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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 21 Mar 2008 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• Coalition force Soldiers attacked by IDF (Baghdad)
• March 20 airpower summary: KC-135s provide sortie support AFPN 21 Mar 2008
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Press Secretary Geoff Morrell from the Pentagon 21 Mar 2008 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell
• Reconstruction Team Emphasizes Long-Term Benefits for Iraqis AFPS 21 Mar 2008 -- A provincial reconstruction team is working to build capacities in Iraq's Wasit province for the long-term benefit of its citizens, a military official said yesterday.
• Iraqi Security Forces Clash with Shi'ite Militia Fighters South of Baghdad VOA 21 Mar 2008 -- Iraqi security forces have clashed with Shi'ite militia fighters in the city of Kut, southeast of Baghdad.
• Iraqi Army, Coalition Forces Detain 10 Suspects AFPS 21 Mar 2008 -- Iraqi soldiers and coalition forces detained 10 suspects in separate operations throughout Iraq today.
• Army Expert Explains Counterinsurgency Effort in Iraq AFPS 21 Mar 2008 -- Al Qaeda terrorists and other Iraqi insurgents are "off balance" in Iraq, an Army counterinsurgency expert said yesterday.
• Key Patrol Base Takes Shape MNF-I 21 Mar 2008 -- In a bid to establish a formidable U.S. security presence near Suwayrah, Iraq, Soldiers began construction Saturday of Patrol Base Summers amid the ruins of a former Iraqi Air Force Base.
• Afghanistan: New Helmand Governor Confirms Desire For Talks With Taliban RFE/RL 21 Mar 2008 -- The new governor of an embattled province in southern Afghanistan has confirmed his intention to negotiate with "second- and third-tier" Taliban to achieve greater security.
• Air Force Crews, Army Riggers Set Afghanistan Airdrop Record AFPS 21 Mar 2008 -- With support from the Army's 11th Quartermaster Rigger Detachment and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force riggers here, C-130 crews of the Air Force's 74th Air Expeditionary Squadron set an airdrop record last month.

Defense Policy / Programs

• MILCON: Fort Bragg Building for 43,000 Soldiers Army News 21 Mar 2008 -- Soldiers at Fort Bragg, N.C., have witnessed a vast expansion of their living and working conditions over the past five years that continues with new barracks, dining facilities, command facilities and training ranges constantly coming on line.
• Civilian Policy Chief Wants Expeditionary Workforce Army News 21 Mar 2008 -- The Pentagon's civilian personnel policy chief wants to create an expeditionary civilian workforce and encourages civilian employees to become more mobile in their careers.
• AMC commander reinforces need for new tanker AFPN 21 Mar 2008 -- While many are focused on the formal protest of the recent KC-45A contract award, the needs of the warfighter -- and the nation -- remain unchanged.
• Experiment identifies timely solutions to warfighter AFPN 21 Mar 2008 -- Thanks to a strong effort from the Global Cyberspace Integration Center here, 11 Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment initiatives have been delivered to the warfighter during the past 12 months, and five more are projected to be fielded within the next four months.
• Airmen minimize DOD weather-related losses AFPN 21 Mar 2008 -- The 26th Operational Weather Squadron here helped minimize Department of Defense losses during severe regional weather recently that resulted in more than 20 civilian deaths and power outages affecting millions.
• AER Doubles Aid to Meet Rising Needs Army News 21 Mar 2008 -- The Army Emergency Relief program has increased the financial assistance it provides to Soldiers and Families in need by about 40 percent since 2005, according to the program's director.
• Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks Beginning of New Barracks in Bremerton Navy NewsStand 21 Mar 2008 -- More than 35 service members, contractors and guests attended a groundbreaking ceremony held at Naval Base (NB) Kitsap Bremerton, March 20.
• Africa Partnership Station and West Africa Training Cruise Arrives in Liberia Navy NewsStand 21 Mar 2008 -- Africa Partnership Station (APS) and West Africa Training Cruise (WATC) began arriving, March 20, aboard three U.S. military vessels to conduct a sea-basing exercise off the shore of Liberia along with various humanitarian events ashore.
• TR Security Evaluates Force Protection Navy NewsStand 21 Mar 2008 -- USS Theodore Roosevelt (TR) (CVN 71) Sailors currently working in security will be busy practicing their skills and looking to improve the ship's protection during this underway period which began March 17.
• Singapore-Based Military Sealift Command Office Changes Leadership Navy NewsStand 21 Mar 2008 -- Military Sealift Command's (MSC) Singapore-based Sealift Logistics Command Far East (SEALOGFE) changed leadership March 21.
• USS Gonzalez Participates in Multinational Exercise Mavi Balina '08 Navy NewsStand 21 Mar 2008 -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) joined the Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 2 to participate in the multinational exercise Mavi Balina '08 March 17-21.
• Canadian Chief of Maritime Staff Visits Commander 2nd Fleet Navy NewsStand 21 Mar 2008 -- Chief of Maritime Staff, Canadian Navy, Vice Adm. Drew William Robertson visited Commander 2nd Fleet March 20.
• Pentagon: Georgia, Ukraine May Not Join NATO for Years VOA 21 Mar 2008 -- The Pentagon says U.S. support for efforts by Georgia and Ukraine to join NATO does not necessarily mean the countries will join the alliance anytime soon
• Russia may soon reshuffle top military brass - defense source RIA Novosti 21 Mar 2008 -- Russia may soon see new faces among its top military commanders as the result of a major military leadership reshuffle, a high-ranking Defense Ministry source said on Friday.
• Pakistan tests indigenously developed unmanned aerial vehicle: army IRNA 21 Mar 2008 -- Pakistan on Thursday successfully conducted a test flight of its indigenously developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the army said.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 21 Mar 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 21, 2008
• General Dynamics Awarded $325 Million for Virginia-Class Submarine Advance Procurement General Dynamics 21 Mar 2008 -- The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $324.9 million contract modification to buy long lead time material (LLTM) for the FY 09 Virginia-Class submarine, SSN-784 and the FY 11 submarine, SSN-787.
• LOCKHEED MARTIN WINS $344 MILLION CONTRACT TO SUPPORT DEFENSE DEPARTMENT HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING CENTERS Lockheed Martin 21 Mar 2008 --Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] has been awarded the Next Generation Technical Services contract by the Department of Defense.
• Lockheed Martin Receives $24 Million Contract for Continued Production of ICBM Reentry System Upgrade Lockheed Martin 20 Mar 2008 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) announced today that it has received a $23.9 million contract modification from Northrop Grumman Corporation to provide hardware components for the next phase of full-rate production for the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Safety Enhanced Reentry Vehicle (SERV) program.
• New milestone for France’s fourth new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine DCNS 21 Mar 2008 -- Today, DCNS rolled out SSBN Le Terrible, the fourth and last Le Triomphant-class new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine at a ceremony attended by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Over 3,000 people witnessed the roll-out at DCNS's Cherbourg shipyard, the home of excellence in French submarine construction for over 100 years.

Other Conflicts

• Cypriot leaders agree to start full negotiations within three months - UN UN News Centre 21 Mar 2008 -- The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have agreed to start full-fledged negotiations within three months on resolving the long-running dispute on the Mediterranean island, the United Nations' top envoy to Cyprus said today.
• Turkish, Greek Cypriots agree to resume peace talks RIA Novosti 21 Mar 2008 -- Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders agreed on Friday to restart peace talks to reunify the divided island, opening the way for a Turkish bid to join the European Union.
• Cyprus Peace Talks to Restart VOA 21 Mar 2008 -- Hopes are now high that the face-to- face meeting between the two community leaders in Cyprus has paved the way for peace on the divided Mediterranean island
• COTE D'IVOIRE: Graft continues despite reunification pledges IRIN 21 Mar 2008 -- More than a year after Cote d'Ivoire's government signed a peace deal and formed a joint government with rebels that had held the north of the country for five years, former rebels continue to levy taxes on trade and transport in the north and the government has not succeeded in bringing large parts of the country under its control.
• Northern CAR Faces Violence From All Sides VOA 21 Mar 2008 -- The northern Central African Republic has been caught up in spiraling regional violence
• YEMEN: Landmine-free by 2009? IRIN 21 Mar 2008 -- The UN Development Programme (UNDP) office in Yemen has said areas with a high density of landmines have been cleared, but challenges remain.
• ISRAEL: Israeli sanctions backfiring? IRIN 21 Mar 2008 -- The Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip has hit the business sector, farmers and those who might benefit from development projects, but helped Hamas consolidate its authority in Gaza, says a new report by the International Crisis Group (ICG).
• SUDAN: Darfur attackers violated international law - UN IRIN 21 Mar 2008 -- Recent attacks by militias and Sudanese government troops on West Darfur villages in which scores of people were killed and thousands displaced, violated international humanitarian and human rights law, the UN said.
• Russia criticizes U.S. over Kosovo military aid RIA Novosti 21 Mar 2008 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called the U.S. decision to allow arms supplies to Kosovo illegal and expressed fears that the move may further endanger stability in the region.

News Reports

• China Claims Wide Support for Tibetan Crackdown VOA 21 Mar 2008 -- Chinese state media have released updated figures for the numbers of those killed in last Friday's rioting in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa.
• China Reinforces Troops Responding to Tibetan Protests VOA 21 Mar 2008 -- Witnesses and foreign media have reported a huge buildup of Chinese troops in areas with large Tibetan populations, as the government cracks down on an unprecedented wave of protests.
• US House Speaker Rebukes China on Tibet Crackdown VOA 21 Mar 2008 -- U.S. House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, says Tibet presents a challenge to the world's conscience, and has called for an international investigation into the causes of the recent unrest in the region which China controls. China has retaliated by saying Tibet is its own affair
• Whirlwind campaigning marks final day of tight race CNA 21 Mar 2008 -- One day before Taiwanese voters decide their new president, the two candidates and their campaigns were desperately battling for every vote in a race once considered a cakewalk for the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) but now seen as a potential toss-up.
• Israeli mercenary lawyer appeals against extradition to Colombia RIA Novosti 21 Mar 2008 -- The lawyer of an Israeli mercenary wanted by Colombian authorities for allegedly training guerrillas has appealed against a Moscow court decision to extradite him to Colombia.