security system.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 07 Oct 2008
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Dana Perino The White House 07 Oct 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 07, 2008
• BAE SYSTEMS UNVEILS “CAIMAN LIGHT” PROTOTYPE MRAP DURING AUSA BAE Systems 07 Oct 2008 -- BAE Systems has unveiled its new Caiman Light vehicle at the 2008 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington, D.C.
• BAE SYSTEMS RECEIVES $9.5 MILLION U.S. GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS FOR ARMORED COMMERCIAL VEHICLES BAE Systems 07 Oct 2008 -- BAE Systems has received contracts for a combined value of $9.5 million from the U.S. Government to provide 120 armored commercial vehicles, including Chevrolet Suburbans and Toyota HiLux vehicles
• Boeing Announces New Rotorcraft Program: AH-6 Boeing 07 Oct 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced a new rotorcraft program, the AH-6 light attack/reconnaissance helicopter.
• Boeing JTRS GMR Engineering Model Enters New Test Phase Boeing 07 Oct 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has begun its final phase of system integration, testing and certification of the Joint Tactical Radio System, Ground Mobile Radios (JTRS GMR) engineering development model (EDM).
• EADS North America Begins Deliveries of U.S. Army UH-72A Helicopters Produced at the Eurocopter facility in Mississippi EADS 07 Oct 2008 -- EADS North America marked a major industrial milestone for the U.S. Army’s UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter program, delivering its first final assembly line (FAL) aircraft from the Eurocopter production facility at Columbus, Mississippi.
• EADS North America delivers the DT35/DT45 jet-powered aerial target drone system for U.S. Army operational demonstration EADS 07 Oct 2008 -- EADS North America has delivered a complete jet-powered target drone system to the U.S. Army for operational evaluation in the training of missile defense crews against aerial threats.
• General Dynamics NASSCO Starts Construction of Tenth T-AKE Ship General Dynamics 07 Oct 2008 -- General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), today began construction of the tenth ship of the U.S. Navy’s T-AKE program.
• General Dynamics Awarded $13 Million to Continue Developing Maritime Air and Missile Defense Planning System General Dynamics 07 Oct 2008 -- The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems a contract valued at up to $13.5 million for engineering services in support of the Maritime Integrated Air and Missile Defense Planning System (MIPS), a successor to the AADC Area Air Defense Commander Capability (AADC).
• General Dynamics Awarded $66 Million by U.S. Army to Produce MK19 Grenade Machine Guns General Dynamics 07 Oct 2008 -- General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded two contracts valued at $66 million by U.S. Army TACOM-ARDEC for the production of MK19 grenade machine guns.
• General Dynamics Awarded $183 Million Contract for Integrated Logistics Support to Naval Air Systems Command General Dynamics 07 Oct 2008 -- General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a contract for integrated logistics support for foreign military sales.
• Lockheed Martin Wins U.S. Army Competition for M299 Launcher Modernization Lockheed Martin 07 Oct 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] has been awarded a $30 million contract to lead the U.S. Army's modernization of the M299™ launcher family.
• Lockheed Martin Receives Contract For Four C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft For Qatar Lockheed Martin 07 Oct 2008 -- The State of Qatar has signed a $393.6 million contract with Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] for the purchase of four C-130J Super Hercules airlifters plus training and spares with deliveries to begin in 2011.
• Northrop Grumman Tests Airborne Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Minefield Detection System On New Unmanned Helicopter Northrop Grumman 07 Oct 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) flew its new Airborne Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Minefield Detection System (ASTAMIDS) for the first time aboard an unmanned air vehicle.
• Raytheon Reaches Production Milestone on Critical Communications Capability Raytheon 07 Oct 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has reached a key milestone with the production of its 20,000th Enhanced Position Location Reporting System. EPLRS is the most widely deployed, mobile, ad-hoc networking system on the battlefield, providing simultaneous data, video and situational awareness information.

Other Conflicts

• Russia asks EU to monitor its troop pullout from Georgia RIA Novosti 7 Oct 2008 -- EU observers in Georgia will be monitoring the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from the buffer zone next to South Ossetia.
• Russia to play active role in Mideast settlement - Medvedev RIA Novosti 7 Oct 2008 -- Russian President Medvedev told Israeli interim PM Olmert that Russia would continue to play role in the Mid-East peace process.
• Medvedev, Olmert's Moscow talks to focus on Mideast peace, Iran RIA Novosti 7 Oct 2008 -- Russian President Medvedev and Israel's interim PM Olmert to discuss situation in the Middle East and Iranian nuclear program.
• Syria Massing Troops Along Border with Lebanon VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- Eyewitness reports say that Syria is continuing to mass troops along its border with Lebanon, prompting warning from the United States.
• Gates Meets With Kosovo Leaders, Promises Continued U.S. Support AFPS 7 Oct 2008 -- SecDef Gates congratulated the citizens of Kosovo on their progress in establishing the newest nation on Earth.
• US Defense Secretary, in Kosovo, Pledges US Support VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- The US Defense Secretary has reaffirmed his support for Kosovo, vowing to keep US troops there until at least 2009.
• UN Peacekeeper Killed in Darfur VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- A Nigerian soldier serving with the UN mission in the Darfur region of western Sudan died after gunmen ambushed the convoy he was traveling in.
• Darfur: Ban outlines timetable towards full deployment of peacekeeping force UN News 7 Oct 2008 -- UN-AU force in Darfur should reach 2/3 of full deployment by the end of 2008.
• No Country Will be Allowed to Flout African Union Charter, Says Commissioner VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- AU says it is working with the international community to bring pressure on Mauritania's military junta to return democracy.
• SUDAN: Fears of violence as land tensions increase IRIN 7 Oct 2008 -- Nimule, a Southern Sudanese town has boomed since war ended, but tension is brewing over land between returnees and recent settlers.
• Ugandan Rebels in Congo Force Thousands to Flee VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- The UN refugee agency reports at least 5,000 refugees have fled to South Sudan from the Democratic Republic of Congo in the past 2 weeks.
• UGANDA: Calls for Kony arrest “counter-productive” IRIN 7 Oct 2008 -- Senior Church Leader: Calls for arrest of Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony create more animosity and hamper efforts to conclude peace process.
• At least 5,000 Congolese arrive in Sudan after attacks by rebels – UN UN News 7 Oct 2008 -- Refugees arrived in South Sudan fleeing attacks by the notorious Ugandan rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army.
• Netherlands plans to send frigate to Somali waters RIA Novosti 7 Oct 2008 -- The Netherlands is to send a missile frigate to fight piracy off the coast of Somali and escort ships carrying UN aid.
• Security Council and Ban call for naval and air action against Somali pirates UN News 7 Oct 2008 -- The UN Security Council and Secretary-General called for more international air and naval forces off Somalia.
• SOMALIA: NGOs urge international community to protect civilians IRIN 07 Oct 2008 -- Insecurity, drought and record-high food prices have led to a rapid escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia, with some 3.25 million people now needing emergency aid, NGOs said
• India lifts curfew in violence-hit Kashmir RIA Novosti 7 Oct 2008 -- Indian authorities lifted a curfew that imposed on Sunday in the troubled Himalayan region to prevent a pro-independence rally.

News Reports

• Zimbabwe Opposition Calls for International Help Over Talks VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change is calling for international help to end the stalemate over the formation of a unity government.
• Recent Belarus Parliamentary Elections Not Up To International Standards VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- What September parliamentary election results mean for the political life in the former Soviet republic, governed by authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko.
• THAILAND: Government turns tough on PAD protesters IRIN 7 Oct 2008 -- An estimated 1,500 police mobilised to disperse demonstrators of the People's Alliance for Democracy, firing tear gas at the protesters.
• Anti-Government Protesters Blockade Thai Parliament Despite Police Intervention VOA 7 Oct 2008 -- Thailand's government faces escalating crisis after police fired tear gas to break up protesters blockading parliament.