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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 07 Feb 2008 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• Coalition Forces Disrupt Terrorists in Central, Northern Iraq AFPS 07 Feb 2008 -- Coalition forces killed six terrorists, detained 28 terrorism suspects and discovered three weapons caches during operations over the past two days disrupting al Qaeda networks operating in central and northern Iraq.
• Team's Approach Focuses Iraqi Police on Sustainment AFPS 07 Feb 2008 -- Iraqi police expansion in Baghdad has reached an all-time high in the past six months, and with new recruits filling the ranks, police forces are improving by the day.
• Camp Bucca opens improved visitation and reception center MNF-I 07 Feb 2008 -- A new visitation and reception center opened Jan. 28 to better serve the families of detainees at Camp Bucca, the Coalition force theater internment facility located in southern Iraq.
• Rice, Britain's Miliband Note Progress in Afghanistan Despite Taliban Insurgency VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the people of Afghanistan are turning against the Taliban insurgency, which she calls morally bankrupt and brutal
• US Defense Secretary Urges NATO to Send More Troops to Afghanistan VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates did as he promised at a NATO meeting in Lithuania Thursday, he again urged other allies to provide more troops for Afghanistan
• Rice: Fight in Afghanistan Will Transform History AFPS 07 Feb 2008 -- The fight in Afghanistan is important for the future of the Afghan people, the NATO countries involved in the fight, the United States, and the rest of the world, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today during a visit to Afghanistan.
• US reiterates demands for more German combat troops in Afghanistan IRNA 07 Feb 2008 -- The United States has again called on Germany o send more combat troops to Afghanistan, only a day after Berlin agreed to take over the Afghan Quick Reaction Force (QRF) this summer, the Munich-based Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said in a report due to hit the newsstands on Friday.
• US Congress Hears About NATO Problems in Afghanistan VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and the commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, are emphasizing the importance of NATO cooperation in the fight against insurgents.
• Afghanistan: Rice, Miliband Make Surprise Visit RFE/RL 07 Feb 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband have made a surprise visit to Kabul to press reluctant NATO allies to share the combat burden in Afghanistan, and to smooth over a potentially serious rift with President Hamid Karzai.
• Rice, British Foreign Secretary Visit Afghanistan's Kandahar Province VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband have made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province, a former Taliban stronghold.
• AFGHANISTAN: ICG report calls on donors to "make decisive change" IRIN 07 Feb 2008 -- The international community must "accept mistakes" it has made in the past six years or more in rebuilding and developing Afghanistan, and should now "summon the means and resolve to make a decisive change", the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report.
• Pakistani Taliban declares ceasefire IRNA 07 Feb 2008 -- Pakistani Taliban on Wednesday announced to suspend attacks against security forces in the tribal region of Waziristan and the Swat valley in northwest, a purported Taliban spokesman said.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Powered flight returns to Air Force Academy AFPN 07 Feb 2008 -- Air Education and Training Command officials currently are testing a program designed to return powered flight to the Air Force Academy's curriculum.
• SECAF declares new complex officially open AFPN 07 Feb 2008 -- Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne took part in the grand-opening ceremony Feb. 5 of the Blatchford-Preston Complex, a $106.9 million construction project including improved recreational facilities and the bases' first permanent dormitories, in Southwest Asia.
• Chief's strategy white paper unveiled AFPN 07 Feb 2008 -- "Transformation is an enduring part of our culture as Airmen," said Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force chief of staff.
• Virtual MPF adds new self-service program for assignments AFPN 07 Feb 2008 -- A new self-service assignments application launching Feb. 19 will eliminate a visit to the military personnel flight/element, saving Airmen both time and effort as part of the continuing initiatives of the Air Force's Personnel Services Delivery Transformation.
• Airmen build mobile medical facilty AFPN 07 Feb 2008 -- Air Force members, primarily from the 3rd Medical Group, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, built a fully functional hospital in a barren field in just 11 hours Jan. 29.
• Mullen to Discuss Security Issues During Pakistan Visit AFPS 07 Feb 2008 -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff departed for Pakistan today to discuss security issues with Pakistani military officials, a senior U.S. military officer told Pentagon reporters here.
• Pakistan Finally Understands Terror Danger, Gates Says AFPS 07 Feb 2008 -- Pakistan only recently has realized that terrorists on its border with Afghanistan pose a significant threat, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a news conference here today.
• Army Moves Aggressively to Treat Blast-Related Injuries AFPS 07 Feb 2008 -- The Army is aggressively diagnosing and treating soldiers who suffer concussive injuries and stress related to blast attacks, the Army's surgeon general said today.
• Gates Encouraged by NATO Defense Ministerial Discussions AFPS 07 Feb 2008 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he was encouraged by his discussions on Afghanistan with NATO defense ministers during meetings here today.
• SMA to Congress: Army Improving Quality of Life Army News 07 Feb 2008 -- Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston told Congress today that 22 new child development centers will be built this year across the Army, adding spaces for more than 15,000 children by September 2009.
• Arkansas Guard Promotes First African-American General Army News 07 Feb 2008 -- On Sept. 4, 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus defied the Supreme Court, calling in the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine African-American students from entering Little Rock's Central High School. At the time, there were no African Americans in the Arkansas National Guard.
• HRC Merges Active, Reserve Personnel Offices Army News 07 Feb 2008 -- The Adjutant General combined Army Reserve personnel actions and services, previously under Human Resources Command-St. Louis, with the office that handles personnel actions for the Active Army, effective Feb. 1.
• MCPON Testifies Before House Subcommittee Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SW/FMF) Joe R. Campa Jr. testified, Feb. 7, before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, which oversees all military construction projects, quality of life and veterans affairs related matters.
• Foreign Area Officer Program Revitalized in Latin America Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force and Marine Corps members stationed throughout Latin America learned about the reincarnation of the Navy's Foreign Area Officer (FAO) Program Jan. 28 during the Navy Section Chiefs conference hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO) at Naval Station Mayport.
• Navy Appeals Injunction and Deny Motion to Vacate Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- A Notice of Appeal was filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of the U.S. Navy, Feb. 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California challenging the district court's Jan. 10 injunction and Feb. 4 order denying motion to vacate or for stay pending appeal.
• VAW-121 Welcomes New Commanding Officer Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121 held a change of command ceremony in the squadron's hangar on Naval Station Norfolk, Jan. 31.
• Colombian Delegates Meet with U.S. Navy to Plan 2008 Interactions Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- Representatives from the Colombian Armada, which includes coast guard and marine corps, met with their U.S. Navy, Army, and Marine Corps counterparts during the Colombian Operational Naval Committee (ONC) conference at Naval Station Mayport, Feb. 4-5.
• New Building Z-144 Opens on Naval Station Norfolk Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic cut the ribbon Jan. 14 on Building Z-144, a new 16,000-square foot two-story facility connected to Building Z-140 at Naval Station Norfolk.
• Navy Responds to Recent LFA Sonar Ruling Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- The Navy issued the following statement, Feb. 6, in response to the ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which determined that the Navy may continue to use its Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar, but only under a number of restrictions.
• Wasp's '#1 Pit Crew' Leading INSURV Charge Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- USS Wasp (LHD 1) is taking the proverbial "bull by the horns" and getting a head start with Inspection and Survey (INSURV) maintenance discrepancies thanks in part to its pre-INSURV team, "The #1 Pit Crew."
• 'Gold Eagle' Calibration Lab Raises the Bar For RCOH Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- The calibration lab aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the "Gold Eagle," is working diligently this February to implement a new calibration requirement list (CRL) released by Naval Sea Command Systems in late 2007.
• USS Reuben James Visits Guadalcanal Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- Over 65 years after the infamous Battle of Guadalcanal, fought between August 1942 and February 1943, USS Reuben James (FFG 57) moored in Honiara for an opportunity to experience the shared history between the United States and the Solomon Islands.
• TR Performs CONREP with USNS Mount Baker Navy NewsStand 07 Feb 2008 -- USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) (TR) completed a connected replenishment (CONREP) with ammunition ship USNS Mount Baker (T-AE 34) Feb. 6 as Sailors helped return supplies and ammunition offloaded last year before a routine maintenance period.
• Israel set to use Indian rockets to launch 'spy' satellites RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2008 -- Israel will continue using Indian carrier rockets to launch its military satellites into space despite objections from Iran, The Indian Express quoted an Israeli source as saying on Thursday.
• Moscow to deploy S-400 air defense systems in northwest Russia RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2008 -- Advanced S-400 anti-aircraft / anti-missile systems will be deployed in northwest Russia in the near future, an army commander said on Thursday.
• Press Briefing by Tony Fratto The White House 07 Feb 2008
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 11 Feb 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for February 07, 2008
• Northrop Grumman Adding Mobile Targets to B-2 Bomber Capabilities 07 Feb 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is taking the first steps toward giving the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber the ability to destroy moving targets under a current contract with the U.S. Air Force.
• Boeing Awarded EPX Concept Refinement Contract Boeing 07 Feb 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] yesterday was awarded a $1.25 million concept refinement contract for the U.S. Navy's EPX program. EPX is a manned airborne intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting aircraft that will replace the Navy's EP-3 signals intelligence (SIGINT) platform.
• Lockheed Martin Receives $194 Million Contract for Army Tactical Missile System Lockheed Martin 07 Feb 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received $194 million from the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command for production of the combat-proven Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).
• Northrop Grumman and L-3 to Study New Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting Aircraft for U.S. Navy Northrop Grumman 07 Feb 2008 -- The U.S. Navy has awarded a study contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), working with L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL), for the Navy's EPX aircraft program.
• IAI’s Bedek Aviation Group To Provide Maintenance Services for the Israel Air Force's Heavy Transport Aircraft Wing Israel Aerospace Industries 07 Feb 2008 -- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)'s Bedek Aviation Group has signed a nine and a half year contract with the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) to provide comprehensive and continuous maintenance services to the Israel Air Force (IAF) Heavy Transport Aircraft Wing. IAI estimates that the total full value of maintenance services to the IAF may reach $170 million. The contract is for a period of 9.5 years.

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 07 Feb 2008
• Turkey Says 70 Kurdish Rebel Positions Destroyed in Northern Iraq VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- Turkey's military says its aircraft destroyed about 70 Kurdish rebel positions in raids on northern Iraq earlier this week.
• 'Twin challenges' to peacekeeping must be addressed, says senior UN official UN News Centre 07 Feb 2008 -- A senior United Nations official today emphasized the importance of tackling the "twin challenges" peacekeeping faces regarding planning and speed.
• More aid trucks enter Gaza from Israel but supplies nowhere near enough - UN UN News Centre 07 Feb 2008 -- Some 37 trucks carrying supplies made it into Gaza from Israel today, but the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) noted that while that is an improvement, it is far from what is required to meet current needs.
• Israeli Forces Kill 7 Palestinians in Gaza Raid VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- Israeli troops have killed at least six Palestinian militants and a schoolteacher in the northern Gaza Strip
• PRESS CONFERENCE ON ARREST, TRANSFER OF ALLEGED WAR CRIMINAL FROM DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, MATHIEU NGUDJOLO CHUI, TO INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT United Nations 07 Feb 2008
• Congolese rebel leader transferred to International Criminal Court UN News Centre 07 Feb 2008 -- Congolese national Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, an alleged former leader of the rebel National Integrationist Front (FNI), has been arrested and handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• DRC: Third ex-rebel commander charged with war crimes IRIN 07 Feb 2008 -- A third former rebel commander accused of committing atrocities in the Ituri district of the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been flown to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to be tried on charges of war crimes, including murder, conscription of children and sexual enslavement, a spokesman for the tribunal said.
• Chadian Authorities Impose Curfew on Capital, Other Regions VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- Chad's government has ordered a curfew for the capital and six provinces in the interior as its army tries to chase down rebels who nearly toppled the president.
• Chadian President Says Govt. in 'Total Control' After Rebel Assault VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- Chad's President Idriss Deby says his government is in" total control" of the entire country after an assault by rebels on the capital, N'Djamena, that left more than 100 civilians dead.
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL, OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF FIELD SUPPORT ON DARFUR DEPLOYMENT United Nations 07 Feb 2008
• UN voices concern over fate of nearly 500,000 people in eastern Chad UN News Centre 07 Feb 2008 -- Although eastern Chad is currently calm, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today expressed its concern over the fate of up to 500,000 vulnerable people - mostly Sudanese refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) - in the region.
• Kenya: UN reports improved security, steps up aid to displaced UN News Centre 07 Feb 2008 -- The United Nations said today that security has improved slightly in Kenya, where the unrest sparked by December's disputed elections has uprooted over 300,000 people from their homes and agencies are increasing efforts to aid those affected.
• Top UN envoy reiterates support for Cyprus settlement UN News Centre 07 Feb 2008 -- The top United Nations official in Cyprus today voiced the world body's support for a settlement on the Mediterranean island.
• YEMEN: WFP to feed 10,500 extra African refugees IRIN 07 Feb 2008 -- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is to extend food aid to an additional 10,500 African refugees, mainly Somalis fleeing clashes in their own country.
• Serbia: EU Relations Near Collapse Over Kosovo RFE/RL 07 Feb 2008 -- Serbia's relations with the EU are teetering on the brink of collapse after Belgrade spurned an EU offer to cement ties.

News Reports

• Debate Over 'Waterboarding' Interrogation Technique Continues VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- Lawmakers pressed the U.S. attorney general on Thursday for more specifics about the legal justifications used by the Bush administration in authorizing the past use of the extreme interrogation technique known as waterboarding.
• Thai Military Leaders Say They Failed to Achieve Coup Goals VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- Military leaders who staged a 2006 coup in Thailand say they failed to achieve their goals after sending former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra into exile
• Khmer Rouge's Brother Number 2 Back in Court in Cambodia VOA 07 Feb 2008 -- The Khmer Rouge's former second-in-command, Nuon Chea, has been back in court, facing charges of crimes against humanity and other offenses committed during the communist rule of Cambodia 30 years ago
• UN-backed tribunal processing over 500 Khmer Rouge victims' complaints UN News Centre 07 Feb 2008 -- The United Nations-backed tribunal trying Khmer Rouge leaders accused of mass killings and other crimes is currently processing and responding to more than 500 complaints submitted by Cambodians on crimes which took place three decades ago.
• Russia: OSCE Election Monitor Cancels Plans To Monitor Vote RFE/RL 07 Feb 2008 -- Citing what it described as unacceptable restrictions from Moscow, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) main election watchdog has canceled plans to monitor Russia's upcoming presidential vote.
• Russia says OSCE sought to boycott presidential polls from start RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2008 -- The OSCE's election monitoring body deliberately set out to boycott Russia's March 2 presidential elections, the Foreign Ministry's spokesman said on Thursday.