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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 24 May 2004 [PDF]
• MARINE DIES NEAR CAMP FALLUJAH
• ONE MARINE, ONE SOLDIER KILLED, SEVERAL WOUNDED IN IED ATTACK
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing 24 May 2004 -- Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, Deputy Director For Coalition Operations; and Dan Senor, Senior Adviser, CPA
• Coalition Continues Operations to Restore Stability AFPS 24 May 2004 -- The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq continues operations to restore stability in order to repair infrastructure, stimulate the economy and continue the transfer of sovereignty to the people of Iraq.
• 2 Britons Killed By Baghdad Car Explosion VOA News 24 May 2004 -- The U.S. military says two people were killed and two wounded Monday by a bomb blast near the compound housing U.S.-led coalition headquarters in Iraq.
• Iraq: Videotape Appears To Contradict U.S. Account Of Deadly Raid RFE/RL 24 May 2004 -- New doubts have surfaced about U.S. military claims that a raid last week in eastern Iraq killed militants -- and not innocent civilians.
• Video Purports To Show Wedding Iraqis Say U.S. Attacked RFE/RL 24 May 2004 -- A videotape has been broadcast purporting to show footage of a wedding party Iraqis say was attacked by U.S. aircraft.
• OPERATION DISARM TAKES WEAPONS OFF BAGHDAD STREETS CENTCOM Release 24 May 2004-- Baghdad residents turned in more than 100 armaments to Iraqi police at the Al Duara police station as part of the 1st Cavalry Division's Operation Disarm program May 19.
• Boat mechanics keep mission afloat for Small Craft Company Marine Corps News 24 May 2004-- Small Craft Company is keeping their boats afloat with a little bit of ingenuity, a steady amount a sweat and healthy dose of determination.
• Small Craft Company prepares for coming missions Marine Corps News 24 May 2004-- Sgt. Joseph E. Wright stood at the helm of his boat, drenched from the rare rains that sprinkle the western deserts of Iraq and the spray from the river. His boat skimmed and darted across the surface of the water, churning the water.

• Next Steps in Afghanistan: Preparing for Elections US Dept. of State 24 May 2004 -- William Taylor, Coordinator For Afghanistan; John Richards, Moderator, Remarks at Middle East Institute Conference
• COMBINED FORCES COMMAND AFGHANISTAN RELEASE CENTCOM Release 24 May 2004-- LTG David Barno, Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan, commander, has appointed Brig. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., Deputy Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force-76, to lead the "top to bottom" review of all coalition detention and holding operations in Afghanistan.
• UN envoy 'encouraged' by talks with Afghan leaders on disarmament, security UN News Centre 24 May 2004 -- With the United Nations-backed plan to decommission thousands of ex-soldiers in Afghanistan picking up steam, the top UN envoy in the country met today with the governor of Herat and two senior army commanders to discuss key aspects of the national agenda.
• Afghanistan: U.S. General To Investigate Detention Centers RFE/RL 24 May 2004 -- A U.S. brigadier general is to investigate U.S.-led coalition detention centers across Afghanistan in response to allegations of abuse of Afghan detainees by their U.S. captors. Officials in Washington say they are now investigating the deaths of at least five Afghans at U.S. detention centers in the country.
• AFGHANISTAN ATTACK VOA 24 May 2004 -- Police in Afghanistan are investigating a rocket attack that killed a Norwegian peacekeeper late Sunday outside the capital, Kabul.

• U-S / HAITI AID VOA 24 May 2004 -- The Bush administration said Monday it is providing Haiti with an additional 100 million dollars in aid to help it recover from the political upheaval earlier this year that led to the resignation of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Defense Policy / Programs

• National Security Personnel System Appointment Announced 24 May 2004 -- Department of Defense announced today that the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) senior executive, Secretary of the Navy Gordon England, has named Mary E. Lacey as the program executive officer for the National Security Personnel System (NSPS).
• Pentagon's Feith Says U.S. Committed to Geneva Conventions Washington File 24 May 2004 -- This column by Douglas J. Feith, under secretary of defense for policy, was published in the Wall Street Journal May 24 and is in the public domain. No republication restrictions

• Keel Laid for Newest Virginia-class Submarine Navy Newsstand 24 May 2004-- The keel was laid and authenticated for the newest Virginia-class submarine, North Carolina (SSN 777), May 22, at Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard.
• Stennis Leaves for Deployment Navy Newsstand 24 May 2004-- USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) departed its homeport of San Diego for deployment to the Western Pacific, May 24.
• Hawk-5's Royal Maces Go Super Navy Newsstand 24 May 2004-- The "Royal Maces" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 left USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) May 6-13 to begin a transition from the F/A-18 Hornet to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
• Pearl Harbor Shipyard Project Team wins Big on USS Louisville Availability NAVSEA News Wire 24 May 2004-- Members of Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard's USS Louisville (SSN 724) project team stepped up to the plate and hit out-of-the-park homeruns in reducing overtime and increasing work accomplished. The weapons of choice for the Shipyard's "Louisville Sluggers" were Theory of Constraints (TOC) and Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) concepts. All naval shipyards are applying these initiatives to improve productivity and efficiency as part of the Naval Sea System Command's (NAVSEA) Shipyard Transformation Plan. In early 2002, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard became the pilot yard for TOC/CCPM and initially tested the system at Fleet Maintenance Availability Project - Submarines (FMB). It was then extended to Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) availabilities. Louisville was the Shipyard's first submarine Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) to incorporate these concepts.
• SHIPMAIN Concept applied on Pearl Harbor Shipyard's Lake Erie Project NAVSEA News Wire 24 May 2004-- The USS Lake Erie(CG 70) Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) was the first SRA accomplished at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard using the SHIPMAIN Maintenance Team concept.
• Ronald Reagan to join the Fleet NAVSEA News Wire 24 May 2004-- Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) has reached the end of the new construction process and is poised to join the Fleet as the nation's newest nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
• Exercise AMPLE TRAIN 04 NATO/HQ AIRNORTH 24 May 2004 -- Exercise AMPLE TRAIN 04 (AT 04), a multinational, aircraft cross-servicing exercise will be conducted from 06 June - 11 June 2004 in NATO's northern region at Main Air Station Oerland, Norway.
• Window of Opportunity in Afghanistan Closing Fast NATO Parliamentary Assembly 24 May 2004 -- Returning from a visit to Kabul, NATO Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President and Defence and Security Committee Rapporteur Pierre Lellouche warned that, "the NATO mission in Afghanistan is at a critical juncture. We need to scale up our commitment there or risk losing all that we have invested."

• White House Daily Briefing, May 24 Washington File 24 May 2004 -- Iraq/tonight's speech/new initiative/coalition/multinational forces/time frame for troop withdrawal/U.N.resolutions/interim government, Middle East, gas prices, India, President's daughters campaigning, Judicial nominees, Campaign Finance Reform Act, South Korea, North Korea

Defense Industry

• Boeing $200 Million Expansion Continues Boeing 24 May 2004 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] officials dedicated a new 112,500 square feet flight test and ramp facilities as part of the company's $200 million investment in the ongoing competitiveness of its operations here.
• Northrop Grumman to Provide the U.S. Army With Additional Laser Target Locator Systems Northrop Grumman 24 May 2004 -- The U.S. Army has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) to equip more Army forces with the Mark VII system, a lightweight, handheld target location system with an eyesafe laser rangefinder and switchable direct-view day-vision and image-intensifier night-vision capability which enables ground forces to pinpoint critical enemy targets.
• First Pratt & Whitney F135 STOVL Propulsion System for F-35 Successfully Demonstrates Hover Thrust Pratt & Whitney 24 May 2004 -- For the first time, Pratt & Whitney’s (P&W) Short Take-Off & Vertical Landing (STOVL) Propulsion System for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has demonstrated 39,700 pounds of thrust, the level required for the unique combat aircraft to hover. At the same time, weight reduction initiatives have brought the F135 engine system below its contracted target weight.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 24 May 2004
• NIGERIA: Cash payments offered for militia guns in troubled Plateau IRIN 24 May 2004 -- The newly appointed administrator of Plateau State, Retired General Chris Alli, has offered cash payments for the return of weapons in the hands of rival Muslim and Christian militia groups that have killed hundreds of people in an upsurge of sectarian violence in recent weeks.
• IVORY COAST / MINISTERS VOA 24 May 2004 -- A ceremony to replace Ivory Coast rebel leader Guillaume Soro as communications minister in the country's reconciliation government has not taken place as scheduled. Mr. Soro has issued a statement saying his group no longer recognizes President Laurent Gbagbo, who he accused of having killed the peace process.
• ISRAEL/GAZA VOA 24 May 2004 -- Israeli troops have withdrawn from one key neighborhood of the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, lifting a six-day siege and allowing residents out of their homes to again move about freely. Some Israeli troops remain deployed in other parts of southern Gaza.
• THAILAND/PEACE TALKS VOA 24 May 2004 -- Thailand says it is ready to hold talks with Islamic militant groups in a bid to end almost six months of violence in the largely-Muslim southern provinces. Preliminary talks could begin as early as next month.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 24 May 2004 -- Turkey close to decision on NATO's Afghan force / Norwegian soldier killed in rocket attack / U.S. and Britain to present new UN resolution on Iraq / Arabs will not send troops to Iraq without requests from the UN and sovereign Iraqi government / U.S. and UK troops to get Iraq immunity

• MALAWI/ELECTION UPDATE VOA 24 May 2004 -- Malawi's new president, Bingu wa Mutharika, has been sworn in amid a second day of clashes between security forces and opposition supporters over his disputed election victory. The unrest has killed at least one person and possibly several more, and there are allegations that police used live ammunition to suppress the demonstrations.
• MALAWI/ELECTION VOA 24 May 2004 -- Malawi's new president, Bingu wa Mutharika, has been sworn in, despite a second day of clashes between security forces and opposition supporters over his disputed election victory. The unrest has killed at least one person and possibly several more, and there are allegations that police used live ammunition to suppress the demonstrations.