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Defense Policy / Programs
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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 18 May 2004 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing 18 May 2004 -- Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, Deputy Director for Coalition Operations and Dan Senor, Senior Advisor, CPA
• DoD Taking Steps to Prevent Vehicle Deaths in Iraq AFPS 18 May 2004 -- Buckle up your seat belt and don't drive too fast. This age-old advice applies as much on the streets of Baghdad as on Main Street USA.
• SECDEF Approves Iraq Deployment 18 May 2004 -- The secretary of defense has announced the decision to deploy the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division's approximately 3,600 service members in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The deployment is expected to start later this summer.
• 2nd ACR works with Al Kut leaders to improve city ARCENT Release 18 May 2004-- The "War Eagles" of 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, moved from Baghdad to Al Kut during the latter part of April.
• New commands take over in Iraq Army News Service 18 May 2004-- Combined Joint Task Force-7 deactivated May 15 in a ceremony at Camp Victory, Iraq, followed by the activation of two new commands: Multi-National Force Iraq and Multi-National Corps Iraq.

• Marines and Afghan National Army work together for Afghanistan's future Marine Corps News 18 May 2004-- As the Marines and Sailors of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines patrol the rugged mountains of south-central Afghanistan, interspersed among their tri-color desert uniforms are the green uniforms of the Afghan National Army.
• Marine Corps flags fly high over Afghanistan Marine Corps News 18 May 2004-- When Sgt. Maj. George H. Mason arrived at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan in early March for a liaison visit, one of the first things he noticed was the abundance of unit, state, and even college flags flying over the base's tents and buildings.

• Pak troops re-deployed in tribal area: reports IRNA 18 May 2004 -- Pakistan has re-deployed troops in its tribal region near the Afghan border for possible action after foreign militants failed to accept an offer of amnesty.

Defense Policy / Programs

• CASCOM changes consistent with future force requirements Army News Service 18 May 2004-- As the Army changes the way it does business, the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command must also change in it's mission to provide the materiel needed for sustainment, CASCOM officials said.
• UH-1Y fires first weapons NAVAIR Release 18 May 2004-- The Bell UH-1Y Huey, the Marine Corps' newest and most capable utility helicopter, fired weapons for the first time during a test flight at the Army's Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia Monday.
• Second Intel Marines provide worldwide service for Corps Marine Corps News 18 May 2004-- In just five years, the Marines assigned with 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, have accomplished much in supporting Marine Corps force projection across the globe. Marines from this unit are scattered throughout Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, Bosnia, Cuba and the Horn of Africa, performing their duties in support of our operations abroad.
• U.S./Russian exercise gathers leaders, improves international understanding US Army Europe Release 18 May 2004-- The purpose of Torgau 2004 is to enhance military-to-military working relationships and to promote better understanding of U. S. and Russian capabilities. The first exercise of its kind involving senior U. S. and Russian personnel combined into a single headquarters staff, Torgau 2004 represents an evolving U. S. - Russian military relationship.
• 24th MEU raids buildings in Westover Marine Corps News 18 May 2004-- Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Maritime Special Purpose Force conducted a mock raid on two buildings in Westover, W.Va., as part of the MEU's Training in an Urban Environment Exercise May 13.

• Kuwait`s naval war games to begin on Tuesday IRNA 18 May 2004 -- Kuwait`s Joint Command of the Armed Forces announced here that Kuwait Navy will start its 25 day war games on Tuesday in the country`s southern waters in the Persian Gulf.

• Review Procedures Announced for Guantanamo Detainees 18 May 2004 -- Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz has issued an order establishing administrative review procedures for enemy combatants captured in the Afghan theater and detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

• State Department Noon Briefing, May 18 Washington File 18 May 2004 -- Sudan/Chad/Kenya, Libya, Israel/Palestinians, Iraq, Russia/Iraq
• White House Daily Briefing, May 18 Washington File 18 May 2004 -- Reappointment of Alan Greenspan, oil prices, Israel/destruction of homes in Gaza, India/election, same-sex marriage, Iraq prisons/Geneva Convention, Middle East/Palestinian state

Defense Industry

• Boeing-Led Team Successfully Tests SMART Materials Helicopter Rotor Boeing 18 May 2004 -- A team led by The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has successfully used advanced materials in the design, development and testing of a revolutionary new helicopter rotor that could benefit all rotorcraft.
• General Dynamics Awarded $16.5 Million Contract for Abrams System Technical Support General Dynamics 18 May 2004 -- The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $16.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract for systems technical support (STS) for the Abrams tank. The contract being modified was awarded in November 2001.
• Lockheed Martin Delivers Mine Neutralization System to Navy Ahead of Schedule Lockheed Martin 18 May 2004 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) recently delivered seven Airborne Mine Neutralization Systems (AMNS) to the U.S. Navy ahead of schedule under a Rapid Deployment Capability (RDC) contract. The system deliveries were followed by successful testing of AMNS, which is the only production-ready remote mine neutralization system currently available to the Navy.
• Lockheed Martin Moves Another Step Closer to A Mobile Launch Range Concept Lockheed Martin 18 May 2004 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] successfully completed an important milestone in proving the mobile launch range concept by tracking a Delta II launch vehicle at Vandenberg Air Force Base from a surrogate unmanned aircraft. This represents an important step in moving toward a space-based launch range.
• Northrop Grumman to Provide Improved Compass for U.S. Marine Corps Laser Target Rangefinders Northrop Grumman 18 May 2004 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected by the Naval Surface Warfare Center to provide the U.S. Marine Corps with an innovative gyroscope-based non-magnetic compass designed to augment laser target rangefinders used by Marine Corps forward observers and forward air controllers.
• Successful Demonstration of Prototype System Sets MEADS on Path for Development Phase Lockheed Martin 18 May 2004 -- MEADS International (MI) and the NATO MEADS Management Agency today announced the successful completion of the final system demonstration requirement for the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), clearing the way for the program to enter design and development later this year. The demonstration took place at Practica di Mare Air Base, outside Rome, May 6.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 18 May 2004
• Press Conference by Côte d’ivoire United Nations 18 May 2004
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRIME MINISTER OF GREECE United Nations 18 May 2004
• BURUNDI: AU opens another demobilisation camp IRIN 18 May 2004 -- The African Mission in Burundi (AMIB), deployed by the AU to monitor the country's transition to democracy, has opened a second centre for demobilisation, improving its ability to reintegrate fighters from former rebel groups, the mission reported.
• NIGERIA: Obasanjo declares state of emergency in Plateau State IRIN 18 May 2004 -- President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a state of emergency in Plateau State in central Nigeria on Tuesday, following a Christian massacre of Muslims there earlier this month. That in turn led to reprisal killings of Christians in the northern city of Kano.
• CHAD: Government continues to negotiate with army mutineers IRIN 18 May 2004 -- The Chadian government was still negotiating on Tuesday with rebel army units that attempted to stage an uprising at the weekend, but the motivation for the uprising against President Idriss Deby remained unclear.
• U-S / SUDAN VOA 18 May 2004 -- The U-S administration is pressing Sudan to provide unfettered access for humanitarian relief to refugees in the western Darfur region who are fleeing fighting between local rebels and government-supported Arab militias.
• Middle East: EU Condemns Israeli Demolition Of Palestinian Houses In Gaza RFE/RL 18 May 2004 -- European Union foreign ministers yesterday condemned Israel's demolition of Palestinian houses along the border between Gaza and Egypt. A statement adopted in Brussels yesterday says the large-scale demolition contravenes international law. The same statement also condemns terrorist attacks on Israel.
• NIGERIA / EMERGENCY VOA 18 May 2004 -- Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared a state of emergency in Plateau State and put a retired army general in charge, following communal violence that claimed hundreds of lives.
• INDONESIA ACEH VOA 18 May 2004 -- Separatist rebels in the Indonesian province of Aceh (Ah-chay) have released at least 138 captives to the Red Cross. The releases come shortly after the government scrapped martial law in Aceh, which human rights activists say had led to widespread abuses.
• ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS VOA 18 May 2004 -- Israeli air strikes in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza have killed at least 13 Palestinians and wounded 30 others. Israeli ground forces have also moved into the area in an operation that Israel says is aimed at halting arms smuggling from neighboring Egypt and arresting or killing wanted Palestinian militants.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 18 May 2004 -- UK and France disagree on role of arms agency / Britain to send 3,000 extra troops to Iraq / Chancellor Schroeder urges dispatch of Moslem troops to stabilize Iraq

• BURMA CONVENTION VOA 18 May 2004 -- In Burma, delegates to the military government's constitutional convention began work - but with most of the main opposition parties boycotting the process. Foreign governments are criticizing the convention as illegitimate and the U-N special envoy is pressing to have the main democracy opposition leader - Aung San Suu Kyi - released from house arrest.