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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 04 Jan 2005 [PDF]
• ONE MARINE KILLED IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE
• ONE 1ST ID SOLDIER KILLED, ONE WOUNDED IN IED ATTACK NEAR BALAD
• THREE SOLDIERS KILLED, TWO WOUNDED IN IED ATTACK

• DoD Announces OEF/OIF Rotational Unit 04 Jan 2005 -- The Department of Defense announced today that the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, will deploy to Iraq in support of the Operation Iraqi Freedom rotations scheduled to begin in mid-2005.
• Baghdad Governor Assassinated RFE/RL 04 Jan 2005 -- Baghdad Governor Ali al-Haydari has been assassinated by gunmen in the Iraqi capital, according to police and hospital sources.
• TWO ARRESTED FOR INCITING ANTI-IRAQI VIOLENCE CENTCOM 04 Jan 2005 -- Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained two people wanted for preaching anti-Iraqi rhetoric during operations on Jan. 3 in northern Iraq.
• ATTACK ON POLICE STATION RESULTS IN SIXTH DEFEAT FOR INSURGENTS CENTCOM 04 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi Security Forces decisively defeated another attack by anti-Iraqi insurgents as they attempted to seize a police station in southeast Mosul yesterday.
• SECURITY REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE IN MOSUL, INITIATE JOINT OPS WITH IRAQI SFS CENTCOM 04 Jan 2005 -- Elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, the 81st Enhanced Separate Brigade, 6th Brigade of Iraqi Commandos and additional elements of the 25th Infantry Division reinforced Task Force Olympia and began combined Iraqi Security Force and Multi-National Force operations to ensure security for the January 30 elections.
• CHILD'S TIP LEADS MULTI-NATIONAL SOLDIERS TO A LARGE WEAPONS CACHE CENTCOM 04 Jan 2005 -- Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), 25th Infantry Division (Light), discovered a large cache of weapons and munitions based on a child's tip during operations on Jan. 3 in northern Iraq.
• Daily operations summary for January 3, 2005 MNF-I/MNC-I 04 Jan 2005 -- Iraq forces discovered and cleared 13 improvised explosive devices, discovered and cleared eight weapons caches, conducted five cordons and searches of suspected anti-Iraqi forces facilities, conducted one raid on a suspected anti-Iraqi forces facility and detained 40 suspected AIF.
• Insurgents are their Own Worse Enemy MNF-I/MNC-I 04 Jan 2005 -- Two insurgents determined on committing a terrorist act in Baghdad Monday, Jan 3 wound up as the only victims as their vehicle exploded before they reached their target. An additional insurgent was wounded in the blast.
• AIF suspect detained near Tikrit MNF-I/MNC-I 04 Jan 2005 -- First Infantry Division Soldiers detained a suspected anti-Iraqi force financier at a traffic control point near Tikrit on January 3 at about 7:40 p.m.

• Marine Snipers Disrupt Insurgent Activity in Afghanistan AFPS 04 Jan 2005 -- In the difficult terrain of Afghanistan's Hindu Kush Mountains, troop movement can be slow and tedious. Often, Marine companies break operations down to platoon and squad elements to locate and close with the enemy.

• Transcript: Special Defense Department Briefing on U.S. Relief Efforts for Tsunami Victims 04 Jan 2005 -- Admiral Thomas Fargo, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command
• Transcript: Special Defense Department Briefing on Medical Aspects of Tsunami Relief Operations 04 Jan 2005 -- Dr. William Winkenwerder, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; Lieutenant General George Peach Taylor, Surgeon General of The U.S. Air Force; and Rear Admiral Kathleen Martin, Deputy Surgeon General of The U.S. Navy
• Defense Department Report, January 4: Humanitarian Relief Efforts Washington File 04 Jan 2005 -- The U.S. military, supporting relief efforts in the earthquake- and tsunami-stricken region of the Indian Ocean, has delivered 460,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies since operations began immediately following the disaster on December 26, 2004.
• DoD Tsunami Relief Efforts 04 Jan 2005 -- The Department of Defense is providing assistance to the governments of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other affected nations as they deal with the effects of the earthquake and tsunami. [PDF]
• Admiral Describes Tsunami Response, Praises Servicemembers AFPS 04 Jan 2005 -- The top U.S. commander in the Pacific described his command's response to the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster to reporters at the Pentagon today and praised the work of servicemembers involved in the relief effort.
• DoD Ready to Bolster Medical, Health Support for Tsunami Victims AFPS 04 Jan 2005 -- The Defense Department is ready, willing and prepared to provide medical assistance as needed to relieve tsunami victims and help stem widespread disease, the Pentagon's top doctor told reporters here today.
• Airmen continue to deliver relief supplies in devastated Thailand AFPN 04 Jan 2005 -- As the calendar turned a new year, the aid delivered by Airmen of the 353rd Special Operations Group to communities on Thailand's southwest coast approached 100 tons.
• Airmen fly aid to disaster-torn Thai communities AFPN 04 Jan 2005 -- When Lt. Col. David Mobley arrived here as the 353rd Special Operations Group's point-man for disaster relief, he said he envisioned a steady flow of aid from the kingdom's sprawling capital to devastated provinces in the south.
• USS Bonhomme Richard Prepares to Provide Humanitarian Assistance South Asia Navy NewsStand 04 Jan 2005 -- The multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) cut short its port visit to Guam Dec. 28 and set sail for South Asia to provide humanitarian assistance to the disaster stricken region.
• USS Bonhomme Richard Positions More Than 200,000 Pounds of Disaster Relief Supplies Navy NewsStand 04 Jan 2005 -- Helicopters attached to USS Bonhomme Richard (BHR)(LHD 6) airlifted more than 200,000 pounds of disaster relief supplies Jan. 4 from two warehouses on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Defense Policy / Programs

• B-1 fleet grounded after landing gear collapses AFPN 04 Jan 2005 -- B-1 Lancers Air Force-wide were grounded after one aircraft's nose-gear collapsed at a forward-deployed location supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, Air Combat Command officials said Jan. 4.
• USS Mason Patrols Persian Gulf Navy NewsStand 04 Jan 2005 -- Sailors from USS Mason (DDG 87) began the new year patrolling the Persian Gulf Jan. 2 after a five-day port visit to Bahrain.
• DoD Announces New Policy on Prevention and Response to Sexual Assault 04 Jan 2005 -- The Department of Defense announced today that Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness David S.C. Chu delivered the department's new sexual assault policy to Congress.
• DoD Implements New Sexual Assault Prevention Policy AFPS 04 Jan 2005 -- The Defense Department announced today sweeping changes in how the military handles sexual assaults, with uniform policies and procedures that apply to members of all services, wherever they are stationed or deployed.
• Transcript: Special Defense Department Briefing on the New Sexual Assault Policy 04 Jan 2005 -- David Chu, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and Brigadier General K.C. McClain, Commander, Joint Task Force Sexual Assault Prevention And Response

• IAF`s Jaguar plane crashes near Bikaner, pilot safe IRNA 04 Jan 2005 -- An Indian Air Force Jaguar plane today crashed near Bikaner in Rajasthan, a senior police official said in Jaipur.

• State Department Noon Briefing, January 4 Washington File 04 Jan 2005 -- Asian tsunami/department, Egypt, Israel/Palestinian Authority, Iraq, Cuba, Romania
• White House Daily Briefing, January 4 Washington File 04 Jan 2005 -- Asian tsunami/update on relief efforts, Iraq/elections, Egypt/nuclear weapons program, Judge Gonzales/decisions as President's counsel, Bipartisan tax panel, Social Security, medical liability reform, illegal immigrants/temporary worker permits

Defense Industry

• Taiwan Agrees to Purchase Lockheed Martin's Battle-Proven Hellfire II Missiles Lockheed Martin 04 Jan 2005 -- The U.S. Army has executed a letter of agreement with Taiwan, setting the stage for the sale of more than 400 AGM-114M blast-fragmentation Hellfire rounds under a foreign military sales contract. The value of the Taiwan order is in the range of $50 million.
• Sagem to design a new cryptophony system for the French DGA Sagem (Safran group) 04 Jan 2005 -- The French defense procurement agency, the DGA (Délégation Générale pour l’Armement), has contracted Sagem to do a feasibility study and design a next generation cryptophony system. This new product will replace the ministries’ and armies’ current equipment as of 2007.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 04 Jan 2005
• BURUNDI: Renewed fighting displaces thousands in Bujumbura Rural IRIN 04 Jan 2005 -- Thousands of civilians have been displaced following fierce fighting on Saturday in Burundi's western province of Bujumbura Rural.
• SUDAN: Final peace pact to be signed in Nairobi on Sunday IRIN 04 Jan 2005 -- African leaders and other world dignitaries will gather in Nairobi on Sunday to witness the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM/A), Kenya's regional cooperation
• BURUNDI: Progress, but will it be enough? //Yearender// IRIN 04 Jan 2005 -- The plan was for 2004 to be the year that Burundi held democratic elections, marking the definitive end of an 11-year civil war. This did not happen and, though fighting has not resumed in most parts of the country, the peace process has slowed and could yet stall.
• THAILAND/SOUTHERN VIOLENCE VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- Thousands of security forces in southern Thailand are on high alert after warnings that Islamic militants may stage major attacks this week - exactly a year since a deadly raid that triggered a spate of violence in the region. Hundreds of people have been killed in almost daily attacks in the region.
• ISRAEL / PALESTINIAN VIOLENCE VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- At least seven Palestinians were killed and six others injured in an Israeli raid on the Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya. The Israeli military says tank fire was targeted at militants preparing to shell Israelis, but Palestinian witnesses say the casualties were civilian farmers.

News Reports

• Transcript: PRESS BRIEFING ON TSUNAMI DISASTER United Nations 04 Jan 2005
• QUAKE / SITREP VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- The United States pledged its full support for Asian recovery efforts from the December 26th tsunami that has claimed nearly 150-thousand lives in 12 countries rimming the Indian Ocean.
• CONGRESS / TSUNAMI VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- The U.S. Congress has returned to work, and among its first actions was the approval of resolutions expressing sympathy for South Asian tsunami victims and pledging support for recovery.
• TSUNAMI / MILITARY RELIEF VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- The U.S. military is rushing additional aid to South and Southeast Asia to help people affected by the earthquake and tsunami 10 days ago. New deployments will double the number of U.S. helicopters available to deliver supplies, add several navy ships with a variety of relief capabilities and may include entire Air Force field hospitals.
• Powell, in Indonesia, Vows U.S. Help With Post-Tsunami Recovery Washington File 04 Jan 2005 -- At the second stop on his tour of countries stricken by the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster, Secretary of State Colin Powell vowed "the American people stand in solidarity with our Indonesian friends. We will do everything we can to help you."
• Tsunami Disaster Getting High-Level Attention Around the World Washington File 04 Jan 2005 -- Expressing condolences and commitments for long-term U.S. assistance in the recovery effort, Secretary of State Colin Powell was in the tsunami-stricken zone of South Asia January 4. An array of world leaders will join him in the region as the week unfolds, a high-level show of solidarity in what is being widely called the greatest humanitarian operation ever launched.
• India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand: Earthquake and Tsunami OCHA Situation Report No. 11 UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 04 Jan 2005
• UN emergency coordinator rebuffs critics who say tsunami relief was too slow UN News Centre 04 Jan 2005 -- To critics who say that there was too little relief effort in the early phase of last week's devastating Asian tsunami, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland had three words today: "I respectfully disagree."
• Tsunami aid makes extraordinary progress but faces extraordinary problems - UN UN News Centre 04 Jan 2005 -- As Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other world leaders headed for Indonesia to launch an emergency appeal for countries devastated by last week's Asian tsunami, the top United Nations relief coordinator said today the emergency operation was making extraordinary progress but also faced extraordinary problems.
• UN promotes efforts to set up tsunami early warning system for Indian Ocean UN News Centre 04 Jan 2005 -- In a bid to reduce the appalling toll of future tsunamis, the United Nations is moving ahead with efforts to set up early warning systems in the Indian Ocean, Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas similar to one that already exists for the volcano and earthquake-prone Pacific Rim region.
• Officials Say U.S. Relief Operations in Thailand Well Under Way Washington File 04 Jan 2005 -- U.S. relief efforts for victims of the December 26, 2004, tsunami are well under way in Thailand, according to senior officials from both countries.
• Powell Lauds Thailand's Leadership in Tsunami Recovery Effort Washington File 04 Jan 2005 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell praised Thailand's contributions to international recovery efforts in the wake of the tsunami disaster that struck the Indian Ocean region December 26, 2004.
• Tsunami Warning System Subject of U.S.-Thai Discussions Washington File 04 Jan 2005 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed with Thai authorities the need for a tsunami warning system during his visit to Thailand January 3.
• CONGRESS / TSUNAMI VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- In Washington, a new U.S. Congress has been sworn in. In the Senate, the first order of business was approving a resolution expressing sympathy for the tsunami victims in South Asia. The House of Representatives is expected to follow suit shortly.
• UN/TSUNAMI AID VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- Torrential rains and flooding are complicating efforts to reach areas hardest hit by the Asian tsunami. As tens of thousands of relief workers battle the elements, the United Nations is appealing for more transport planes to ferry in the massive amounts of aid needed for survivors. The tsunami death toll is being ranked among the worst natural disasters in modern history.
• TSUNAMI DEBT RELIEF VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- Britain, France and Germany are calling for a freeze on foreign debt payments by the Asian nations hardest hit by last week's tsunami. The proposal would postpone three billion dollars a year in debt payments, allowing the stricken countries to focus on reconstruction.
• US/TSUNAMI TOLL VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- The State Department said Tuesday 16 U.S. citizens are confirmed dead and just over four thousand still unaccounted for from the Asian earthquake and tsunami. Officials say they do not believe the final number of Americans who perished in the disaster will be in the thousands.
• SRI LANKA/REBELS DISASTER VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- In the days before the deadly tsunami devastated Sri Lanka, there were worries that the island country may head back to war as a peace process between Tamil Tiger rebels and the government stalled. But as both sides concentrate on relief efforts, questions are being raised whether the disaster could provide an opportunity to improve relations between them.
• ACEH AID VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- The main airport in Indonesia's tsunami hit Banda Aceh - a key hub for relief flights - was closed all day Tuesday after a chartered Boeing seven-37 hit a water buffalo on the runway damaging its landing gear in the early hours of the morning.
• AUSTRALIA INDONESIA AID VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- Australia may increase its aid to Asia's tsunami victims nearly nine-fold, to almost 400 million dollars. Prime Minister John Howard will discuss the aid package at the regional tsunami relief summit in Jakarta this week.
• SOMALIA/TSUNAMI VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- The World Food Program says some food, but not enough, is reaching Somalia's tsunami victims. Bad roads and other logistical problems are hampering the relief effort.
• QUAKE / SITREP VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- The United States pledged its full support for Asian recovery efforts from the December 26th tsunami that has claimed more than 150-thousand lives in 12 countries rimming the Indian Ocean.
• BRITAIN / TSUNAMI VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- Britain is forecasting approval of a major debt-relief package for the Asian nations hit by last week's Indian Ocean tsunami.
• BURMA DISASTER VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- International aid agencies hope to visit coastal areas of southern Burma to assess tsunami damage, as fears rise that the country's death toll will be much higher than the military government has reported. Relief workers say it may be days before a full picture becomes clear.
• Powell Reiterates U.S. Commitment To Tsunami Survivors RFE/RL 04 Jan 2005 -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell today described the Asian tsunami disaster as a global "tragedy" and vowed the United States is committed to helping the survivors.

• UKRAINE: YUSHCHENKO 'TRIUMPHS,' BUT MUST REPAIR 'NATIONAL DIVIDE' US Dept. of State IIP, Foreign Media Reaction 04 Jan 2005
• UKRAINE VOTE COUNT VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- The new head of Ukraine's Central Election Commission (CEC), Yaroslav Davydovych, says certification of official results for the recent presidential run-off election in Ukraine is in its final stage.

• CONGO/RESHUFFLE VOA 04 Jan 2005 -- Six ministers in Congo's transitional government were sacked late Monday after they were named in an investigation in corruption in the vast mineral rich country. Theee were were five other changes in the broadsweeping reshuffle in the power-sharing government.

• EADS Astrium Selects Arianespace to Launch Skynet 5 EADS 04 Jan 2005 -- To satisfy its in-orbit delivery contract with Paradigm Secure Communications, EADS Astrium has selected Arianespace’s Ariane 5 for the launch of both of the UK MOD’s next generation secure military telecommunications satellites, Skynet 5A and 5B.