Operations
Other Conflicts
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
News Reports

Current Operations

• AFGHAN/PENTAGON VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- Defense officials say they are investigating an incident in which air-strikes were called in on hostile forces that attacked a group of U-S and Afghan troops
• U-N AID / AFGHANISTAN VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- The United Nations refugee agency is expressing concern about the growing number of Afghans trying to flee to Pakistan to escape ethnic persecution and banditry at home
• PHILIPPINES/U-S TROOPS VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- Philippine officials say their forces have clashed with suspected rebels in the southern Philippines. Two soldiers and what was called an undetermined number of guerrillas were wounded

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 19 Feb 2002
• PRESS BRIEFING ON SOMALIA BY DEPUTY EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR United Nations 19 Feb 2002
• U-S / ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- The United States, following the lead of the European Union, is moving to impose travel sanctions against Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and his closest aides. The move follows the Harare government's expulsion of the head of the E-U's election observer team. Tougher U-S action could follow, if next month's presidential election in Zimbabwe is not free and fair
• UN/SOMALIA VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- A United Nations relief official says Somalia may finally be returning to a degree of stability, after years of drought and civil war. That optimistic assessment comes primarily from improvements in health care and education on the grass-roots level.
• ZIMBABWE / E-U VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- European election observers have pulled out of Zimbabwe, following the approval of E-U sanctions against the government of President Robert Mugabe
• CONGO / REBEL LEADER VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- One of the main Congolese rebel leaders said today (Tuesday) he will not attend a peace conference set to begin next week to work on ending Africa's bloodiest conflict

Defense Policy / Programs

• Combat controller brings in initial OEF airflow Air Force News19 Feb. 2002-- Among an Air Force combat controller's many missions is the ability to provide air traffic control under the most austere conditions. Within the first few days of Operation Enduring Freedom, one combat controller proved his long years of training in this skill as a valuable asset to the mission.
• PENTAGON/INFORMATION VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- The Pentagon has established a secretive new office that has proposed launching an extensive information campaign to influence foreign opinion in the war on terrorism
• President wants more money, people for Air Force Reserve Aor Force News 19 Feb. 2002-- The president's proposed defense budget for next year seeks $3.46 billion in funding and an end-strength of 75,600 reservists for Air Force Reserve Command

Defense Industry

• BAE SYSTEMS receives IDECM LRIP II contract from U.S. Navy BAE Systems 19 Feb 2002 -- The U.S. Navy has awarded a $58 million contract to BAE Systems for phase II of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of the Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) Radio Frequency Countermeasures (RFCM) system. IDECM incorporates high sensitivity receivers and off-board countermeasures that provide a highly effective EW defence for US military aircraft against current and future RF missile threats.
• BAE SYSTEMS launches radar warning receiver - combat BAE Systems 19 Feb 2002 -- Australia's leading Electronic Warfare design house, BAE Systems, has today officially announced the name ComBat for its first Australian developed radar warning receiver (RWR).
• BAE SYSTEMS awarded $15.3m contract to support naval undersea warfare center in Newport, Rhode Island BAE Systems 19 Feb 2002 -- Rockville, Maryland -- BAE Systems has been awarded a five-year, $15.3 million contract from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport (NUWCDIVNPT), Rhode Island. Under this contract BAE Systems Applied Technologies, part of BAE Systems North America, will provide the engineering and technical services support and material to operate and maintain NUWCDIVNPT's Propulsion Test Facility.

News Reports

• U-S-MIDEAST VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- The United States has welcomed a reported Saudi overture calling for Arab recognition of Israel, if it withdrew from all Arab territories occupied in the 1967 Middle East war. But it says a Palestinian Authority crackdown against anti-Israel terrorist factions remains a "crucial first step" toward a renewed peace process.
• VOA INTERVIEW WITH KEN LIEBERTHAL VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- He tells VOA News Now's Tom Crosby, Mister Bush's inclusion of North Korea along with Iran and Iraq in that "axis of evil" makes South Korean leaders a little nervous.
• KIM / KOREA VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- President Bush's recent remark that North Korea is part of what he called an "axis of evil" has caused some controversy in Seoul and led to expectations that Mr. Bush will receive a mixed reception in the South Korean capital.
• CHOON/KOREA VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- President Bush arrives in South Korea to a mixed reception, partly because of his comment a few weeks ago that North Korea is part of an "axis of evil" that promotes terrorism. Choon Heum Choi (choon hum chay) is a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, based in Seoul.
• IRAQ / ATTACK VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- Arab leaders are increasingly expressing their concerns and opinions regarding any possible military move against Iraq.
• KANDAHAR/REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar served as the main headquarters for the former Taleban leaders during their six-years of rule in Afghanistan. Now, it is a city coming back to life
• TURKEY / AL-QAIDA VOA 19 Feb. 2002-- Turkish police say (Tuesday) they have foiled a planned suicide attack against Israel after arresting three suspected terrorists (Mustafa Hasan yusuf Fehim, Firaz Suleyman Ali Hejr and Ahmed Muhahammed Mustafa) in Turkey's eastern province of Van