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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 30 Jan 2004 [PDF]

• Two Military Commands Line Up for Super Bowl Protection AFPS 30 Jan 2004 -- On Super Bowl Sunday Feb. 1, the U.S. military will be hard at work protecting players and fans alike.

• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing from Baghdad 30 Jan 2004 -- Participating were Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of operations, Coalition Joint Task Force 7, and Dan Senor, senior advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority
• Suspected Courier for Al-Qaeda Arrested in Iraq Washington File 30 Jan 2004 -- U.S. Army Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez says the recent capture on the Iran-Iraq border of a courier linked to 9-11 terrorist mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed reinforces ongoing assertions by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) that "al-Qaeda fingerprints" are visible in Iraq.
• IED Hits Convoy Transporting Iraqi Detainees, 1 Killed AFPS 30 Jan 2004 -- One detainee was killed and 11 others were injured Jan. 29 when an improvised explosive device blew up near a coalition convoy transporting captured suspects near Mukadiyah, a coalition official said today at a Baghdad news conference.
• Foreign Terrorists Use Iraqis to Achieve Their Aims AFPS 30 Jan 2004 -- Terror groups from other countries are going out of their way to use Iraqi citizens in pursuing their objectives, a coalition military official said at a Baghdad news conference today.
• US Army may keep forces in Iraq through '06 PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- The U.S. Army's top general said Wednesday he is making plans based on the possibility that the Army will be required to keep tens of thousands of soldiers in Iraq through 2006.
• TF "ALL AMERICAN" CONTINUES OPERATIONS CENTCOM Release 30 Jan 2004-- The 82nd Airborne Division and its subordinate units continued missions on Jan. 29 to bring peace and prosperity to the residents of the Al Anbar province.
• 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division Hands Off Community to 1st Armored Division Artillery CENTCOM Release 30 Jan 2004-- The 1st Armored Division Artillery accepted authority of the Al Rashid district in southern Baghdad from 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, during a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Falcon Jan. 23.

• Afghanistan: US Military Investigating Cause of Blast Near Ammunition Dump VOA 30 Jan 2004 -- The U.S. military in Afghanistan is investigating the cause of Thursday's blast near an ammunition dump that left seven soldiers dead, one missing and three people injured. U.S. authorities say there are no indications at this time there was enemy activity near the site of the incident.
• RFE/RL Afghanistan Report, Vol 3, Number 04 30 Jan 2004 -- 'OSAMA' WINS GOLDEN GLOBE FOR BEST FOREIGN FILM / AFGHAN LEADER SIGNS NEW CONSTITUTION INTO LAW... / ...AND SAYS POLITICAL PARTIES CANNOT HAVE MILITARY WINGS... / ...AS HE FAVORS NEW BONN-STYLE CONFERENCE / VOTER REGISTRATION IN AFGHANISTAN TOPS 500,000 / AFGHAN LEADER APPROVES RECONSTRUCTION PLAN / NATO WANTS MORE PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAMS DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN... / ...WHILE THE ALLIANCE'S COMMITMENT TO AFGHANISTAN IS QUESTIONED... / ...AND GERMAN DEFENSE MINISTER PROPOSES THAT EUROCORPS ASSUME COMMAND OF ISAF / CANADIAN SOLDIER AND AFGHAN CIVILIAN KILLED, OTHERS INJURED IN KABUL SUICIDE ATTACK... / ...A DAY LATER, A BRITISH SOLDIER KILLED, THREE INJURED IN ANOTHER KABUL BLAST... / ...AND NEOTALIBAN CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY / WEAPONS BANNED IN MAZAR-E SHARIF / DOSTUM DEFENDS DELAYS ON DISARMAMENT; PROPOSES NEW FORCE / NORTHERN AFGHAN MILITARY CORPS PLEDGES TO COMPLY WITH KABUL'S PLANS FOR DISARMAMENT / AIDES TO AFGHAN WARLORD HEKMATYAR REPORTEDLY ARRESTED / HUNDREDS OF FORMER TALIBAN FIGHTERS SAID TO BE FREED IN AFGHANISTAN... / ...BUT NORTHERN AFGHAN WARLORD REFUSES TO RELEASE THEM / EASTERN AFGHAN WARLORD LAUNCHES HUNGER STRIKE IN PAKISTANI PRISON / UNHCR HEARS ASYLUM APPEALS IN AFGHANISTAN / AFGHAN, UN OFFICIALS PRESS FOR RETURN OF REFUGEES IN IRAN / ARSONISTS STRIKE GIRLS' SCHOOL IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN / 'BAD MARRIAGES' LIKELY TO CONTINUE DESPITE VIOLATIONS OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS / THIS WEEK IN AFGHANISTAN'S HISTORY

Defense Policy / Programs

• Transcript: Under Secretary of Defense, Dov Zakheim Fiscal 2005 Briefing 30 Jan 2004 -- Presenter: Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Dr. Dov Zakheim

• Army activates space defense battalion in Alaska Army News Service 30 Jan 2004-- A component of the nation's emerging missile defense system stood up Jan. 22 when the Missile Defense Space Battalion was formally activated at Fort Greely, Alaska.
• DoD Experience with Anthrax, Smallpox Vaccines Shows Safety AFPS 30 Jan 2004 -- The military's anthrax and smallpox immunizations are safe to administer to service members, a senior military medical officer told 2004 Tricare conference attendees here Jan. 28.
• Multi-Year Contract Conversion of Virginia Class Submarine saves Navy Money NAVSEA News Wire 30 Jan 2004-- NAVSEA executed the option for the Virginia Class Multi-Year contract on January 29, 2004 with Electric Boat Corporation. The Multiyear procurement will bring significant savings to the Navy and stability to the defense contractors building our nation's submarines. The multi-year contract purchases one submarine a year for the next five years (FY04 - FY08) and is expected to save $400 million over the Block Buy.
• To improve Joint Interoperability, Navy restructures its CEC Program NAVSEA News Wire 30 Jan 2004-- As part of the ongoing Navy-wide efforts aimed at improving joint interoperability, the Navy's acquisition strategy for the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) Program has recently been revised.
• T-AKE Class awarded to San Diego Shipyard NAVSEA News Wire 30 Jan 2004-- NAVSEA announced, January 27, 2004, the award of fixed-price-incentive options totaling $578,206,817 for the design and construction of the fifth and sixth ships in the Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ship (T-AKE) Class to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif.
• Powell says US to reduce troops, bases in Europe PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that the United States would reduce its troops and bases in Europe as part of its realignment of American troop deployment around the world.
• US to add 30,000 people to armed forces PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- US Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has authorized the thinly-stretched US Army to temporarily exceed the limit by as much as 30,000, the Army's top general told Congress Wednesday.

• State Department Briefing, January 30, 2004 Washington File 30 Jan 2004 -- China/North Korea, Iran, North Korea/Nigeria, NATO, Russia, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel/Palestinians, Pakistan, Sudan, Iraq, Belgium
• White House Press Briefing, January 30, 2004 Washington File 30 Jan 2004 -- Economy, NATO Secretary General meeting, Medicare, cost of war, independent commission on Iraq, 9/11 commission

• Bush, de Hoop Scheffer Discuss Alliance Commitments Washington File 30 Jan 2004 -- President Bush met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the White House January 30 to discuss the full range of issues facing the Alliance.
• Top NATO Priorities Include Afghanistan, Preparedness, Cooperation Washington File 30 Jan 2004 -- NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says his priorities for the North Atlantic Alliance include bringing stability to Afghanistan, preparing NATO for a greater role in Iraq, improving force capability and restoring cooperation among member states.
• NATO Chief Expresses Readiness for Expanding Iraq Operations VOA News 30 Jan 2004 -- NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says the trans-Atlantic alliance may expand its operations in Iraq if a new transitional government there asks it to. The new NATO commander paid his first visit to the White House Friday where he met with President Bush.

• NATO: Ten Years On, Partnership For Peace Looks Farther East RFE/RL 30 Jan 2004 -- NATO's Partnership for Peace, which this month marked its 10th anniversary, has been hailed as one of the most successful programs in the history of the alliance. The PFP has exceeded expectations in achieving its primary goal of fostering military cooperation with ex-communist countries -- 10 of which have joined or are set to join the alliance. Experts now say the PFP could turn its focus to Central Asian states as part of the war on terrorism, and on the Western Balkans.

• Indian defense min leaves on 6-day visit to S. Africa IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes, heading a high powered delegation left here on Friday evening for a 6-day official visit to South Africa.

• EU prepares to set up agency on defense capabilities development PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- EU security policy chief Javier Solana has appointed Nick Witney leader of the team preparing the establishment of an agency on EU defense capabilities development,The Council of the European Union (EU) revealed Thursday.

• China urges EU to lift arms embargo PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- The European Union's (EU) arms embargo on China should be lifted, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said here Thursday. Zhang said the arms embargo was a product of the Cold War era, which hampered cooperation between China and EU members.

Defense Industry

• U.S. Navy Awards General Dynamics $6.2 Million Contract Option for Submarine Parts General Dynamics 30 Jan 2004 -- The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $6.2 million contract option to provide on-board repair parts for the Virginia-class submarine, Hawaii (SSN-776). Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
• Lockheed Martin Delivers Integrated Air and Space Command and Control Capability for Air Force, USSTRATCOM Lockheed Martin 30 Jan 2004 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has delivered a prototype integrated air and space command and control (C2) capability to the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), taking the first significant step toward automated access and availability of space information in Air Operations Centers (AOC) around the globe. Delivered to the C2 Transformation Center, Langley Air Force Base, the prototype capability integrates Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation accuracy and satellite overflight information directly into the air battle planning process.
• Northrop Grumman to Split $8.4 Billion Submarine Contract With General Dynamics Northrop Grumman 30 Jan 2004 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) said it will share a newly announced $8.4 billion multiyear contract to produce five Virginia-class submarines for the U.S. Navy.
• Northrop Grumman Receives Multiyear Contract to Build Additional U.S. Navy Early Warning and Control Aircraft Northrop Grumman 30 Jan 2004 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) will produce three U.S. Navy Hawkeye 2000 airborne early warning and control aircraft and five Hawkeye 2000 flight trainers under a new $706 million multiyear contract awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command. This award includes an earlier undefinitized award of $108 million and an earlier advanced acquisition award of $21 million.

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 30 Jan 2004
• Brazil's Proposal to Tax Arms Sales to Fund UN Anti-Poverty Programs Discussed at Geneva Meeting VOA News 30 Jan 2004 -- The presidents of France, Brazil, Chili and the United Nations secretary-general have signed on to a new plan for eradicating poverty and hunger in the world. The world leaders have jointly unveiled proposals which include taxing the sale of arms to raise the money needed to tackle global destitution.

• PRESS CONFERENCE BY ISRAEL United Nations 30 Jan 2004
• U.S. Urges The Hague to Refrain from Taking Up Issue of Israeli Barrier Washington File 30 Jan 2004 -- The United States expressed its concerns over the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) deliberations regarding Israel's security barrier in a January 30 statement to the court in The Hague. The ICJ will consider whether to issue a legal advisory opinion on the matter in response to a request for such from the U.N. General Assembly.
• US Asks Hague Court Not to Rule on Israeli Security Barrier VOA News 30 Jan 2004 -- The United States has filed a formal brief with the International Court of Justice in The Hague, urging the court to refuse a U.N. General Assembly request for a ruling on barrier in the West Bank. The U.N. body voted overwhelmingly last month to ask the court for an opinion on the legality of the Israeli project.
• Analysts: Khartoum Pressing Offensive in West Before Signing Peace Deal VOA News 30 Jan 2004 -- Regional analysts say Khartoum is pressing an offensive to crush a rebellion in western Sudan, before signing a final peace deal with another rebel group. Thursday's bombing by Sudanese forces of a town straddling the country's border with Chad, is seen as part of the government's push against the rebellion.
• Israel Challenges Court on Security Barrier VOA News 30 Jan 2004 -- Israel has challenged the International Court of Justice's right to rule on the legality of the controversial West Bank security barrier. Israel's appeal came in documents presented to the court on Friday, ahead of next month's scheduled hearing of a petition against the project.
• Israeli Troops Kill 3 Palestinians, Enter Bethlehem VOA 30 Jan 2004 -- Israeli troops have killed three Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and entered the town of Bethlehem, one day after a suicide bombing in Jerusalem that killed 10 people.

• US acting as facilitator in Kashmir talks IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- A top Kashmir leader today disclosed that United States was acting as a facilitator in recently held path breaking talks his group held with New Delhi.
• 10 militants killed in Jammu and Kashmir IRNA 30 Jan 2004 -- Ten militants were killed and 1 arrested in 2 encounters in north Kashmir while elsewhere in Kashmir Valley a civilian died and 3 ultras were nabbed overnight, local media reported here on Friday.

• Annan hails agreement on new transitional charter for Somalia UN News Centre 30 Jan 2004 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the accord signed by Somali leaders on the political transition of their country, which has long been wracked by war and poverty.
• SOMALIA: Annan appoints arms-embargo monitors IRIN 30 Jan 2004 -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed a four-man panel of experts to monitor violations of the arms embargo against Somalia over the coming six months.

• UGANDA: Journalists react angrily to accusations of being rebel collaborators IRIN 30 Jan 2004 -- Journalists from the independent daily The Monitor have reacted angrily to accusations by the defence ministry that they are Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) collaborators.
• UGANDA: Peace groups and government officials worried about ICC probe into LRA IRIN 30 Jan 2004 -- Peace groups and officials from the government's Amnesty Commission have warned that the impending probe by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into war crimes committed by Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels could make a peaceful settlement of the 18-year conflict impossible.

• Cyprus: Greek Leader Ready To Resume Reunification Talks RFE/RL 30 Jan 2004 -- Tassos Papadopoulos, president of the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot republic, today called for the immediate resumption of talks to reunify the island in time for European Union enlargement.
• Security Council extends mandate of UN force in Lebanon until end of July UN News Centre 30 Jan 2004 -- Calling on the Government of Lebanon to return its effective authority over its southern area bordering Israel, the United Nations Security Council today extended for six months the mandate of the UN force in the area.
• Security Council extends UN mandate in Western Sahara until April UN News Centre 30 Jan 2004 -- The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission to Western Sahara, due to expire tomorrow, until the end of April.
• Georgia: Security Council extends UN mission through July UN News Centre 30 Jan 2004 -- The Security Council today unanimously extended the 10-year-old United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) through July after Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported that it was critical to maintaining stability along the ceasefire lines between Georgian and Abkhaz separatist forces.
• ANGOLA: Landmines used in private vendettas IRIN 30 Jan 2004 -- The widespread availability of ordinance left over from Angola's protracted civil war is fuelling a spate of personal vendettas, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.
• LIBERIA: Villagers complain of harassment by MODEL in River Cess county IRIN 30 Jan 2004 -- Villagers in River Cess county, a remote region of central Liberia, have complained of continued harassment by fighters of the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), five months after the rebel group signed a peace deal.
• CHAD-SUDAN: Sudanese bombs dropped on Chadian town, three killed IRIN 30 Jan 2004 -- Sudanese bombs fell on the border town of Tine Chad on Thursday morning, instantly killing two Chadian civilians, one of them a two-year-old child, and wounding 15 others. One of the wounded died later in a hospital run by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), following surgery to remove shrapnel.
• UN Investigating Possible Assassination Attempt Against Senior Congo Military Commander VOA 30 Jan 2004 -- The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is investigating a possible assassination attempt against a senior Congolese military commander in the eastern city of Kisangani. General Joseph Padiri, who is in charge of Congo's first united military brigade, says his convoy was attacked with grenades and a rocket launcher late Thursday as it passed through the city.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 30 Jan 2004 -- US, Europe must heal rifts over Iraq - NATO chief / U.S. general foresees increase in Iraqi violence / U.S. military "sure" of catching Bin Laden this year / New NATO head hints about more money for Canadian defense budget / Powell says US to reduce troops, bases in Europe / Declaration on genocide signed in Sweden, but no reference to international court
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 30 Jan 2004 -- NATO Secretary General: "A bruised alliance marches on" / Powell stresses Afghanistan NATO's number one priority

• Castro Accuses Bush of Assassination Plot VOA News 30 Jan 2004 -- Cuban leader Fidel Castro has accused President Bush of plotting with organized crime to kill him.
• India Seems Ready to Release British Gun Runner VOA News 30 Jan 2004 -- India looks ready to release from prison a British citizen convicted of smuggling weapons to rebel groups in the east of the country during the mid-1990s.