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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Transcript: Secretary Rumsfeld on Special Defense Department Operational Update 26 Nov 2003 -- "Consider what they've accomplished in just the week ending November 23rd. In that very short period, coalition forces conducted nearly 12,000 patrols and more than 230 targeted raids; they captured some 1,200 enemy forces and killed 40 to 50 enemy fighters, and wounded some 25 to 30. That's a one-week snapshot, but it provides a sense of the determined offensive pressure which the coalition is applying against the enemy."
• Rumsfeld, Myers Cite Coalition Accomplishments in Iraq AFPS 25 Nov 2003 -- Americans everywhere should be thankful for service members serving in Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today.
• Arab TV Stations Filmed Attacks in Iraq, Rumsfeld Says Washington File 25 Nov 2003 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Richard Myers said November 25 during a Pentagon news briefing that there is evidence two Arab cable news television stations have cooperated with terrorists in Iraq by filming attacks on U.S.-led coalition forces and Iraqi civilians.
• U.S.-Coalition Goal Remains for Iraqis to Run Country, Feith Says AFPS 25 Nov 2003 -- The U.S. and coalition goal in Iraq is "to give the Iraqi people the opportunity to create a new and thriving Iraq" for themselves, a senior Defense Department official said here Nov. 24.
• Insurgents Focusing on 'Despicable' Attacks Against Iraqis AFPS 25 Nov 2003 -- The coalition's intensified offensive operations in Iraq have reduced attacks on American forces by about 50 percent during the past two weeks, but as a result, desperate Saddam Hussein loyalists have turned their aggression toward innocent Iraqis, officials told reporters in Baghdad today.
• Iraq: U.S. Headquarters In Baghdad Comes Under Attack RFE/RL 25 Nov 2003 -- The Baghdad headquarters of the U.S.-led administration in Iraq came again under attack today after dark. Reports say at least two rockets landed near the compound and a large crater was blown in the middle of one road. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
• IRAQ / SECURITY VOA 25 Nov 2003 -- The top civilian administrator in Iraq says coalition opponents are attacking more Iraqis than coalition troops in response to stepped up U-S military action against insurgents. U-S officials are expecting more anti-coalition violence before implementing Iraqi self rule.
• Iraq: Bremer Says Militants Shifting Focus To Attacks On Civilians RFE/RL 25 Nov 2003 -- The chief U.S. administrator for Iraq, L. Paul Bremer (pictured), says Iraqi insurgents have shifted the focus of their attacks from foreign troops to Iraqis working with the U.S.-led coalition.
• 4 ID PATROLS NET MORE WEAPONS, EXPLOSIVES CENTCOM Release 25 Nov 2003-- 4th Infantry Division also known as "Task Force Ironhorse" has over the past 24 hours, conducted 199 patrols, seven raids and captured 18 individuals.
• VAW-123 Rewrites Tactics Textbook Navy Newsstand 25 Nov 2003-- Nov. 2, the crew of USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 steamed through the Strait of Hormuz to the Northern Arabian Sea to conduct flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

• AFGHANISTAN: "Premature" elections could lead to instability - report IRIN 25 Nov 2003 -- As Afghanistan begins to register voters early next month for next year's presidential elections, a local think-tank released a statement over the weekend arguing that holding elections next year was risky and could further destabilise the country as the situation on the ground was unfavourable for free and fair elections.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Transcript: Defense Department Background Briefing on Global Defense Posture 26 Nov 2003 -- Participating were Senior Defense Department and Senior State Department Official.
• U.S. to Consult Allies on American Military Posture AFPS 25 Nov 2003 -- The Defense Department is ready to start consulting with allies on what the worldwide American military posture should be, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said at the Pentagon press conference today.
• U.S. and Australia Announce Agreements on Guantanamo Detainees 25 Nov 2003 -- The United States and Australian governments announced today that they agree the military commission process provides for a full and fair trial for any charged Australian detainees held at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station.
• PENTAGON/POSTURE VOA 25 Nov 2003 -- The Bush administration has announced it is now ready to open negotiations with allied countries on the future global posture of U-S military forces.
• Kennedy's Flight Deck Hosts Historic Landing Navy Newsstand 25 Nov 2003-- The Navy's recently upgraded E-2C Hawkeye made history Nov. 22 by becoming the first of its kind to land on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.
• STANDARD Missile improves Maneuverability NAVSEA News Wire 25 Nov 2003-- White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) successfully launched a STANDARD Missile Flight Test Round 24 (FTR-24) from the Desert Ship facility Vertical Launcher on November 15. The FTR-24 flight test successfully demonstrated the increased flight performance capabilities of the STANDARD Missile 2 Block IIIB equipped with the Maneuverability Upgrade package.
• Chu Calls Authorization Act 'Transformational' AFPS 25 Nov 2003 -- The Defense Department's top personnel and readiness official called the fiscal 2004 National Defense Authorization Act "transformational" for its support of the department's aim to change to confront the threats of the future.

Defense Industry

• General Dynamics Awarded $34.7M Modification for Submarine Tactical Control System General Dynamics 25 Nov 2003 -- The U. S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $34.7 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the continued development of the submarine Tactical Control System.
• Lockheed Martin Wins $600 Million Air Force IT Contract Lockheed Martin 25 Nov 2003 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) has won a contract valued up to $600 million to support U.S. Air Force information technology requirements in the National Capital Region of Washington, D.C.
• Lockheed Martin Closes on ACS Transaction Lockheed Martin 25 Nov 2003 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) announced the closing of its acquisition of the federal government information technology businesses of Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS). The transaction also includes the sale of Lockheed Martin's commercial IT units to ACS. After considering both the acquisition and divestiture, the transaction is expected to increase 2004 sales by approximately $400 million and be immediately accretive to earnings.
• Northrop Grumman Takes Aim at Hypersonic Weapon Delivery System Northrop Grumman 25 Nov 2003 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) will help the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Air Force develop a concept for a high-speed, unmanned aircraft and related "glide weapons" that could deliver conventional, non-nuclear weapons from the U.S. to anywhere on the globe in about two hours.
• Northrop Grumman Hunter UAV Achieves 3,000 Combat Hours in Iraq Northrop Grumman 25 Nov 2003 -- The Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) -built RQ-5 Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) proved its value as a reliable and critical element of the U.S. Army's reconnaissance arsenal by reaching the 3,000 combat flight-hour milestone last month over the skies of Baghdad. As of Nov. 2, Hunter has flown nearly 600 combat sorties totaling more than 3,100 flight hours since its deployment to Iraq in January 2003.
• General Dynamics Awarded $7.4 Million Contract for Trident Launcher Subsystem Control Group Production General Dynamics 25 Nov 2003 -- The U. S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $7.4 million contract modification to continue production of the Launcher Subsystem Control Group for two Trident ballistic missile submarines.

Other Conflicts

• POWELL-LIBERIA VOA 25 Nov 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed the situation in Liberia and the Ivory Coast Tuesday with a delegation of foreign ministers from the West African economic grouping ECOWAS. Mr. Powell reaffirmed the U-S determination to see former Liberian President Charles Taylor face war crimes charges in Sierra Leone.
• LIBERIA / IRISH TROOPS VOA 25 Nov 2003 -- A contingent of 140 Irish troops has arrived in Liberia to join peacekeeping operations. The United Nations force is preparing to deploy to more remote parts of the Liberian countryside.
• LIBERIA: Peace hasn't stopped gunmen abusing civilians - Amnesty IRIN 25 Nov 2003 -- Amnesty International has warned that three months after the signing of a peace agreement in Liberia, gunmen are still killing and raping civilians and driving them from their homes, despite the presence of a United Nations peacekeeping force in the country.
• LIBERIA: ICRC sends first aid convoy to Zwedru IRIN 25 Nov 2003 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday it had sent a truck convoy from the capital Monrovia to Zwedru near the eastern border with Cote d'Ivoire with supplies to help resettle people returning to their homes nearby following the end of Liberia's civil war.
• Pakistan, India to observe ceasefire on Tuesday midnight - agency IRNA 25 Nov 2003 -- Pakistan and India will observe ceasefire along the working boundary, Line of Control and the Line of Actual Contact in Siachin Sector from the midnight November 25-26, official media reported here.
• INDIA PAKISTAN KASHMIR VOA 25 Nov 2003 -- India has matched Pakistan's offer of a ceasefire in the disputed region of Kashmir, beginning Wednesday. That coincides with the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS VOA 25 Nov 2003 -- Preparations for a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart, Ahmed Qureia, are being stymied by demands and reticence from both sides. The Palestinians insist Israel must take steps to show it is committed to peace before any meeting can take place, but Israel says there should be no pre-conditions.

• SRI LANKA E-U VOA 25 Nov 2003 -- In Sri Lanka, European Union External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten faced protesters as he arrived for a two-day visit to help restore momentum to stalled peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels.
• BURUNDI: UN team pledges to lobby for aid to Bujumbura IRIN 25 Nov 2003 -- At the end of a six-day mission to Burundi, members of a delegation of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) pledged on Tuesday to lobby donors to resume aid to the country, saying peace had been restored.
• COTE D'IVOIRE: Annan warns country may slip back into conflict IRIN 25 Nov 2003 -- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has warned that Cote d'Ivoire could "slip back into conflict" as five West African governments began lobbying for a fully fledged UN peacekeeping force to be sent to the country.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 25 Nov 2003 -- Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac strive for united front on EU defence / NATO to slash Bosnia force, open way for EU mission / Iraqis submit timetable to end U.S. occupation / President Bush signs record $401 billion defence bill / Colin Powell to visit Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia in December / Russian-backed deal may be signed to end Dnestr row
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 25 Nov 2003 -- Daily: Draft EU security doctrine discards preemptive clause
• RUSSIA / GEORGIA VOA 25 Nov 2003 -- The peaceful change of government in Georgia has been an occasion for U-S/Russian cooperation. But analysts in Moscow say the former Soviet republic will continue to also be an arena for U-S/Russian competition.
• ZIMBABWE: Mugabe will not be present in Abuja IRIN 25 Nov 2003 -- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe will not attend the upcoming Commonwealth summit in Nigeria next month, ending weeks of speculation that the government's last-minute attempts might secure him an invitation.
• SUDAN: Oil companies complicit in massive displacement, says rights group IRIN 25 Nov 2003 -- International oil companies in Sudan share full responsibility with the Sudanese government for the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians from oil concession areas, as well as countless other human rights abuses, according to the advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW).