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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 05 Dec 2008 [PDF]
• US Troops in Iraq to Get New Rules of Engagement VOA 05 Dec 2008 -- The top U.S. military commander in Iraq says American troops will have to make changes to how they carry out their mission now that the two countries have a new security pact.
• Airmen provide FAST coverage AFNS 05 Dec 2008 -- Upon landing one morning at a remote location in Iraq, two specially trained Airmen with the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron took charge of security for a $30.1 million C-130 Hercules and its crew.
• Iraq Operations Leave Terrorist Dead, Others Captured AFPS 05 Dec 2008 -- Operations across Iraq over the past two days left one terrorist dead, brought in five wanted men and resulted in the detention of 18 additional suspects, military officials reported.
• Airmen procure mission success AFNS 05 Dec 2008 -- Members of the 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron here connect mission needs with the facilities, equipment and services that link military customers and the contractors who can meet those needs.
• Army Corps of Engineers Plant Sends Clean Water Into Baghdad Homes AFPS 05 Dec 2008 -- For about 2 million Sadr City residents, clean drinking water running through their home faucets was a luxury few had. But now the water is flowing freely thanks to a new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water treatment plant that was three years in the making.
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Maj. Gen. Tucker from Afghanistan at the Pentagon Briefing Room, Arlington, Va. DoD 05 Dec 2008 -- Presenter: Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations for ISAF, Deputy Commander for Operations, U.S. Forces Afghanistan Maj. Gen. Michael Tucker
• More Troops, Centralized Command Boosts Afghan Campaign, General Says AFPS 05 Dec 2008 -- The pending deployment of thousands of additional U.S. troops and extra equipment to Afghanistan in tandem with a streamlined command structure will boost the campaign to win the war there, a senior U.S. officer posted in Afghanistan said today.
• U.S. Army Medals Recognize Afghan Soldiers’ Improvement AFPS 05 Dec 2008 -- A battalion, or “kandak,” of Afghan soldiers celebrated a milestone Dec. 4 when the U.S. Army decorated them for their military achievements.
• Bombings and Air Strike Kills Scores in Pakistan VOA 05 Dec 2008 -- News reports from Pakistan said a suspected U.S. drone [unmanned aircraft] has carried out an airstrike in a Pakistani tribal area, killing at least three people.
• Troops in Afghanistan Kill Militants, Detain Suspects AFPS 05 Dec 2008 -- With help from coalition troops, Afghan security forces killed two militants and detained two others today in the Shindand district of western Afghanistan’s Herat province, military officials said.
• Afghan, Pakistani Presidents Meet in Turkey RFE/RL 05 Dec 2008-- Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari are meeting in Istanbul for the second set of talks sponsored by Turkey in an effort to bring the two neighbors closer

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. Welcomes Iraq's Approval Of Status Of Forces Agreement RFE/RL 05 Dec 2008-- Iraq's presidential council has approved a security pact with the United States -- the Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA -- which calls for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from the country by the end of 2011
• Bush: Saddam Hussein Posed Risk World 'Could Not Afford to Take' VOA 05 Dec 2008 -- U.S. President George Bush says Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein posed a risk the international community "could not afford to take" following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
• Military Launches Most Complex Missile Defense Test to Date AFPS 05 Dec 2008 -- The military today shot down a mock enemy missile, employing a synchronized network of sensors in what officials called the largest and most complex test of the missile defense system to date.
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Lt. Gen. O'Reilly From the Pentagon DoD 05 Dec 2008 -- Presenter: Director, Missile Defense Agency, Lt. Gen. Patrick J. O'Reilly
• Missile Defense Flight Test Results in Successful Intercept MDA 05 Dec 2008 -- The Missile Defense Agency announced today it has completed an important exercise and flight test involving a successful intercept by a ground-based interceptor missile designed to protect the United States against a limited long-range ballistic missile attack
• Air Force officials release new amendment to CSAR-X RFP AFNS 05 Dec 2008 -- Air Force officials released Amendment 7 to the Request for Proposals for the Combat Search and Rescue helicopter Dec. 5.
• Deployed Warbirds participate in Australian Aces North exercise AFNS 05 Dec 2008 -- Airmen deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, recently participated in the Australian Aces North exercise with personnel from the Australian Fighter Combat Instructor Course, which ended Dec. 4
• Military Recruits Non-citizen Health Care Workers, Linguists AFPS 05 Dec 2008 -- The Defense Department has launched a year-long pilot program to recruit about 1,000 non-U.S. citizen health care workers and language and cultural specialists for service in America’s military, a senior DoD official said here today.
• DoD News: New Accessions Pilot Program Authorized DoD 05 Dec 2008 -- The Defense Department announced today that it has authorized the military services to implement a pilot program; temporarily permitting enlistment into military service certain legal aliens (who have lived in the United States for at least two years) who hold skills that are critically needed in the military
• CLB-5 hits the ground running: New move ensures success for Iraqis, CLB-5 USMC News 05 Dec 2008 -- Just four years ago the streets of Fallujah were a hot zone for terrorist activity. Now that the area is stabilized, Coalition Forces are in the process of returning Camp Fallujah to the Iraqi government
• STX prepares Marines to train foreign security forces USMC News 05 Dec 2008 -- Marines with I Marine Expeditionary Force and II Marine Expeditionary Force took part in a Situational Training Exercise Nov. 20 and 21 on Range 220A aboard the Combat Center
• Mine Warfare 'Shifts Colors' to Southern California Navy NewsStand 05 Dec 2008 -- The Navy's mine warfare community is "shifting colors" from Texas to Southern California. The mine warfare ships, squadrons and support units will begin to leave prior to the end of this fiscal year 2009.
• Navy's Newest Combat Ship Arrives in Boston, Showcases Capabilities Navy NewsStand 05 Dec 2008 -- The new littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) sailed into the Charlestown Navy Yard Dec. 5 ready to show Boston the future of the Navy.
• Transfer of Logistics Functions will Enhance Warfighter Support Navy NewsStand 05 Dec 2008 -- More than 200 Navy positions at Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FSIC) San Diego's Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) Southwest detachment will transfer in place to the Defense Logistics Agency North Island, Calif., when it activates Feb. 15, 2009.
• Virginia-Class Sub Bound for Pearl Harbor Navy NewsStand 05 Dec 2008 -- The commander of Submarine Force, U.S Pacific Fleet (SUBPAC) announced Dec. 4 USS Hawaii (SSN 776) will be the first Virginia-class submarine to be homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor this summer.
• Naval Historical Center Renamed, Elevated to Command Status Navy NewsStand 05 Dec 2008 -- The Naval Historical Center was renamed the Naval History and Heritage Command Dec. 1 to reflect the importance of naval heritage to the Navy's mission.
• Submarine Crew Returns to San Diego After 7th Fleet Deployment Navy NewsStand 05 Dec 2008 -- Family members, friends and Sailors welcomed the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Asheville (SSN 758) back to her homeport of San Diego Dec. 3 after a six-month deployment.
• USS Elrod Returns From Med Deployment Navy NewsStand 05 Dec 2008 -- Approximately 200 Sailors greeted friends and family members, Dec. 3, when the guided-missile frigate USS Elrod (FFG 55) returned to Naval Station Norfolk after completing a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Eastern Atlantic Ocean.
• Cost-cutting plans set to delay UK's super aircraft carriers IRNA 05 Dec 2008-- Britain's Royal Navy will have to wait up to two years longer for its controversial Pnds 4 billion (Dlrs 6 bn) aircraft carriers under cost-cutting plans being finalized by John Hutton, defence secretary, it was reported Friday
• Russia, India to sign next-generation fighter deal in early 2009 RIA Novosti 05 Dec 2008 -- Russia and India are due to sign a contract at the beginning of 2009 to jointly develop and produce a fifth-generation jet fighter, the head of the United Aircraft Corporation said on Friday.
• Russian MiG-29 fighter crashes in East Siberia, killing pilot RIA Novosti 05 Dec 2008 -- A Russian military pilot died early on Friday when his MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter crashed in East Siberia, an Air Force spokesman said.
• Russian warship escorts four vessels near Horn of Africa RIA Novosti 05 Dec 2008 -- A Russian frigate currently protecting civilian ships from Somali pirate attacks near the Horn of Africa is escorting a convoy of four vessels in the area, a Navy spokesman said on Friday.
• Russian naval task force heads to Atlantic, Mediterranean RIA Novosti 05 Dec 2008 -- A Russian task force from the Northern Fleet led by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier began on Friday a tour of duty in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, a navy spokesman said.
• ROC military to be fully volunteer force by 2014 CNA 05 Dec 2008 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has started planning to push a fully professional voluntary military service system in a bid to build the country's military into "lean and mean" fighting force, Vice Defense Minister Chang Liang-jen said Friday
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2008
• Press Briefing by Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel The White House 05 Dec 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for December 05, 2008
• Orbital's OBV Rocket Successfully Launched for Missile Defense Interceptor System Test Orbital Sciences Corp. 05 Dec 2008 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), announced today that its Orbital Boost Vehicle (OBV), which is the booster rocket for the Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI), was successfully launched as part of a test of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program
• Boeing-led Missile Defense Team Intercepts Target in Most Complex Test to Date Boeing 05 Dec 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], working with industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, today completed the successful intercept of a target warhead in the most challenging test to date of the United States' only long-range ballistic missile defense system.
• Northrop Grumman's Fire Control Products Play Key Role in Guiding Interceptor During Today's Successful Missile Defense Test Northrop Grumman 05 Dec 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) advanced fire control products played a key role today in the most challenging test to-date of the nation's Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, the nation's only defense against long-range ballistic missiles.
• Raytheon Kill Vehicle and Radars Key to Ballistic Missile Intercept Raytheon 05 Dec 2008 -- Raytheon Company components played key roles in the destruction of a ballistic missile target during the latest flight test of the Missile Defense Agency's Ground-based Midcourse Defense system.
• ATK Awarded $87 Million Contract to Supply Non-Standard Ammunition for Afghanistan ATK 05 Dec 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems has been awarded an $87 million contract by the U.S. Army Sustainment Command in Rock Island, Ill., to supply various types of non-standard (non-NATO) ammunition in support of emergent requirements for Afghan National Security Forces. ATK, in partnership with Allied Defense Group, has worked diligently to identify, qualify, and integrate a team of international manufacturers dedicated to the on-time delivery of quality non-standard ammunition.

Other Conflicts

• DR Congo: UN envoy to launch dialogue between Government and rebels UN News Centre 05 Dec 2008 -- The United Nations envoy tasked with helping to resolve the conflict behind the recent fighting that has engulfed the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will launch a dialogue next week in Nairobi between the DRC’s Government and the rebel group known as the National Congress in Defense of the People (CNDP).
• Senior UN official calls for end to Israeli settler violence against Palestinians UN News Centre 05 Dec 2008 -- While welcoming the evacuation by Israeli security forces of some 200 settlers from a house in Hebron in occupied Palestinian territory, a senior United Nations official today condemned ensuing settler violence against Palestinians, calling for an immediate end to such attacks.
• DRC Government, Rebels to Hold Peace Talks in Nairobi VOA 05 Dec 2008 -- Democratic Republic of Congo officials say they will hold talks in Nairobi with rebels loyal to renegade General Laurent Nkunda to formalize a cease-fire agreement.
• UNHCR Alarmed at Number of Displaced in DRC VOA 05 Dec 2008 -- The U.N. refugee agency says it is concerned about the fate of tens of thousands of displaced people who fled an area in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where there has been heavy fighting between rebels and government troops.

News Reports

• Pakistani, Afghan, Turkish Presidents Pledge Cooperation in Terrorism Fight VOA 05 Dec 2008 -- The Presidents of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey have pledged to increase cooperation in the fight against terrorism, during talks held in Istanbul Friday
• US Says Well Past Time for Zimbabwe's Mugabe to Step Down VOA 05 Dec 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says it is past time for Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe to step down.