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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 09 Mar 2004 [PDF]

• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing 09 Mar 2004 -- Dan Senor, Coalition Provisional Authority Senior Advisor; and Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, Deputy Director for Coalition
• Transcript: Operational Update from the Multinational Brigade Commander 09 Mar 2004 -- Army Brig. Gen. Carter F. Ham, Commander, Task Force Olympia
• Transcript: Defense Department Operational Update Briefing 09 Mar 2004 -- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Peter Pace, U.S. Marine Corps, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• 4ID, TF IRONHORSE CAPTURE SUSPECTS, CONFISCATE WEAPONS CENTCOM Release 09 Mar 2004-- 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse conducted 194 patrols and eight raids and captured 49 individuals Sunday and Monday.
• Task Force Commander Says Insurgents 'Desperate, Isolated' AFPS 09 Mar 2004 -- Insurgents operating against the coalition and Iraqi security forces have become "desperate and isolated" in their attempts to stop progress, the commander of the latest task force to arrive in Iraq said today.

• U.S. Says It Takes Seriously Allegations of Abuse in Afghanistan Washington File 09 Mar 2004 -- Following is the official answer to a question taken at the March 8 regular State Department briefing; the answer was posted later in the day
• Afghanistan: Rights Activists Temper U.S. Picture Of Progress For Women RFE/RL 09 Mar 2004 -- The plight of women topped the agenda in many countries yesterday as International Women's Day was observed across the globe. But in few nations is the situation for women as dire as in Afghanistan.
• Afghanistan: Reporter's Notebook -- Buildup For U.S. Offensive No Secret RFE/RL 09 Mar 2004 -- Pentagon officials confirmed weeks ago that a spring offensive is planned against suspected Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

• HAITI VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- A U-S backed advisory panel has chosen a new prime minister for Haiti.The move comes as multi-national troops in Haiti say they will soon begin disarmament operations in Haiti.
• PENTAGON / HAITI VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- A top U-S military official says U-S Marines in Haiti acted properly to defend themselves in a shooting incident that left one Haitian dead and another wounded.
• Pace Defends Marine Actions in Haiti, Provides Update AFPS 09 Mar 2004 -- U.S. Marines in Haiti who shot and killed an armed Haitian and wounded another in Port-au-Prince on March 8 operated "well within the rules of engagement," the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Pentagon reporters today.
• UN appeals for $35 million in emergency humanitarian funds for Haiti UN News Centre 09 Mar 2004 -- The United Nations today launched an emergency "Flash Appeal" for $35 million to meet the medical and nutritional needs of 3 million Haitians over the next six months.
• U-N/HAITI ASSESSMENT VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- A United Nations assessment team arrives in Haiti tomorrow/today (eds. Wednesday) to prepare for peacekeeping operations due to begin in June. Security in the Haitian capital remains a critical concern.
• U-N / HAITI VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- The United Nations on Tuesday issued an urgent appeal for emergency aid to Haiti to help Haitians who are affected by political turmoil.
• FRANCE/HAITI VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- France said Tuesday that former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned from office, and that the constitutional process was respected.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DoD Announces WMD-CST Fielding Plan 09 Mar 2004 -- The Department of Defense notified Congress today the fielding plan for 12 additional Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Teams (WMD-CSTs). Congress directed the establishment of 23 additional teams in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY03 and funded the establishment of the first 12 in the Defense Appropriations Act for FY04. Currently, there are 32 certified teams.
• EUCOM Deputy: Al Qaeda 'Has An Interest In North Africa' AFPS 09 Mar 2004 -- Al Qaeda operatives flushed out of Afghanistan and other locales have likely cast their eyes on the continent of Africa as a source for new recruits and funding, a senior U.S. military officer said March 8.
• PENTAGON/AFRICA TERROR VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- A senior U-S military commander indicates the Pentagon may be considering possible new options for tackling the terrorist problem in the desert wastelands of West Africa.
• Joint and Expeditionary focus: Army gets there fast, but not alone Army News Service 09 Mar 2004-- The Army's chief and acting secretary were asked by a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee if seamen and airmen were being requested to perform Army duties in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Convoy exercises sending live rounds downrange Army News Service 09 Mar 2004-- Many commands across the Army are now offering convoy training to prepare Soldiers for the dangers they may face in Iraq.
• ESG 2 Participates in Bilateral Exercise Navy Newsstand 09 Mar 2004-- U.S. Sailors and Marines assigned to Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 2 are participating in Adriatic PHIBLEX 04-5 off the coast of Albania March 8-12.
• Naval Reserve Celebrates Birthday with an Eye on the Future Navy Newsstand 09 Mar 2004-- This year may be the last birthday for the Naval Reserve as it is known today. That's the message heard by Naval Reservists, their families and friends as they converged on the U.S. Navy Memorial March 6 to celebrate 89 years of service.
• Higgins makes port visit to Sydney 7th Fleet Release 09 Mar 2004-- USS Higgins (DDG 76) arrived here March 9 for a well-earned rest following an active deployment to the War On Terrorism.
• Boxer makes port visit to Goa 7th Fleet Release 09 Mar 2004-- USS Boxer (LHD 4) arrived here March 9 for its first port visit after participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Arabian Gulf.
• African Militaries Partnering with U.S. to Combat Terror Washington File 09 Mar 2004 -- Africa is making progress in the war on terrorism with the help of the United States, but that effort could be undercut by the spread of HIV/AIDS among militaries, says the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) deputy commander, Air Force General Charles Wald.

• PENTAGON / GUANTANAMO VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the United States did what he termed "a good thing" in holding five suspected British terrorists for two years at the Guantanamo detention center at a U-S base in Cuba. But Mr. Rumsfeld also says their release Tuesday was appropriate.
• Afghanistan: Advocates Urge U.S. To Try Or Release Guantanamo Prisoners RFE/RL 09 Mar 2004 -- For two years, about 650 suspected Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters have been held at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The United States says they are foreign combatants who may be legally held without charge until the ongoing war against terrorism is over. Human rights advocates say the detentions are unlawful because the prisoners have no access to lawyers and only a very few have been formally charged. Now, a coalition of activists is pressing Washington to grant the Guantanamo inmates trials and release those for whom there is no evidence of wrongdoing.

• White House Daily Briefing, March 9, 2004 Washington File 09 Mar 2004 -- 9/11 commission, black American votes/election, memorial/fundraiser, Greece/new prime minister, outsourcing/trade, Guantanamo Bay/British detainees, North Korea, campaign ads, public corruption, Hans Blix comments
• State Department Noon Briefing, March 9, 2004 Washington File 09 Mar 2004 -- Indonesia, Iran, Syria, Israel/Palestinians, Jordan, Iraq/South Korea, Iraq, Cuba, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, China, South Asia, Cyprus

• NATO: Secretary-General Discusses Afghanistan, Greater Middle East, And Alliance's Expansion RFE/RL 09 Mar 2004 -- NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer reaffirmed the alliance's long-term commitment to Afghanistan. However, he distanced NATO from involvement in the country's most acute problem, the rampant drug trade. De Hoop Scheffer also voiced qualified support for the U.S. Greater Middle East initiative, and spoke on NATO-Russia relations in light of the alliance's impending expansion.

Defense Industry

• ATK Awarded Additional $24.6 Million Small-Caliber Ammunition Order ATK 09 Mar 2004 -- ATK (Alliant Techsystems, NYSE: ATK), the nation’s largest supplier of ammunition, has received a $24.6 million order from the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command (JMC), Rock Island, Ill., to supply small-caliber ammunition to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
• U.S. Marine Corps, Air National Guard Field First LITENING Advanced Targeting Systems Northrop Grumman 09 Mar 2004 -- Pilots serving with the U.S. Marine Corps and Air National Guard are the first to benefit from the new, enhanced capabilities of the LITENING Advanced Targeting (AT) system from Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC).

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 09 Mar 2004
• PRESS BRIEFING BY EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR United Nations 09 Mar 2004
• UN holds training course to promote idea of more French-speaking peacekeepers UN News Centre 09 Mar 2004 -- The United Nations has stepped up its campaign to meet the growing demand for French-speaking peacekeepers, with missions in Côte d'Ivoire, Haiti and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) either proposed or expanding.
• Sudanese leaders welcome role of UN as envoy continues talks in region UN News Centre 09 Mar 2004 -- The leaders of Sudan's Government and a key rebel group have hailed the role of the United Nations in their country during talks with UN envoy Mohamed Sahnoun, who is currently touring East Africa.
• Date for referenda on Cyprus set for 20 April - UN UN News Centre 09 Mar 2004 -- To facilitate preparations for the conduct of referenda on each side, the top United Nations adviser on Cyprus has informed the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders that the date for a referendum has been set for 20 April, according to the UN mission in the country.
• SERBIA / WAR CRIMES VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- The trial of six Serbs accused of committing war crimes more than 12 years ago in Croatia has opened in Belgrade. This is the first major war crimes trial held in Serbia.
• POWELL-JORDAN VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell and his Jordanian counterpart, Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher, said Tuesday there are still many unanswered questions about Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plans for a pullout from Gaza. It was announced that a senior U-S diplomatic team is leaving for Israel Wednesday to pursue the issue further.
• DRC: Gen Nabyolwa recalled to Kinshasa for "consultations" IRIN 09 Mar 2004 -- The commander of the 10th military region in South Kivu Province of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported to his superiors in the nation's capital on the recent fighting in Bukavu. The UN Mission in the DRC, known as MONUC, escorted him to Kinshasa on Monday.
• ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Border deadlock might get "dangerous", says Annan IRIN 09 Mar 2004 -- Escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea are threatening their current military stability, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned on Monday. He said there had been a "gradual deterioration" in cooperation between the two countries and the 4,000 UN peacekeepers in the region.
• CONGO: Brazzaville rejects rebel leader's demands IRIN 09 Mar 2004 -- The government of the Republic of Congo has rejected demands made in late January by the rebel Ninja leader, the Rev Frederic Bitsangou, alias Pastor Ntoumi, saying they were above and beyond a 17 March 2003 accord meant to restore peace to the country's southeastern Pool Department.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says he expects to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah in the next few days. But aides for both leaders would not confirm that the two are to meet.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 09 Mar 2004 -- NATO commander says maritime security is weak link / NATO cutting away Karadzic protectors / Serbia's new prime minister calls for 'decentralization' of Kosovo / UN Kosovo chief says partition not on table / Albania and U.S. to hold joint military exercises / EU holds talks with China ahead of expected decision on arms embargo / U.S. and Europe split on Iran's failure to previously declare some nuclear activities
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 09 Mar 2004 -- Daily: U.S. and EU in dispute on control of Bosnia force / UN secretary general eyes NATO help in African peacekeeping / NATO releases Bosnian Serb wartime defense minister / Skopje to elect President Trajkovski's successor in April

• ZIMBABWE/PLANE VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- Zimbabwean authorities say it appears the final destination of the 64 men aboard a U-S registered plane seized Sunday in Harare was not Zimbabwe. Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi also announced the suspected mercenaries were mainly Angolans, South Africans and Namibians.