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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 08 Jul 2005 [PDF]
• SOLDIER KILLED BY IED NEAR BALAD

• Transcript: Defense Department Special Briefing on Security Operations in Baghdad 08 Jul 2005 -- Presenter: Commander of Multinational Division Baghdad and Task Force Baghdad, Maj. Gen. William G. Webster, Jr.
• Airmen teach C-130 ops to Iraqis, learn about sacrifice AFPN 08 Jul 2005 -- When a crew of instructors deployed here to teach Iraqi airmen the finer points of flying and maintaining C-130 Hercules, they knew they had a monumental task in front of them. But what they found was something unexpected.
• Iraqi Forces on Track to Provide Baghdad Election Security AFPS 08 Jul 2005 -- Iraqi security forces in and around Baghdad are making progress in their training and will be ready to assume responsibility for security measures for the October elections, the area's top U.S. commander said today.
• Task Force Liberty and Iraqi Army Soldiers find caches near Balad MNF-I 08 Jul 2005 -- Task Force Liberty and Iraqi Army Soldiers found four weapons caches and detained three individuals near Balad July 7.
• 48th Brigade digs fiber optic cable MNF-I 08 Jul 2005 -- The daunting task to connect the 48th Brigade Combat Team so each unit can communicate with each other through a high-speed fiber optic cable has been given to Staff Sgt. Tom Laidlaw.
• US General: Insurgents Can No Longer Mount Sustained Operations in Baghdad VOA 08 Jul 2005 -- The U.S. general who commands coalition forces in Baghdad says Iraqi and foreign troops have crippled the insurgency in recent months, and that it can no longer mount long-term, intense operations in the city.
• US and Iraqi Forces to Protect Foreign Diplomats in Baghdad VOA 08 Jul 2005 -- The senior U.S. general responsible for coalition operations in Baghdad says he is working with Iraqi officials on a new security plan for foreign diplomats, following the assassination of Egypt's top diplomat in the city.

• Karzai Says Bin Laden Not In Afghanistan RFE/RL 08 Jul 2005 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai said today that Osama bin Laden is not in Afghanistan, but gave no suggestion of where he thinks the Al-Qaeda leader may be hiding.
• Afghanistan: 'Loyal Opposition' Plans Election Strategy RFE/RL 08 Jul 2005 -- In two recent private and candid discussions with RFE/RL, Mohammad Yunos Qanuni, leader of the 12-party coalition National Understanding Front (Jabha-ye Tafahom-e Melli, JTM), spoke about the Afghan opposition's election strategy and his own personal reflections about the administration of Afghan President Hamid Karzai as well as relations between Kabul and Washington
• AFGHANISTAN: Last ex-combatant disarmed under DDR IRIN 08 Jul 2005 -- The Afghan government and the United Nations celebrated the end of the disarmament and demobilisation phase of the UN-backed Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) as the last ex-militia member was disarmed at a ceremony in the capital, Kabul, on Thursday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Transcript: Defense Department Special Briefing on Administrative Review Boards for Detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 08 Jul 2005 -- Presenter: Director, Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants, Rear Adm. James McGarrah

• Joint Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Team, Center of Excellence Announced 08 Jul 2005 -- The Department of Defense announces today the establishment of two organizations to coordinate the development and use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities.

• DoD Releases Study on Link Between Agent Orange and Diabetes 08 Jul 2005 -- The Department of Defense released today the latest report of the Air Force Health Study on the health effects of exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, which includes the strongest evidence to date that Agent Orange is associated with adult-onset diabetes.

• ACC flying hours restored AFPN 08 Jul 2005 -- Air Combat Command officials restored an estimated $201 million to its flying hour program July 1 after receiving additional funds from Air Force headquarters.
• Guard Carries Out State Missions Despite Deployments AFPS 08 Jul 2005 -- While more than 77,000 National Guard members are deployed in support of the global war on terror, their comrades at home are demonstrating that they're still fully capable of carrying out their state missions.
• DIVARTY cases its colors for Army transformation Army News 08 Jul 2005 -- When the 25th Infantry Division (Light) Division Artillery cased its colors June 15, it became the first division artillery brigade to deactivate in the Army's transformation.
• Boxer Visits Singapore to Prepare for CARAT Navy NewsStand 08 Jul 2005 -- USS Boxer (LHD 4), commanded by Capt. Thomas J. Culora, completed a two-day port visit to Singapore July 5.
• Blue Ridge Celebrates America's Birthday Down Under Navy NewsStand 08 Jul 2005 -- During a five-day port visit to Brisbane, Australia, some USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) Sailors got the chance to celebrate Independence Day at Australia's world-famous Surfers' Paradise.
• Guardian Returns to Sasebo After Three-Month, Multinational Exercise Deployment Navy NewsStand 08 Jul 2005 -- USS Guardian (MCM 5) returned to Sasebo, Japan, July 8 after completing a successful three-month deployment that included three joint exercises and port visits in six countries.
• Hurricane Dennis Passes U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay Navy NewsStand 08 Jul 2005 -- Hurricane Dennis passed by U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay July 7, causing minimal damage.
• Essex Completes TRAV in Yokosuka Navy NewsStand 08 Jul 2005 -- USS Essex (LHD 2) Sailors completed their annual Training Availability (TRAV) period June 13-27 at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY).
• Fort McHenry on Her Way Home From Successful Operations Navy NewsStand 08 Jul 2005 -- USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) will soon return to her forward deployed port in Sasebo, Japan, after successfully completing South East Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism (SEACAT) and the first two legs of Cooperation Afloat Readiness And Training (CARAT) 2005.
• Navy Takes Possession of Fastest Experimental Ship Navy NewsStand 08 Jul 2005 -- The U.S. Navy took delivery of its newest experimental ship, Sea Fighter (FSF 1), at Naval Station Everett, Wash., in July.
• Women in Combat Controversy VOA 08 Jul 2005 -- The U.S. military's ban on women in ground combat is being severely tested in the Iraq War. Female troops in Iraq see far more combat than in prior U.S. conflicts.
• Uzbekistan To Reassess Presence Of U.S. Air Base RFE/RL 08 Jul 2005 -- The Uzbek Foreign Ministry said today that Uzbekistan intends to reassess Washington's use of Khanabad air base due to the changed situation in Afghanistan.

• NATO: Alliance Head Says London Attacks Won't Stop Fight Against Terrorism RFE/RL 08 Jul 2005 -- NATO ambassadors held an emergency meeting this morning in the wake of the terrorist attacks in London yesterday. All of Great Britain's allies expressed their sympathy, but London made no specific requests for assistance.

• State Department Briefing, July 8 Washington File 08 Jul 2005 -- United Kingdom, Additional Security at Diplomatic Posts in Light of London Bombings, Status of John Bolton Nomination, Number of Inquiries about American Citizens who may have been Affected by London Bombings, Iraq, Italy, Venezuela, Israel/Palestinians, Syria

Defense Industry

• General Dynamics Awarded Orders Totaling $56 Million for Medium-Caliber Ammunition General Dynamics 08 Jul 2005 -- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), announced today that the U.S. Army Field Support Command, Rock Island, Ill., has awarded the company four medium-caliber ammunition contracts valued at more than $56 million. Work on these contracts will be performed at the company’s Marion, Ill., facility.
• Northrop Grumman Consolidates Presence in San Diego Northrop Grumman 08 Jul 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) consolidated many operations in San Diego today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a 234,000-square-foot campus located on Spectrum Center Boulevard. The five-building complex will house approximately 850 employees and accommodate the company's expected growth.
• Army awards new AKO contract Army News 08 Jul 2005 -- A contract valued at more than $152 million has been awarded to Lockheed Martin Corporation to manage Army Knowledge Online, the Army's enterprise Web portal.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 08 Jul 2005
• PRESS CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT SMALL ARMS MEETING United Nations 08 Jul 2005
• UN meets next week to chart progress on suppressing illicit trade in small arms UN News Centre 08 Jul 2005 -- Calling small arms the real weapons of mass destruction because of their daily toll on human life, the heads of a conference next week to review how United Nations Member States have implemented a programme to eliminate the trade in illicit weapons today said that despite some progress, much more needed to be done.

• UN workers, injured by stone throwers, pull out of Darfur IDP camps UN News Centre 08 Jul 2005 -- United Nations agencies in Sudan's war-wracked Darfur region were forced to withdraw staff today from most camps in an area hosting up to 70,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) when aid workers preparing for food distribution came under attack by groups of young men armed with sticks and stones.
• SUDAN: AU $200 m short for Darfur peacekeeping IRIN 08 Jul 2005 -- The African Union (AU) warned on Friday that it faced a US $200 million shortfall for its peacekeeping operations in the war-ravaged western Sudanese region of Darfur.

• CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Disarmament, reintegration extends to the northwest IRIN 08 Jul 2005 -- Ex-combatants began voluntarily handing over their weapons to UN and government officials on Friday in the Central African Republic's northwestern district of Nana-Grébizi.
• UGANDA: Army kills key rebel officers IRIN 08 Jul 2005 -- The Ugandan army on Friday claimed it was one step closer to defeating the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) after killing the group's chief-of-staff and the eldest son of LRA commander-in-chief Joseph Kony.
• COTE D IVOIRE: Disarmament talks continuing after two days IRIN 08 Jul 2005 -- Talks to agree a disarmament timetable to end Cote d'Ivoire's three-year civil war were continuing on Friday evening after two days of efforts to reach agreement.
• G8 Supports Comprehensive Resolution of Middle East Conflict Washington File 08 Jul 2005 -- The Group of Eight (G8) nations issued a statement voicing support for efforts to achieve a comprehensive resolution of the Middle East conflict at the annual G8 Summit, which took place at Gleneagles, Scotland, July 6-8.
• UNHCR Must Move Flood-Threatened Refugees in Chad VOA 08 Jul 2005 -- The U.N. refugee agency says it must urgently relocate about 10-thousand refugees in Chad before the rainy season begins.

News Reports

• PRESS CONFERENCE BY INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION United Nations 08 Jul 2005
• Brazil Sets Date for Gun Referendum VOA 08 Jul 2005 -- Brazilian lawmakers have set a date for a national referendum in October on whether to ban the sale of all firearms.
• US Criticizes Venezuela Over Prosecution of Chavez Foes VOA 08 Jul 2005 -- The United States is criticizing in strong terms the prosecution of four political opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The four members of the opposition group Sumate are accused of conspiracy for accepting money from a U.S. non-governmental group.
• Lebanon Still Without Government VOA 08 Jul 2005 -- Lebanon's prime minister-designate is struggling to overcome squabbling among political parties to form the first Cabinet since Syrian troops withdrew. Negotiations began a week ago, and the prime minister-designate is balancing competing requests from rival parties for specific ministerial portfolios. Christian leader Michel Aoun decided not to join the government, when his request for the Justice Ministry was rejected.
• G-8 Ends With Solidarity on Terror, Announcements on Aid VOA 08 Jul 2005 -- The G-8 summit has ended with agreement on aid to Africa, help for the Palestinians, and a vow to seek consensus on global warming.
• Kyrgyzstan: Will Election Be Free, Fair, And Nonviolent? RFE/RL 08 Jul 2005 -- Kyrgyzstan's 10 July presidential poll looks like a one-sided race in which no candidates pose a serious challenge to the frontrunner, acting President Kurmanbek Bakiev.