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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 13 Apr 2004 [PDF]
• One 1st Infantry Division Soldier Killed, One Wounded; One Contractor Wounded [CJTF-7 News Release] April 13, 2004
• DoD Identifes Marine Casualty
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing 13 Apr 2004 -- Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, Deputy Director, Coalition Operations; and Daniel Senor, Senior Adviser, CPA
• BICmd augments provide ongoing support for OIF II Marine Corps News 13 Apr 2004-- Blount Island Command's mission focuses on the planning, equipment attainment, maintenance and sustainment of all Maritime Prepositioning Force and Geographic Prepositioning Force requirements.
• ATTACKS ON HUMANITARIAN AID TO FALLUJAH CENTCOM Release 13 Apr 2004-- Convoys of humanitarian relief to the people of Fallujah were blocked or delayed by attacks over the last few days.
• Marines suspend Fallujah offensive, push humanitarian aid Marine Corps News 13 Apr 2004-- Marines from the 1st Marine Division held their positions in and around Fallujah as the Iraqi Governing Council worked to broker a bilateral cease-fire with leaders in the city.
• Agencies Work Together to Find Hostages in Iraq AFPS 13 Apr 2004 -- Coalition officials said today the whereabouts of as many as 40 hostages in Iraq from 12 countries are unknown.
• Fallujah Stable, 'Robust' Manhunt for Zarqawi Under Way AFPS 13 Apr 2004 -- The security situation in Fallujah, Iraq, remains stable, and coalition forces there are engaged in a "robust hunt" for al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, believed to be in or near the city, coalition officials said today.
• U.S. Forces Release Al-Sadr Aide After Interrogation RFE/RL 13 Apr 2004 -- U.S. forces today released a senior aide of radical Shi'ite leader Moqtada al-Sadr after interrogating him for several hours, international media reported.
• Fighting Breaks Out Again In Al-Fallujah RFE/RL 13 Apr 2004 -- A delicate cease-fire in the Iraqi city of Al-Fallujah broke today.
• IRAQ / KIDNAPPINGS VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- At least 30 civilians of various nationalities have been kidnapped in Iraq in recent days. Military experts in the Middle East see the taking of hostages as a tactic aimed at gaining negotiating leverage with the United States and its coalition allies.
• IRAQ SITREP VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- In Iraq, the F-B-I is involved in trying to secure the release of civilians from 12 countries who have been taken hostage by Iraqi insurgents. Four Italian security guards are the latest foreigners to be reported abducted, while nine Americans still remain unaccounted for. U-S officials in Baghdad say acts of terrorism may increase as the June 30th date for a handover of Iraqi sovereignty draws near.
• Iraq: Kidnapping Of Foreign Civilians Escalates RFE/RL 13 Apr 2004 -- The wave of kidnappings in Iraq by suspected anti-coalition insurgents is escalating with confirmed abductions of Russian and Ukrainian workers and suspected kidnappings of civilians from the United States and the Czech Republic.
• Iraq: U.S. Signals Willingness For Negotiations RFE/RL 13 Apr 2004 -- The U.S. -- through local interlocutors -- is reported to be involved in preliminary talks to end fighting in both the central Sunni and southern Shi'a parts of Iraq. This appears to mark a shift in U.S. policy. Until twin insurgencies flared last week, U.S. officials appeared not to even know whom they were facing in Iraq -- whether they be Hussein loyalists, Ba'athists, international terrorists, or someone else. There was never any talk of holding talks.
• Russians, Ukrainians Released From Captivity In Iraq RFE/RL 13 Apr 2004 -- Russian officials say five Ukrainian and three Russian employees of an energy firm who were kidnapped in Iraq are now free.
• Al-Sadr Aide Arrested As U.S. Troops Mass In Al-Najaf RFE/RL 13 Apr 2004 -- A top aide to radical Shi'ite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was arrested today in Baghdad, as U.S. troops gathered on the outskirts of the holy city of Al-Najaf, where al-Sadr is believed to be based.
• More Hostages Taken In Iraq As Crisis Deepens RFE/RL 13 Apr 2004 -- The Italian Foreign Ministry today said four Italian civilians have been missing in Iraq since yesterday.
• U-S / IRAQ / SECURITY VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- The top U-S commander in Iraq, General John Abizaid has asked the Pentagon for up to 10-thousand more troops to help deal with insurgents. Many analysts and politicians in Washington say U-S hopes for democracy in Iraq are doomed unless the country's security needs are met. Several foreign affairs experts have said that increasing troop strength is long overdue.
• In face of convoy ambushes, Marines keep on trucking in Fallujah Marine Corps News 13 Apr 2004-- As Marines strive to regain control here, one motor transportation company leads the charge through continuous ambushes hell-bent on cutting logistics lines feeding front-line troops engaged in Operation Vigilant Resolve.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Actionable Intelligence relies on every Soldier Army News Service 13 Apr 2004-- Actionable Intelligence means providing commanders and Soldiers a high level of situational understanding, delivered with speed, accuracy and timeliness, in order to conduct successful operations, according to the charter of the focus area task force on the subject.
• Initiatives seek to transform Army intelligence capabilities Army News Service 13 Apr 2004-- While more than 100 fixes are already in place to boost Army intelligence capabilities in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, more initiatives are on the way.
• ATF trains military on post-blast investigations Army News Service 13 Apr 2004-- Military members who specialize in the explosive ordnance disposal field will get the chance to enhance their skills from their civilian counterparts.
• Wasp Enjoys Liberty Port Visit in Jebel Ali Navy Newsstand 13 Apr 2004-- After being out to sea for a month, the crew of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) enjoyed a port visit to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, April 5-8.
• GW's Easter in Arabian Gulf Navy Newsstand 13 Apr 2004-- USS George Washington (CVN 73) Sailors celebrated Easter with a colorful holiday of fellowship and gratefulness April 11.
• Truman Wins East Coast Battle 'E' Navy Newsstand 13 Apr 2004-- April 7, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) was awarded the East Coast Battle Efficiency Award by Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic Fleet, for the calendar year 2003.
• USS Hyman G. Rickover Returns from Deployment Navy Newsstand 13 Apr 2004-- The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709) returned to Norfolk Naval Station April 10 after a six-month deployment.
• Saipan ESG Conducts Group Sail Navy Newsstand 13 Apr 2004-- USS Saipan (LHA 2), commanded by Capt. Christopher Hase, along with the surface ships that will make up the Saipan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), took a major step in learning to work together as a team, conducting a Group Sail March 15-19.
• Blue Ridge earns second consecutive Battle "E" 7th Fleet Release 13 Apr 2004-- USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) earned the Battle Efficiency Award for the second year in a row March 31. The award recognizes a ship for superior performance and a day-to-day demonstration of excellence.

• AIR FORCE PILOTS FORCED TO LAND F-5F ON BELLY CNA 13 Apr 2004 -- The pilot and co-pilot of an ROC Air Force F-5F jet fighter were forced to land their plane on its belly Tuesday morning at an air base in central Taiwan when the plane's landing gear failed to open, the Air Force General Headquarters reported.

• State Department Noon Briefing, April 13, 2004 Washington File 13 Apr 2004 -- Cyprus/Greece/Turkey, Iraq, Vietnam, Israel/Palestinians, Burma, North Korea, Sudan

Defense Industry

• General Dynamics Awarded $9.8 Million Demilitarization Delivery Order General Dynamics 13 Apr 2004 -- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a delivery order valued at $9.8 million for the demilitarization of nine families of conventional ammunition for the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command, Rock Island, Ill. This order, part of a $66 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, calls for the demilitarization of 6,800 tons of conventional ammunition, including pyrotechnics, bombs, high-explosive cartridges, Explosive D, small-caliber and improved conventional ammunition, bulk propellant, propelling charges and fuzes.
• U.S Navy Awards General Dynamics $7.7 Million Contract Modification for Submarine Maintenance General Dynamics 13 Apr 2004 -- The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) a $7.7 million modification to an existing contract for submarine maintenance and repair work. The initial contract, awarded in October 2001, will be worth $152.9 million over five years if all options are exercised and funded.
• Hamilton Sundstrand to continue to provide electric system for V-22 Osprey Hamilton Sundstrand 13 Apr 2004 -- Hamilton Sundstrand announced today that it has been selected by The Boeing Company to supply the electric power system for Lot 8 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey aircraft.
• Boeing Receives Contract for PAC-3 Seeker Production Boeing 13 Apr 2004 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has received a contract from Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] for additional production of 159 PAC-3 Missile seekers to be manufactured between February 2005 and February 2006. The seekers will be built at the Boeing facility in Huntsville, Alabama. This work is in addition to the current contract for 100 seekers. Terms of the contract will not be disclosed.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 13 Apr 2004
• Annan urges universal adherence to anti-landmine treaty UN News Centre 13 Apr 2004 -- Noting that 50 countries have not yet joined up, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called for the universalization of the global anti-landmine treaty, which will have a major review conference at the end of the year.

• U-S / MIDEAST TALKS VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has arrived in Washington for a critical meeting with President Bush Wednesday on his plan for "disengagement" from the Palestinians. On the eve of the meeting the Bush administration warmly welcomed his proposal for withdrawal from the Gaza strip, but was non-committal on his apparent aim to retain major settlement blocs in the West Bank.
• U-N/KOSOVO VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- A senior United Nations official has accused ethnic Albanian extremists of conducting an organized campaign of violence against minorities in Kosovo last month.
• Delay possible for Cyprus vote, Annan says UN News Centre 13 Apr 2004 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today left open the possibility of delaying the simultaneous referendum on a plan to reunite Cyprus before its entry into the European Union on 1 May, but said the proposal's prospects were "really up to the people."
• COTE D IVOIRE: Northern rebels play down talk of secession IRIN 13 Apr 2004 -- Rebel forces occupying the north of Cote d'Ivoire have played down suggestions that they may declare a state following the latest setback to implementing a year-old peace agreement.
• COLOMBIA / UN VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- The U-N's Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights has criticized the Colombian government for undermining the rule of law, and condemned the ongoing violence and killings by Colombia's rebel and paramilitary groups.
• SUDAN/PEACE TALKS VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- Sudan's foreign affairs minister, Mustafa Ismail, says he is hopeful that his country will wrap up peace talks with Sudan's main rebel group, before a U-S-set deadline of April 21st.
• LIBERIA/DISARMAMENT VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- The United Nations is working to raise funds to assist with job training of rebels in Liberia who hand over their weapons as part of the disarmament campaign due to begin Thursday.
• ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- Israeli forces launched new raids into the West Bank on Tuesday in search of wanted Palestinians, sparking fierce gun battles. The operations came after Israel said it had prevented 10 Palestinian suicide bombings over the Jewish Passover holiday, including one intended to infect victims with AIDS.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 13 Apr 2004 -- Police arrest a war veteran suspected of organizing riots in Kosovo / Serbian government passes draft proposal for Kosovo / Peacekeepers arrest four in Kosovo UN police murder / President Mubarak looks to President Bush for support in promoting reform in Middle East / U.S. needs help of former senior Iraqi military, commanders say
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 13 Apr 2004 -- Putin doubts expanded NATO meets new threats / Putin asks NATO to help build trust / EU-led forces 'could intervene' in Sudan conflict / A coalition showing signs of fracture / Iraqi battalion refuses to 'Fight Iraqis' / US military turns to Saddam's ex-officers

• U-S / ARMENIA UNREST VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- The United States expressed concern Tuesday about rising political tensions in Armenia, where government security forces have dealt harshly with protesters calling for the resignation of President Robert Kocharian.
• BURMA RELEASE VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- Burma's military government has released two senior opposition leaders after nearly one year of house arrest. But the spiritual leader of the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains restricted to her home.
• S-A/F/ELECTIONS VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- South Africans go to the polls Wednesday for their third democratic election. The government has declared voting day a national holiday, so people will have time off to cast their ballots.
• BURMA RELEASE VOA 13 Apr 2004 -- Burma's military government has released two senior opposition leaders after nearly one year of house arrest. But the chairman of the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains restricted to her home.