Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 22 Jul 2005 [PDF]
• SAILOR DIES FROM BOMB BLAST WOUNDS
• MARINE KILLED BY IED NEAR ZAIDON
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Navy Casualty

• Transcript: Defense Department Special Briefing 22 Jul 2005 -- Presenter: Major General Stephen T. Johnson, USMC, commander, Multinational Forces West And II Marine Expeditionary Force
• General Sees Progress in Western Iraq Washington File 22 Jul 2005 -- A U.S. military commander who works in western Iraq reports slow but measurable progress in the security situation, and steady political advancements in an area that had seen considerable instability late last year, especially in Fallujah.
• Insurgents Want to Return to Fallujah VOA 22 Jul 2005 -- The U.S. general who commands coalition forces in western Iraq says insurgents are trying to re-establish themselves in their former stronghold of Fallujah, but he pledged they will not be allowed to do so
• Iraqis' Progress in West Leaves Area Commander Optimistic AFPS 22 Jul 2005 -- A strong partnership with coalition forces is improving the capability of Iraqi security forces and encouraging political development in Iraq's Anbar province, the area's top commander said today.
• Iraq Reconstruction Efforts Moving Forward, Army Engineer Says AFPS 22 Jul 2005 -- The effort to reconstruct Iraq is "immense and unprecedented in many ways," a top engineer involved with the project said today.
• Task Force Freedom detains 16, discovers weapons cache MNF-I 22 Jul 2005 -- Elements of 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained suspected terrorists and seized a weapons cache in northern Iraq July 20.
• Fresh Clashes Erupt In Central Iraqi City RFE/RL 22 Jul 2005 -- Fresh clashes are reported in the central Iraqi city of Samarra between insurgents and U.S. and Iraqi soldiers.
• Army Assesses Behavioral Health of Soldiers in Iraq AFPS 22 Jul 2005 -- The Army has made significant inroads in improving the behavioral health of soldiers deployed to Iraq, according to a report released this week.

• Karzai Urges West Not To Link Terrorism With Islam RFE/RL 22 Jul 2005 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged the West today not to link terrorism with Islam
• Afghan Leader Urging Continued International Support VOA 22 Jul 2005 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai, visiting Europe to secure continuing support for his country, says the help is needed if Afghanistan is to continue to reverse the extremism and terrorism that gripped his country during the Taleban regime

Defense Policy / Programs

• DoD Names New NRO Director 22 Jul 2005 -- The secretary of defense announced today the decision to appoint Donald M. Kerr as director of the National Reconnaissance Office, with the concurrence of the director of National Intelligence.

• Transcript: Secretary Rumsfeld remarks at the Change of Command Ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis,Md. 22 Jul 2005 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
• Clark Passes Baton of Leadership to Mullen Navy NewsStand 22 Jul 2005 -- Adm. Vern Clark passed the baton of leadership of the U.S. Navy to Adm. Mike Mullen during a ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy July 22, stepping down from the post of Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) after five years.
• Mullen Relieves Clark as Chief of Naval Operations Navy NewsStand 22 Jul 2005 -- Adm. Michael G. Mullen relieved Adm. Vern Clark as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) during a Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony in Alumni Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., July 22.

• Leaders Encourage New CNO to Continue Navy's Transformation AFPS 22 Jul 2005 -- The Defense Department's top civilian leaders challenged the new chief of naval operations to continue the sweeping transformation under way to prepare the Navy for the challenges ahead.
• Army Guard Head Discusses Proposed Changes to Recruiting System AFPS 22 Jul 2005 -- The Army National Guard's 330,000 citizen-soldiers can help reduce the organization's current 19,000-person recruiting shortfall, Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn said today.
• Harpers Ferry Sailors Train Like They Fight Navy NewsStand 22 Jul 2005 -- USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) completed its Amphibious Specialty Training (AST) July 10.

• U.S.: Central And South Asian Military Officers Attend Crisis Training RFE/RL 22 Jul 2005 -- Officers from four Central and South Asian states and the U.S. Army are in the midst of a two-week training exercise aimed at improving cooperation on border security and counterterrorism efforts

• Asia: Is China Becoming A Regional Military Threat? RFE/RL 22 Jul 2005 -- A new U.S. Defense Department study suggests that China's military buildup is making it a potential threat to regional security in East Asia.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 22 Jul 2005
• PRESS BRIEFING ON CIVIL SOCIETY CONFERENCE United Nations 22 Jul 2005
• PRESS BRIEFING BY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR SUDAN United Nations 22 Jul 2005
• UN Hears Upbeat Report on Sudan VOA 22 Jul 2005 -- The U.N. envoy to Sudan reports good progress in bringing the country back from what a year ago was being called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Violence in Darfur is declining, while peace in the south of Sudan is holding
• SUDAN: Give more support to AU forces in Darfur, US urged IRIN 22 Jul 2005 -- More support for an expanded, better-equipped and better-trained African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) is needed to stop violence against women in the country's war-ravaged western region of Darfur, a relief organisation said on Friday.

• Security Council welcomes post-election institutions in Central African Republic UN News Centre 22 Jul 2005 -- The United Nations Security Council today called on international donors and financial institutions to 'generously' assist the fragile, newly-elected institutions in the Central African Republic
• UN official hails action plan on civil society's contribution to conflict prevention UN News Centre 22 Jul 2005 -- Hailing a new plan of action for cooperation between civil society and the United Nations for peacebuilding and preventing violent conflict, a senior UN official today stressed that it was cheaper to head off potential flashpoints than to deal with their aftermath.
• OAS Commission Urges Immediate Steps To Quell Violence in Haiti Washington File 22 Jul 2005 -- A human rights body of the Organization of American States (OAS) is calling for immediate measures to quell what it says is unprecedented violence in Haiti
• Ambassador Frazer Addresses African Conflict Resolution, Security Washington File 22 Jul 2005 -- Ambassador Jendayi Frazer, whom President Bush has named to be the next assistant secretary of state for African affairs, said her focus in her new job would be on conflict resolution, fighting the war on global terror -- and safeguarding the thousands of people working at American embassies on the continent.
• Despite progress towards peace, Sudan still 'utterly fragile' - UN envoy UN News Centre 22 Jul 2005 -- While the international community's humanitarian, political and African-led military strategy for peace and stability in Sudan was finally bearing fruit, the situation was still extremely fragile, particularly for millions of people in war-torn Darfur
• Togo Government, Opposition Leader Meet, Agree to End Violence VOA 22 Jul 2005 -- The recently elected president of Togo and the main opposition leader have agreed to work to end violence in the country.
• Rice Meets Sharon, Urges Coordination on Gaza Pullout VOA 22 Jul 2005 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at his ranch in southern Israel today for talks on Israel's upcoming disengagement from Gaza.

News Reports

• PRESS CONFERENCE BY SPECIAL ENVOY ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS ISSUES IN ZIMBABWE United Nations 22 Jul 2005
• US Secretary of State on Surprise Visit to Lebanon VOA 22 Jul 2005 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice paid an unexpected visit to Beirut Friday, delivering a message of support to the new Lebanese government.
• Grenade Suspect Charged With Policeman's Murder In Georgia RFE/RL 22 Jul 2005 -- A Tbilisi resident suspected of throwing a faulty hand grenade toward President Mikheil Saakashvili and visiting U.S. President George W. Bush last May was charged today with the murder of a police officer.
• Expert Says Disease Replaces Political Conflict as Asia's Greatest Security Threat VOA 22 Jul 2005 -- An Asia expert says disease and natural disasters may pose a greater security threat to the region than conventional political conflicts.