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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 24 Feb 2004 [PDF]

• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing from Iraq 24 Feb 2004 -- Participating were Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of operations, Combined Joint Task Force 7, and Dan Senor, senior advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority
• Coalition Raids Lead to Several Captures AFPS 24 Feb 2004 -- Coalition forces acting on a tip by Iraqis captured a known associate of Izzat Ibrahim al-Dhouri, Coalition Provisional Authority officials announced today.
• TASK FORCE OLYMPIA COLLECTS MORE THAN 5,000 MUNITIONS, DETAINS 21 IN ONE WEEK CENTCOM Release 24 Feb 2004-- During operations conducted from Feb. 15 through Feb. 22, soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, under the operational control of Task Force Olympia, collected more than 5,000 weapons and explosives and detained 21 suspects in connection with anti-Coalition activities.

• U.S.-Trained Afghan Army and Police Assuming Greater Responsibility Washington File 24 Feb 2004 -- Afghans are assuming increased responsibility for the security of their country as security experts from the United States and Europe provide training to Afghan Police and Afghan National Army (ANA) personnel. At the same time, Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense is rebuilding the military's physical infrastructure.
• Pak army launches operation against foreign suspects IRNA 24 Feb 2004 -- Pakistan army on Tuesday launched major operation in remote tribal areas, bordering Afghanistan, to capture al-Qaeda and Taliban suspects, believed to be hiding there, an army spokesman said.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Two Guantanamo Detainees Charged 24 Feb 2004 -- The Department of Defense announced today that Guantanamo detainees Ali Hamza Ahmed Sulayman al Bahlul of Yemen and Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi of Sudan have been charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes and will be tried by military commission.
• PENTAGON/DETAINEES VOA 24 Feb 2004 -- The Defense Department says two terrorist suspects held at the U-S detainee facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba have been charged with conspiracy and will be the first to face a special military trial.
• Guantanamo Detainees Charged With Conspiracy to Commit War Crimes AFPS 24 Feb 2004 -- Two detainees at the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes and will be tried by military commission, a judge advocate spokesman said here today.

• PENTAGON/CLIMATE VOA 24 Feb 2004 -- The Pentagon is downplaying the significance of a report it commissioned on the potentially devastating impact of global climate change.
• Army to reset into modular brigade-centric force Army News Service 24 Feb 2004-- Under Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker's "modularity" focus area, the 33 maneuver brigades in today's active-component Army will be reset into 43 to 48 brigades. The Army will be temporarily "plussed up" by 30,000 troops to fill the added brigades, officials said.
• Transcript: Background Briefing on Uzbekistan 24 Feb 2004 -- "Our next stop is Uzbekistan. We'll be going from the airport, kind of take a little windshield tour on the way to meet with the government. The first meeting will be with the Foreign Minister, the President -- do you need the names? Because I'll run through it. Okay, you know that. Foreign Minister, President, Minister of Defense, possibly the National Security Advisor, that's not clear, and the Prime Minister. I think he'll probably be in that meeting. "
• UZBEKISTAN / RUMSFELD VOA 24 Feb 2004 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld flew into Uzbekistan (Tuesday) for three days of talks on security in Central Asia and Afghanistan. As V-O-A's Lisa McAdams in Moscow reports human-rights concerns are also expected to figure in the defense secretary's discussions with President Islam Karimov.
• Defense Secretary Thanks 'Stalwart' Uzbekistan for Support in War on Terror AFPS 24 Feb 2004 -- Expressing America's gratitude for Uzbekistan's help in the war on terror, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld met here today with key leaders of this former Soviet republic.
• Blue Ridge, Seventh Fleet visit Shanghai 7th Fleet Release 24 Feb 2004-- USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) arrived here for a regularly scheduled port visit Feb. 24.
• 13th MEU (SOC) Completes Wash Down in Guam Marine Corps News 24 Feb 2004-- Marines and Sailors currently deployed with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) completed their agricultural wash down after several days cleaning, Feb. 18. The wash down completion is one of the MEU's final missions before arriving on U.S. soil early next month.

• White House Daily Briefing, February 24, 2004 Washington File 24 Feb 2004 -- Statement by the President, Constitutional amendment/gay marriage, Haiti, Osama bin Laden, Libya, Patriot Act/terrorists in U.S.
• State Department Noon Briefing, February 24, 2004 Washington File 24 Feb 2004 -- Iraq, Libya, Haiti, Mexico, Malaysia

• Remarks by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer At the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, Brussels NATO 24 Feb 2004

• Egyptian army leader meets Chinese military delegation PLA Daily 24 Feb 2004 -- Hamdy Weheba, chief of staff of the Egyptian armed forces, met with a Chinese military delegation hereon Sunday.
• 2 die in Japanese choppers crash PLA Daily 24 Feb 2004 -- Two helicopters of Japan's Self-Defense Forces crashed Monday morning following a collision in midair, two died from injury in the hospital.

• PARTIAL VOLUNTEER MILITARY TO BE GRADUALLY IMPLEMENTED: MND CNA 24 Feb 2004 -- The Ministry of National Defense will adjust the nation's military service system in a gradual manner, with a goal of enlisting 60 percent of volunteers for military service by 2012, a senior official said Tuesday.
• MILITARY TO BE ON 39-HOUR HEIGHTENED ALERT ON ELECTION DAY: MND CNA 24 Feb 2004 -- The armed forces will be on a 39-hour heightened alert to help maintain domestic law and order before, during and after the presidential election on March 20, a military spokesman said Tuesday.
• DEFENSE MINISTRY EXPLAINS RECRUITMENT AND CONSCRIPTION POLICY CNA 24 Feb 2004 -- A spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense explained Tuesday the factors involved in charting the nation's military service system in response to presidential candidate Lien Chan's call to make significant changes.

Defense Industry

• BAE SYSTEMS To Supply Reconnaissance System To Royal Air Force Of Oman BAE Systems 24 Feb 2004 -- BAE Systems has been awarded a contract to supply Advanced Airborne Reconnaissance Systems, ground processing capability, and integrated logistics support to the Royal Air Force of Oman. The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract was issued by Aeronautical Systems Center of Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.
• Boeing Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System Wins $66 Million Contract Boeing 24 Feb 2004 -- The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] a $66 million contract for the fourth low-rate initial production (LRIP) of Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS).
• GE's T700/CT7 Engine Family Maintains Its Strong Position in the Military and Civil Markets GE Aviation 24 Feb 2004 -- GE's T700/CT7 turboshaft and turboprop engines, with an installed base exceeding 12,000 engines, continue as the preeminent engines in their class. Powering 19 types of civil and military helicopters, plus regional airliners, military transports, and multipurpose aircraft, the engines have operated for over 40 million flight-hours, including service in the Iraqi Freedom campaign.
• GE Aircraft Engines Completes Qualification Testing on F110-GE-132 GE Aviation 24 Feb 2004 -- GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE) has formally completed all qualification testing of its higher-thrust F110 fighter engine, the F110-GE-132, for the Lockheed Martin Block 60 F-16E/F aircraft.
• Israel Aircraft Industries to Demonstrate HERON/EAGLE UAV at Asian Aerospace 2004 Israel Aerospace Industries 24 Feb 2004 -- Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI)'s Malat Division will demonstrate the Heron/Eagle Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at the Asian Aerospace 2004 exhibition, taking place in Singapore, February 24-29, 2004.
• Lockheed Martin Submittal of Joint Common Missile Final Proposal Revision Emphasizes Risk Reduction Accomplishments Lockheed Martin 24 Feb 2004 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] submitted its final proposal revision to the U.S. Army for a new air-to-ground Joint Common Missile (JCM) for deployment aboard U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft. The final submittal included updates based on recent milestones achieved in an extensive company-funded Risk Reduction initiative.
• RAFAEL to install ConNect at IAF C2 Centers Rafael 24 Feb 2004 -- RAFAEL Armament Development Authority Ltd. has been declared a winner in an Israel Ministry of Defense tender for the development and deployment of a major C4I system to the Israeli Air Force Command and Control (C&C) Centers.
• Lockheed Martin Taps Harris Corporation For Key Role On Space Based Radar Team Lockheed Martin 24 Feb 2004 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has chosen Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) to be a key member of its team pursing a U.S. Air Force contract to develop the Space Based Radar (SBR) system.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 24 Feb 2004
• HAITI UNREST VOA 24 Feb 2004 -- Haiti's president appealed Tuesday for the world to come to Haiti's aid, warning that a rebel uprising could lead to thousands of deaths and a wave of boat people.

• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS VOA 24 Feb 2004 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says his country will not give in to what he calls the hypocrisy being perpetrated against Israel at the World Court in The Hague. The Prime Minister lashed out at the proceedings currently underway at the court over the legality of the barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank.
• SHARON / PALESTINIANS VOA 24 Feb 2004 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has lashed out at his Palestinian counterpart, and says he will never be able to reach a peace agreement with the current Palestinian government.

• SOMALIA: Plenary endorses agreement as talks move to final phase IRIN 24 Feb 2004 -- The Somali national reconciliation conference has entered its third and final phase, during which the selection of future parliamentarians and the formation of an interim government will begin, according to a source from the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), under whose auspices the talks are being held.
• SOMALIA/PEACE TALKS VOA 24 Feb 2004 -- Several factions in the Somali peace talks have said they will not take part until Ethiopia rejoins the talks.

• Western Sahara: Annan welcomes release of 100 Moroccan prisoners-of-war UN News Centre 24 Feb 2004 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan hailed today's release by the Frente POLISARIO group in Western Sahara of another 100 Moroccan prisoners-of-war.
• ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Axworthy departs from region without meeting Isayas IRIN 24 Feb 2004 -- UN Special Envoy Lloyd Axworthy expressed disappointment on Monday after failing to visit Eritrea at the start of his peacekeeping mission. He described Eritrea as the "missing voice" in his efforts to overcome the stalled three-year peace process between it and neighbouring Ethiopia.
• DRC: 15,000 Kitenge residents flee May-Mayi militia IRIN 24 Feb 2004 -- At least 15,000 people have fled the village of Kitenge in the southern province of Katanga, where Mayi-Mayi militiamen have killed 100 people since 1 January, local human rights official told IRIN.
• GREAT LAKES: Gov't pledges to support regional peace efforts IRIN 24 Feb 2004 -- The government of the Central African Republic (CAR) has pledged support for the success of the UN Great Lakes conference on peace and security due to convene in Tanzania in November, Ibrahima Fall, the UN secretary-general's special representative for the Great Lakes Region, said on Monday.
• NAMIBIA/TREASON TRIAL VOA 24 Feb 2004 -- Police in Namibia have re-arrested 13 people freed Monday, after being held on charges of high treason. A judge ruled that the men were illegally extradited from Botswana and Zambia to stand trial for a 1999 secessionist uprising in the Caprivi strip.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 24 Feb 2004 -- UN chief says security needed for a return to Iraq / Deal with Iraqis on status of U.S. forces will be delayed until July, Iraqi leaders say / EU foreign ministers worried by Serbia's direction / Britain finances dismantling of two Russian nuclear subs / Australia spending A$62 million to upgrade radar system that could be used in U.S. missile defense shield
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 24 Feb 2004 -- Gen. Jones' trip to Cameroon noted / UN official urges NATO to bolster forces in Afghanistan / NATO ceremony to welcome seven new members expected April 2 / Defense Ministry: "NATO spy plane flew near Russia's western border" / U.S. accepts German "no" on troops for Iraq