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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 05 May 2008 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• April 4 airpower summary: C-17s transport troops and cargo AFPN 05 May 2008
• Abrams Tank Crew Kills Attackers in Baghdad Fighting AFPS 05 May 2008 -- An M1A2 Abrams tank crew fired a 120 mm round at two attackers on a rooftop, killing both, during fighting in northeastern Baghdad today, military officials reported.
• Navy Cargo Handlers Deploy to the Middle East Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- More than 100 cargo handlers with the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) headquarters in Williamsburg, Va., departed from Langley Air Force Base on May 4, for an eight-month deployment to locations in Kuwait and Iraq.
• Afghan air corps soars again AFPN 05 May 2008 -- Graduates completed the first orientation course for the Afghan National army air corps April 30 at the Kabul Air Corps Training Center here.
• AFGHANISTAN: New survey to measure food-price hunger IRIN 05 May 2008 -- The Health Ministry, with UN support, plans to conduct a rapid nutrition needs assessment in vulnerable provinces affected by high food prices. This will be used as a baseline for future nutrition interventions.
• Analysis: Still a Dangerous Border cfr.org 05 May 2008 -- The latest spike in cross-border attacks (NYT) into Afghanistan by militants based in Pakistan has once again exposed the vulnerabilities of those fighting the war for a stable Afghanistan
• Afghanistan: Government Workers Arrested In Plot To Kill Karzai RFE/RL 05 May 2008 -- Authorities in Kabul have arrested two Afghan government workers for alleged involvement in last week's failed plot to kill President Hamid Karzai.
• NATO: Alliance Chief Calls Missile Defense A Key Element For Security RFE/RL 05 May 2008 -- NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says missile-defense shields are a key element for trans-Atlantic security.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Puget Sound Community Signs Covenant with Fort Lewis Army News 05 May 2008 -- Puget Sound community leaders joined Fort Lewis officials May 2 to sign the Army Community Covenant, a formal recognition of the relationship between Soldiers, their families and the communities surrounding post.
• Army Has Not Lowered Soldier Recruiting Standards Army News 05 May 2008 -- Despite a rise in conduct waivers offered to recruits last year, Army officials emphasized the service is not lowering its standards -- explaining that circumstances surrounding each case and the recent behavior of those recruits earned them a second look.
• Seabees Train for Convoy Security Navy NewsStand 05 May 2008 -- To ensure Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 Seabees receive the maximum amount of training possible, Convoy Security Element (CSE) teams held after-hours training April 29 through May 2.
• Naval Beach Group 2 Detachment Uniform Completes APS Deployment Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- Naval Beach Group (NBG) 2 Detachment Uniform completed its deployment for Africa Partnership Station (APS) and returned to homeport in Little Creek, Va. May 4.
• Squadron Commander Relieved of Command Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- The commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 143 was relieved of his duties, May 5.
• NMCB 7 Tests FEX Readiness, Holds a CPX Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 held a command post exercise (CPX) April 30 and May 1 to test the battalion's readiness for deployment and their upcoming battalion field exercise (FEX).
• USS Fort McHenry Returns From Africa Partnership Station Maiden Deployment Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) returned to its homeport, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, May 4 after a seven-month deployment as the first platform for Africa Partnership Station (APS), an initiative working with countries from West and Central Africa promoting maritime safety and security.
• USS Nashville Visits Rhodes, Greece Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- Sailors aboard the amphibious transport dock USS Nashville (LPD 13) visited Rhodes, April 21-25 after completing their participation in Phoenix Express 2008 (PE 08), the third annual maritime exercise devoted to improving regional cooperation and maritime security in the Mediterranean Sea.
• Kestrels Doing Their Part Since 1985 Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- The "Kestrels" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137 are helping provide regional security as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
• Bataan Departs Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Returns to Sea Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- USS Bataan (LHD 5) left the Norfolk Naval Shipyard after an eight month dry-docked planned maintenance availability (DPMA), May 5.
• Maritime Civil Affairs Squadron Sets Out for Maiden Deployment Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- The first of two teams from Maritime Civil Affairs Squadron (MCAS) 1 deployed for the first time, April 26, in support of Pacific Partnership 2008.
• Peleliu Strike Group Deploys Navy MewsStand 05 May 2008 -- USS Peleliu (LHA 5) deployed May 4 in support of the war on terrorism as part of the Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group's (PELESG) regular deployment rotation.
• Russian delegation visits USAFE bases AFPN 05 May 2008 -- A Russian delegation visited two U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases April 27 through May 1 to discuss theater security cooperation between the U.S. and Russian air forces.
• Distribution center saves lives, makes travel easier AFPN 05 May 2008 -- Not many servicemembers ducking into foxholes stop to think about where their body armor comes from or how each strap of it was sewn together.
• Airmen set up communication lines for exercise in Croatia AFPN 05 May 2008 -- Members of the 1st Combat Communications Squadron based out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany, began arriving in late April into Croatia to prepare network and phone systems for participants of the Medical Training Exercise in Central and Eastern Europe 2008 here.
• Gates: Purple Heart for PTSD 'Needs to Be Looked At' AFPS 05 May 2008 -- With growing recognition of the toll post-traumatic stress disorder has taken on U.S. forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the Defense Department may consider awarding Purple Heart medals to combat veterans afflicted with it.
• Officials Urge Quick Action on Supplemental Funding Request AFPS 05 May 2008 -- Office of Management and Budget officials today urged Congress to act quickly on the White House's request for $102 billion in supplemental funding to cover military operations in the war on terror through fiscal 2008, which ends Sept. 30.
• UAS Center Unveiled at Army Aviation's 25th Anniversary Army News 05 May 2008 -- Army aviation officials unveiled a new Unmanned Aircraft System Center of Excellence during the 25th anniversary of the Army Aviation Branch Friday.
• U.S. 'set for new Polish armed forces offer over missile shield' RIA Novosti 05 May 2008 -- The U.S. is to make an official proposal to modernize the Polish armed forces in exchange for the deployment of a missile-defense system in the country, Poland's Defense Ministry spokesman said on Monday.
• Russia plans to test launch 9 ballistic missiles in 2008 RIA Novosti 05 May 2008 -- Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) are planning to conduct nine test launches of ballistic missiles in 2008, the SMF commander said on Monday.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 05 May 2008
• Press Briefing by Scott Stanzel The White House 05 May 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 05, 2008
• Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Program Moves Forward to Serve Warfighters Lockheed Martin 05 May 2008 -- Following a series of successful reliability characterization tests, Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] received U.S. Government approval to continue development and production of the Joint Air-To-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM).
• Northrop Grumman Receives Third Order for Airborne Electronic Attack Systems From U.S. Navy Northrop Grumman 05 May 2008 -- The U.S. Navy is acquiring a third lot of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) Improved Capability (ICAP) III airborne electronic attack systems for its fleet of EA-6B Prowlers under a $101.9 million firm, fixed-price contract
• Raytheon Awarded $203.3 Million for Production of Precision Guidance Systems Raytheon 05 May 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) will extend production and delivery of Improved Target Acquisition Systems under a $203.3 million contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Huntsville, Ala.
• GE LM2500 Gas Turbines to Power U.S. Navy's Independence LCS Newly-Launched GE Marine 05 May 2008 -- GE Marine reports that the United States Navy's Independence Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) was recently launched at Austal USA's shipyard in Mobile, Ala. Independence will be powered by two GE LM2500 aeroderivative marine gas turbines, arranged in a COmbined Diesel And Gas turbine (CODAG) configuration with two diesel engines.

Other Conflicts

• Israel Says 'Significant Progress' in Talks With Palestinians on Borders VOA 05 May 2008 -- A senior Israeli official says the government has made "significant progress" in talks with the Palestinians on drawing the borders of a future Palestinian state.
• Olmert, Abbas Meet in Effort to Boost Peace Talks VOA 05 May 2008 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Monday in an effort to accelerate peace talks stalled on the divisive issues of settlements and roadblocks in the West Bank.
• Urgent progress needed in key areas to further Middle East peace - Ban Ki-moon UN News Centre 05 May 2008 -- On the heels of the recent London meeting of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed the United Nations' commitment to achieving peace in the region and highlighted the steps needed for progress towards that end.
• Georgia/Russia: U.S., EU Urge Restraint Amid Abkhazia Tensions RFE/RL 05 May 2008 -- The United States and the European Union have urged restraint following the latest incident between Georgia and its Moscow-backed separatist region of Abkhazia.
• Abkhazia detects another Georgian drone, takes no action RIA Novosti 05 May 2008 -- Air defense forces of Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia detected another Georgian surveillance drone, but decided not to take any action, the Abkhaz defense minister said Monday.
• Georgia asks UN to probe Abkhazia's claims on downed drones RIA Novosti 05 May 2008 -- The Georgian Foreign Ministry sent Monday a request to a UN official in Tbilisi to investigate claims by its breakaway republic of Abkhazia that two Georgian surveillance drones had been downed.
• Bombing of Darfur villages unacceptable, says senior UN official UN News Centre 05 May 2008 -- The top military official with the new United Nations-African Union (AU) hybrid mission in Darfur, known as UNAMID, has voiced his deep concern at the rising toll of civilian deaths as a result of the recent bombing of villages in the war-torn Sudanese region.
• Rebels Accuse Puntland Government of Returning Ethiopians to Face Torture VOA 05 May 2008 -- An Ethiopian rebel group has accused the government of Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region of detaining Ethiopians and handing them over to Ethiopian security forces
• UGANDA: Funding shortfall worries agencies, government IRIN 05 May 2008 -- Humanitarian activities in northern Uganda, which is emerging from more than two decades of civil war, are being curtailed because of a decline in funding and rising costs, aid agencies and a government minister have warned.

News Reports

• Laura Bush Says US Will Do All It Can to Help Burma Cyclone Victims VOA 05 May 2008 -- U.S. First Lady Laura Bush says the United States will do all it can to help the victims of the cyclone that hit Burma on Saturday
• UN stands ready to assist after deadly cyclone batters Myanmar UN News Centre 05 May 2008 -- The United Nations has offered its assistance to Myanmar authorities in responding to the deadly cyclone which struck the South-East Asian nation on Friday, leaving death and widespread devastation in its wake.
• As Many as 10,000 Dead in Burma Cyclone VOA 05 May 2008 -- Burmese state media say it is now believed that as many as 10,000 people are dead and thousands more missing after Tropical Cyclone Nargis ripped through parts of the country, destroying homes, bringing down power lines and knocking out communications
• MYANMAR: Relief effort gears up as death toll soars IRIN 05 May 2008 -- The official death toll from Myanmar's devastating weekend cyclone has now soared to around 4,000 people, with thousands more said to be missing, as military authorities and aid agencies struggle to bring relief to survivors.
• Thousands in Somalia Riot Against High Food Prices VOA 05 May 2008 -- Thousands of people have violently protested skyrocketing food costs made worse by the devaluation of the local currency in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu
• Nearly 4,000 Dead in Burmese Cyclone; Uncertainty About Referendum Remains VOA 05 May 2008 -- Burmese state media say it is now believed that nearly 4,000 people are dead and thousands more missing after Tropical Cyclone Nargis ripped through parts of the country, destroying homes, bringing down power lines and knocking out communications
• New Delay in Zimbabwe Elections VOA 05 May 2008 -- Concerns about a possible delay in Zimbabwe's presidential run-off election are increasing
• Zimbabwe Opposition Hangs Fire On Participation In Presidential Runoff VOA 05 May 2008 -- Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change is playing its cards close to its vest as to whether Tsvangirai will contest the presidential runoff election the MDC says there should be no need to hold, while trying to secure commitments from the African Union and United Nations for election monitoring.
• NIGERIA: Bread strike threatens food supply IRIN 05 May 2008 -- Supplies of bread have dwindled in Lagos and other cities across Nigeria since 5 May when the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria went on a nationwide strike over the rising price of flour and other raw materials.
• GLOBAL: Canada to provide cash, not commodities in switch of food aid policy IRIN 05 May 2008 -- Canada is the latest major donor country to break the link between overseas food aid and supporting its own farmers.
• SOMALIA: Cost of food prompts demo in capital IRIN 05 May 2008 -- Many thousands of Somalis took to the streets of the capital, Mogadishu, on 5 May, shutting down most of the city in a protest against high food prices and traders' refusal to accept old Somali shilling notes, witnesses said.
• China Agrees to Second Round of Talks with Dalai Lama's Envoys VOA 05 May 2008 -- The Chinese government has agreed to hold a second round of talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama after meetings in the southern city of Shenzhen