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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 23 Aug 2005 [PDF]
• TASK FORCE BAGHDAD SOLDIER KILLED IN ATTACK
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• MARINE KILLED BY AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE NEAR FALLUJAH
• MARINE KILLED BY AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE NEAR AL KARMAH
• Task Force Liberty Soldier, six others killed by suicide bomber in Baqubah

• Transcript: Defense Department Regular Briefing 23 Aug 2005 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Edmund Giambastiani, Jr.
• Suicide Bomber Strikes in Iraq, Kills Several Americans, Iraqis AFPS 23 Aug 2005 -- A suicide bomber killed one Task Force Liberty soldier, one U.S. civilian, and five Iraqis in Baqubah, Iraq, at 12:50 p.m. today. Nine U.S. soldiers and several Iraqis were wounded.
• Iraqi Soldiers, U.S. Marines Kill Two Attacking Insurgents AFPS 23 Aug 2005 -- Iraqi soldiers and coalition forces killed two insurgents who attacked them in the town of Hit, Iraq, Aug. 22, Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq officials said.
• Terrorist dies at 344th Field Hospital MNF-I 23 Aug 2005 -- A 37-year-old Iraqi male died Aug. 22 at Abu Ghraib as a result of gunshot wounds sustained while engaging Coalition Forces.
• Rotation of Salvadorian contingent MNF-I 23 Aug 2005 -- A new rotation of a Salvadorian Contingent started its duty in Multinational Division Central South, Iraq.

• U.N. Security Council Calls for Afghan Election Aid Washington File 23 Aug 2005 -- The Security Council August 23 urged nations to give additional aid to close a $29.6 million gap in funding to Afghanistan for its upcoming elections.
• PAKISTAN: Refugee camp closures to go ahead IRIN 23 Aug 2005 -- Islamabad intends to adhere to a timetable of closures of various Afghan refugee camps and settlements across the country, a government official said on Tuesday, responding to reports that extensions were being considered to allow camp residents time to leave in safety and with dignity.
• UN Envoy Warns Violence Could Disrupt Afghan Polls RFE/RL 23 Aug 2005 -- The chief of the UN mission in Afghanistan has warned an upsurge in violence could disrupt Afghanistan's parliamentary polls next month.
• Afghanistan: Security Council condemns attempts to disrupt upcoming elections UN News Centre 23 Aug 2005 -- With preparations for Afghanistan's legislative elections taking place in the shadow of escalating violence, the United Nations Security Council today condemned "terrorist acts or other forms of violence" aimed at disrupting the political process, and called on the international community to make up a nearly $30 million shortfall to fund the poll.
• Afghan refugees accelerate voluntary repatriation from Pakistan's tribal areas UN News Centre 23 Aug 2005 -- With the Government of Pakistan's August 31 deadline for closure of refugee camps fast-approaching, the number of Afghans requesting help to repatriate from tribal agencies in Kurram and Bajaur has risen sharply, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
• PRT builds up remote corner of Afghanistan Army News 23 Aug 2005 -- A small compound sticks out amongst the dusty reddish brown rock of southwestern Afghanistan, serving as a magnet for reconstruction in the remote province of Farah.
• U.N. Security Council Condemns Extremists Bid to Disrupt Afghan Elections VOA 23 Aug 2005 -- The U.N. Security Council has expressed grave concern about violence in Afghanistan ahead of next month's elections.
• Afghanistan Asks Pakistan To Postpone Camp Closure RFE/RL 23 Aug 2005 -- Afghanistan called on Pakistan on 22 August to postpone the closure of all refugee camps in the Pakistani tribal regions.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Command post's hidden mission important to base AFPN 23 Aug 2005 -- Many Airmen may not know what a command post controller contributes to the base mission because he or she is often hidden behind closed doors.
• Homeland Defense Exercise Wraps Up in Alaska AFPS 23 Aug 2005 -- A massive homeland defense exercise in Alaska wrapped up Aug. 19 after five days of simulated natural disasters and terrorist events, including earthquakes, aircraft crashes and anthrax attacks in 21 communities statewide.
• BRAC: McClellan Loses 'Fort,' Gains 18,000-acre Community AFPS 23 Aug 2005 -- In 1995, the Army's Fort McClellan here was a bustling military installation that provided numerous civilian jobs and business for the surrounding community.
• 500 attend workshop on new personnel system Army News 23 Aug 2005 -- More than 500 Army personnel managers and specialists attended a workshop in Chicago Aug. 9-12 to prepare for implementation of the National Security Personnel System beginning this fall.
• Navy Reservists Defend Gulf Coast in Simulated Terrorist Exercise Navy NewsStand 23 Aug 2005 -- U.S. Navy Reservists joined the U.S. Coast Guard, along with federal and local law enforcement agencies, Aug. 15-19 to support the Gulf Coast Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative 2005 (MDA-05) at Naval Station Pascagoula.
• End of Successful Philippines Phase Brings CARAT Series to Close Navy NewsStand 23 Aug 2005 -- The annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series ended Aug. 23 with the closing of the Philippines phase.
• Kitty Hawk Concludes Successful Summer Underway Period Navy NewsStand 23 Aug 2005 -- USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) returned to its forward-deployed operating port of Yokosuka, Japan, Aug. 20, bringing an end to a three-month summer underway period which saw the ship and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 encounter many changes and challenges.
• Chapter Closes On Pacific Vikings Navy NewsStand 23 Aug 2005 -- Sea Control Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CSCWP) held its disestablishment ceremony Aug. 19 at the Sea Control Squadron (VS) 41 hangar at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
• Theater Commanders Meet to Discuss EUCOM's Future Navy NewsStand 23 Aug 2005 -- Top U.S. military commanders in Europe are meeting here in August to develop a common understanding about their future role.
• GW Sailors Get Up Close During Dry Dock Tour Navy NewsStand 23 Aug 2005 -- USS George Washington (CVN 73) (GW) Sailors lined up to view the bottom of their warship Aug. 16 and 18, when the commanding officer, Capt. Garry R. White, allowed the crew to tour the dry dock while the ship was undergoing maintenance at Northrop Grumman Newport News (NGNN) Shipyard in Virginia.

• Rumsfeld Not Concerned About Russia-China Exercises, Experts Divided VOA 23 Aug 2005 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says he is not concerned about the first bi-lateral Russia-China military exercises, which are now in their second week and include an amphibious landing in eastern China, not far from Taiwan

• State Department Briefing, August 23 Washington File 23 Aug 2005 -- Venezuela, Bangladesh, North Korea, South Korea, Nigeria, Canada, Israel/Palestinians, Macedonia, Turkey, Allegations of US Mistreatment of Iranian Detainee at Guantanamo Facility, Coordination on Transferring Iranian Detainee to Iran, Iran, United Nations, Iraq

Defense Industry

• ATK Receives $15 Million Contract to Build Fuzes for the M-228 Practice Grenade ATK 23 Aug 2005 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) has received a production contract valued at approximately $15 million for M-228 Practice Grenade Fuzes. The contract was awarded through the U.S. Army Field Support Command, Rock Island, Illinois. If all options are exercised, the total value of the contract could be worth approximately $57 million. Work on the contract will be performed at the company’s Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Rocket Center, W.Va.
• U.S. Army Small-Caliber Ammo Award Establishes General Dynamics As Second Source for Critical Small Caliber Ammunition General Dynamics 23 Aug 2005 -- The U.S. Army Field Support Command, Rock Island, Illinois, has awarded General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a five-year contract to supply small-caliber ammunition to the U.S. armed forces. The initial award under the contract is for $171 million for approximately 300 million rounds. The contract has a total potential value of approximately $1.2 billion if all options are exercised.
• General Dynamics To Develop On-Board Electric-Power Generating System for Marine Corps HMMWVs General Dynamics 23 Aug 2005 -- The Office of Naval Research has competitively selected General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), for the first phase of a development effort for an on-board electric-power generation and distribution capability for the U.S. Marine Corps’ High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV.
• Hellfire Thermobaric Warhead Approved for Production Lockheed Martin 23 Aug 2005 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) announced that the U.S. government has approved the thermobaric HELLFIRE (AGM-114N) missile for an accelerated full-rate production run.
• Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract for Planning Work on USS Minneapolis-St. Paul Northrop Grumman 23 Aug 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) was awarded a contract from the U.S. Navy for planning work on the nuclear-powered submarine USS Minneapolis-St. Paul (SSN 708).
• Pratt & Whitney Begins Assembly of First Flight Test F135 Engine for the Joint Strike Fighter Pratt & Whitney 23 Aug 2005 -- Pratt & Whitney has begun assembly of the first flight test F135 engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The F135 will be the exclusive power for the JSF's first flights starting next year.
• Raytheon Reaches DCGS Milestone for DCGS Block 10.2 System Raytheon 23 Aug 2005 -- Raytheon Company has accomplished its first requirement of the Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) contract; to deliver an experimental Distributed Common Ground System (DGS-X) to Langley Air Force Base, Va., where Raytheon and the Air Force will conduct additional testing and accreditation. The company successfully completed the factory acceptance test for the Air Force DCGS Block 10.2 multi- intelligence core earlier this month.
• Orbital Successfully Launches Second Target Rocket For U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s CMCM-1 Program Orbital Sciences Corp. 23 Aug 2005 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that it successfully launched the second of two medium-range target vehicles that supported the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Critical Measurements and Countermeasures Program, Campaign 1 (CMCM-1). The second launch of Orbital’s medium-range Castor IVB® target vehicle originated from Kauai Test Facility on the Pacific Missile Range Facility, on Thursday, August 18. As in the previous CMCM-1 launch, which was carried out earlier this month on August 4, Orbital’s role in the test was to supply the boost vehicle, integrate both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratories payload deployment module and Sandia National Laboratories reentry system, and conduct launch operations as contracted by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. The launch was conducted by the company’s Launch Systems Group based in Chandler, AZ.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 23 Aug 2005
• Annan 'encouraged' by regional, sub-regional action to combat small arms trade UN News Centre 23 Aug 2005 -- Encouraging regional and sub-regional efforts to curb gun violence can pave the way for further action at the global level, especially wider implementation of a 2001 United Nations accord aimed at combating illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new report.

• DRC: Former militiamen now form army's 4th Brigade IRIN 23 Aug 2005 -- The demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration process (DDR) of 3,200 militiamen ended on Monday in Mushaki District, 30 km in south of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, national Defense Minister Adolphe Onusumba said.
• DRC: Ituri militiamen shoot dead electoral official IRIN 23 Aug 2005 -- Unidentified militiamen shot dead an electoral official on Monday when they attacked a voter registration centre in Fataki, a town in the northeastern district of Ituri in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Independent Electoral Commission Chairman Apollinaire Malu Malu said.

• Israel Begins Evacuation of Two Hard-line West Bank Settlements VOA 23 Aug 2005 -- Shortly after dawn (Tuesday), troops moved into two West Bank settlements in the final phase of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan
• Israel Evacuates Two Hard-line West Bank Settlements VOA 23 Aug 2005 -- Israeli troops have moved in to clear out two West Bank settlements (Tuesday) as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's controversial disengagement plan entered its final phase

• Sri Lankan Marxists Urge Government to be Tough with Tamil Rebels VOA News 23 Aug 2005 -- More than 2,500 Sri Lankan Marxists have marched in Colombo to press the government to cancel planned peace talks with Tamil rebels and to punish them instead for a rash of killings blamed on the rebels.
• NEPAL: Confidence building ahead of talks with rebels IRIN 23 Aug 2005 -- Nepal's seven main political parties say they are preparing for talks with the leaders of the nation's Maoist rebels, who have been waging a violent campaign against the state for the last nine years.
• GUINEA-BISSAU: Prime minister says doesn't recognise new president but won't resign IRIN 23 Aug 2005 -- Guinea-Bissau's Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior has said he doesn't recognise newly-elected president, Joao Bernardo Vieira, but will remain in the government nonetheless, prompting many observers to wonder how the political cohabitation will work.
• UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire condemns declarations calling for a coup UN News Centre 23 Aug 2005 -- The United Nations mission in Côte d'Ivoire today denounced declarations calling for a coup in the West African country as exacerbating existing social and political tensions and impeding efforts to restore peace and stability to the divided country.
• UNHCR Chief Urges Sudan to Beef Up Security in Darfur VOA 23 Aug 2005 -- The head of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees starts a 10-day tour of Sudan and Chad to underscore the need for international support of the people of Darfur. It is his first visit to the region.
• Jurisdiction of Aceh's New Human Rights Tribunal is in Dispute VOA 23 Aug 2005 -- The newly signed peace agreement between the Indonesian government and separatist rebels in the province of Aceh calls for the establishment of a human rights tribunal
• BURUNDI: Peace-building commission proposed, UN official says IRIN 23 Aug 2005 -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has proposed the creation of a peace-building commission to settle problems in Burundi after the UN peacekeeping function is complete, UN Special Representative Carolyn McAskie said on Monday.

News Reports

• U.S. Calls Televangelist's Comments on Chavez "Inappropriate" Washington File 23 Aug 2005 -- State Department dismisses call for action against Venezuelan leader
• State Department Rejects Robertson Comments on Venezuelan President VOA 23 Aug 2005 -- The State Department Tuesday denounced a suggestion by a U.S. religious broadcaster that the United States should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.