Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 22 Oct 2007 [PDF]
• Oct. 21 airpower summary: B-1Bs show force, presence AFPN 22 Oct 2007
• Bombing Targets Anti-terrorist Group; One Terrorist Killed, Four Detained AFPS 22 Oct 2007 -- The headquarters of a political organization opposed to al Qaeda and other terrorist groups was bombed last night in the Adhamiyah neighborhood on the Iraqi capital's east side, officials reported.
• Troops Finish Terror-Fighting Operation Southeast of Baghdad AFPS 22 Oct 2007 -- Iraqi communities, once lawless and infested with insurgent terrorists, are safer today thanks to a just-completed mission, a coalition commander said today.
• Historic Launch Held at Camp Taji AFPS 22 Oct 2007 -- The residents of this camp are exposed to an incessant buzzing -- a sound of safety for the troops on the ground in Multinational Division Baghdad area of operations.
• Afghan, Coalition Forces Defeat Insurgents in Helmand Province AFPS 22 Oct 2007 -- Afghan and coalition forces engaged and killed nearly three dozen Taliban fighters in a second day of sustained fighting near the Musa Qaleh Wadi region of Helmand province today.
• AFGHANISTAN: Insecurity complicates aid delivery for 1,600 displaced families in Uruzgan IRIN 22 Oct 2007 -- Protracted armed conflict between Taliban insurgents and Afghan and international forces in Uruzgan province in central Afghanistan has displaced about 1,600 families, according to officials.
• US Defense Chief Urges Southeast Europe to Help NATO in Afghanistan VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has criticized NATO allies for their failure to meet their own commitments for troops in Afghanistan. He made the comment as he announced that some Southeastern European nations intend to increase their commitments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
• Air Force assists in Darfur troop movement AFPN 22 Oct 2007 -- Airmen from the 786th Air Expeditionary Squadron, along with two C-17 Globemaster IIIs and aircrews from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., provided airlift for 400 Rwandan soldiers Oct. 20 who are supporting the African Union peacekeeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Bush Seeks Additional $46 Billion For Iraq, Afghanistan VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- President Bush has sent an emergency request to the U.S. Congress for an extra $46 billion in expedited funds for Iraq, Afghanistan and other national security needs.
• Bush Delivers Supplemental War Funding Request to Congress AFPS 22 Oct 2007 -- President Bush has submitted to Congress a request for $42.3 billion in supplemental war funding.
• Transcript: Media Availability with Secretary Gates from the Southeast European Defense Ministerial at Kiev, Ukraine 22 Oct 2007 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates
• Australians train to save lives on C-17 AFPN 22 Oct 2007 -- Five Airmen from the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, showed 11 members of the Royal Australian Air Force's Health Services Wing how the Air Force uses the C-17 Globemaster III for medical evacuations.
• 3-level fuels specialist pumps 3 million gallons AFPN 22 Oct 2007 -- As an inspiration to the 119 members assigned to the largest fuels flight in U.S. Air Forces in Europe, two plaques are prominently displayed in the hallway just outside the operation superintendent's office at Ramstein Air Base.
• Gates Urges More Support in Terror War, Says He Will Press NATO AFPS 22 Oct 2007 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today thanked fellow participants in the Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial conference for their support in Iraq and Afghanistan and told the group he plans to press NATO to live up to its commitments in Afghanistan.
• Two Sailors Dead in Bahrain Barracks Shooting AFPS 22 Oct 2007 -- Two female U.S. sailors were killed, and a third sailor suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound early this morning in Bahrain, military officials reported.
• MUSE Techs Bring More Power to Camp Lemonier Navy NewsStand 22 Oct 2007 -- Seabees of Mobile Utilities Support Equipment (MUSE) out of Port Hueneme, Calif., and those deployed to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa's (CJTF-HOA) Camp Lemonier put six, 1,500 kilowatt generators on a concrete pad Oct. 18, specifically built to supplement the generators that power the entire camp.
• Army Astronaut on NASA's Oct. 23 Shuttle Mission Army News 22 Oct 2007 -- NASA will launch an Italian-built U.S. module for the International Space Station with a space shuttle crew that includes Army Col. Douglas H. Wheelock, a mission specialist who will be making his first spaceflight.
• Army Makes Progress on Warrior Transition Units AFPS 22 Oct 2007 -- The Army is working quickly to field and fully staff new warrior transition units, which provide critical support to wounded soldiers and their families, the general in charge of the Army Medical Action Plan said.
• Army Evaluates Medical Action Plan Progress Army News 22 Oct 2007 -- The Army is on phase four of the Army Medical Action plan and has staffed 65 percent of Warrior Transition Units across the globe to improve care for wounded Soldiers, Brig. Gen. Mike Tucker, the plan's director, told reporters at the Pentagon Oct. 19.
• New US Military Command For Africa Stirs Intense Emotion VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- When President George W. Bush announced plans for a US military command for Africa - AFRICOM - in February, there was an uproar on the continent, and the controversy has yet to die down
• US Officials Insist New Military Command To Benefit Africa VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- United States relations with Africa entered a new era recently, when Washington's military command for the continent, known as AFRICOM, became operational, and General William "Kip" Ward - one of the most experienced African-American soldiers in the US army - was confirmed as its first commander
• Global Hawk passes fuel test AFPN 22 Oct 2007 -- The 452nd Flight Test Squadron pushed the RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 20 to its fuel system limits during a week-long starvation test here.
• Gates Expects Poland to Continue Missile Defense Talks VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he expects Poland's new government to continue to discuss hosting a U.S. missile defense site
• Ukrainian president reaffirms NATO accession goal RIA Novosti 22 Oct 2007 -- Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko said Monday he hoped the issue of the country's accession to NATO would be considered at the alliance's summit in April 2008.
• Ukraine set to join Southeast Europe peacekeepers RIA Novosti 22 Oct 2007 -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko announced on Monday his country is ready to join the multinational peacekeeping forces of southeast Europe.
• Military not producing 'blackout bombs': MND official CNA 22 Oct 2007 -- A Ministry of National Defense (MND) official confirmed Monday that Taiwan has conducted research on graphite bombs, but added that the ministry has no plans to produce them.
• Defense minister denies U.S. selling Taiwan Tomahawk cruise missiles CNA 22 Oct 2007 -- Defense Minister Lee Tien-yu denied categorically a daily newspaper report Monday that the United States might agree to sell cutting-edge BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles to Taiwan.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 22 Oct 2007
• Press Briefing by Tony Fratto The White House 22 Oct 2007

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 22, 2007
• Boeing Awarded Singapore Ministry of Defence Contract for Additional F-15SG Aircraft Boeing 22 Oct 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that the Singapore Ministry of Defence has exercised an option to purchase eight F-15SGs and has ordered four additional aircraft.
• Boeing Completes 200th P-8A Live-Fire Shot Boeing 22 Oct 2007 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and its P-8A Poseidon team last month completed the program's 200th live-fire shot at the U.S. Navy's Weapons Survivability Laboratory in China Lake, Calif.
• General Dynamics Awarded $10 Million Navy SPAWAR Telephone System Modernization General Dynamics 22 Oct 2007 -- General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a task order to modernize the telephone switch systems for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.; Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga.; and Naval Station Mayport, Fla. The award, from the U.S. Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), is valued at $10 million. Work is expected to be completed in early 2009.
• General Dynamics Receives $189 Million Order for Mine-Protected Vehicle Work General Dynamics 22 Oct 2007 -- General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has received a $188.8 million work order from Force Protection Inc. to produce 401 vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps' Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program.
• Northrop Grumman Introduces New Geospatial Data Appliance for Defense and Intelligence Operations Northrop Grumman 22 Oct 2007 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has added a new product to its suite of geospatial applications that will benefit U.S. defense and intelligence agencies and their international allies.
• DCNS delivered fifth Formidable-class frigate to the Republic of Singapore Navy DCNS 22 Oct 2007 -- The 19th October, DCNS delivered RSS Stalwart, the fifth Formidable-class frigate to the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). RSS Stalwart will now join the RSN for advanced trials and qualification.
• Orbital Awarded $38 Million Contract by U.S. Navy For Coyote Sea-Skimming Target Vehicles Orbital Sciences Corp. 22 Oct 2007 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) was recently awarded a production contract for 13 Coyote supersonic sea-skimming target (SSST) vehicles by the U.S. Navy, the company announced today.

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 22 Oct 2007
• PRESS CONFERENCE PREVIEW OF SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON WOMEN, PEACE, SECURITY United Nations 22 Oct 2007
• US Pressing Turkey, Iraq to Cooperate Against PKK VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- The State Department says the United States is making an all-out diplomatic effort to defuse the crisis spawned by cross-border attacks into Turkey by Iraq-based Kurdish PKK militants
• Kurdish Rebels Offer to Cease Hostilities if Turkey Abandons Military Operations VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- Rebels with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, say they are willing to find a peaceful solution to their issues with Turkey if the Turkish military abandons all plans for an incursion into northern Iraq.
• Analysis: If Turkey Invades cfr.org 22 Oct 2007 -- Turkey removed a major legislative h/wmd/library/news/iraq/2007/10/urdle blocking an invasion into northern Iraq with an October 18 parliamentary vote authorizing raids
• Eight Turkish troops missing, 34 Kurdish rebels killed on border RIA Novosti 22 Oct 2007 -- Turkey's military said on Monday that eight troops were missing following clashes with Kurdish insurgents on the Iraqi border, and that 34 militants had been killed.
• Turkey determined to crush Kurdish militants - PM Erdogan RIA Novosti 22 Oct 2007 -- Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late Sunday that Ankara would take all possible steps under international law to crack down on Kurdish militants.
• Kurdish Rebels to Announce Ceasefire VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- Rebels with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq are expected to announce a ceasefire later Monday.
• Congo's Army Vows to Disarm Mai Mai Militias VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- Congo's armed forces are preparing to mount an offensive against community-based militias in the east, known as the Mai Mai
• DRC-UGANDA: Influx of IDPs to Uganda as clashes continue in North Kivu IRIN 22 Oct 2007 -- An estimated 8,000 people fleeing violence in the North Kivu province of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have entered Uganda since 19 October, the UN Refugee Agency (UNCHR) said.
• UN peacekeepers target of angry Congolese as standoff continues in eastern DRC UN News Centre 22 Oct 2007 -- For the second time in a week United Nations personnel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have become the target of angry civilians caught up in the continuing military standoff between government and rebel forces.
• Analyst Says Mali Troop Buildup Raises Risk for Renewed Violence VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- In Mali, the government continues to build up its troops in the northeast, the scene of recent fighting and hostage-taking
• SOMALIA: Thousands flee homes in disputed region fearing renewed clashes IRIN 22 Oct 2007 -- Increased tension between the self-declared republic of Somaliland and the neighbouring self-declared autonomous region of Puntland over the disputed region of Sool has led to the displacement of up to 20,000 people from the area, local sources told IRIN on 22 October.
• NIGER: Humanitarian crisis feared in north IRIN 22 Oct 2007 -- In an atmosphere void of information and full of insecurity, some aid workers fear a humanitarian crisis is emerging in the troubled northern region of Niger, where thousands of people are thought to be cut off, with limited access to food, healthcare and humanitarian assistance.
• Belgrade submits proposals on Kosovo status to mediators RIA Novosti 22 Oct 2007 -- Serbia presented a 14-point plan for the final status of its breakaway province of Kosovo to international mediators on Monday.
• Palestinian President Optimistic Middle East Crisis Can Be Solved VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he hopes peace negotiations to establish a Palestinian state will be successfully concluded by the end of 2008

News Reports

• China's Communist Party Chooses New Leaders VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- China's Communist Party rulers have chosen the country's leaders for the next five years
• Israeli PM to Discuss Middle East Peace Process, Iran with French President VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is in the French capital, Paris Monday, the first stop of a European tour
• Singapore FM: ASEAN Reluctant to Sanction Burma VOA 22 Oct 2007 -- Singapore's foreign minister says Southeast Asian nations are reluctant to impose sanctions on Burma because they could further isolate the military-ruled government.
• Voting under way in UN-monitored ballot on self-government for Tokelau UN News Centre 22 Oct 2007 -- Voting has begun in the referendum to determine whether Tokelau, a group of three small and isolated atolls in the Pacific Ocean, should have self-government in free association with New Zealand, the team of United Nations observers monitoring the ballot has reported.
• Kyrgyzstan: Does New Constitution Strengthen Democracy -- Or President Bakiev? RFE/RL 22 Oct 2007 -- Following a national referendum on a new constitution, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev is moving quickly.