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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 03 Aug 2005 [PDF]
• 14 MARINES KILLED NEAR HADITHA
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Transcript: Defense Department Regular Briefing 03 Aug 2005 -- Presenter: Larry Di Rita, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and U.S. Army Brigadier General Carter Ham, Commander, Multinational Brigade-Northwest
• Marine Deaths Part of New Offensive VOA 03 Aug 2005 -- U.S. military officials say the deaths of 21 U.S. Marines near the Iraqi town of Haditha this week are the result of an ongoing offensive against insurgents who use that town, and others in the area, as bases for their operations
• Joint commission for conditions-based transition holds first meeting MNF-I 03 Aug 2005 -- The joint commission for conditions-based transition held its initial meeting Aug. 2.
• Sunni leader briefly detained MNF-I 03 Aug 2005 -- Coalition Forces conducted an operation on a residence in the Adl district of Baghdad Aug. 2.
• Safehouse destroyed; 10 suspects detained MNF-I 03 Aug 2005 -- Coalition forces conducted a raid in western Ramadi early Aug. 3 resulting in the capture of 10 suspected terrorists.
• Statement by II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward MNF-I 03 Aug 2005 -- We are aware that a video and photos exist of a body purported to be a Marine killed in action near Haditha on Aug 1.
• Citizens Help Troops Capture Suspects, Take Down Safehouse AFPS 03 Aug 2005 -- Coalition forces in Iraq arrested 10 suspected terrorist during a raid in western Ramadi today after Iraqi citizens pointed out a safehouse where the suspects were hiding and storing weapons.
• Multinational Commission Working to Smooth Transition AFPS 03 Aug 2005 -- A high-level commission established in Baghdad, Iraq, is "a useful exercise" in helping Iraqis develop effective ministries, a senior Defense Department official said here today.
• Military Ops Along Euphrates River Prompt Deadly Attacks AFPS 03 Aug 2005 -- "A very lethal and, unfortunately, adaptive enemy" is responsible for the deaths of 21 U.S. Marines in Iraq over the past three days, a senior military officer said here today.

• Afghan, Coalition Forces Find Weapons, Detain Enemy Fighters AFPS 03 Aug 2005 -- Afghan and coalition forces discovered four weapons caches during combat operations this week, one of which was found southwest of Orgun-E in Paktika province after a brief firefight with enemy combatants Aug. 1, military officials in Kabul reported today.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Military Compensation Panel Mulls Enlisted Performance Pay AFPS 03 Aug 2005 -- Hard-charging servicemembers who are promoted ahead of their peers may one day also be rewarded with performance pay, the chief of a defense panel studying military compensation issues said here today.
• Rumsfeld Lauds Air Force Progress in Adapting to Fight Terrorists AFPS 03 Aug 2005 -- Air Force personnel worldwide have been filling nontraditional roles to contribute to the fight against a multifaceted, adaptive insurgency, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said here Aug. 2.
• Uzbek K2 Decision No Surprise to Washington AFPS 03 Aug 2005 -- Uzbekistan's decision to close the U.S. and coalition air base at Karshi-Khanabad did not come as a surprise to American policy makers, Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs, said Aug. 2.
• Navy Sea Fighter Makes San Diego Home Navy NewsStand 03 Aug 2005 -- The Navy's experimental Littoral Surface Craft, Sea Fighter (FSF 1), arrived Aug. 1 at Broadway Pier in San Diego, its new homeport.
• DESRON 31 Concludes Global Combat Deployment Navy NewsStand 03 Aug 2005 -- The staff of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 31 returned home Aug. 1 after completing a highly successful deployment with the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Carrier Strike Group, including more than three months of ground-breaking operations in the Persian Gulf, which concluded July 1.
• Mighty 'Gold Eagle' Arrives at New Nest Navy NewsStand 03 Aug 2005 -- Friends, family and loved ones packed Naval Station Norfolk's Pier 14 July 31 to witness USS Carl Vinson's (CVN 70) arrival, bringing to an end its more than six-month global combat deployment. "The Gold Eagle" departed its former homeport of Bremerton, Wash., Jan. 13.
• ESG 1 Crosses Date Line, Enters 7th Fleet AOR Navy NewsStand 03 Aug 2005 -- Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 1 entered the second phase of its Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment July 29 when the group crossed the international date line and entered the 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR).
• International affairs program available to officers, civilians AFPN 03 Aug 2005 -- Air Force officers and civilians have the opportunity to continue their education through the Global Master of Arts Program II.
• Air Force seeks applicants for IAS program AFPN 03 Aug 2005 -- Air Force officials are looking to develop a cadre of Air Force officers with international insight, foreign language proficiency and cultural understanding to work in today's security and expeditionary operations environment.
• Crew chiefs turn bombers like fighters AFPN 03 Aug 2005 -- Postmen have nothing on these guys, particularly Tech. Sgt. Shannon Reynolds, a crew chief with the 40th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at this forward-deployed location.

• U.S. Seeks Sweeping Reforms of United Nations, Ambassador Says Washington File 03 Aug 2005 -- The United States is committed to sweeping reforms at the United Nations that include new human-rights and peacebuilding machinery, says Ambassador Anne W. Patterson.

• Democracy in Middle East Would Strike Blow to Terrorists, Bush Says AFPS 03 Aug 2005 -- Establishing a democracy in the heart of the Middle East "will deal a serious blow" to terrorists' hateful ideology, President Bush said today.
• State Department Noon Briefing, August 3 Washington File 03 Aug 2005 -- Sudan, Iran, Mauritania, Iraq, Belarus, Department/Rice's trip to Crawford, Texas, Saudi Arabia, Turkey/Iraq, North Korea
• White House Daily Briefing, August 3 Washington File 03 Aug 2005 -- President's schedule, North Korea, Iran, Colombia

Defense Industry

• BAE SYSTEMS Awarded $70.1 Million Contract For Reset Work On Bradley Combat System Vehicles BAE Systems 03 Aug 2005 -- BAE Systems has been awarded a contract modification worth $70.1 million from the U.S. Armys Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) to reset Bradley Combat System vehicles.
• General Dynamics to Acquire Itronix Corporation General Dynamics 03 Aug 2005 -- General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) today entered into a definitive agreement with Itronix Holdings and Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity investment firm, to acquire Itronix Corporation, a Spokane, Washington-based provider of wireless, rugged mobile computing solutions. The acquisition will be immediately accretive to General Dynamics. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
• Northrop Grumman Selected to Upgrade RC-135 Aircraft Navigation System Northrop Grumman 03 Aug 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by the U.S. Air Force to provide 30 high-accuracy LN-120G stellar navigation systems for the RC-135 family of reconnaissance aircraft.
• LOCKHEED MARTIN-DEVELOPED AIRBORNE LASER BEAM CONTROL FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM COMPLETES INITIAL FLIGHT TESTING Lockheed Martin 03 Aug 2005 -- The Beam Control Fire Control system developed by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) for the Airborne Laser (ABL) program, which is managed by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, has completed initial flight testing.
• United Technologies Completes Rocketdyne Acquisition Pratt & Whitney 03 Aug 2005 -- United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) today announced completion of its Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power acquisition from The Boeing Company. UTC had announced a purchase agreement in February.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 03 Aug 2005
• MAURITANIA: Army seizes power to end "totalitarian regime" IRIN 03 Aug 2005 -- With Mauritanian President Maaouya Ould Taya out of the country, the armed forces on Wednesday said they had seized power to end his "totalitarian regime" and had set up a military council to rule in his place.
• US Urges Return to Constitutional Rule in Mauritania VOA 03 Aug 2005 -- The United States Wednesday urged a return to constitutional rule in Mauritania after military officers there said they had overthrown President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya.
• Mauritanian Army Takes Power VOA 03 Aug 2005 -- Mauritania's military overthrew President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya's government and announced on the state-run news agency it would rule the country for up to two years.
• Soldiers Surround Key Buildings in Mauritanian Capital VOA 03 Aug 2005 -- Soldiers in Mauritania's capital seized strategic buildings, Wednesday, including the state radio and the presidential palace.

• Sudan: Annan, UN envoy, reiterate calls for calm following Garang's death UN News Centre 03 Aug 2005 -- With rioting in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum continuing for a third day after the sudden death of first Vice-President and ex-southern rebel leader John Garang, the top United Nations envoy in Sudan called on all the people of country - from political leaders to parents and their children - to "come to their senses" and help restore calm.
• US Urges "Additional Steps" to Contain Sudan Violence VOA 03 Aug 2005 -- The United States Wednesday called on Sudanese authorities to take additional steps to contain the violence that has swept the country following the death of former southern rebel leader John Garang. Two senior U.S. envoys are continuing talks in Sudan
• United States Expresses Concern over Violence in Sudan Washington File 03 Aug 2005 -- The United States expressed concern August 3 over reports of violence in Khartoum, Sudan, following the death of First Vice President John Garang, who died in a helicopter crash over the weekend.
• SUDAN: Violence in Darfur still prevalent - MSF IRIN 03 Aug 2005 -- Violence against civilians in the strife-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur remains a serious problem, the international humanitarian aid organisation, Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), said on Wednesday.
• SUDAN: Khartoum tense for third day after Garang death IRIN 03 Aug 2005 -- Gunshots could be heard in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, on Wednesday as heavily armed police patrolled the streets for a third day in an attempt to ease tensions that continued to run high following the death of First Vice President John Garang.
• UGANDA-SUDAN: Kampala calls IGAD summit following Garang's death IRIN 03 Aug 2005 -- Uganda has called for an emergency summit of the member-states of the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) following the death of Sudan's First Vice President, John Garang, an official said on Wednesday.

• Israeli Police Block Settlers from Marching on Gaza VOA 03 Aug 2005 -- Israeli security forces have blocked a bid by Jewish settlers to march on the Gaza Strip late Wednesday, in the latest protest against the upcoming pullout from the territory
• Proposed new UN team for Sierra Leone would comprise 300 staff, UN official says UN News Centre 03 Aug 2005 -- When the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) withdraws at the end of the year, the world body hopes to field a 300-member integrated support team which would not replace present UN agencies, but would provide technical support to the Government as the country emerges from civil strife, a senior UN official says.
• DRC: Katanga's forgotten strife displacing thousands IRIN 03 Aug 2005 -- Violence in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) Katanga Province has been displacing thousands of civilians, according to local media and two international NGOs.
• Russia: Moscow Says It Will Punish U.S. TV Network Over Basaev Interview RFE/RL 03 Aug 2005 -- Russia's Foreign Ministry has announced it will not renew the accreditation of reporters working for the U.S. ABC television network

News Reports

• U.S. Applauds Uribe Administration's Efforts in Colombia Washington File 03 Aug 2005 -- Colombia has made important progress in a number of areas in the three years since President Alvaro Uribe took office, and future U.S. support for Colombia will build on this success, says Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns.