Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Marines battle fuel shortages for Iraqis Marine Corps News 22 Jul 2003-- Long lines of cars and trucks that wrap around An Najaf, Iraq city blocks, frustrated motorists overwhelm local police, so U.S. troops are needed to keep the peace instead of fight terrorism.
• Tri-Component Battalion Makes History in Iraq 101st Airborne Division Release 22 Jul 2003-- As the only tri-component Army unit, the 52nd Engineer Battalion Combat Heavy brought its unique capabilities to the battlefield by supporting base camps in southern Iraq and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in stabilization operations in Mosul.
• Bush Welcomes News of Deaths of Saddam Hussein's Sons / White House offers no guarantees to North Korea, condemns Liberia violence Washington File 22 Jul 2003 -- White House offers no guarantees to North Korea, condemns Liberia violence - Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay were confirmed to be two of the four people killed in a July 22 military battle in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, according to Coalition Ground Forces Commander Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez in Baghdad.

• LIBERIA VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- The fight between rebel fighters and the Liberian military has been getting deadlier. Liberia's Defense Minister says at least 600 civilians have been killed in the latest round of fighting in the capital and is blaming the international community for the growing civilian death toll.
• Liberian Rebel Leaders Order Halt to Offensive on Capital VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- Liberian rebel leaders say they have ordered their forces to stop their offensive on the Liberian capital, Monrovia. The call came from Ghana, where the rebel leaders are meeting for talks to end the fighting in Liberia.
• UN refugee chief joins call for end to fighting in Liberia UN News Centre 22 Jul 2003 -- As the death toll mounts in the war-torn capital of Liberia, where the streets are jammed with thousands of displaced people, the United Nations top refugee official today joined Secretary-General Kofi Annan's call for an immediate end to the latest round of fighting between rebels and forces loyal to embattled President Charles Taylor.
• US Condemns Liberian Rebel Group For Renewed Fighting in Capital VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- The United States has condemned the main Liberian rebel group for the renewed fighting in the capital, Monrovia, where scores of people are reported killed.
• Civilian Death Toll Rising in Liberia as Fighting Continues for 4th Day VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- Liberian Defense Minister Daniel Chea is blaming the international community for the growing civilian death toll. Fighting continues for a fourth day in the capital, Monrovia, between government forces and advancing rebels, known as Liberians United for Reconciliation and Development.
• Liberian Rebels Order Halt To Monrovia Offensive VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- The Liberian rebels say they have ordered forces battling for control of the capital, Monrovia, to stop fighting.
• LIBERIA / FIGHTING (UPDATE) VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- Liberian rebel leaders say they have ordered their forces to stop their offensive on the Liberian capital, Monrovia. The call came from Ghana, where the rebel leaders are meeting for talks to end the fighting in Liberia.
• LIBERIA / FIGHTING VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- Liberian Defense Minister Daniel Chea is blaming the international community for the growing civilian death toll. Fighting continues for a fourth day in the capital, Monrovia, between government forces and advancing rebels, known as Liberians United for Reconciliation and Development.
• Liberia Defense Minister: Hundreds Killed in Recent Days VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- Liberia's defense minister says at least 600 civilians have been killed in the capital, Monrovia, over the last few days in fighting between government troops and rebels trying to oust President Charles Taylor.
• More Marines Sent to Augment Embassy Security in Liberia Navy Newsstand 22 Jul 2003-- Forty-one more Marines were sent to Monrovia, Liberia, the morning of July 21, at the request of the U.S. ambassador. The Marines are part of Rota's Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST).
• LIBERIA: More than 100 killed in Monrovia fighting IRIN 22 Jul 2003 -- At least one hundred people have been killed and 300 injured in the Liberian capital Monrovia since rebels launched their latest attack on the city five days ago, hospital officials and relief workers said on Tuesday.
• LIBERIA: Rebels refuse to sign Liberia peace agreement IRIN 22 Jul 2003 -- Both rebel groups in Liberia said on Tuesday they would refuse to sign a draft peace agreement unless changes were made that would allow them to play a bigger role in the proposed transitional government that would organise fresh elections.
• UN refugee agency closes makeshift camp along Pakistani-Afghan border UN News Centre 22 Jul 2003 -- The wait is finally over for thousands of Afghans stranded for the past 18 months - a makeshift camp on the Pakistani-Afghan border was closed today after the United Nations refugee agency moved the last remaining residents to a new settlement inside Afghanistan.
• PAKISTAN: Chaman waiting area closed IRIN 22 Jul 2003 -- A makeshift settlement for Afghan asylum seekers on the southern Pakistan/Afghan border was closed down on Tuesday, as the last convoy of settlers were transported back to Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Lucky soldiers get nearly home-cooked meals in Baghdad ARCENT News 22 Jul 2003-- Sgt. April Denise Brown just loves to cook, so, a few months ago, when she was asked to serve as the cook for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 352nd Civil Affairs Command in Baghdad, she was happy to oblige.
• Military's largest chow hall - here! ARCENT News 22 Jul 2003-- When Operation Iraqi Freedom began, the chow hall was serving 43,000 personnel a day in the 1,200-seat dining facility, said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Clark, the dining facility (DFAC) non-commissioned officer-in-charge, who is with the 249th Quartermaster Company, Fort Bragg, N.C.
• Hairy Buffalo migrates to C-130 for Homeland Security missions NAVAIR Release 22 Jul 2003-- Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Gordon England, Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thomas Collins, and Congressman Steny Hoyer received a demonstration of the Hairy Buffalo's homeland security and defense capabilities July 14 at NAVAIR Patuxent River, Md.
• NAVCHAPGRU and MSC Team Up to Backload Equipment From Iraq Navy Newsstand 22 Jul 2003-- As combat operations in Iraq drew to a close in May, military leaders were already planning how to withdraw the enormous amount of equipment and material taken into the war zone.
• UK 'clearing backlog' of arms licence applications for Israel IRNA 22 Jul 2003 -- The process of approving arms export licences for Israel was reported to have picked up following the resolution of Britain 'soft' embargo on military equipment.

• Turkey: Foreign Minister Begins Fence-Mending Visit To Washington RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul this week is in Washington for a fence-mending mission he hopes will put bilateral ties back on track following strains over the war in Iraq. But Gul's visit is shadowed by a debate over whether Ankara should contribute troops to help the United States consolidate its victory over the regime of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Defense Industry

• General Dynamics Receives $77.5 Million Order for Air Force Intelligence Group Network Engineering and Integration General Dynamics 22 Jul 2003 -- General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems has received a task order worth $77.5 million to provide network engineering and integration support to the U.S. Air Force's 480th Intelligence Group through February 2009.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 22 Jul 2003
• Violence Erupts in Indian-Controlled Kashmir VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- Suspected Islamic militants have staged two attacks in Indian-controlled Kashmir in the last 24 hours. Seven soldiers were killed and more wounded in an early Tuesday assault on an army base. Hindu pilgrims were the targets late Monday, when a grenade left at least seven dead and dozens injured.
• KASHMIR / ATTACK VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- Suspected Islamic militants have staged two attacks in Indian-controlled Kashmir in the last 24 hours. Seven soldiers were killed and more wounded in an early Tuesday assault on an army base. Hindu pilgrims were the targets late Monday, when a grenade left at least seven dead and dozens injured.

• India: Lashkar-e-Taiba Responsible for Army Camp Attack in Kashmir VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- Press Trust of India says Tuesday's attack on an army camp in Indian Kashmir was carried out by the Pakistan-based terrorist group known as Lashkar-e-Taiba.
• ECOSOC agrees to form advisory group on conflict-torn Burundi UN News Centre 22 Jul 2003 -- The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), holding its annual meeting in Geneva, has adopted a resolution to establish an Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi as part of its bid to assist African countries emerging from conflict.
• Annan's 'Group of Friends' encouraged by progress in Georgian-Abkhaz peace UN News Centre 22 Jul 2003 -- Interested countries tapped by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's to review the Georgian-Abkhaz peace process today said they were encouraged by the two sides' constructive engagement on economic, political and security issues, as well as on the return of internally displaced persons and refugees.
• SAO TOME / PRESIDENT VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- Negotiations between an international delegation and representatives of the military leaders who staged a coup in Sao Tome and Principe on July 16, continued Tuesday. The issue of the return of deposed president Fradique de Menezes to the country was a key item on the agenda.
• Russia: Official Says Rights Groups Should Be Investigated For Ties To Chechen Rebels RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- A top Russian official said today that there should be investigations into some local and international human rights organizations that protest the war in Chechnya.
• SOMALIA: UNHCR resumes repatriation to Puntland IRIN 22 Jul 2003 -- A suspended operation to repatriate Somali refugees from Kenya to the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, resumed at the weekend, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said.
• CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Government to train 220 men after arms surrender IRIN 22 Jul 2003 -- The government of the Central African Republic (CAR), with the support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), will begin on 30 July vocational training for 220 men who surrendered firearms between 15 June 2002 and 15 March 2003.
• DRC: 22 civilians killed and mutilated in Nizi, Ituri District IRIN 22 Jul 2003 -- The mutilated bodies of 22 civilians were discovered on Monday in Nizi, a village 22 km north of Bunia, the principal town of the troubled Ituri District of northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• SIERRA LEONE: Child soldier rehabilitation programme runs out of cash IRIN 22 Jul 2003 -- A programme to rehabilitate more than 7,000 child soldiers who fought in Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war is in danger of stalling because of a serious shortfall in funding, the UN children's fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 22 Jul 2003 -- NATO's Lord Robertson slams "buy America" defence bill / UN secretary-general welcomes Iraqi Governing Council but warns that "democracy cannot be imposed." / Turkish premier: U.S. wants Turkish soldiers for Iraq / British admiral had anthrax jab before Iraq war / EU approves extension of peacekeeping mission in Macedonia (sic) / Germany to cut Afghan deployment by September / U.S. military says Taliban stepping up attacks / Afghan deputy defense minister calls for overhaul of army
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 22 Jul 2003 -- Security Council gears up for Iraq report / Iceland presses U.S. not to remove jets / U.S. resists entreaties to send peacekeepers to Liberia / EU plan to aid peace force led by Africans / Turkey: U.S. envoy says no reason for disagreement on security in Iraq

• U-S / Azerbaijan Election VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- The United States is expressing concern about what it says are candidate-registration problems and harassment of opposition politicians in the run-up to the October presidential elections in Azerbaijan.
• IS AMERICA AN EMPIRE? VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- Americans cringe at the notion that their country is an expanding empire. After all, didn't America's founding fathers rise up against the British Empire? Didn't President Ronald Reagan denounce an "evil empire"? Whether Americans like it or not, much of the rest of the world including many of our allies regard the United States as an empire.
• INDONESIA / U-S VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- Tempers are rising in Indonesia after the U-S House of Representatives moved to suspend funds for training the Indonesian Army, until there is a full investigation of last year's murders of two Americans in Indonesia's restive province of Papua.
• ZIMBABWE: Opposition complains of continued harassment IRIN 22 Jul 2003 -- Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Tuesday said it would contest the results of local elections due later this month, following reports that a number of its candidates had been prevented from registering for municipal and mayoral polls in some constituencies.
• Boeing Realigns Space Businesses to Focus on Customers, Performance Boeing 22 Jul 2003 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] officials announced today the company is realigning its launch and satellite businesses to better serve the company's primary customers, ensure program execution and reduce infrastructure costs.
• ORBITAL PROVIDES GYROLESS FLIGHT SOFTWARE FOR FUSE SPACECRAFT Orbital Sciences Corp. 22 Jul 2003 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that it has completed the in-orbit delivery and initial checkout of its new gyroless software for the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite for its customer, the Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Based on the company's MidStar spacecraft bus, FUSE was launched in June 1999 and last year completed its three-year primary mission. The satellite is now operating in an extended mission lifetime, which the new gyroless software will significantly enhance.