Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S., Italian Forces Launch Strike in Afghanistan AFPS 04 Jun 2003 -- U.S. and Italian forces launched an offensive June 2 against anti-coalition forces in the Shahi Kowt section of the Paktia province in Afghanistan, Combined Joint Task Force 180 officials said today.

• AFGHAN / WARLORD / REVENUE VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Afghanistan's central government is reporting new progress in its fight to stop local warlords from siphoning off customs revenues. The Afghan Finance Ministry has taken control of a key northern border crossing, previously used as a cash source by local militias.

Defense Policy / Programs

• 68TH CHEM. SOLDIERS RETURN FROM CENTCOM JUNE 4 III Corps Release 04 Jun 2003-- Nearly 150 soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division's 68th Chemical Company return from the U.S. Central Command's area of operation, with hundreds of friends and loved ones on hand to greet them.
• E-6B undergoes electromagnetic testing at Pax NAVSEA News Release 04 Jun 2003-- A team of personnel from the VX-20 E-6B test team, the NAVAIR Patuxent River Electromagnetic Effects Branch, and VQ-4 Alert Detachment Patuxent River recently conducted a series of tests on a VQ-4 E-6B Mercury aircraft at the Electromagnetic Effects Branch's High Power Discharge Facility.
• NAVAIR celebrates first in U.S. military aviation history with E-6 engine milestone NAVSEA News Release 04 Jun 2003-- Members of the NAVAIR E-6B Program Office (PMA-271) and Strategic Communications Wing 1 marked a first in U.S. military aviation history on May 28 when they commemorated an E-6B Mercury engine that surpassed 15,000 hours of flight time without the need for major repair or removal from the wing. Oklahoma City community members, defense industry members from CFMI, Boeing and GE joined Wing and NAVAIR personnel to celebrate the milestone event during the ceremony held at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
• Fort Worth "Fuelies" Play an Unexpected Role in Iraqi Air Campaign Navy Newsstand 04 Jun 2003-- "You are needed for deployment on emergency two-week annual training period," the caller announced to each of 10 Reservists from Naval Reserve Supply Support Battalion 1 (SSB1), Fuels Company I of Naval Reserve Center Fort Worth, Texas.
• MASS-1 Marines return to open arms after Iraqi deployment Marine Corps News 04 Jun 2003-- More than 140 Marines from Marine Air Support Squadron 1were welcomed home after supporting efforts in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• 2nd LAAD Marines hit the mean streets of combat town Marine Corps News 04 Jun 2003-- The scream multiple artillery shells can be heard throughout the area. Marines emerge from the brush and assault an unsuspecting town.
• Transcript: DoD Briefing on Policy and Intelligence Matters 04 Jun 2003 -- Briefing on policy and intelligence matters. Participating were Douglas J. Feith, under secretary of defense for policy, and William J. Luti, deputy under secretary of defense for special plans and Near East and South Asian affairs
• DoD Policy Chief Seeks to Clear Intel Record AFPS 04 Jun 2003 -- DoD officials attempted to lay to rest some media stories on intelligence information that are "not true and taking on the status of urban legends."
• USFK RESPONSE TO INACCURATE CHOSUN ILBO ARTICLE US Forces Korea Release 04 Jun 2003-- An article appearing in today's Chosun Ilbo inaccurately attributes several statements to Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, commander, USFK, from an address he made to members of the National assembly yesterday. The article states that General LaPorte indicated that CFC was changing its operational concepts in order to be prepared to take preemptive strikes at North Korea.
• U.S., Royal Thai navies complete combined jump training 7th Fleet News Release 04 Jun 2003-- Members of U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team 5 and the Royal Thai Navy EOD completed a series of both land and water jumps while participating in Exercise Cobra Gold '03, May 21.
• Utah Marines float with CARAT... LAR blazes path of firsts for reservists Marine Corps News 04 Jun 2003-- Marines stand ready to engage in combat whenever the need arises. It is the same standard whether the Marine unit is active duty or reserve, and although some will never get the opportunity to go to war, those who do, invariably fall back on their training to get them through it.
• Lessons Learned Process on Iraq War Explained AFPS 04 Jun 2003 -- Although the U.S. and coalition campaign against Iraq lasted just 38 days, Pentagon leaders are now in the process of analyzing data collected during the war to better understand "what went right" and "what went wrong."
• Military Officials Improve Speed of Iraq Mail AFPS 04 Jun 2003 -- The Military Postal Service Agency has received a number of complaints about the speed of mail deliveries to and from Iraq. The officials are aware of the problems and expect changes to ease some stumbling blocks.
• Rumsfeld Makes Case for Transforming Civilian Workforce AFPS 04 Jun 2003 -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld cleared up some misconceptions about the proposed DoD civilian personnel system during testimony before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee today.
• Aviation unit puts Longbow crews to the test 8th Army [MSWORD DOC] 04 Jun 2003-- Targets rise and fall from behind berms on a dusty valley range as rounds are fired by soldiers qualifying with their weapons. Instead of the 5.56 mm rounds familiar to every soldier who's earned his marksmanship badge, the ones flying down range on this particular morning are 30 mm, and coming from the barrel of the automatic chain gun under a hovering AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter.

Defense Industry

• Navy approves Hamilton Sundstrand 8-bladed NP2000 propeller for production Hamilton Sundstrand 04 Jun 2003 -- Hamilton Sundstrand will begin shipping its new eight-bladed NP2000 propeller system to the U.S. Navy this month.
• RAFAEL Unveils Protector Unmanned Surface Vehicle Rafael 04 Jun 2003 -- RAFAEL announces a new addition to its advanced, battle-proven naval combat systems. The Protector is an integrated naval combat system, based on unmanned, autonomous, remotely-controlled surface vehicles. Highly maneuverable and stealthy, the Protector can conduct a wide spectrum of critical missions, while eliminating unnecessary risk to personnel and capital assets.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 04 Jun 2003
• PRESS BRIEFING BY UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS United Nations 04 Jun 2003
• Bush Vows to Support Israeli, Palestinian, Arab Peace Efforts Washington File 04 Jun 2003 -- President Bush says the United States will strive to support the Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority and neighboring Arab states in the fulfillment of their commitments to end conflict and establish a Palestinian state.
• Powell: Meetings Built "Degree of Trust" Between Sharon and Abbas Washington File 04 Jun 2003 -- Because of the meetings in Egypt and Jordan June 3 and 4, "a degree of trust was built up" between Israeli Prime Minister Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Abbas, Secretary of State Colin Powell told the press in Aqaba, Jordan.
• Bush Sees Fight Against Terrorism Helping Palestinian State Emerge Washington File 04 Jun 2003 -- President Bush says a universal recognition that terrorism must be defeated has created a new reality in the Middle East that will make it easier for a Palestinian state to emerge.
• Now Is the Time to Work for Palestinian State, Bush Says Washington File 04 Jun 2003 -- President Bush told Arab leaders meeting with him at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, June 3 that "the world needs to have a Palestinian state that is free and at peace."
• Israeli-Palestinian Two-State Solution Called "Critical Step Forward" Washington File 04 Jun 2003 -- Accepting the road map for Middle East peace and President Bush's "vision" of a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict marks a "critical step forward that no one can underestimate," says James Zogby, President of the Arab American Institute.
• MIDEAST PEACE VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- A prominent authority on the Middle East, Judith Kipper, said Wednesday that the real work now begins in the effort to establish a lasting peace in the region. She called on the United States to exert every effort to facilitate the process.
• Annan hails impetus of Aqaba summit for Middle East peace, urges steps to implement Road Map UN News Centre 04 Jun 2003 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed statements by the Israeli and Palestinian Prime Ministers at a Middle Eastern summit today as opening the way to implement the Road Map peace plan, and he called on both sides to take "immediate steps" to maintain the momentum generated by the meeting.
• Middle East: U.S. Looks At Arab Summit As 'Prelude To Action' RFE/L 04 Jun 2003 -- U.S. President George W. Bush's meeting with Arab leaders in Egypt yesterday was a centerpiece of American efforts to build regional support for a new Middle East peace process and for cutting off funds for terrorism.
• MIDEAST / SUMMIT REACT VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- The militant Islamic group Hamas says it will not lay down its arms despite an appeal from Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. The organization was reacting to Mr. Abbas' statement, at the Mideast summit in Aqaba, Jordan,calling for an end to armed attacks against Israelis. And there also was strong opposition from Israelis to a promise by Prime Minister Sharon to remove some Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
• BUSH MIDEAST VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Israel and the Palestinians have announced the first small steps in what could be a long, difficult peace process. The announcement followed a three-way summit in Jordan involving President Bush and the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers.

• TAYLOR INDICTMENT VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- The internationally-backed war crimes court for Sierra Leone has indicted Liberian President Charles Taylor for crimes against humanity in connection with the deaths and torture of tens of thousands of people during Sierra Leone's civil war. The court issued an arrest warrant for the Liberian leader while he was in Ghana Wednesday taking part in Liberian peace talks. But it appears Ghanaian authorities allowed him to leave for home Wednesday night without arresting him.
• Ceasefire to end bloodshed 'most burning issue' for people of Liberia - Annan UN News Centre 04 Jun 2003 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in his latest report on the dire situation in Liberia that clearly the single most burning issue, on which Liberians all agree, is the need for a binding ceasefire to stop the bloodshed and facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict in that country.
• LIBERIA / TAYLOR VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Liberian President Charles Taylor has returned home from Ghana just hours after a U-N-backed court in Sierra Leone indicted him for crimes against humanity.
• UN-backed Sierra Leone court indicts Liberian President Charles Taylor UN News Centre 04 Jun 2003 -- A United Nations-backed court in Sierra Leone announced today that it has indicted Liberian President Charles Taylor for war crimes and issued an international warrant for his arrest.
• In strong message, Annan urges Liberian talks to seek peace and end suffering UN News Centre 04 Jun 2003 -- As Liberians gathered in Ghana today for the start of peace talks, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a strong message to the meeting that the first step forward, for all parties, is agreement on a binding ceasefire to end the violence.
• LIBERIA PEACE TALKS VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- A U-N backed war crimes court has indicted Liberian President Charles Taylor for crimes against humanity during the civil war in Sierra Leone, in which he supported the rebels. Mr. Taylor is attending Liberian peace talks in Ghana.
• U-N / LIBERIA REFUGEES VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- As peace talks to end fighting in Liberia get under way in Ghana, the United Nations refugee agency is voicing concern about a sudden upsurge of people fleeing fighting in southern Liberia. The agency says the fighting has forced thousands of Liberians to flee to the town of Tabou in western Ivory Coast in recent days.
• LIBERIA / PEACE TALKS VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Liberian peace talks are opening in Ghana today (Wednesday), marking the first time warring parties will meet since an insurgency began in 1999. West African leaders hope a resolution of the war in Liberia could restore stability to the region.
• LIBERIA: Liberian talks open without one rebel group IRIN 04 Jun 2003 -- One of Liberia's two main rebel groups, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), failed on Wednesday to turn up in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, for the opening of talks aimed at brokering peace between the Liberian government and the rebel groups.
• UN / DEMOCRATIC REP. OF CONGO VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- A special U-N Security Council mission is scheduled to leave for the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday. An emergency, armed multi-national force is also gearing up to help stabilize eastern Congo.
• UN official calls for international backing of political process in DR of Congo UN News Centre 04 Jun 2003 -- Praising the relatively small and severely overmatched United Nations military force on the ground in war-torn Bunia, a senior UN official said today that the stand those troops had made against violent militia was a challenge to the international community to spare no effort to help end the atrocities being committed throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• CONGO FIGHTING VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- While an international force prepares to land in the war-torn northeastern Congo town of Bunia, new fighting has broken out farther south between rival rebel factions involved in the Congolese peace process.
• EU/CONGO VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- The European Union has approved its first military deployment outside Europe, deciding to send a peacekeeping force to the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the first E-U military deployment without the help of NATO.
• DRC: Church aid body gives medicines to survivors of Bunia killings IRIN 04 Jun 2003 -- The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) has flown eight metric tons of medical supplies to Bunia, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, for the survivors of recent fighting between rival ethnic groups.
• PRESS BRIEFING ON SECURITY COUNCIL’S CENTRAL AFRICA MISSION United Nations 04 Jun 2003
• Security Council mission to Central Africa to seek 'solid political process' UN News Centre 04 Jun 2003 -- A United Nations Security Council mission to Central Africa this week will seek to launch a "solid political process," without which there can be no solution to the region's conflicts no matter how many UN emergency forces are deployed there, the delegation's leader said today.

• COTE D'IVOIRE: Security Council concerned at humanitarian situation IRIN 04 Jun 2003 -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday again expressed its concern at the humanitarian situation in Cote d'Ivoire, saying it was particularly worried about the situation of Liberian refugees who had recently crossed the border into the country.
• Annan names Bangladeshi general to lead UN military liaisons in Côte d'Ivoire UN News Centre 04 Jun 2003 -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan has decided to appoint a Brigadier-General from Bangladesh to lead the United Nations military observer contingent in the new UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (MINUCI).
• SIERRA LEONE: Special Court indicts Liberian President Charles Taylor IRIN 04 Jun 2003 -- The UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone on Wednesday indicted Liberian President Charles Ghankay Taylor for his alleged role in crimes committed during a 10-year civil war in Sierra Leone, and sent a warrant of arrest to the Ghanaian authorities and the INTERPOL.
• Great Lakes: Kagame, Ndayizeye pledge to boost regional stability IRIN 04 Jun 2003 -- Presidents Domitien Ndayizeye of Burundi and Paul Kagame of Rwanda pledged on Tuesday to help bring stability to the Great Lakes region by supporting peace efforts in Burundi and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• TAMIL TIGERS VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Sri Lanka's Tamil rebels have rejected an offer to meet the government to break the impasse in the peace process.
• SOMALIA: Families flee fighting in Middle Shabelle IRIN 04 Jun 2003 -- Hundreds of families are fleeing their homes in the Middle Shabelle Region, south-central Somalia, local sources told IRIN on Wednesday. The exodus follows an outbreak of heavy fighting in the village of Raghe-Eil between opposing militias, the second incident of its kind since March.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 04 Jun 2003 -- NATO papers over cracks, sets sights on wider role / Britain to hold probe on Iraq weapons / U.S. puts brakes on EU timetable for Bosnia mission / War in Iraq erodes global support, stokes fear of U.S.
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 04 Jun 2003 -- NATO eyes expanding horizons after Iraq crisis / Statement by G-8 at French Summit reflects U.S. aim /Blix confirms inspection teams found no WMD and calls for further UN involvement

• TOGO ELECTIONS VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Togo's election board says final results give President Gnassinge Eyadema, Africa's longest serving ruler, the victory in a controversial presidential election held Sunday. Opposition parties call the results are a sham.
• PERU / TEACHERS STRIKE VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- A nationwide teachers strike in Peru continues with demonstrations in defiance of a government state of emergency order, but negotiations are continuing.
• OSCE / BOSNIA VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Bosnia and Herzegovina's High Representative has told the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe that the country has successfully established the rule of law but still faces severe economic problems.
• U-S / ZIMBABWE VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Some prominent African-American political activists have made public a letter sent to Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe condemning political repression by his government, and calling for "unconditional dialogue" on a transition to more broadly-supported leadership in Harare.
• SERBIA / POL VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Observers of political and economic developments in Serbia Wednesday presented a generally gloomy assessment of the country's future at a forum sponsored by Washington's Woodrow Wilson Center.
• EU: Commission Head Calls For Scrapping National Veto RFE/L 04 Jun 2003 -- European Commission President Romano Prodi today called for the elimination of the national veto as EU states continue to argue over a new EU constitution.
• EU: Period Of Ever-Increasing Integration Appears To Have Passed RFE/L 04 Jun 2003 -- An era is coming to an end with the expansion next year of the European Union to include 10 new members, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe. That's because it appears the EU cannot absorb so many countries and still retain an impetus for integration. The current Convention on the Future of Europe is struggling to create a coherent constitution for what will become an unprecedented grouping of 25 nations. In addition to the diluting influence of the newcomers, current members look set to neutralize the convention's impulse to create institutions that would allow for further integration.
• ZIMBABWE / PROTESTS VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Zimbabwe's opposition has declared a week of protests against the government, but while many businesses have closed in support of the opposition, there have been few street protests. The leader of the opposition said Wednesday there is a good reason for this. People are afraid they will be attacked by government security forces.
• G-8 / AFRICA REACTION VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Non-governmental aid agencies and trade unions in Africa are criticizing the outcome of the G-8 summit in France. They accuse the world's richest nations of having lost the political will to meet their obligations to the struggling continent.
• DALAI LAMA / CHINA VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- The Dalai Lama says he is encouraged by talks between Chinese officials and his Tibetan government in exile. The Tibetan spiritual leader made the remark during a visit to Copenhagen
• BURMA / SUU KYI VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- International concern is mounting over Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and dozens of senior opposition party leaders who were detained five days ago in a government crackdown. Some Asian leaders are calling for governments to review their policy of engaging Burma in order to encourage political reform.
• SARS ASIA VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- A high-ranking Chinese health official says there is no reason to doubt China's figures on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, despite questions raised Tuesday by the World Health Organization.
• U-N MILLENNIUM GOALS VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- The first U-N regional report on eliminating poverty and disease shows progress in Asia-Pacific countries, with huge challenges still ahead.
• VIETNAM / CORRUPTION TRIAL VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- A court in Vietnam has convicted the country's biggest mafia boss on organized crime charges - including murder and bribery. The trial of the gangster known as Nam Cam has riveted Vietnam because it involves senior members of the Communist Party accused of protecting him.
• NEPAL PRIME MINISTER VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- Nepal's king has named a royalist politician - Surya Bahadur Thapa -- as the country's new prime minister. His appointment is not likely to placate main political parties in the mountain kingdom.
• TOGO ELECTIONS VOA 04 Jun 2003 -- The main opposition candidate in Togo, Bob Emmanuel Akitani, has gone into hiding after declaring himself the winner of Sunday's presidential election.
• NIGERIA: Legislature reconvenes, Obasanjo loyalists take charge IRIN 04 Jun 2003 -- Nigeria's two-chamber national legislature appeared set for a more harmonius relationship with the President Olusegun Obasanjo's executive, analysts said Wednesday, after his loyalists swept key posts as both houses reconvened.
• Boeing Delta II Set to Launch NASAs Mars Exploration Rover-A Boeing 04 Jun 2003 -- A Boeing Delta II rocket is scheduled to launch the first of two Mars Exploration Rover (MER) missions for NASA on June 8.