Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 31 Oct 2007 [PDF]
• Press Conference: Lt. Gen. Rollo, Matthew Lodge, Des Browne, Oct. 31, 2007 MNF-I 31 Oct 2007 -- British Commitment to Coalition: Lt. Gen. Bill Rollo, Deputy Commanding General, Multi-National Force - Iraq; Matthew Lodge, Deputy Chief of Mission, British Embassy; Des Browne, Secretary of State of Defense for the United Kingdom, Oct. 31, 2007
• Press Conference: Rear Adm. Smith, Maj. Gen. Jones, Iraqi Maj. Gen. Hussein, Oct. 31, 2007 MNF-I 31 Oct 2007 -- Operational update in Iraq by Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, Maj. Gen. Jones, Iraqi Maj. Gen. Hussein, Oct. 31, 2007
• Forces Capture Suspected al Qaeda Commander, Detain 11 Others in Iraq AFPS 31 Oct 2007 -- Coalition forces captured a wanted individual and detained 11 others today during an operation in support of ongoing efforts to stabilize the region.
• NAVELSG Sailors prepare for Middle East deployment Navy NewsStand 31 Oct 2007 -- More than 240 Sailors are packing up their gear to depart to the Middle East Friday in the seventh rotation (GOLF) of the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• Rock Hammer III disrupts enemy supply network in Baqouba IRIN 31 Oct 2007 -- Operation Rock Hammer III, a joint Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces operation in southwestern Baqouba, resulted in the discovery of six weapons caches and a bomb-making factory Oct. 28, significantly reducing the enemy's supply network.
• US Military: 3 Terrorists Killed, 12 in Custody in Separate Iraq Operations VOA 31 Oct 2007 -- The U.S. military in Iraq says coalition forces killed three terrorists Wednesday during an operation in the northern city of Kirkuk that targeted al-Qaida in Iraq network.
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Brig. Gen. Anderson at the Pentagon Briefing Room, Arlington, Va. 31 Oct 2007 -- Presenter: Deputy Commanding General for Support, Combined Joint Task Force-82 and the 82nd Airborne Division Brig. Gen. Rodney Anderson
• Coalition, Afghan Forces Kill Taliban Fighters AFPS 31 Oct 2007 -- Afghan and coalition forces killed several Taliban fighters and captured three insurgents near Tarin Kowt village in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province today.
• AFGHANISTAN: Disarmament programme extended IRIN 31 Oct 2007 -- The government of Afghanistan has extended its programme to disband all illegal armed groups by four years, according to officials.
• Afghan, NATO Forces Battle Militants for Control of Southern District VOA 31 Oct 2007 -- Villagers are fleeing their homes as Afghan and NATO-led troops battle Taliban militants for control of a district in southern Afghanistan.
• Company Works to Flush Out Taliban During 'Rock Avalanche' AFPS 31 Oct 2007 -- Under the cover of darkness, soldiers from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne), air-assaulted about three miles south of their forward operating bases in the Pech River Valley earlier this month as part of Operation Rock Avalanche.
• Efforts in Eastern Afghanistan Boost Confidence in Afghan Government AFPS 31 Oct 2007 -- Progress in eastern Afghanistan continues as more Afghan security forces take the lead in security operations, more reconstruction and development projects provide sorely needed quality-of-life improvements, and the national government extends its reach, a senior military officer in the region said today.
• AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN: UNHCR suspends Afghan repatriation effort IRIN 31 Oct 2007 -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has temporarily suspended its voluntary Afghan repatriation programme from Pakistan for the winter.
• Guard Readies for Aftermath of California Fires Army News 31 Oct 2007 -- Under a sky still smoky from active wildfires, National Guard Citizen-Soldiers prepared for the flash floods and mudslides that will come long after the flames are extinguished.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Navy Commissions New Guided Missile Destroyer Sampson 31 Oct 2007 -- The Navy will commission the newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Sampson, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007, during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony in Boston, Mass.
• Large crowd gathers for first air, space expo AFPN 31 Oct 2007 -- An estimated 85,000 air and space enthusiasts attended the 2007 Holloman Air and Space Expo here Oct. 26 to 28.
• Battlefield Airmen train for JTAC role at Pohakuloa Training Area AFPN 31 Oct 2007 -- Tactical air control party members from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron practiced and honed their skills calling in air strikes for B-2 Spirit stealth bombers during a week long training session as part of Exercise Koa Lightning.
• Tactical airlift initiatives further Air Force's total force integration AFPN 31 Oct 2007 -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley announced four proposed initiatives Oct. 31 concerning C-130 Hercules tactical airlift, each of which furthers the service's vision for a seamless total force.
• Mobility commander highlights AMC wartime successes, challenges AFPN 31 Oct 2007 -- Air Mobility Command's Gen. Arthur Lichte underscored the command's wartime challenges, as he praised the accomplishments of mobility warriors, during the Airlift Tanker Association's 39th annual convention in Nashville, Tenn., Oct 25 to 28.
• B-2s train with JTACs, drop bombs on target AFPN 31 Oct 2007 -- The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber deployed here practiced weapons drops in the Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii Oct. 23 without using built in state of the art targeting system.
• TF33 jet engine shop up and running at Tinker AFPN 31 Oct 2007 -- The Air Force's lone TF33 Jet Engine Intermediate Maintenance shop here achieved full operational capability status in October.
• Defense, Veterans Affairs Departments to Coordinate on Patient Care AFPS 31 Oct 2007 -- The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have partnered to put in place 10 federal recovery coordinators charged with managing the care of severely injured servicemembers and their families for as long as a lifetime.
• USS James E. Williams Assists Crew of Pirated Vessel Navy NewsStand 31 Oct 2007 -- Crew members from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) provided care and assistance for approximately 12 hours to crew members and pirates aboard the North Korean cargo vessel Dai Hong Dan, after the crew regained control of the ship from the pirates.
• Essex On-loads Marines for Fall Patrol Navy NewsStand 31 Oct 2007 -- USS Essex (LHD 2) completed the on-load of 1,400 Marines and Sailors from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Oct. 31.
• Ronald Reagan Completes Six-Month Maintenance Period and Sea Trials Ahead of Schedule Navy NewsStand 31 Oct 2007 -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) returned to Naval Air Station North Island Oct. 31 following sea trials, which allowed the ship and crew to finish the six-month planned incremental availability (PIA) period one day ahead of schedule.
• CNO Visits North Persian Gulf Navy NewsStand 31 Oct 2007 -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead visited Combined Task Force 158 Oct. 29, to get a sense of the Coalition mission in protecting key infrastructures through Maritime Security Operations (MSO).
• Texas Governor Visits San Antonio Navy NewsStand 31 Oct 2007 -- Texas Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Gen. Joseph Weber, commander, Marine Forces (MARFORCOM), paid a visit to USS San Antonio (LPD 17) at Naval Station Norfolk Oct. 24 for a ship's orientation and tour.
• Analysis: A Naval Makeover cfr.org 31 Oct 2007 -- Sixty-five years after World War II's Battle of Midway, the United States remains the world's only naval superpower
• Army Completes Largest Fielding of Battlefield EMR Systems Army News 31 Oct 2007 -- This month the Army and Air Force completed the largest training and equipping effort of digital medical recording systems to date.
• DoD, VA Announce "Recovery Coordinators" for Wounded Warriors and Their Families 31 Oct 2007 -- The Department of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) today signed an agreement to provide "federal recovery coordinators" who will ensure life-long medical and rehabilitative care services and other federal benefits are provided to seriously wounded, injured and ill active duty service members, veterans and their families.
• Russia expects U.S. missile defense proposal in writing soon RIA Novosti 31 Oct 2007 -- Russia expects the United States to present its missile defense proposals in writing in the near future, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.
• Russia Says US Ignoring Moscow's Missile Shield Alternatives VOA 31 Oct 2007 -- Russia is accusing the United States of pressing forward with plans for a missile defense system in Europe, without giving proper consideration to Russian-proposed alternatives.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 31 Oct 2007

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 31, 2007
• Successful First Dive for Astute BAE Systems 31 Oct 2007 -- A major element of the United Kingdom's future defence and security capability has successfully completed a critical milestone in its development programme
• SAIC to Upgrade USAF Air Traffic Control Radio System SAIC 31 Oct 2007 -- Science Applications International Corporation (NYSE: SAI) announced today that it has won a new single-award contract from the General Services Administration to upgrade air traffic control radio systems for the U.S. Air Force.
• Boeing Continues to Log C-130 AMP Milestones Boeing 31 Oct 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] continues to log test milestones on its C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP), including some significantly ahead of schedule.
• Northrop Grumman's KC-30 Tanker Team Will Create Aerospace Jobs and Generate Economic Activity Approaching $30 Million Annually in West Virginia Northrop Grumman 31 Oct 2007 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) KC-30 Tanker team will generate economic activity approaching $30 million annually and create nearly 400 direct and indirect jobs in West Virginia if the KC-30 Tanker aircraft is selected by the U.S. Air Force.
• Northrop Grumman Demonstrates New Air and Missile Defense Technologies During U.S. Army Patriot Exercise Northrop Grumman 31 Oct 2007 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) successfully demonstrated several new air and missile defense battle management tools last month during a 10-day U.S. Army exercise focusing on net-centric upgrades to the Patriot missile communications system.
• U.S. Air Force Joins U.S. Navy and Marines in Using Raytheon's Laser-guided Maverick in Combat Operations Raytheon 31 Oct 2007 -- The U.S. Air Force fired Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) AGM-65E laser-guided Maverick missile in combat operations for the first time in June.

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 31 Oct 2007
• Turkey Approves Sanctions on Kurdish Rebels and Rebel Supporters VOA 31 Oct 2007 -- A senior Turkish official says the Cabinet has approved economic sanctions against Kurdish rebels and their supporters.
• Turkish army confirms 15 Kurdish rebels killed near Iraq border RIA Novosti 31 Oct 2007 -- The Turkish Army has killed 15 Kurdish insurgents in an ongoing operation in the southeast of the country near the Iraqi border, the military General Staff said on Wednesday.
• Turkish PM Accuses Iraqi Kurd Leader of Aiding and Abetting Terrorists VOA 31 Oct 2007 -- Turkish media reports say Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the leader of Iraq's Kurdish region, Massoud Barzani, of aiding Kurdish rebels who are fighting Turkey.
• Extending Sudan mission, Security Council urges consolidation of North-South peace UN News Centre 31 Oct 2007 -- The Security Council today voted to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) by six months, urging all parties to fully put into the practice the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) ending a 21-year civil war between north and south Sudan.
• SUDAN: Hybrid force for Darfur sets up base IRIN 31 Oct 2007 -- The African Union (AU)/UN hybrid mission in Darfur (UNAMID), which is set to replace the AU's African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) has inaugurated its operational base in the town of El Fasher.
• Darfur: UN-African Union peacekeeping force launches operations in El Fasher UN News Centre 31 Oct 2007 -- The United Nations African Union hybrid peacekeeping operation for Darfur (UNAMID) today began operations at its El Fasher Headquarters in what the senior UN official there called a milestone for the strife-torn Sudanese region.
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY GEORGIA United Nations 31 Oct 2007
• Georgia Seeks End To Russian Peacekeepers' Mandate In Abkhazia RFE/RL 31 Oct 2007 -- Georgia says it will move to formally ask Russian peacekeepers to leave the breakaway region of Abkhazia following reports that they seized and beat five Georgian police officers.
• UGANDA: Rebel leaders visit expected to boost peace process IRIN 31 Oct 2007 -- The first official visit to the Ugandan capital by members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has raised hopes among people affected by two decades of conflict in the north of the country that lasting peace could be within reach.
• Ban Ki-moon dispatches senior aide to DR Congo's troubled eastern region UN News Centre 31 Oct 2007 -- Voicing concern about the ongoing crisis in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where tens of thousands of people have been displaced by recent fighting, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced that his senior aide will travel to the country for talks with top officials.
• Security Council extends UN's Western Sahara mission through April 2008 UN News Centre 31 Oct 2007 -- The Security Council today extended through next April the mandate of the United Nations mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO), which has been in the Territory since 1991 to monitor the ceasefire between Morocco and the Frente Polisario.
• SOMALIA: Mogadishu violence frustrating aid response IRIN 31 Oct 2007 -- worsening state of security in the Somali capital of Mogadishu has hindered the work of aid agencies trying to tackle "an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe" in the Horn of Africa country, a group of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) said.
• Peacekeepers in Abkhazia, S.Ossetia must remain calm - ministry RIA Novosti 31 Oct 2007 -- Russia's Foreign Ministry called Wednesday on Russian peacekeepers stationed in the conflict zones of two of Georgia's breakaway republics to show restraint, despite provocation by Tbilisi.
• Humanitarian Groups Plead for Help in Somalia Crisis VOA 31 Oct 2007 -- About 40 international aid groups have issued a joint appeal to the international community about the growing humanitarian crisis in Somalia

News Reports

• UN envoy to return to Myanmar on Saturday UN News Centre 31 Oct 2007 -- United Nations Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari is set to arrive in Myanmar on Saturday, his second visit to the South-East Asian nation since authorities used force in responding to a wave of peaceful protests that began in August.
• Syria Calls on Lebanese Lawmaker to Provide Proof of Assassination Plot VOA 31 Oct 2007 -- Syria has called on the leader of Lebanon's parliamentary majority to provide proof of alleged Syrian assassination plots against him and the Lebanese prime minister.
• Monks in Burma March For First Time Since Crackdown VOA 31 Oct 2007 -- More than one-hundred Buddhist monks have marched in Burma for the first time since the military government used military force to crush pro-democracy protests last month