Operations
Defense Policy
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• DoD Identifies Army Casualties

• U.S. Helicopter Crashes In Iraq RFE/RL 16 Jan 2006 -- The U.S. military says one of its helicopters crashed north of Baghdad on 16 January.
• Apache Crash Kills Two; Operations Net Suspects, Weapons AFPS 16 Jan 2006 -- Two Task Force Ironhorse soldiers were killed today when their AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed, and various operations in Iraq netted terrorism suspects and weapons, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

• U.S. Medics Treat Bomb Victims in Afghanistan AFPS 16 Jan 2006 -- Eleven people wounded during a Jan. 14 bombing attacks in Khowst, Afghanistan, were treated by U.S. medical personnel at Forward Operating Base Salerno, military officials in the Afghan capital of Kabul reported today.
• Suicide Attacks Spread Across Southern Afghanistan VOA 16 Jan 2006 -- A suspected suicide bomb blast Monday evening killed at least 20 people and injured more than 30 others in an Afghan border town.
• Bombing Kills 20, Wounds 20 More In Afghanistan RFE/RL 16 Jan 2006 -- Officials say a suicide bomber on a motorbike has killed 20 people and wounded at least 20 others in an Afghan border town.
• RFE/RL Afghanistan Report, Volume 5, Number 1 16 January 2006 -- NEW PARLIAMENT GOES ON THE OFFENSIVE / QANUNI BROKERS HIS WAY TO PARLIAMENT SPEAKER / GOVERNMENT CALLS FOR CLEARING SECURITY BARRIERS IN KABUL / EU REPRESENTATIVE URGES COMPREHENSIVE ACTION AGAINST DRUGS / FIRST WAR-CRIMES TRIAL IN 25 YEARS BEGINS

Defense Policy / Programs

• Old French Aircraft Carrier Sails into Trouble VOA 16 Jan 2006 -- A decommissioned French warship has set off an international controversy. Environmentalists says it is too contaminated to be dismantled at its final destination, a scrap yard in India.

• Indonesian President Chooses Air Force Chief as New Military Head VOA 16 Jan 2006 -- The president of Indonesia has chosen the current air force chief as the new head of the armed forces

Defense Industry

• Wedgetail Aircraft Delivered to Boeing Australia for Airborne Early Warning and Control Modifications Boeing 16 Jan 2006 -- The next chapter in the history of Project Wedgetail began yesterday with the delivery of a 737-700 aircraft to Boeing [NYSE: BA) Australia for modifications that will provide a new airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) capability for the Australian Defence Force.
• Former President George Bush says Northrop Grumman-built USS San Antonio (LPD 17) Will Play a Vital Role in Protecting America's Interests Northrop Grumman 16 Jan 2006 -- "The price of freedom remains painfully high," former President George H.W. Bush said here on Saturday, "but with faith and vigilance, and the vision and leadership that only the United States can provide, freedom prevails. Everyone who helped design and build this ship; everyone who will serve aboard this ship, is playing a vital role in protecting America's interests around the globe."
• Boeing Awarded Air Force Contract for Directed Energy and Space Surveillance R&D Boeing 16 Jan 2006 -- The Laser & Electro Optical Systems (L&EOS) unit of Boeing [NYSE:BA] Missile Defense Systems (MDS) has received a contract worth up to $413 million to continue supporting two U.S. Air Force laboratories engaged in cutting-edge research on high energy laser and satellite tracking technologies.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 16 Jan 2006
• SOMALIA: Year in Review 2005: Still waiting for change IRIN 16 Jan 2006 -- Politically and socially, little changed in 2005 for Somalia, a nation of approximately 7 million.
• SOMALIA: Year in brief 2005 - A chronology of key events IRIN 16 Jan 2006

• COTE D IVOIRE: Protests over peace plan bring Abidjan to standstill IRIN 16 Jan 2006 -- Activity ground to a standstill on Monday in Cote d'Ivoire's main city, Abidjan, after pro-government youths took to the streets in protest against a decision by international mediators to declare the parliament's mandate over.
• Protesters gather outside UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire UN News Centre 16 Jan 2006 -- Demonstrators gathered outside the headquarters of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) today to protest a recommendation by a UN-mandated International Working Group monitoring the post-civil war transition that would effectively disband the parliament.
• Supporters of Ivory Coast President Protest Recommend Suspension of Parliament VOA 16 Jan 2006 -- Angry supporters of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo have taken to the streets in Abidjan to protest the recommendation by international mediators to dissolve parliament

• Reacting to worsening security in Sri Lanka, Annan urges respect for ceasefire UN News Centre 16 Jan 2006 -- Responding to the deteriorating security situation in Sri Lanka, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on the country's Government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to support the ceasefire and resume talks.
• Sri Lankan Violence Intensifies Ahead of Peace Mediator's Arrival VOA 16 Jan 2006 -- Violence in Sri Lanka is intensifying in advance of the arrival of a European peace negotiator

• PRESS CONFERENCE BY HEAD OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF KOSOVO United Nations 16 Jan 2006
• Nepalese Maoist Rebels Threaten More Attacks VOA 16 Jan 2006 -- Nepal's Maoist rebels Monday warned of more attacks in cities in the run-up to municipal elections in early February
• NIGERIA: Shell evacuates oil platforms after fresh attacks IRIN 16 Jan 2006 -- Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has pulled workers from four oil platforms in Nigeria's volatile Niger Delta after armed militants launched the third attack in a week on its facilities.
• SUDAN: UN envoy calls for stronger action on Darfur IRIN 16 Jan 2006 -- A much bigger peacekeeping force and targeted sanctions are needed to end the ongoing violence in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, Jan Pronk, special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Sudan, told the Security Council.
• LIBERIA: Africa's first female president vows to deliver a better future IRIN 16 Jan 2006 -- Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf placed her hand on the bible and took the oath of office as Liberia's and Africa's first female president on Monday, promising peace and restoration for the war-torn nation.
• Five Russian Forces Killed In Chechnya RFE/RL 16 Jan 2006 -- Four Russian soldiers and a Chechen police officer from the pro-Russian force have been killed in Chechnya.
• Eritrean ban on UN flights forces lengthy medical evacuation over land UN News Centre 16 Jan 2006 -- For the eighth time since Eritrea's ban on United Nations helicopter overflights took effect last October, the country's authorities have failed to respond to a request for the emergency medical evacuation of a UN peacekeeper serving in the region, officials with the world body said today.

News Reports

• Lebanon: Security Council backs Annan's actions on Hariri assassination probe UN News Centre 16 Jan 2006 -- Members of the United Nations Security Council have voiced their support for recent actions taken by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to advance the investigation into the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed last February in a blast that also took the lives of 22 others.

• Israel's Kadima Party Names Ehud Olmert Chief VOA 16 Jan 2006 -- Israel's new centrist Kadima Party officially picked acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as party chairman on Monday.

• TURKMENISTAN: Year in Brief 2005 - A Chronology of key events IRIN 16 Jan 2006