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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 17 May 2005 [PDF]
• TASK FORCE LIBERTY SOLDIER KILLED, ONE WOUNDED BY IED
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Defense Department Operational Update Briefing 17 May 2005 -- Presenter: Lawrence Di Rita, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
• Army welcomes 'Big Red One' back to Germany Army News 17 May 2005 -- Wearing smiles and, for the final time this year, Desert Camouflage Uniforms, Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division celebrated their official homecoming from Iraq during a ceremony May 16 at Harvey Barracks.

• RFE/RL Afghanistan Report, Vol 4, Number 16 17 May 2005 -- WHAT IS FUELING THE ANTI-U.S. DEMONSTRATIONS? / THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE KORAN / 'NEWSWEEK' APOLOGIZES FOR ERRORS IN KORAN-DESECRATION REPORT / AFGHANS DEBATE PARTNERSHIP WITH U.S. / AMNESTY OFFER TO FORMER TALIBAN LEADER, PRIME MINISTER CREATES CONFUSION / THIS WEEK IN AFGHANISTAN'S HISTORY

Defense Policy / Programs

• Defense Dept. Report, May 17: Newsweek Story, Iraq Operations Washington File 17 May 2005 -- DOD CHECKING MERIT OF PREVIOUS DESECRATION ALLEGATIONS / NEW METHODS PREDICTED FOR DEALING WITH INSURGENTS IN IRAQ
• Pentagon Official Debunks Koran Desecration Story AFPS 17 May 2005 -- A Newsweek magazine article accusing U.S. personnel at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, of desecrating a Koran has no basis in fact, a senior Defense Department official said here today.
• Pakistan reacts cautiously to Newsweek's retraction IRNA 17 May 2005 -- Pakistan on Tuesday gave cautious reaction to an announcement by the US-based publication Newsweek retracting its controversial story on desecration of Holy Qur'an in Guantanamo Bay prison.

• DoD Readies Biometric ID System for U.S. Bases in Iraq AFPS 17 May 2005 -- The Defense Department is fine-tuning a $75 million biometric identification system designed to improve force protection at U.S. military bases in Iraq, according to officials involved with the project.
• BRAC 2005: Recommendations 'Will Reshape Air Force' AFPS 17 May 2005 -- Air Force recommendations provided to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission will reorganize that service, making it more capable to address threats to national security, the Air Force's top civilian told commission members here today.
• BRAC 2005: Commission Chairman Describes Panel's Role AFPS 17 May 2005 -- The Defense Department's base realignment and closure recommendations are now in the hands of the nine-member commission that will make the final decisions.
• BRAC 2005: Navy, Marine Officials Support Recommendations AFPS 17 May 2005 -- The secretary of the Navy said today he's "confident" that base closures and realignments recommended for the sea service are "more than sufficient to fully support the future Navy and Marine Corps force structure."
• Donley Tapped As Director, Administration and Management 17 May 2005 -- Michael B. Donley is now the new director of administration and management (DA&M) for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).
• USS Mount Whitney Underway for NATO's Allied Action Navy NewsStand 17 May 2005 -- USS Mount Whitney (LCC/JCC 20) got underway May 17 to conduct certification exercises with NATO's Joint Command Lisbon battle staff embarked.
• USS Nimitz Celebrates Three Decades of Service Navy NewsStand 17 May 2005 -- During the first week of a Western Pacific deployment, crew members aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) celebrated the ship's 30th birthday May 12.
• Sea Warrior Enhances Joint Warfighting Navy NewsStand 17 May 2005 -- Task Force Warrior's Command Master Chief, CMDCM (SW/AW) Ron Downs, visited the Chief Petty Officers' messes at Naval Surface Forces and Naval Air Forces on Naval Base Coronado May 10 to answer questions and update leadership on the progress of the Sea Warrior program from the Task Force Warrior perspective.
• Cleveland Passes INSURV Inspection with Flying Colors Navy NewsStand 17 May 2005 -- USS Cleveland (LPD 7) received high marks during its recent Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) May 6.
• MH-60R Helicopter Enters Operational Evaluation Phase Navy NewsStand 17 May 2005 -- The MH-60R Seahawk, the Navy's next generation submarine hunter and surface attack helicopter, entered operational evaluation (OpEval) May 9 with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 1 here.
• Army Gen. John Abizaid Visits 'Gold Eagle' Navy NewsStand 17 May 2005 -- U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander, Army Gen. John Abizaid, visited the USS Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in the Persian Gulf May 5 as it conducted its dual mission of providing air support to multinational forces on the ground in Iraq and conducting maritime security operations (MSO).
• MEU/ARG team reunite for second at-sea period USMC News 17 May 2005 -- Marines and Sailors from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Expeditionary Strike Group-1 left Naval Station 32nd Street, San Diego for the MEU's Composite Training Underway Exercise (COMTUEX) Thursday.

• Australian police Begin Withdrawal from Papua New Guinea VOA 17 May 2005 -- Australia has withdrawn a contingent of police officers from Papua New Guinea after judges there found the deployment was unconstitutional.

• Georgia/Russia: Tbilisi, Moscow Continue To Negotiate On Bases RFE/RL 17 May 2005 -- The foreign ministers of Georgia and Russia said in Warsaw today that talks on the withdrawal of Russia's military bases from Georgia would resume soon. The two ministers are in Warsaw for a summit of the Council of Europe.

• State Department Briefing, May 17 Washington File 17 May 2005 -- Zoellick travels to Jordan for World Economic Summit, Balkans, Venezuela, Cuba, Newsweek/retracts article, Department's efforts to inform U.S. Embassies/others on retraction and U.S. policy, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, United Nations/Oil-for-Food Program, North Korea, Africa
• White House Daily Briefing, May 17 Washington File 17 May 2005 -- President schedule, economic growth, judicial nominees/filibuster, Newsweek, highway bill, African debt reduction, budget resolution, airplane incident, anonymous sources, Vicente Fox/statement

Defense Industry

• BAE Systems' Low Band Transmitter Navy Contract Increased By $10 Million BAE Systems 17 May 2005 -- LANSDALE, Pennsylvania -- BAE Systems has been awarded a $10 million contract modification for the production of eight additional Low Band Transmitters (LBT) for the U.S. Navy's EA-6B Prowler aircraft. The Navy uses the EA-6B in electronic attack roles.
• BAE SYSTEMS Celebrates F-35 Aft Fuselage Delivery BAE Systems 17 May 2005 -- SAMLESBURY, England -- May 17, 2005 BAE Systems today celebrated the on-time delivery of the first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aft fuselage, representing a major milestone in the F-35 Programme, and progressing manufacturing and assembly of the first F-35 towards first flight in 2006.
• Raytheon Awarded $45 Million Rolling Airframe Missile Production Contract Raytheon 17 May 2005 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $45.2 million contract from the U.S. Navy for fiscal year 2005 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) production. (The contract was originally announced by the Department of Defense March 22.)

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 17 May 2005
• United States Concerned Over Continuing Violence in Togo Washington File 17 May 2005 -- The U.S. Department of State expressed concern May 17 over the violence that has been going on in Togo since the presidential election and welcomed an African initiative to bring the parties together.
• Russian Security Forces Kill Chechen Rebel Leader VOA 17 May 2005 -- Russian military officials in the southern republic of Chechnya say security forces have killed a high-ranking rebel leader wanted for allegedly planning a series of chemical attacks.
• Beslan School Massacre Trial Begins in Southern Russia VOA 17 May 2005 -- The trial has begun of the only-known surviving suspected hostage-taker charged in last September's Russian school massacre.

News Reports

• Uzbekistan: Authorities Try To Control Reporting On Crisis RFE/RL 17 May 2005 -- Uzbek authorities are doing everything to impose a media blackout on reporting about the recent violence in eastern Uzbekistan.
• Uzbekistan: EU Urges Tashkent To Refrain From Further Use Of Force RFE/RL 17 May 2005 -- The European Commission says it is "deeply concerned" by the violence in Uzbekistan. The commission today called on the Uzbek government not to use force against demonstrators and respect human rights and the rule of law. However, officials appeared to rule out any further EU action at this point.
• Uzbek Officials Claim Terrorists Behind Violence RFE/RL 17 May 2005 -- Uzbek Prosecutor-General Rashid Kadyrov today said that 169 people were killed in violence in eastern Uzbekistan over the weekend, including more than 50 foreign fighters.
• Uzbekistan: U.S. Criticizes Both Sides In Unrest RFE/RL 17 May 2005 -- Last week, the U.S. government called for both sides involved in the unrest in Uzbekistan to avoid violence. Last night, the State Department spoke more strongly in calling for restraint, particularly from the government in Tashkent.
• Uzbekistan: What Really Happened On Bloody Friday? RFE/RL 17 May 2005 -- The horrific bloodshed that occurred in Uzbekistan on 13 May breaks down, on closer examination, into two interconnected events that raise two separate issues.
• Uzbekistan: Western Reaction Toughens To Andijon Killings, Crackdown RFE/RL 17 May 2005 -- Western reaction to this week's bloodshed in Uzbekistan is intensifying after muffled criticism in the days immediately following the unrest. Britain is calling on the Uzbek government to provide international officials and journalists with immediate access to Andijon, the center of the unrest, where security forces are reported to have killed as many as 500 people.
• Situation Still Tense In Uzbekistan As Unofficial Death Toll Rises RFE/RL 17 May 2005 -- Gunfire broke out before daybreak in Andijon despite an overnight curfew, though information about what is happening in the eastern Uzbek city remains scarce. Authorities in Tashkent say security forces have fully reasserted control there after recent violence that human rights groups say killed more than 500.
• Uzbek Opposition: At Least 745 People Killed by Government Troops VOA 17 May 2005 -- An Uzbek opposition leader says at least 745 people were killed by government troops suppressing widespread unrest, which began last week in the eastern city of Andijan.

• UN Says Marburg Outbreak in Angola Not Yet Over VOA 17 May 2005 -- The World Health Organization says an outbreak of Marburg virus in Angola is not yet over, as the death toll continues to rise.

• EADS Astrium awarded Korea’s first geostationary multi-functional satellite contract EADS 17 May 2005 -- EADS Astrium has been awarded a contract from the Korea Aerospace and Research Institute, KARI, to design and manufacture the first Korean multi-function geostationary satellite “COMS”.