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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 27 Aug 2004 [PDF]
• VEHICLE ACCIDENT KILLS ONE, INJURES ANOTHER
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

• IRAQ WRAP VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- Calm reigned in Najaf Friday, as Shi'ite militants abandoned the holy Imam Ali shrine in accordance with a peace deal brokered by Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. The agreement ended a three-week uprising by radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. But violence persists in northern Iraq. And Italy mourns the execution of an Italian hostage in Iraq.
• IRAQ / NAJAF VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- The Iraqi city of Najaf is quiet, after militants loyal to a radical cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, left the Imam Ali mosque -- one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam. A deal was struck between the radical cleric and Iraq's most respected Shia leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, to end a three-week stand-off between the insurgents and Iraqi government forces.
• Iraq: Militants Leaving Al-Najaf Shrine As Peace Deal Takes Effect RFE/RL 27 Aug 2004 -- Iraqi militiamen loyal to a radical Shi'a cleric have been handing in their weapons, as a peace deal to end fighting in Al-Najaf appears to be taking effect. The deal was negotiated yesterday by Iraq's top Shi'a cleric in a bid to end three weeks of fighting in the city between Muqtada al-Sadr's militia and U.S.-led forces. Al-Sadr ordered his men to disarm today and leave the shrine, and thousands of Iraqis were allowed in to accompany the rebel fighters out of the compound.
• MNF-I OPERATIONS IN IRAQ 26-27 AUGUST 2004 CENTCOM 27 Aug 2004 -- In Operation Iraqi Freedom, coalition aircraft on Aug. 26 flew 46 strike sorties in Close Air Support (CAS) for Main Supply Routes (MSR) and Alternate Supply Routes (ASR), and for Troops in Contact (TIC) situations.
• MARINES, IRAQI NATIONAL GUARD UNCOVER HUGE WEAPONS CACHE CENTCOM 27 Aug 2004 -- Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and members of the Iraqi National Guard uncovered a large cache of weapons and ordnance today during a joint raid on a home northeast of Al Haswah, Iraq.
• IRAQ/NAJAF VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- Thousands of Iraqi Shia Muslims have flocked to the Shrine of Imam Ali in the city of Najaf in what appears to be a real end to three weeks of fighting.
• US Strikes Insurgent Target in Fallujah VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- The U.S. military says an American warplane has destroyed an anti-aircraft gun belonging to insurgents in the restive city of Fallujah.
• Night Owls return home USMC News 26 Aug 2004 -- Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 arrived stateside Sunday after serving more than six months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
• Marines dedicate Al Taqaddum airfield to fallen aviator USMC News 26 Aug 2004 -- A group of Marines recently gathered on the flightline of Al Taqaddum, Iraq to pay tribute to their fallen brother.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US/ISRAEL SPY VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is reported to be checking the possibility that a Pentagon employee has been passing secret information to Israel.

• Fourth Military Commission Concludes Week of Trials 27 Aug 2004 -- The final of four military commissions convened today in the case of U.S. vs. Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi, a Sudanese citizen accused of conspiracy to commit terrorism and murder by an unprivileged belligerent, among other charges.
• GUANTANAMO HEARINGS VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- A Sudanese man, who U.S. military prosecutors alleged was a close associate of Osama bin Laden, has appeared before a military commission set to try him on war crimes charges. Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi is the last of four people accused of conspiring to attack the United States to face pre-trial hearings this week at a U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
• Commission Hearing Ends in Continuance at Defense Request AFPS 27 Aug 2004 -- The fourth hearing this week for an enemy combatant charged with war crimes ended after an hour in a continuance on the basis that the defense attorney had not had opportunity to prepare.
• Many Issues Raised in First Week of Commissions Hearings AFPS 27 Aug 2004 -- As the first week of military commissions hearings here comes to a close, officials on all sides are working hard to resolve issues that came to light during the proceedings.

• Navy to Commission Destroyer Momsen 27 Aug 2004 -- The newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Momsen, will be commissioned on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004, during an 11 a.m. CST ceremony in Panama City, Fla.
• Navy's First Fleet Interactive Display Equipment Training Simulator Dedicated Navy NewStand 27 Aug 2004 -- Trident Training Facility (TTF) Kings Bay unveiled the newest gem in its training crown Aug. 25 - the $5 million Fleet Interactive Display Equipment (IDE) training simulator.
• USS Norfolk Returns Home After Overhaul Navy NewStand 27 Aug 2004 -- Fast-attack submarine USS Norfolk (SSN 714) returned to its namesake city Aug. 25 after a nearly two-year Engineering Refueling Overhaul (ERO) at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.
• PCU Virginia Returns From Bravo Sea Trials Navy NewStand 27 Aug 2004 -- PCU Virginia (SSN 774), the nation's newest and most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, arrived Aug. 25 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., following the successful completion of Bravo sea trials.

Defense Industry

• Northrop Grumman Awarded $197 Million Contract for Work on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Northrop Grumman 27 Aug 2004 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) was awarded a contract modification from the U.S. Navy valued at approximately $197 million for maintenance work on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). This work follows more than a year of advance planning efforts conducted under the contract awarded last summer. Northrop Grumman's Newport News sector is the prime contractor for this award.
• Northrop Grumman Successfully Integrates LITENING Advanced Targeting Pod on U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18D Aircraft Northrop Grumman 27 Aug 2004 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today announced the U.S. Marine Corps has successfully integrated and tested the company's LITENING Advanced Targeting (AT) system on the F/A-18D Hornet aircraft.
• ATK Anticipates Closure of PSI Group Acquisition in September ATK 27 Aug 2004 -- ATK (NYSE: ATK) expects its acquisition of the PSI Group to close in late September. The acquisition is subject to federal regulatory review and approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. That review is currently ongoing.
• Atlas IIAS Launch Of NRO Payload Postponed Lockheed Martin 27 Aug 2004 -- The launch of an Atlas IIAS vehicle with a national security payload was postponed today to allow for additional testing on batteries on the booster.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 27 Aug 2004
• MAURITANIA / COUP PLOT VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- Authorities in Burkina Faso are denying they helped prepare an alleged coup plot in Mauritania. The accusation was made late Thursday by the police chief in Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott.
• ZIMBABWE / MERCENARIES VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- A Zimbabwe court Friday acquitted more than 60 alleged South African mercenaries of weapons charges. Most of the men pleaded guilty to lesser charges of violating Zimbabwe's immigration and civil aviation laws.
• MAURITANIA: Government accuses Burkina Faso and Libya of backing coup IRIN 27 Aug 2004 -- The government of Mauritania has accused Libya and Burkina Faso of backing an attempt to topple President Maaouiya Ould Taya earlier this month and has announced the arrest of 31 military officers in connection with the alleged putsch.
• UGANDA-SUDAN: LRA rebels capture Sudanese village IRIN 27 Aug 2004 -- Ugandan rebels attacked and captured a village in Southern Sudan's Equatoria Region on Monday, a Sudanese militia group reported on Wednesday.
• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 27 Aug 2004 -- NATO starts training security forces in Iraq / Afghan presidential challengers complain that Karzai taking advantage of his power / UN report says all major Al-Qaida-linked attacks cost less than $50,000 apiece / UN anti-terror measures ineffective say experts
• THAKSIN/SOUTHERN THAILAND VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has visited Thailand's troubled southern provinces, surrounded by tight security. Mr. Thaksin's trip comes a day after a bomb in the area killed one person and injured dozens.

News Reports

• SHAPE News Morning Update SHAPE 27 Aug 2004 -- NATO starts training security forces in Iraq / Afghan presidential challengers complain that Karzai taking advantage of his power / UN report says all major Al-Qaida-linked attacks cost less than $50,000 apiece / UN anti-terror measures ineffective say experts
• SHAPE News Summary & Analysis SHAPE 27 Aug 2004 -- NATO training security forces in Iraq / ISAF spokesman outlines pre-election expansion plans for the force

• United States to Resume Discussions on Israeli Prison Conditions Washington File 27 Aug 2004 -- Following is the official answer to a question taken at the August 26 regular State Department briefing; the answer was posted August 27
• ZIMBABWE: Suspected mercenaries absolved IRIN 27 Aug 2004 -- All except one of the 67 suspected mercenaries held in Zimbabwe were absolved on Friday of attempting to procure arms for an alleged coup in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.
• EQUATORIAL GUINEA / THATCHER VOA 27 Aug 2004 -- The government of Equatorial Guinea is seeking extradition from South Africa of Mark Thatcher, the son of a former British prime minister, in connection with an alleged coup plot. Mr. Thatcher has been under house arrest in Cape Town since Wednesday on charges connected with the alleged coup plot.