Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 28 Mar 2006 [PDF]
• MND-B SOLDIER KILLED BY SMALL-ARMS FIRE
• SOLDIER KILLED, THREE WOUNDED BY IED
• Inspector Generals and Public Integrity in Iraq, March 28 MNF-I 28 Mar 2006 -- COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER BRIEFING TOPIC: INSPECTOR GENERALS AND PUBLIC INTEGRITY IN IRAQ PARTICIPANTS: THOMAS DELARE, CHAIRMAN, ANTICORRUPTION WORKING GROUP, U.S. EMBASSY IRAQ; ELLEN KLEIN, RULE OF LAW COORDINATOR FOR THE BAGHDAD PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAM; MUKLAS ABDUL ARAZAK (PH), INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE IRAQI MINISTRY OF HUMAN RIGHTS MODERATOR: JOHN ROBERTS, U.S. EMBASSY IRAQ INFORMATION OFFICER
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Pace from the Pentagon 28 Mar 2006 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace
• CENTAF releases combined airpower summary AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for March 25 to 28.
• Treating Airmen outside the wire AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- Most medical teams deployed to Iraq treat their patients from the forward operating base, but three Airmen in Kirkuk are taking their knowledge to the streets by providing medical care to security forces troops outside the wire.
• Suspects Nabbed, Hostages Rescued, Iraqi Army Arrives in Ramadi AFPS 28 Mar 2006 -- In the past three days, U.S. soldiers and coalition forces have detained insurgents, seized a weapons cache and rescued hostages in Iraq, military officials said.
• Predators deliver data, firepower in Iraq AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- Enlisted sensor operators have a direct and significant role in the war on terror and base defense, and are able to see their results immediately.
• 20 Iraqis Kidnapped in Several Attacks VOA 28 Mar 2006 -- Gunmen in Iraq abducted at least 20 Iraqis in several attacks Tuesday.
• Afghanistan: Outgoing Foreign Minister In Dark Over Sacking RFE/RL 28 Mar 2006 -- Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan's long-serving foreign minister, insists that his removal from the government will not end his political career.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Statement from Secretary Rumsfeld on the Death of Caspar Weinberger 28 Mar 2006
• Former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger Dies at 88 AFPS 28 Mar 2006 -- Caspar W. Weinberger, the nation's 15th secretary of defense, died today. He was 88.
• Former Defense Secretary Weinberger Dies VOA 28 Mar 2006 -- Casper Weinberger, who served as defense secretary under President Ronald Reagan, has died at the age of 88.
• Red Flag -Alaska Exercise Replaces Cope Thunder 28 Mar 2006 -- The Air Force chief of staff announced the Cope Thunder exercise, held in Alaska, will be renamed and enhanced so it provides complimentary training on the same level as the current Red Flag exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
• Cope Thunder exercise now Red Flag - Alaska AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- The Air Force chief of staff has announced the Cope Thunder exercise held in Alaska will be renamed and enhanced so it provides complementary training on the same level as the current Red Flag exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
• Navy Cargo Handlers Preparing for Predeployment Navy NewsStand 28 Mar 2006 -- About 260 Sailors reported for duty March 20 and are currently participating in pre-deployment training at the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group headquarters in Williamsburg, Va.
• Naval Academy Breaks Ground on Wesley Brown Field House Navy NewsStand 28 Mar 2006 -- The U.S. Naval Academy honored one of its pioneers with the March 25 groundbreaking of the Wesley Brown Field House, a 140,000 square-foot athletic facility named for the Academy’s first African American graduate.
• Task Force 76 Assets to Conduct RSOI/FE in ROK Navy NewsStand 28 Mar 2006 -- Ships and units of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 76 and embarked elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the Republic of Korea (ROK) March 24 to conduct Reception, Staging, Onward-Movement and Integration (RSOI) and Foal Eagle (FE) 2006.
• Naval Base Point Loma Tackles Fuel Cleanup, Residents’ Concerns Navy NewsStand 28 Mar 2006 -- Navy officials participated in a town hall meeting March 20 to inform Point Loma residents how the Navy plans to cleanup 500,000 to 1.5 million gallons of fuel that seeped into the ground beneath a fuel depot.
• Tactical recon paying dividends with TARS AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- A little-known capability here is paying big dividends for warfighters on the ground.
• Kingpins use blend of old, new technology to counter threats AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- -- In the sky over Iraq, technology developed in the 1940s helps fight a 21st century war. From their unique vantage point, the Kirkuk long-range radar surveillance site searches the sky.
• Ramstein's transformation edging toward fruition AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- Parts of this hectic airlift hub are still under construction as the historic base transforms into the Air Force's European super base.
• Smart Ops 21: Improving the Air Force one process at a time AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- Airmen in Air Force Space Command will soon drive improvements through the Smart Ops 21 program, which combines the best parts of several civilian efficiency programs, including Lean and Six Sigma, to develop an Air Force-unique process improvement program.
• Rumsfeld: U.S. Needs Improvement to Win War of Ideology AFPS 28 Mar 2006 -- Asked how the United States is faring in the war of ideology against violent extremism, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld puts it squarely in the "needs to improve" box.
• Afghanistan, Iraq Lessons Learned Part of Joint War Game AFPS 28 Mar 2006 -- Lessons learned on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq will be incorporated into the annual Unified Quest joint war game and some day likely will be taught in military classrooms, a senior military transformation expert said yesterday.
• 1-38 FA has field day firing rockets Army News 28 Mar 2006 -- Army rockets screamed overhead at the lone U.S. rocket firing range in the Republic of Korea March 21 during a bi-annual field exercise.
• 1st ID hosts training with German partners Army News 28 Mar 2006 -- U.S. and German Soldiers took advantage of their host-nation partnership to train together at Camp Robertson in Schweinfurt March 20-23.
• Academy satellite lost after launch AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- An Air Force Academy satellite was lost March 24 shortly after launch.
• White House Briefing, March 28 Washington File 28 Mar 2006 -- Bush/Cabinet meeting, Chief of Staff resignation, Nigeria/Charles Taylor, Iraq/al Jafaari, Afghanistan/Abdul Rahman status, Hamas/U.S. aid, immigration reform, Iran/religious freedom, Mexico/illegal immigrants, Medicare/prescription drug benefits, Cancun meetings, Arab summit

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 28, 2006
• Boeing's Combat Survivor Evader Locator Authorized for use in Middle East Theatre Boeing 28 Mar 2006 -- The United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees military operations in the Persian Gulf region, has announced the Boeing [NYSE: BA] Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) communications system has been authorized for use by the joint services now operating in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• Boeing Announces Supplier Agreement with Northstar Aerospace for Combat Search and Rescue Program Boeing 28 Mar 2006 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has announced an agreement with Northstar Aerospace, Inc., to support the proposed HH-47 Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) helicopter program for the U.S. Air Force.
• Lockheed Martin Submits Final Proposal Revision for APKWS II Lockheed Martin 28 Mar 2006 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] yesterday submitted its final proposal revision for the U.S. government’s Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) System Design and Development (SDD) program.
• Northrop Grumman Completes Deliveries of "Smart" Bomb Rack that Enhances Weapons Payload of B-2 Stealth Bomber Northrop Grumman 28 Mar 2006 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has completed an upgrade of the U.S. Air Force's B-2 stealth bomber that allows the aircraft to deliver five times its previous capacity of independently targeted, "smart" (GPS-guided) weapons.
• NetFires LLC Successfully Conducts Navy Ballistic Flight Test for the NLOS-LS Precision Attack Missile Raytheon 28 Mar 2006 -- The NetFires Limited Liability Company (LLC), composed of Raytheon Missile Systems and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, successfully conducted a ballistic test vehicle (BTV) flight test for the Non Line-of-Sight-Launch System (NLOS-LS) Precision Attack Missile (PAM) at the Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., test range Feb. 16.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 28 Mar 2006
• Israelis Vote in Elections to Decide West Bank Future VOA 28 Mar 2006 -- Millions of Israelis are casting their ballots Tuesday in elections that could decide the future of the West Bank
• Palestinian Parliament Approves Hamas Cabinet VOA 28 Mar 2006 -- The Palestinian parliament has approved the government proposed by Hamas, clearing the way for the Islamic militant group to take office.
• 2 Israeli Arabs Die in Blast Near Gaza During Elections VOA 28 Mar 2006 -- Two Israeli Bedouin Arabs were killed in an explosion near the Gaza Strip border Tuesday, as voting was under way in Israeli parliamentary elections that could lead to new borders with the Palestinians.
• Israelis Voting In Parliamentary Elections RFE/RL 28 Mar 2006 -- Opinion polls have consistently shown that voters in today's parliamentary elections are likely to hand the largest number of seats to the party of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who remains comatose following a stroke in January.
• Analysis: Israelis vote as plates shift beneath them cfr.org 28 Mar 2006 -- The election Israelis face (ElectionGuide.org) would have been unimaginable a few short months ago.
• LIBERIA-NIGERIA-SIERRA LEONE: Outcry as Taylor goes missing IRIN 28 Mar 2006 -- Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, who is wanted for war crimes in Sierra Leone, has disappeared from the luxury mansion where he lives in exile in Nigeria, the president's office said on Tuesday.
• Security Council 'concerned' over reported disappearance of Taylor UN News Centre 28 Mar 2006 -- The United Nations Security Council expressed concern today over media reports that former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who was indicted by a UN-backed court in Sierra Leone for war crimes, has disappeared from his residence in Nigeria.
• Former Liberian Leader Taylor Disappears From Nigerian Villa VOA 28 Mar 2006 -- Nigerian officials say former Liberian president and war crimes suspect Charles Taylor has disappeared from the house where he was living in exile in Nigeria.
• LIBERIA-NIGERIA-SIERRA LEONE: Taylor disappears from exile mansion IRIN 28 Mar 2006 -- Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, wanted for war crimes in Sierra Leone, has disappeared from his luxury mansion in exile in Nigeria, said the Nigerian presidency on Tuesday.
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF GEORGIA United Nations 28 Mar 2006
• Côte d'Ivoire: UN troops deploy back to western town following January violence UN News Centre 28 Mar 2006 -- United Nations peacekeepers have been redeployed to a western town in Côte d'Ivoire two months after they were withdrawn following violent anti-UN demonstrations.
• Ethiopia Accuses Eritrea of Backing Insurgents VOA 28 Mar 2006 -- Ethiopia's prime minister has accused Eritrea of backing insurgents with the goal of destabilizing his country.
• SUDAN: Refugees urged to return home from Uganda IRIN 28 Mar 2006 -- Despite recent attacks targeting United Nations compounds in southern Sudan, the Sudanese minister of state for the interior has said the region is peaceful enough for refugees in neighbouring countries to return home.
• SOMALIA: ICRC supplies medical kits to Mogadishu hospitals IRIN 28 Mar 2006 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has supplied medical kits to help overstretched hospitals in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, following last week's heavy fighting.
• Analysis: Are Ingushetia, North Ossetia On Verge Of New Hostilities? RFE/RL 28 Mar 2006 -- It has been more than 13 years since Ingush and Ossetian informal militias, the latter backed by Russian security forces, engaged in a brief but brutal conflict in North Ossetia's Prigorodny Raion, to which both ethnic groups lay claim.

News Reports

• Gambian Coup Suspects Confess on State TV VOA 28 Mar 2006 -- Several senior Gambian army officers appeared on state television to confess their part in an alleged attempt to overthrow President Yahya Jammeh.