Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 16 Oct 2007 [PDF]
• Oct. 15 airpower summary: F-15E Strike Eagles hit enemy positions AFPN 16 Oct 2007 -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
• Coalition Forces Detain 10 Suspected Terrorists in Iraq AFPS 16 Oct 2007 -- Coalition forces captured four wanted individuals and detained six suspected terrorists today during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in central Iraq.
• Coalition Forces Finish Terror-Fighting Operations Southeast of Baghdad AFPS 16 Oct 2007 -- Iraqi communities, once lawless and infested with terrorists, are safer today thanks to a just-completed mission, a coalition commander said today.
• Mullen Visit to Iraq, Afghanistan Revealed 'Noticeable' Improvements AFPS 16 Oct 2007 -- After traveling with Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen during Mullen's first visit to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff's operations director said today that he was struck by "noticeable" security improvements throughout the theater.
• Chain of successes leads to Reaper operations AFPN 16 Oct 2007 -- The new MQ-9 Reaper has flown daily missions over Afghanistan since late September.
• Troops Detain Five Suspected Militants, Assist Attack Victims AFPS 16 Oct 2007 -- Coalition forces detained five suspected militants and provided critical medical assistance to suicide-attack victims during recent Afghan operations.
• Coalition Forces Pummel Taliban, Support Afghans as Winter Approaches AFPS 16 Oct 2007 -- Taliban fighters are facing overwhelming coalition firepower and abject rejection from Afghan citizens, a U.S. Army commander said today.
• Afghanistan Hosts International Economic Conference RFE/RL 16 Oct 2007 -- Afghanistan this week is hosting an international governmental conference for the first time in decades.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Majid Khan Meets With Private Attorney At Guantanamo 16 Oct 2007 -- The Department of Defense today will grant access for a civilian defense attorney to meet with Majid Khan, a Pakistani national and one of 15 high value detainees held at the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay.
• Marine Commandant Worries Corps Losing 'Expeditionary Flavor' AFPS 16 Oct 2007 -- The Marine Corps commandant is worried about the service becoming "a second land army" and said al Qaeda in Iraq is crippled, but not destroyed.
• Departing JFCOM Commander Reflects on Military Transformation AFPS 16 Oct 2007 -- Military transformation is a perpetual work in progress, the chief of U.S. Joint Forces Command said today in his last briefing with reporters before he retires next month.
• Comfort Visits Norfolk, Returns Home Navy NewsStand 16 Oct 2007 -- The hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) stopped at Naval Station Norfolk Oct. 15, to allow approximately 500 crew members to return to their home units and parent commands before Comfort travels to its lay berth in Baltimore.
• Global Cyberspace Integration Center mission formalized AFPN 16 Oct 2007 -- The Air Force Global Cyberspace Integration Center here took a step forward in the Air Force's effort to "Fly and Fight in Cyberspace" following the signature of a new mission directive.
• AFMC helps develop hybrid truck technology AFPN 16 Oct 2007
• Tactical Combat Casualty Care: Applying Lessons Learned Under Fire Navy NewsStand 16 Oct 2007 -- Naval Hospital (NH) Pensacola began the Navy Medicine's Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) course, Oct. 1, with new instructors providing combat-related trauma care for the command's hospital corpsmen.
• VR-61Celebrates 25 Years of Service Navy NewsStand 16 Oct 2007 -- The Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 61 "Islanders," celebrated 25 years of service at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island on Oct. 13.
• NAVSO Completes Busy Deployment Season Navy NewsStand 16 Oct 2007 -- U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) wrapped up its deployment year with the departure of USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) from the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of focus Oct. 15.
• USS Milius Returns from Deployment Navy NewsStand 16 Oct 2007 -- USS Milius (DDG 69) returned to San Diego, Oct. 8, after completing a six-month deployment as part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group.
• C-17 crews make record airdrop AFPN 16 Oct 2007 -- Two C-17 Globemaster III crews marked an historic highpoint Oct. 11 as they completed one of the largest single airdrops in Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom began.
• Gates: U.S.-Israeli Partnership as Important as Ever AFPS 16 Oct 2007 -- The United States has stood as a friend and partner of Israel since its independence in 1948, and that situation won't change, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here yesterday evening.
• Surgeon General's Office Applies Business Transformation to In-Processing Army News 16 Oct 2007 -- The speed-up started out with the idea it took too long to get new staffers ready for their work in the Army Office of the Surgeon General.
• Seabees Perform Valuable Mission in Ethopia Navy NewsStand 16 Oct 2007 -- Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 Det. Horn of Africa, currently deployed to Addis Ababa are performing valuable civil military operations in the local area.
• Reservists Make Major Contributions to Black Sea Partnership Cruise Navy NewsStand 16 Oct 2007
• NMCB 40 Gives Humanitarian Aide Navy NewsStand 16 Oct 2007 -- Eleven Seabees from U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40 headed to Nova Selo Field Training Range, Bulgaria, for two weeks of humanitarian and civic assistance work in the surrounding area.
• U.S. Forces Deploy Warplanes to Be Ready to Go into Action KCNA 16 Oct 2007 -- The warlike elements of the U.S. imperialist aggression forces are nowadays busying themselves deploying warplanes in and around south Korea to be ready to go into action against the DPRK, according to a military source.
• Putin: US May Be Softening Its Position on Missile Defense VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says the United States may be ready to soften its position on plans for a missile defense system in Europe and stressed that talks on the issue should continue.
• Press Briefing by Dana Perino The White House 16 Oct 2007
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 16 Oct 2007

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 16, 2007
• Sikorsky Delivers Three S-92 Helicopters to Korean Air Force Sikorsky 16 Oct 2007 -- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. celebrated the delivery of three S-92® helicopters to the Korean Air Force today with a ceremony during the Seoul Air Show. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).
• Boeing Logs 12-hour A160T Hummingbird Flight Boeing 16 Oct 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] successfully completed a 12-hour test flight of its A160T Hummingbird unmanned rotorcraft on Oct. 12, recording the aircraft's longest flight to date.
• Boeing Awarded Contract to Integrate F-22 into U.S. Air Force Distributed Mission Operations Training Network Boeing 16 Oct 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $46 million contract by F-22 prime contractor Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] to integrate the air dominance fighter into the U.S. Air Force Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) training network.
• Eurocopter promotes 2 of its prime civil and military products in the Korean market at Seoul Airshow - EC 225 SAR and Tiger HAP EADS 16 Oct 2007 -- Amongst its wide range of civil and military products, the world's leading helicopter manufacturer, highlights its presence at Seoul Airshow with 2 of its most representative products - the EC 225 SAR, the latest generation of Super Puma in Search and Rescue (SAR) version and the Tiger in combat and fire support (HAP) version.
• Raytheon Awarded $45.5 Million for Sensor Netting Technology Raytheon 16 Oct 2007 -- Under a $45.5 million contract for sensor fusion and advanced networking technology, the Department of Defense (DoD) is purchasing the Raytheon Solipsys Tactical Component Network (TCN(R)) technology.
• Oshkosh Truck Defense Group to Open Logistics Facility in California Oshkosh 16 Oct 2007 -- Oshkosh Truck Corporation [NYSE:OSK] announced today that its Defense Group will open a 12,000 square foot logistics facility in Oceanside, Calif., just minutes from the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. The new Oceanside Regional Logistics Center, scheduled to open in November, will help U.S. Marine Corps units reduce downtime and improve overall operational readiness by assisting them in the service, maintenance and training of vehicles including the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) and Logistics Vehicle System (LVS) vehicles.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICES OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT United Nations 16 Oct 2007
• Forty Years in Search of Arab-Israeli Peace Washington File 16 Oct 2007 -- Few international issues have commanded more attention from American presidents and secretaries of state during the past 40 years than the Arab-Israeli conflict
• ISRAEL: Some African asylum-seekers lack food, decent accommodation IRIN 16 Oct 2007 -- The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), believes that some 3,000 African refugees live in Israel, including over 2,000 from Sudan
• Egypt Gives Rice Cautious Support for Mideast Conference VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- Egypt has offered cautious support to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for U.S. plans to host a Middle East peace conference later this year.
• Political Dynamics Shifted During 2006 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict Washington File 16 Oct 2007 -- An interview with International Peace Academy President Terje Roed-Larsen
• Congo Rebels Brace for More Fighting Following Deadline Extension VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- Forces loyal to dissident Congolese General Laurent Nkunda will not integrate in Congo 's national army, despite the extension of an October 15 deadline, a rebel spokesman said Tuesday
• Fighting Cripples Humanitarian Aid in War-Torn Eastern Congo VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- Humanitarian officials warn a crisis in eastern Congo's war-torn North Kivu Province is deepening with each passing day
• Kinshasa Government: Congo Rebels Deserting Leader VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- The Congolese government says 600 rebel fighters in the east have deserted renegade leader Laurent Nkunda and joined the army
• DRC: Nkunda's forces given another three weeks to join army IRIN 16 Oct 2007 -- Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have given fighters loyal to dissident general Laurent Nkunda another three weeks to reintegrate into the national army, a process known as brassage.
• CHAD: State of emergency imposed even as peace talks conclude IRIN 16 Oct 2007 -- The government of Chadian President Idriss Deby and four rebel groups are set to sign a new peace accord at a time when inter-ethnic fighting has flared and the government has declared a new state of emergency in three regions.
• 3 soldiers, 24 Tamil Tigers killed in fierce clashes in Sri Lanka IRNA 16 Oct 2007 -- At least 24 Tamil Tigers and a soldier were killed in fierce clashes between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels and army troops in restive northern Sri Lanka Monday, where the guerrillas also shot dead two policemen.
• Sudan: UN envoy holds more talks on withdrawal from unity government UN News Centre 16 Oct 2007 -- The top United Nations official in Sudan today met with a senior minister to discuss the decision of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) to suspend its participation in the Government of National Unity.
• Sierra Leone has made great strides, UN peacebuilding official says UN News Centre 16 Oct 2007 -- A senior United Nations peacebuilding official today wrapped up a week-long visit to Sierra Leone by praising the tremendous recent efforts made by the West African nation in consolidating stability but cautioning that much work remains to be done.
• Serbian PM Says US Blocking Kosovo Compromise VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- Serbia's prime minister has lashed out at the United States, accusing it of blocking efforts for a compromise solution on the future of Serbia's breakaway Kosovo province.
• Ivory Coast Government Disagrees With UN Report VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- Officials from both sides of the coalition government of President Laurent Gbagbo and rebel-leader turned Prime Minister Guillaume Soro in Ivory Coast have said they strongly disagree with a recent U.N. report that says the rival parties are failing to advance peace and reconciliation
• Pakistan lifts curfew in tribal town IRNA 16 Oct 2007 -- Authorities in Pakistan's tribal region on Tuesday lifted curfew from a major town after 10-day of clashes with militants, which has killed more than 200 people, the army spokesman said.
• Abkhazia demands Georgia pull troops out of Kodori gorge RIA Novosti 16 Oct 2007 -- Abkhazia demands that Tbilisi withdraw its troops from the breakaway Georgian region's border, a spokesman for the Abkhazian president said on Tuesday.

News Reports

• Recent arrests in Myanmar 'extremely disturbing,' says UN envoy UN News Centre 16 Oct 2007 -- The United Nations Special Envoy to Myanmar today urged the Government to halt the use of force against dissidents, calling recent reports of arrests, interrogations and intimidation "extremely disturbing."
• Malaysian Official: ASEAN Will Never Suspend Burma From Bloc VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- Malaysia says the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will never suspend Burma from the 10-nation bloc, despite the military government's crackdown on demonstrators.
• Pakistan's Bhutto Prepares to Return Home VOA 16 Oct 2007 -- The political turmoil that has gripped Pakistan for weeks could take several more turns this week, with key hearings in the nation's Supreme Court and the expected return of exiled former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
• U.S. genocide resolution to spoil ties with Turkey - PM Erdogan RIA Novosti 16 Oct 2007 -- A resolution passed by a U.S. House committee last week classing the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide will harm relations with Turkey, the country's premier said Tuesday.
• Caspian: Summit Fails To Resolve Key Question RFE/RL 16 Oct 2007 -- The heads of state of all five Caspian littoral states -- Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Russia, and Turkmenistan -- arrived with pressure mounting to finally solve the problem of whether the biggest inland body of water is a sea or a lake.
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ADMINISTRATOR United Nations 16 Oct 2007
• UN team heads to Tokelau for second referendum on self-government UN News Centre 16 Oct 2007 -- A five-member team of United Nations observers is heading to Tokelau, a group of three small atolls in the Pacific Ocean, to monitor a referendum next week on whether the territory should have self-government in free association with New Zealand.