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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 12 Mar 2004 [PDF]

• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing from Iraq 12 Mar 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
• Insurgent Attacks Kill Coalition Soldiers, Iraqi Civilians AFPS 12 Mar 2004 -- Two Task Force All American soldiers were killed and another was injured when their vehicle was struck March 11 by an improvised explosive device, Combined Joint Task Force 7 officials reported today.
• Facts Still Unclear in Civilian Employees' Deaths in Iraq AFPS 12 Mar 2004 -- Clear facts have yet to emerge as the FBI and Iraqi police continue investigating the March 9 murder of three Coalitional Provisional Authority workers, two of whom were Americans who worked for the Defense Department, officials reported today in Baghdad.
• MOSUL CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY CENTCOM Release 12 Mar 2004-- For the first time in history, women in Mosul, Iraq, were able to join the rest of the world in celebrating International Women's Day Monday. International Women's Day, commemorated by the United Nations in 1911, serves as a day to recognize coordinated efforts of women everywhere for equal rights and political and economic equality.

• AFGHANISTAN TURKEY KIDNAPPING VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- Afghanistan's security forces have rescued two Turkish engineers and their interpreter, who were kidnapped in December. V-O-A's Michael Kitchen reports from neighboring Pakistan, Afghan officials say two kidnappers were killed in the operation and two policemen slightly injured.
• Afghanistan: U.S. Forces Take 'Hammer And Anvil' Approach To Spring Offensive RFE/RL 12 Mar 2004 -- Pentagon officials have described their planned spring offensive against Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters as a "hammer and an anvil." The description suggests part of the operation will be aimed at capturing or killing Islamic militants along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, while other troops block their escape routes through the mountains.

• Situation Report for Media: Multinational Interim Force-Haiti SOUTHCOM Release 12 Mar 2004 [PDF]--Following are significant events and activities of the Multinational Interim Force (MIF) and Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) -Haiti and associated agencies during the last 24 hours
• U-S-Haiti VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- The U-S State Department says Jamaica should see to it that the planned visit to that country by exiled Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a family visit as stated, and not for politics. The issue figured in phone conversations Friday between Secretary of State Colin Powell and top Jamaican officials.

• PENTAGON/AFRICA TERROR VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- U-S military experts provided critical support this week, as security forces in the African country of Chad clashed with members of a predominantly-Algerian, al-Qaida-linked terrorist group, dealing it a possibly crippling blow.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Building a history: 142nd Engineer Battalion constructs castle as tribute ARCENT News 15 Mar 2004-- With its transfer of authority having taken place March 5 and with its redeployment orders ready at hand, the 142nd Engineer Battalion, a National Guard unit based out of Fargo, N.D., is leaving its legacy in the shape of a red castle.
• Security during the transition of forces: How to protect yourself and your belongings ARCENT News 15 Mar 2004-- As the number of troops on post increases, the statistical probability of crime also increases. Practicing simple safety measures will help you avoid becoming a statistic.
• Special Operations Takes Front-Line Role in Anti-Terror War AFPS 12 Mar 2004 -- U.S. special operations troops have become a key military weapon in the war on terrorism, DoD's top special operations official told U.S. House of Representatives' members here March 11.
• USS Blue Ridge, Seventh Fleet visit Nagoya 7th Fleet Release 12 Mar 2004-- USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) arrived here for a routine port visit March 12.
• Brownlee: Changing environment increases need for force protection gear Army News Service 12 Mar 2004-- The Army continues to meet its Operation Iraqi Freedom force protection equipment requirements in a timely manner and Congress is helping to do that, the Army's top leadership recently told some of the nation's top lawmakers.
• V CORPS OFFICIALLY WELCOMES ITS HEADQUARTERS BATTALION HOME FROM OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM V Corps Release 12 Mar 2004-- Families, friends and colleagues gathered in the Casablanca Room on Campbell Barracks here March 12 to celebrate the official return of V Corps' Special Troops Battalion from its yearlong deployment in Southwest Asia.
• JFK To Make Pensacola Port Visit Navy Newsstand 12 Mar 2004-- The aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) will make a four-day port visit to Pensacola, Fla., starting March 17.
• Review Highlights Success of HIV/AIDS Prevention in African Militaries Navy Newsstand 12 Mar 2004-- Naval Health Research Center San Diego hosted a program review Feb. 18-19 in Washington, D.C., to highlight the successes of the DoD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP).
• SWAMI searches Ft. Hase beach Marine Corps News 12 Mar 2004-- Researchers from Science and Technology International (STI) dug in deep at Ft. Hase Beach aboard MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, recently, for the advanced testing of a new mine-finding apparatus, which allows for airborne reconnaissance and recognition of mine fields and other hidden dangers that could await American troops in times of conflict.
• HMH-463 gives "thumbs up" to new NBC doctrine Marine Corps News 12 Mar 2004-- Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 took the lead in assisting the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare Defense section of Marine Aircraft Group 24 by validating some procedures that could become doctrine for CH-53 helicopter squadrons in the future.

• Two S.Korean fighter jets clash over Yellow Sea PLA Daily 12 Mar 2004 -- Two South Korean air force fighter jets collided in mid-air off the west coast Thursday, Air Force officials said. The fate of the pilots were not known.

• State Department Noon Briefing, March 12, 2004 Washington File 12 Mar 2004 -- Chad, Spain, Middle East, Israel/Palestinians, Saudi Arabia, Haiti, Korea, China, Colombia, Iran, Iraq, Chile

Defense Industry

• Lockheed Martin and Titan Announce Delay of Titan Stockholders' Meeting Lockheed Martin 12 Mar 2004 -- Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) and The Titan Corporation (NYSE: TTN) announced today that Titan has agreed to delay until Monday, April 12, 2004, the vote of its stockholders on the pending merger with Lockheed Martin in order to continue the previously announced review of payments involving Titan's international consultants and the related government investigations. Titan intends to convene the meeting as scheduled at 9:30 a.m., Pacific time, on March 16, 2004 solely for the purpose of adjourning the meeting until April 12, 2004.
• Northrop Grumman and Romania Sign Memorandum of Understanding Northrop Grumman 12 Mar 2004 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has finalized a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of National Defense of Romania to pursue a variety of defense-related activities.
• Oshkosh Truck’s Robotic Truck Qualifies For Pentagon’s $1 Million Desert Race Oshkosh 12 Mar 2004 -- Oshkosh Truck Corporation [NYSE: OSK], a leading manufacturer of specialty trucks and truck bodies, today announced its robotic truck, known as TerraMax, qualified late yesterday to compete in the $1 million DARPA Grand Challenge, a robotic race across the Mojave Desert sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense’s internal think tank for future technology, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
• Samsung Thales wins Korean missile contract worth around '470M Thales 12 Mar 2004 -- At the end of 2003, Samsung Thales was awarded a contract worth around '470m for the Search and Tracking System (STS) for the second batch of the Korean Short-Range Anti-Air Missiles (K-SAM). This contract award confirms Samsung Thales' position as a leading high-tech company and reinforces its leadership in air defense. In 1999, Samsung Thales won a previous contract worth '330m for KSAM Batch 1.
• Northrop Grumman Files Second Protest About Air Force Choice for Distributed Common Ground System Upgrade Program Northrop Grumman 12 Mar 2004 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has initiated a second protest over the award by the U.S. Air Force's Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., of a $157 million contract to a competitor for the modernization and upgrade of the Air Force's existing Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS).

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 12 Mar 2004
• KENYA / SOMALIA PEACE VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- Kenya says the formal launch of a new government for Somalia has been delayed because Somali leaders continue to bicker over how to implement the agreement. The announcement came at the end of a meeting of East African foreign ministers in Nairobi on Friday.
• SOMALIA: IGAD ministers discuss peace process IRIN 12 Mar 2004 -- Foreign ministers of member states of the regional grouping, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), were meeting in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on Friday to discuss the Somali peace talks.
• KENYA / SOMALIA PEACE VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- East African foreign ministers say Somali leaders are needlessly delaying the country's peace process and jeopardizing international financial aid.

• U-N/LIBERIA VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- The U-N Security Council has approved a U-S draft resolution freezing all assets of the exiled former Liberian leader, Charles Taylor. From U-N headquarters, Peter Heinlein reports, Mr. Taylor is also facing war crimes charges.
• Security Council orders assets of ex-Liberia leader Charles Taylor frozen UN News Centre 12 Mar 2004 -- The United Nations Security Council today ordered all governments to freeze the assets of former Liberian leader Charles Taylor and his immediate family and barred them from using "misappropriated funds and property" to obstruct the restoration of peace and stability in Liberia and the West African sub-region.
• LIBERIA / U-N VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- The U-N mission in Liberia has been carrying out what are called sensitization campaigns in remote areas to prepare civilians and former fighters for the deployment of peacekeepers and the disarmament of former fighters.

• Khartoum Support of Ethnic Cleansing in Darfur Jeopardizing Peace Washington File 12 Mar 2004 -- U.S. lawmakers agreed with top U.S. government officials March 11 that the Sudan government's support of ethnic cleansing in the country's western Darfur region is jeopardizing a peace process that has been making good progress and that the U.S. Government recently paid $4 million to facilitate.
• SUDAN: US officials outraged by Darfur crisis, praise peace process IRIN 12 Mar 2004 -- Top US officials have expressed outrage at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the continued restriction of aid workers from reaching the war-torn Darfur region of western Sudan.

• UN envoy to begin separate meetings with parties to Cyprus talks UN News Centre 12 Mar 2004 -- The United Nations envoy for Cyprus indicated to the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders at their meeting today that he intended to begin a series of intensive consultations with each side separately, according to a UN spokesman.
• 'Black box' from Rwanda turned over to UN's top watchdog official UN News Centre 12 Mar 2004 -- A "black box" sent to United Nations Headquarters in New York from Rwanda in 1994 - that was discovered earlier this week and alleged in press reports to be from the downed aircraft carrying the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi - has been turned over to the UN's top watchdog official.
• IVORY COAST / U-S VOA 12 Mar 2004 -- The U-S Embassy in Ivory Coast has expressed concern about the country's political impasse, and called on President Laurent Gbagbo to work with all parties to move forward in the peace process.
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY CAMEROON–NIGERIA MIXED COMMISSION United Nations 12 Mar 2004

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 12 Mar 2004 -- NATO chief assures Baltics of air space patrols / Purported al-Qaeda letter claims Spain bombings / Experts examine ways to better coordinate global fight against terrorists / New premier scales down rhetoric against UN war crimes tribunal / U.S. diplomat says Iran boosts aid to militants / French ambassador named as Georgian foreign minister

• Russia: Moscow, Qatar In Heated Standoff Over Yandarbiev Assassination RFE/RL 12 Mar 2004 -- Tensions are rising between Russia and the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, which are engaged in a heated standoff over the fate of two Russian special agents detained in connection with last month's assassination of former Chechen separatist President Zelimkhan Yandarbiev. Moscow says the two men are innocent and is demanding their release. But Qatar -- which recently passed legislation mandating the death penalty in all murder cases -- is standing firm.
• W3A spacecraft ready for launch EADS 12 Mar 2004 -- Designed and built by EADS Astrium for EUTELSAT, the W3A spacecraft, the first of the Eurostar E3000 series, is scheduled for launch on a PROTON launch vehicle from Baikonur on 16 March 2004 at 04:07 (00:07 CET time). When in orbit, it will provide a full range of services in Ku and Ka-bands, to include business communications and Internet and television transmission over a large area covering Europe and Africa, from its 7° degree East orbit location.