Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Transcript: DoD News Briefing - Mr. Lawrence Di Rita 22 Oct 2003 -- "There's nothing in the memo -- you know, when the secretary describes that things are going on, or when other describe in Baghdad that -- or in Iraq generally, you know, there are some good things going on and some bad things going on, and people say, "All you want is the good news out there." No. We're looking for sort of a more sort of sophisticated and nuanced perception of reality than what you get by just constant sort of focus on one aspect of what's going on."
• PENTAGON/RUMSFELD WRAP VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sought Wednesday to downplay the significance of an internal memorandum he wrote last week questioning U-S progress in the global war on terrorism.

• IRAQ/SANCHEZ VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- The commanding officer of coalition forces in Iraq says attacks on his troops have increased in recent weeks, and he expects things to get worse.
• PENTAGON/RUMSFELD/TERROR VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is questioning whether the United States is doing enough to win the war on terrorism. A memorandum written by Mr. Rumsfeld appears to contrast sharply with the Bush administration's usually upbeat assessments.
• Congressmen Report on Coalition Progress in Iraq AFPS 22 Oct 2003 -- Two congressional delegations that visited Iraq said some very positive steps have been taken there, and that they left with the impression service members in the country are committed to their jobs and determined to see them through.
• Rumsfeld Memo Asks DoD Leaders to Focus on Big Questions AFPS 22 Oct 2003 -- Far from being a glum assessment, a memo Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld sent to senior leaders poses questions Rumsfeld believes leaders should be asking about the new security environment, Larry Di Rita, Pentagon spokesman, said here today.
• Alabama Engineers Pave the Way in Iraq AFPS 22 Oct 2003 -- Congestion, confusion, inefficiency -- all words that were used to describe the South Gate entrance at the 101st Airborne Division's logistics support area here, known as LSA Diamondback.
• Iraq: Report Says Pentagon Ignored 'Valuable' Input RFE/RL 22 Oct 2003 -- "The New York Times" is reporting that the U.S. Defense Department, which President George W. Bush put in charge of Iraq's reconstruction, largely ignored a detailed report on the subject that the State Department spent a year preparing. According to the newspaper, the State Department report correctly anticipated the major problems that coalition forces have been experiencing in Iraq. It says the Pentagon, however, focused its efforts on problems that have not arisen to a significant degree.
• Iraq: More U.S. Soldiers Wounded, As Number Of Attacks Increases RFE/RL 22 Oct 2003 -- Two ambush bombings wounded U.S. soldiers today, as the commander of the U.S. forces reported an increase in attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq.
• AFGHANISTAN: UN-backed northern disarmament begins IRIN 22 Oct 2003 -- Standing in a long queue with his battered AK-47 assault rifle, Sultan Mohammad said his weapon was useless now as there was no longer any war in the country. "The jihad [holy war] of guns is over and now it is time for the jihad of work," the 45-year-old military officer told IRIN on Wednesday as a long-awaited disarmament exercise began in the northeastern Afghan city of Konduz.

Defense Policy / Programs

• PENTAGON/GENERAL/MUSLIMS VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- A Defense Department spokesman says there are no plans to ask a senior military intelligence official to step aside over his controversial comments casting the war on terrorism in religious terms.
• U.S.: Pentagon To Investigate General's Islam Comments RFE/RL 22 Oct 2003 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the Pentagon will investigate comments a high-ranking general made about the Islamic religion.

• U.S., Norway Committed to Preventing Trafficking by Peacekeepers Washington File 22 Oct 2003 -- "The United States and Norway advocate that nations take steps -- including reviewing national pre-deployment training -- to ensure that their peacekeepers in NATO-led operations do not contribute to the problem of trafficked women," said U.S. Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns and Norwegian Ambassador to NATO Kai Eide.
• Careful process used to determine Guard, Reserve mobilizations Army News Service 22 Oct 2003-- "A very, very detailed" look at units will be done before an undetermined number of them are told to pack their bags for a year-long deployment in Iraq, said Marine Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• FLORIDA ENGINEER SOLDIERS WORK HOT AND HEAVY SUPPORTING CORPS AT IRAQ LOGISTICS BASE V Corps Release 22 Oct 2003-- An engineer company from the Florida Army National Guard under V Corps command is working hot and heavy here, making a major contribution to corps efforts in Operation Iraqi Freedom by rebuilding a former Iraqi aviation academy into this logistics hub near Balad that is operated by the corps's 3rd Corps Support Command.
• Kennedy Stays Put While Critical Tests Conducted Navy Newsstand 22 Oct 2003-- With an unprecedented overhaul in the history books and the Navy's "one shipyard concept" realized, USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) began the final preparations earlier this month to leave the pier at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., for the first time in almost a year.
• M-113 Driver Examines the Stryker AFPS 22 Oct 2003 -- The 2003 model year for the Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle is the best yet.
• Stryker Brigade Receives Vote of Confidence from Chairman AFPS 22 Oct 2003 -- The Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle system received high praise from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers following a test drive here Oct. 21.
• Rigors of War Take Toll on U.S. Military Equipment AFPS 22 Oct 2003 -- Fighting the global war on terrorism has been tough on U.S. military equipment, senior service leaders told members of a House Armed Services Committee panel here Oct. 21.
• Two Chinese navy ships visit Guam 7th Fleet Release 22 Oct 2003-- Two naval vessels from the People's Republic of China made a port visit here Oct. 22. The ships are on a goodwill cruise with approximately 550 Sailors making a first-ever visit to Guam.
• The evolution of 21st century warfare: Tomorrow's Navy dawns in the Pacific 7th Fleet Release 22 Oct 2003-- At no time in history have military commanders been able to know precisely what troops throughout the field of battle are facing at the exact moment they face it. At no point in history has battlefield intelligence been collected from and provided to all coalition combatants almost instantaneously. At no point in history has a Marine in the field been able to call upon the full might of naval guns located miles off the coast, fire support from bombers in the sky, or artillery fire from supporting Marines miles away, all with unparalleled precision.
• Moonlighters storm Bangladesh Marine Corps News 22 Oct 2003-- In a recent deployment to Dhaka, Bangladesh, Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 participated in Exercise Sumo Tiger 2003.
• U.S. Official Identifies Security Threats in Western Hemisphere Washington File 22 Oct 2003 -- Failures of government such as weak democratic institutions, official corruption, and poor health and education services, as well as narcotics trafficking, HIV/AIDS, and a despotic regime in Cuba are among the threats to security in the Western Hemisphere, says Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobrianski.

• BUSH / AUSTRALIA VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- In a speech to Australia's Parliament, President Bush has thanked the country for joining American military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is the last stop on the president's six-nation tour of Asia.

• Kyrgyzstan: Putin To Attend Official Opening Of Russian Air Base RFE/RL 22 Oct 2003 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Kyrgyzstan tomorrow to attend the official opening of a Russian air base in Kant, near the capital, Bishkek.

• EU/NATO: Differences Persist In Defense Visions RFE/RL 22 Oct 2003 -- George Robertson, NATO's secretary-general, and Javier Solana, the European Union's security policy chief, last night attempted to downplay a potentially damaging row over EU defense plans. However, subtle and possibly significant differences were evident in the interpretations of the situation. Where Robertson asked for a clear EU commitment to using NATO assets, Solana could only offer assurances that a stronger EU will lead to a stronger NATO.

Defense Industry

• Boeing Achieves Major Milestone with Installation of MESA Antenna on First Wedgetail Aircraft Boeing 22 Oct 2003 -- Boeing has installed the Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array antenna on the first 737-700 for Australia's Project Wedgetail, an airborne early warning and control program.
• General Dynamics Awarded $5 Million Contract Modification for Navy Nuclear Work General Dynamics 22 Oct 2003 -- The U. S. Navy has awarded a $5 million modification to a previously awarded contract under which Electric Boat will manage and support nuclear-maintenance work for submarines homeported at Submarine Base New London, Conn. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
• Air Force And Lockheed Martin Enhance TBMCS Integration Into Air And Space Operations Center Through Developers Network Lockheed Martin 22 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] have taken a major step towards further integrating the Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) into the Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) through a new initiative known as the Developers Network.
• Northrop Grumman and NUWC Successfully Complete Unmanned Surface Vehicle Mine Detection Demonstration Northrop Grumman 22 Oct 2003 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Oceanic and Naval Systems business unit and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) at Newport, R.I., recently completed the successful demonstration of Northrop Grumman's AN/AQS-24 mine detection system on an 11-meter unmanned surface vehicle.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICES OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT United Nations 22 Oct 2003
• Private Firms Have Role to Play in Peace Operations in Africa Washington File 22 Oct 2003 -- Private-sector contractors called Military Service Providers (MSPs) are doing a good job supporting peacekeeping as well as peace-enforcement operations in Africa and should be employed more often, an official with an advocacy group representing private security firms told a State Department-sponsored seminar October 6.

• U.S. Opposes U.N. Resolution on Israeli Fence Washington File 22 Oct 2003 -- The United States was one of four nations voting October 21 against a General Assembly resolution demanding that Israel end construction of the security fence it is building in the West Bank.
• U-N / ARAB REACT VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- Egypt -- the first Arab country to make peace with Israel -- says Israel must comply with a U-N resolution to tear down the security barrier it is building in the West Bank. Mr. Ahmed Maher, Egypt's Foreign Minister, said he will take up the issue with visiting Secretary of State Colin Powell.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS SECURITY VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- Israel says it will continue to build its controversial security barrier, despite an overwhelming vote in the U-N General Assembly condemning the project, and demanding that Israel halt construction and dismantle parts of the wall already built in Palestinian areas.
• UNGA/ISRAELI FENCE VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly adopted a resolution condemning Israel's construction of a security barrier that swerves deep into Palestinian territory. The vote was 144 to four, with 12 abstentions. The United States was the only major country to join Israel in opposing the measure.

• Powell Confident of December Sudanese Peace Agreement Washington File 22 Oct 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed his confidence that the Sudanese government and rebel forces will sign a peace deal to end the country's 20-year civil war by the end of December 2003.
• RED CROSS / SUDAN VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is expanding emergency relief operations for thousands of Sudanese who were forced to flee their homes several weeks ago because of fighting in the Darfur region in the western part of the country.
• POWELL-SUDAN VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell joined Kenyan-sponsored Sudan peace talks and secured a pledge by the former warring parties there to finish a comprehensive peace accord by the end of the year.

• India hopes LTTE response will be "reasonable" IRNA 22 Oct 2003 -- Without naming the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), India Tuesday said it expected the "response" to the proposals made by the Sri Lankan Government in July 2003 to set up an interim administration "will be reasonable and comprehensive", local press reported here on Wednesday.
• KENYA / POWELL VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell says the Sudanese government and the country's main rebel leader have pledged to reach a comprehensive peace agreement ending Sudan's 20 year-long civil war by the end of December. Secretary Powell made the announcement Wednesday, shortly after he met with the key participants at the ongoing peace talks in the Kenyan town of Naivasha.
• KASHMIR TALKS VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- India has made a dramatic step in its policy for the disputed region of Kashmir, saying its deputy prime minister would hold talks with Kashmiri separatists. It would be the first high-level meeting between the two parties.
• UGANDA: Kampala rejects Amnesty report on Ituri IRIN 22 Oct 2003 -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and the spokesman of the Ministry of Defence, Maj. Shaban Bantariza, have dismissed a new report by advocacy group Amnesty International, accusing the government of Uganda of continued involvement in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• DRC: IRIN interview with Dr Prega Ramsamy, SADC executive secretary IRIN 22 Oct 2003 -- Dr Prega Ramsamy, the Executive Secretary for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), recently led a mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which included a meeting on Monday with President Joseph Kabila. IRIN spoke with Ramsamy just after this meeting, during which he talked about short-term and longer-term plans for collaboration between the DRC and SADC.
• ANGOLA: Rebuilding bridges to reunite the country IRIN 22 Oct 2003 -- As new bridges are laid in Angola, replacing those broken or blown up during the war, previously isolated communities are slowly being opened up.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 22 Oct 2003 -- NATO chief backs U.S. stand against EU defence HQ / U.S. to ready more Guard and Reserve troops for Iraq / Top official says more EU aid for Iraqi reconstruction dependent on improved security in country / NATO urges demilitarisation of Afghan capital
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 22 Oct 2003 -- U.S. offers vision for NATO / ISAF commander's news briefing noted / More on "bomspotters" demonstration

• State Department Noon Briefing, October 22, 2003 Washington File 22 Oct 2003 -- Iran, India, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel/Palestinians, Azerbaijan, Egypt

• ZIMBABWE / JUSTICE VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- A High Court judge in Zimbabwe (Wednesday) has approved a petition by two top government officials that allows them to remove themselves from a case brought by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. The opposition is questioning the judge's decision, saying the two officials played a key role in the presidential election last year that the opposition is challenging in the courts.
• ZIMBABWE / ARRESTS VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- Zimbabwean police on Wednesday arrested dozens of marchers for taking part in a demonstration for constitutional reform.
• BUSH / AUSTRALIA VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- President Bush is in Australia, where he will meet with Prime Minister John Howard and address Australia's Parliament. Mr. Bush arrived following a three-hour visit to Indonesia.
• IVORY COAST / JOURNALIST VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- A policeman in Ivory Coast is being questioned on suspicion of killing a French journalist who was investigating the arrest of opposition militants.
• MAURITANIA / ELECTIONS VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- The presidential election campaign in Mauritania is officially under way. The election is scheduled less than five months after an attempted coup.
• GUINEA: Presidential elections set for 21 December IRIN 22 Oct 2003 -- Presidential elections in Guinea, in which the the head of state, Lansana Conte will seek another seven-year term despite failing health, will take place on 21 December, the government has announced.
• BURKINA FASO: Opposition leader arrested over alleged coup plot IRIN 22 Oct 2003 -- The government of Burkina Faso has arrested Norbert Tiendrebeogo, leader of the opposition Social Forces Front (FFS) party, in connection with an alleged coup plot.