Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 11 Jan 2008 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• PRESS CONFERENCE: Arab Jabour Airstrikes: Col. Ferrell, Col. Donnelly, Jan. 11, 2008 MNF-I 11 Jan 2008 -- U.S. Army Col. Terry Ferrell, commander, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and U.S. Air Force Col. Peter Donnelly, commander, 18th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group discuss the Arab Jabour airstrikes conducted Jan. 10
• Jan. 10 airpower summary: Weapon crews ensure success AFPN 11 Jan 2008
• Balad Airmen help improve quality of life for Soldiers in Iraq AFPN 11 Jan 2008 -- A 13-man team from Balad Air Base made quality-of-life improvements, security repairs and facilitated more than 85 emergency maintenance repairs during a 30-day assignment in December and January to an Army patrol base in Samarra, Iraq.
• Coalition Troops in Iraq Detain 11 al Qaeda Suspects AFPS 11 Jan 2008 -- Coalition forces today detained 11 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq, military officials reported.
• Countrywide Offensive in Iraq Aims at Stamping Out al Qaeda AFPS 11 Jan 2008 -- Forces in Iraq have ramped up efforts this week to stamp out remaining al Qaeda hot spots there, pummeling areas with air strikes and bombs and surging troops in previously uncontrolled territories.
• U.S. Forces Eliminate al Qaeda Sanctuary in Baghdad AFPS 11 Jan 2008 -- A neighborhood formerly overrun by al Qaeda in Baghdad's Rashid district has been cleared of the enemy and is starting to thrive again, a U.S. commander in Iraq said.
• Camp Bucca Changes Hands Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- The command of the third largest forward operating base in Iraq, Camp Bucca, changed hands Jan. 9, as Capt. Craig A. Roll relinquished command of his post to Capt. Bruce A. Derenski.
• Pentagon: Strain on US Forces is Key Issue in Request for Marines for Afghanistan VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- The top U.S. military officer says he would like to be able to send 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan, as regional commanders have requested. But he says senior leaders are concerned
• Chairman Says Possible Buildup in Afghanistan Could Have Major Impact AFPS 11 Jan 2008 -- If Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approves a proposal to send 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan, it could have a significant impact on operations in the country, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
• Troops in Afghanistan Find Munitions Hidden in School AFPS 11 Jan 2008 -- Afghan police and coalition forces found a munitions cache hidden in a boys school in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province yesterday following a day-long battle.
• Bagram security forces Airmen pass torch as unit inactivates AFPN 11 Jan 2008 -- Airmen of the 755th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron stood together for the last time Jan. 11 to bid farewell to their squadron as the unit was inactivated during a formal ceremony at Bagram Air Base.
• Japan Approves Anti-Terrorism Naval Mission in Afghanistan VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- Japan's lower house of parliament has forced through a controversial anti-terrorism law reviving an Indian Ocean naval mission supporting U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan.
• Top US Military Officer Says Iran's Actions More Important Than Words in Gulf Incident VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- The top U.S. military officer says the origin of threatening radio transmissions during an encounter between U.S. and Iranian boats in the Persian Gulf on Sunday is not as important as what the Iranian boats were doing

Defense Policy / Programs

• Bush Arrives in Kuwait VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- U.S. President George Bush has arrived in Kuwait - the first of five Arab countries he will visit on his Middle East tour.
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Adm. Mullen from the Pentagon 11 Jan 2008 -- Presenter: Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen
• New EOD Mobile Unit Established at Ceremony Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 12 (EODMU-12) was established during a ceremony Jan. 10 at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek.
• Rollout of New Navy Uniform Adjusted Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- The Navy announced a revised rollout plan for the new uniforms in NAVADMIN 004/08, pushing back the release of the all ranks Navy Working Uniform.
• Kearsarge Upholds Vision of Great White Fleet Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- As USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) continues her deployment in the 6th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR), setting the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment; her predecessor before her, USS Kearsarge (BB 5) shared a similar responsibility.
• CNO Visits Naval Construction Battalion Center Seabees Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead conducted an all hands call, Jan. 10, aboard Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport
• Ronald Reagan Arrives in Santa Barbara for Port Visit Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) with a crew of over 3,000 Sailors arrived in Santa Barbara, Jan. 11, for a scheduled port visit, offering Sailors a chance to enjoy their liberty by participating in tours, special events and community relations activities.
• Expeditionary Command Marks Progress, Plans for Future Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- Navy Expeditionary Combat Command plans to celebrate its two-year anniversary on Jan. 13, 2008, just as its leader over that time retires.
• Africa Partnership Station Visits Seventh Port Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- Africa Partnership Station (APS) arrived here Jan. 10, for its second port visit to Gabon and the seventh port visit aboard Amphibious Dock Landing Ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43).
• USNS John Ericsson Conducts Replenishment Training with Singapore Navy Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194) is conducting a replenishment training exercise with the Singapore Navy, Jan. 10-12.
• USS Ohio Arrives In Guam For Crew Swap Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- USS Ohio (SSGN 726) "Blue Crew" arrived in Guam Jan. 10, for a regularly scheduled port visit.
• Porter Completes ULTRA-S Evaluation Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- Sailors aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) completed the three day Unit Level Training Readiness Assessment - Sustainment (ULTRA-S) evaluation Dec. 30.
• USS Germantown Changes Command Navy NewsStand 11 Jan 2008 -- Cmdr. Keith Moore relieved Cmdr. Steve Vincent as commanding officer of Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) in a change of command ceremony Jan. 7.
• Mullen Calls on Iran to Take Productive Role in Mideast AFPS 11 Jan 2008 -- Reiterating that he'd "rather prevent a war than fight one," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today called on Iran to take a productive, positive role in the Middle East and refrain from provocative behavior.
• Tactical airlift key to winning war on terrorism AFPN 11 Jan 2008 -- For every 24 tons of cargo airlifted in Iraq, a supply truck and two troops are spared a trip on a dangerous road. For every 50 passengers airlifted, one more busload of servicemembers is also spared from Iraq's dangerous roads.
• Active duty, retired Air Force leaders gather AFPN 11 Jan 2008 -- Air Force leaders met with retired senior Air Force leaders at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., this past week to discuss important issues facing the Air Force.
• State-of-the-art battlefield system to integrate controllers AFPN 11 Jan 2008 -- Construction is scheduled to begin this month on a facility to house a state-of-the-art battlefield command and control system that will integrate air traffic management throughout Iraq.
• Guard Won't Hold Recruits to Contracts if Bonuses Aren't Authorized AFPS 11 Jan 2008 -- Emphasizing that they expect a defense authorization act eventually to pass into law, Army officials indicated yesterday that National Guard recruits who enlist before it does won't be held to their contracts if the law doesn't provide the recruiting bonuses they're expecting.
• Pacific Commander to Visit China to Bolster Communication, Cooperation AFPS 11 Jan 2008 -- The top U.S. military officer in the Pacific is slated to travel to China to help bolster the two countries' military relationship and iron out issues, including those over China's recent port denials to U.S. Navy ships.
• US Military 'Extremely' Concerned About Al-Qaida Safe Havens in Pakistan VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- The top U.S. military officer says he is extremely concerned about the presence of al-Qaida safe havens in Pakistan.
• Active First Program Helping Army Meet Recruiting Goals Army News 11 Jan 2008 -- During a press conference Thursday at the Pentagon, the Army's senior leader said the National Guard's "Active First" program has contributed to the Army staying on-target to reach recruitment goals.
• Georgians back NATO membership in referendum RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2008 -- Georgia's top election official said on Friday that 72.5% of voters backed the ex-Soviet state's aspirations to join NATO in a referendum held simultaneously with the presidential polls on January 5.
• Russia: Nationalist Appointed NATO Ambassador RFE/RL 11 Jan 2008 -- The appointment of nationalist politician Dmitry Rogozin as Russia's representative to NATO, coming at a time of strained ties between Moscow and the Western military alliance, has been cautiously welcomed by NATO officials.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 11 Jan 2008
• Press Gaggle by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice The White House 11 Jan 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 11, 2008

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 11 Jan 2008
• Bush concludes first leg of Mideast tour with optimism RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2008 -- U.S. President George W. Bush ended Friday the first part of his eight-day tour of the Middle East designed to advance the peace process and end the protracted conflict in the region.
• Bush Ends Israel Visit, Heads to Kuwait VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- President Bush says he will return to the Middle East in May to help push the peace process forward and mark Israel's 60th anniversary
• Bush: 'Difficult Choices' Needed for Israeli-Palestinian Peace VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- President Bush says both Palestinians and Israelis have difficult choices and painful concessions to make if they are to reach a lasting peace agreement.
• Turkish army shells Kurdish bases in northern Iraq RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2008 -- Turkish artillery shelled Kurdish militant bases in northern Iraq on Friday, the country's NTV company said, citing sources in the Kurdish administration.
• Interview: Worries of 'Unrestrained War' in Sri Lanka cfr.org 11 Jan 2008
• Sri Lanka Rejects Tamil Rebel Offer to Revive Ceasefire VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- The Sri Lankan government says it will push ahead with an offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels, rejecting a rebel offer of restoring the 2002 ceasefire the government formally ended last week.
• CHAD: Dual peacekeeping mission seeks to dispel confusion IRIN 11 Jan 2008 -- With Chadian rebel groups constantly changing, inter-communal fighting frequently breaking out, and tension with neighbouring Sudan increasing, some humanitarian officials in Chad fear the planned presence of simultaneous UN and European Union (EU) police and military forces will only add to the confusion.
• DRC: Displaced people still on the move despite peace conference IRIN 11 Jan 2008 -- Thousands of people have continued to flee their homes in strife-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) because of sporadic clashes, despite parties to the conflict promising not to fight during a conference on peace, security and development in the Kivus, an official of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.
• UN seeks over $100 million to aid Nepal's post-conflict recovery, development UN News Centre 11 Jan 2008 -- The United Nations has appealed for over $104 million to support humanitarian and development efforts in Nepal, which is seeking to recover from a decade-long civil conflict that formally ended in 2006 with the signing of a peace accord between the Government and Maoists.
• UN rushes aid as security situation in Somalia deteriorates UN News Centre 11 Jan 2008 -- The United Nations is stepping up its efforts to help Somalis forced to flee their homes due to the violence engulfing the Horn of Africa nation, where security continues to deteriorate.
• Gaza: UN food agency appeals for more funds as number of hungry rises UN News Centre 11 Jan 2008 -- Twenty-two per cent more people in Gaza now need food aid following the closure of the Karni border crossing with Israel last June, according to a recent study by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
• DRC Rebel Delegates Return to Peace Conference VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- Delegates from a rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo have returned to peace talks
• US: Time is Now to Resolve Kosovo Status VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- The United States has reaffirmed support for early action giving Kosovo what is called supervised independence under the plan of U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari

News Reports

• Georgia: With New Political Landscape, Can Stability Prevail? RFE/RL 11 Jan 2008 -- Humbled by a narrow victory in Georgia's snap elections, President Mikheil Saakashvili has admitted that he can no longer "ignore the opinions" of his opponents.
• Former Indonesian President Suharto Remains in Critical Condition VOA 11 Jan 2008 -- After a week in a Jakarta hospital, former Indonesian President Suharto remains in critical condition with a weak heart and failing lungs and kidneys