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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 17 Aug 2005 [PDF]
• Task Force Baghdad Soldier killed in bomb attack
• TASK FORCE FREEDOM SOLDIER KILLED
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Three Bombs Explode in Baghdad in Coordinated Attack VOA 17 Aug 2005 -- Three bombings in Baghdad Wednesday have left dozens of people dead and more than 70 other wounded
• Task Force Baghdad helicopter makes precautionary landing MNF-I 17 Aug 2005 -- A Task Force Baghdad helicopter made a precautionary landing due to mechanical problems around 10 a.m. Aug. 17 in southwest Baghdad.
• More Than 40 Dead In Baghdad Blasts RFE/RL 17 Aug 2005 -- Three car bombs killed more than 40 people in an apparently coordinated attack in Baghdad during the morning rush hour.
• U.S. forces, terrorists clash; civilians hurt in fight MNF-I 17 Aug 2005 -- Terrorists attacked a Task Force Baghdad patrol in central Baghdad approximately 4 a.m. Aug. 16.
• Kirkuk's tower controls sky AFPN 17 Aug 2005 -- Like a scene from a movie, this real-world scenario features the official "talk" of air traffic controllers here.
• Mechanics keep war effort rolling AFPN 17 Aug 2005 -- High-mobility multipurpose-wheeled vehicles began serving America's Soldiers, Airmen and Marines worldwide in 1983.

• Canadian Military Assumes Command of Afghanistan PRT AFPS 17 Aug 2005 -- The Canadian military assumed responsibility for the provisional reconstruction team located in Kandahar, Afghanistan, during an Aug. 16 ceremony.
• Afghanistan: Election Campaign Begins On Airwaves RFE/RL 17 Aug 2005 -- The UN-Afghan Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) announced on 15 August that the official campaign period for Afghanistan's Wolesi Jirga (People's Assembly, the lower house of the National Assembly) and provincial councils is to begin on 17 August and continue until 15 September, three days before the polling date.
• Officials Probing Afghan Helicopter Crash RFE/RL 17 Aug 2005 -- Military officials today are investigating the crash of a Spanish transport helicopter in western Afghanistan that killed all 17 Spanish troops on board.
• Afghanistan Launches Parliamentary Campaign RFE/RL 17 Aug 2005 -- Afghanistan today launched a month-long campaign period for September's landmark parliamentary and local elections.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US Hopes Accord With Israel Will Limit Military Sales to China VOA 17 Aug 2005 -- The United States and Israel have announced an understanding on the need for consultations before Israel sells military technology to other nations.

• Fire Scout UAV Successfully Fires Weapons Navy NewsStand 17 Aug 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems conducted a series of flight tests July 21 at the Yuma Proving Grounds, Yuma, Ariz., that culminated in two successful launches of a 2.75-inch Hydra-class rocket from the Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV).
• Navy EOD Divers Conduct Force Protection, Countermeasure Evolution at PANAMAX Navy NewsStand 17 Aug 2005 -- Divers from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 10 partnered with divers from Panama's National Maritime Services (SMN) to work on and observe force protection and mine countermeasures as part of a scenario-driven exercise at FUERZAS ALIADAS PANAMAX 2005 in Panama City, Panama, Aug. 4-17.
• U.S. Embassy Representative Visits PANAMAX 2005 Navy NewsStand 17 Aug 2005 -- Chargé d'Affairs Luis Arrega of the U.S. Embassy in Panama visited the Civil Military Operations Center and was briefed on the status FUERZAS ALIADAS PANAMAX 2005, a training exercise in defense of the Panama Canal involving 15 countries Aug. 4-17.
• Camden Returns for Final Time Navy NewsStand 17 Aug 2005 -- USS Camden (AOE 2) returned to its homeport of Bremerton for the final time Aug. 15 after a seven-month global combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the global war on terrorism.
• Bataan Serves as Flagship for Multinational Exercise Navy NewsStand 17 Aug 2005 -- USS Bataan (LHD 5) served as the flagship for PANAMAX 2005 while underway in the Caribbean Sea, in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) Aug. 4-16.
• U.S. Military Helps Africans Prepare for Natural Disasters Washington File 17 Aug 2005 -- A tsunami like the one that devastated South Asia in December 2004, killing more than 140,000 people, might never hit East Africa, but if it does, 11 African nations will be ready with a coordinated emergency response, worked out in a partnership with the U.S. military called Operation Golden Spear.
• Spangdahlem's new airlift mission has room for expansion AFPN 17 Aug 2005 -- The 726th Airlift Support Squadron has not finished moving here from Rhein-Main Air Base, but its new home might have already earned it a bigger airlift mission.
• Unmanned Aircraft Capabilities Expanding in War on Terrorism AFPS 17 Aug 2005 -- Once used only for remote reconnaissance, unmanned aircraft technology has rapidly evolved in recent years.
• Defense Department Recognizes Top Military Installations AFPS 17 Aug 2005 -- Defense Department officials today recognized the "best of the best" among military installations.
• Army Updates Detainee Operations Information Aug. 17 Army News Release 17 Aug 2005 -- The Army continued its effort to keep the public informed concerning detainee operations by releasing documents today pursuant to a Freedom of Information (FOIA) litigation with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
• Soldiers prepare for Kosovo Force deployment UN News Centre 18 Aug 2005 -- In preparation for their deployment to Kosovo, Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company participated in close quarter combat training Aug. 10.

• Antiterrorism Exercises Held In Kazakhstan RFE/RL 17 Aug 2005 -- Security officials from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine are due to start two days of antiterrorism exercises today on the Kazakh coast of the Caspian Sea.

• Jordan's King Signs Deal On Russian Planes RFE/RL 17 Aug 2005 -- Visiting Jordanian King Abdullah signed today an agreement for the purchase of two Russian Ilyushin-76MF military transport planes.

• State Department Briefing, August 17 Washington File 17 Aug 2005 -- Venezuela, Bangladesh, Iraq, Iran, Bin-Laden Article in New York Times/Pursuing al-Qaida Network, U.S. Views of the "Axis of Evil"/Consistency of Policy/Commitment to Principles, South Korea, Zimbabwe, Israel/Palestinians, Mexico, China, Malaysia, Cyprus

Defense Industry

• BAE Systems' F-35 JSF Electronic Warfare Systems Passes Flight Tests BAE Systems 17 Aug 2005 -- NASHUA, New Hampshire -- BAE Systems has successfully completed the first flight test of its Electronic Warfare (EW) system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft.
• Boeing Delivers First AH-64D Apache Longbow for Kuwait Boeing 17 Aug 2005 -- The U.S. government, on behalf of the Government of Kuwait, accepted Kuwait's first AH-64D Apache Longbow multi-role combat helicopter from Boeing (NYSE: BA).
• Northrop Grumman Delivers Bid for Air Force Electronic Attack Requirement Northrop Grumman 17 Aug 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), the only U.S. company currently delivering selective-reactive electronic-attack systems, has delivered its proposal for the U.S. Air Force B-52 Stand-Off Jammer System. The Air Force is expected to announce a winner in early October 2005.
• Northrop Grumman Flies Modernized Firebee Aerial Target for U.S. Navy Northrop Grumman 17 Aug 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) reached another milestone for its BQM-34 Firebee aerial target with the latest version's successful first flight featuring an enhanced integrated avionics unit as the vehicle's autopilot. Aerial targets are the U.S. Navy's most realistic means of training sailors and airmen against airborne threats and testing an array of weapon systems, and the avionics upgrade supports the service's aerial-targets transformation plan.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 17 Aug 2005
• US Hopeful on Gaza Evacuation Despite Violence VOA 17 Aug 2005 -- The United States is condemning acts of violence linked to the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. But U.S. officials remain hopeful the disengagement process will succeed and advance broader Middle East peace efforts
• Violence in West Bank as Israel Removes Gaza Settlers VOA 17 Aug 2005 -- An Israeli gunman has shot and killed at least three Palestinians and wounded at least two others near the West Bank settlement of Shiloh
• Israel Begins Forced Evacuation of Settlers from Gaza VOA 17 Aug 2005 -- Israeli troops have begun to forcibly remove Jewish settlers from their homes in the Gaza Strip -- after a 48-hour deadline for the settlers to leave voluntarily expired at midnight.
• Sharon Appeals to Settlers to Cooperate VOA 17 Aug 2005 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has appealed to Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip and their supporters to cooperate with the security forces sent to evacuate them
• U.S. Welcomes Efforts To Ensure Peaceful Gaza Withdrawal Washington File 17 Aug 2005 -- The United States welcomes the efforts of both Israelis and Palestinians to ensure a peaceful and orderly withdrawal of Israeli settlers from Gaza.

• PRESS CONFERENCE BY PEACEKEEPING DEPARTMENT ON SITUATION IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO United Nations 17 Aug 2005
• Logistical problems put strain on voter registration process in DR of Congo - UN UN News Centre 18 Aug 2005 -- Voter registration in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is proceeding according to plan, but a number of logistical problems could cause some delays in what will be the largest elections ever assisted by the United Nations, UN peacekeeping officials said today.

• UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire welcomes disarmament plan from western militias UN News Centre 17 Aug 2005 -- The United Nations mission in Côte d'Ivoire has welcomed the commitment of the armed groups in the western region of the West African country to start disarming next Wednesday.
• Ivory Coast Rebels To Decide On Future Of South African Mediation VOA 17 Aug 2005 -- Northern rebels in divided Ivory Coast are discussing their future in a South African mediated peace process that would lead to the first presidential elections since civil war split the country in half three years ago

• Sudan: UN envoy optimistic about slow, steady improvement in Darfur UN News Centre 17 Aug 2005 -- The top United Nations envoy for Sudan today expressed cautious optimism that the situation in strife-torn western Darfur is beginning to stabilize, and that one of the main rebel groups waging a bloody two-year battle in the region against the Khartoum Government and its allied militia is prepared to continue recently postponed peace talks.
• SUDAN: Fresh violence and looting reported in Darfur IRIN 17 Aug 2005 -- The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) on Tuesday said violence in the war-ravaged western Sudanese region of Darfur had continued, with reports over the past week of looting and attacks on internally displaced persons' (IDP) camps.

• UN budget will fund Commission on Cameroon-Nigeria border, Annan says UN News Centre 18 Aug 2005 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has notified the Security Council that he will request funds from the organization's regular budget to help pay for the crucial implementation of the World Court ruling on the demarcation of the land and sea border between Nigeria and Cameroon.
• Annan urges concrete efforts to ensure peace and stability in Central Africa UN News Centre 18 Aug 2005 -- While the United Nations panel dealing with security issues in Central Africa continues to make progress, particularly by highlighting the activities of mercenaries and other problems in the region, Secretary-general Kofi Annan says in a new report that more concrete action is imperative to ensure long-term, peace, stability and development.
• Lugar on Mission for Release of Moroccan Prisoners VOA 17 Aug 2005 -- U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar has been sent to North Africa by President Bush to oversee the release of some 400 Moroccan prisoners still held in Algeria from the Western Sahara conflict.
• CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC-CHAD: Another 4,000 Central Africans flee to Chad, recount village raids IRIN 17 Aug 2005 -- Another wave of Central Africans has fled into southern Chad, with more than 4,000 arriving in the last 10 days and recounting how armed bands pillaged their homes and raped young women, a UN official said on Wednesday.
• Turkey: Government Under Growing Pressure To Meet Kurdish Demands RFE/RL 17 Aug 2005 -- 15 August marked the 21st anniversary of the start of Turkey's Kurdish insurgency.
• BURUNDI: Rebels spread fighting to northern provinces IRIN 17 Aug 2005 -- The only remaining Burundian Hutu rebel movement, Front National de Libération (FNL), has for the first time since 1993 intensified its attacks, moving its offensives from the traditional strongholds of Bujumbura Rural and Bubanza provinces to other areas in the north of the country.
• NEPAL: New NGO law spells end of autonomy, say activists IRIN 17 Aug 2005 -- Some national and international NGOs in Nepal say they are seriously concerned over the introduction of the Social Welfare (First Amendment) Ordinance 2005.

News Reports