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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 08 May 2008 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
• May 7 airpower summary: A-10s conduct show of force AFPN 08 May 2008
• Leader of Al-Qaida in Iraq Arrested VOA 08 May 2008 -- The Iraqi Defense Ministry says its forces have arrested the leader of the group al-Qaida in Iraq.
• Coalition Forces in Iraq Kill Nine Enemy Fighters, Detain 13 Suspects AFPS 08 May 2008 -- Coalition forces in Iraq today killed nine enemy fighters and detained 13 suspects during a series of operations across the country that targeted al-Qaida and its foreign-terrorist network, military officials said.
• Marines in Afghanistan to Redeploy as Scheduled, Gates Says AFPS 08 May 2008 -- The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit will redeploy from Afghanistan in November as scheduled, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today.
• U.S., British Reaper operations combined in Afghanistan AFPN 08 May 2008 -- Since taking flight for the first time here in October 2007, Reapers have flown more than 320 missions and 2,400 combat hours throughout Afghanistan, providing close-air support and precision engagement.
• Experts Voice Concerns About US Approach on Pakistan, Afghanistan VOA 08 May 2008 -- Experts appearing before a congressional panel have voiced concerns about U.S. policies toward Pakistan and Afghanistan

Defense Policy / Programs

• Transcript: DoD Press Briefing with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen from the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 08 May 2008 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen
• Transcript: Defense Department Background Briefing on Quadrennial Roles and Missions Review 08 May 2008 -- Presenter: Senior Defense Official
• Servicemembers support El Salvador disaster relief exercise AFPN 08 May 2008 -- A forward-deployed team of more than 20 Joint Task Force-Bravo Airmen and Soldiers set up shop here May 4 to support a regional disaster relief exercise involving military and civilian agencies from throughout the Western Hemisphere.
• Army Honors Top Installations Army News 08 May 2008 -- An installation is more than just a place where Soldiers work and train, it is a community that serves the Soldiers, their Families, retirees, civilians and all other elements of the Army Family, said the Army's vice chief of staff as he recognized this year's top three posts.
• Portable electronic power initiative energizes possibilities AFPN 08 May 2008 -- An Air Mobility Battlelab initiative could "energize" new possibilities for aeromedical evacuations in the future.
• Walter Reed Strives to Remove Stigma From Mental Health Care AFPS 08 May 2008 -- Troops need to feel as comfortable seeking mental health care for combat-related stresses as they are getting treated for physical injuries, the commander of the health care system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here said.
• Pentagon Seeks to Fund University Research in National Security AFPS 08 May 2008 -- The Defense Department is developing a proposal to finance university research on national security-related issues, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday.
• Waiver Recipients Take Advantage of 'Second Chance' in Army AFPS 08 May 2008 -- Army recruits who joined the ranks on conduct waivers are slightly more prone to misconduct, but also are promoted faster, re-enlist in higher numbers and represent higher-quality recruits than recruits who enlisted without needing a conduct waiver, an internal Army study revealed.
• Department Begins Roles, Missions Review AFPS 08 May 2008 -- Work has begun on a review of the U.S. military's roles and missions, senior defense officials said here today.
• Bragg Cuts Ribbon on Model Apartment for Single Soldiers Army News 08 May 2008 -- When the ribbons fell to the ground Wednesday outside the model privatized apartment at Fort Bragg, it marked the beginning of a new way to house single Soldiers.
• USS Harry S. Truman Arrives in Rhodes, Greece Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) arrived in Rhodes on May 7, for a goodwill port visit as part of the ship's routine deployment in the region.
• Naval Exercise Strengthens Regional Partnership Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- Sailors from the guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99), a component of the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, completed navy-to-navy exercises with Uruguayan forces, May 6, along the Atlantic Coast of South America.
• NMCB 4 Completes Field Training Exercise Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4 closed up shop and moved from Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) to Fort Hunter Liggett, near King City, Calif., April 18.
• Boxer Arrives in Guatemala with Relief Capabilities Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- USS Boxer (LHD 4) along with various embarked units and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) arrived in Quetzal, May 6, for the first stop in Continuing Promise (CP) 2008.
• USS Tarawa Conducts Damage Control Portion of ULTRA-S Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- Afloat Training Group Pacific (ATGPAC) inspectors from San Diego assessed amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1) during its biannual Unit Level Training Assessment-Sustainment (ULTRA-S), April 24-26.
• NSWC Crane Successfully Tests Enhanced Surveillance System Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) teamed with the Army and industry in a successful final acceptance test of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Ground-Based Operational Surveillance System (GBOSS) at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., March 28.
• USS Shoup Tows Disabled Dhow to Safety Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- While conducting operations as part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, USS Shoup (DDG 86) assisted a disabled dhow, May 6, by towing it from the Gulf of Aden to Al-Mukalla, Yemen.
• Continuing Promise Seabees Set for Success in Guatemala Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- Sailors from Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 303 and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, embarked aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4), readied equipment for construction projects in Guatemala, May 6, as part of the Pacific phase of Continuing Promise (CP) 2008.
• US Pacific Commander Calls on China Not to Seek 'High-End' Military, Says US Will Remain Dominant Asian Power VOA 08 May 2008 -- The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific has called on China to give up any plans to develop what he calls "high-end military options," and says the United States has no intention of abandoning its position as the leading military power in Asia
• Workforce cuts drive shift in personnel services delivery AFPN 08 May 2008 -- Personnel Services Delivery and Program Budget Decision 720 are two key programs that continue to push significant transformation in the Air Force.
• Airmen fight to reduce flight delays for troops coming home AFPN 08 May 2008 -- Airmen of the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center here recently have eliminated most flight delays resulting from the loss of commercially contracted airlift support to Air Mobility Command from ATA Airlines Inc., a member of a Federal Express team.
• Armed Forces Make Progress in Regenerative Medicine AFPS 08 May 2008 -- Thanks to great strides in medical care, today's U.S. warriors have a 50 percent greater chance of survival if they're wounded on the battlefield than their Vietnam War counterparts did.
• Tarawa Stands Out for Energy Conservation Efficiency Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- The amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1) earned the SECNAV 2007 Gold Award for excellence in energy conservation for a large deck ship during the 2007 fiscal year on April 24.
• Argentine Pilots Train with George Washington Carrier Strike Group Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- Navy pilots from Argentina trained with their counterparts from the U.S. Navy while performing low approaches to the flight deck of USS George Washington (CVN 73)(GW) on May 5.
• USS Port Royal and USS Hopper Return Home Navy NewsStand 08 May 2008 -- Two Pearl Harbor-based combatant ships, with almost 500 Sailors, returned home today, May 2, after completing a six-month Western Pacific deployment as part of the Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group.
• Gates: U.S. Military Ready to Help, Ships, Air Support Staged AFPS 08 May 2008 -- The tragedy following a devastating cyclone in Burma is compounded by the fact that the U.S. military and others are ready to help, but can't without the ruling military junta's approval, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.
• Rice Backs Speedy Accession of Macedonia into NATO VOA 08 May 2008 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated Wednesday that the United States supports full NATO membership for Macedonia as soon as possible
• Press Gaggle by Gordon Johndroe The White House 08 May 2008
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 08 May 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 16, 2008
• Boeing Provides New Test Facility for Next-Gen Radar Technology Boeing 08 May 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today dedicated a new test and evaluation facility in Huntington Beach, Calif., that provides the technology and capability to support both current and future radar-based weapon systems.
• General Dynamics selected for FRES General Dynamics 08 May 2008 -- General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence as the provisionally preferred bidder for the Utility Vehicle Design (UVD) for the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES).
• General Dynamics Awarded $116 Million for Abrams Tank-Related Work General Dynamics 08 May 2008 -- General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was awarded a contract worth $116 million for the purchase of long-lead materials for work associated with the Abrams main battle tank.
• U.S. Coast Guard Accepts Delivery Of First National Security Cutter, Lockheed Martin Command And Control System Lockheed Martin 08 May 2008 -- The U.S. Coast Guard today accepted delivery of the first National Security Cutter, USCGC Bertholf (WMSL 750), a 418-foot vessel built by Northrop Grumman and equipped by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] with integrated communications, sensors and electronics systems
• First Northrop Grumman-Built National Security Cutter Delivered to U.S. Coast Guard Northrop Grumman 08 May 2008 -- Today the U.S. Coast Guard accepted delivery of the first Northrop Grumman Corporation-built (NYSE:NOC) National Security Cutter (NSC), Bertholf (WMSL 750) -- the most technologically advanced ship in U.S. Coast Guard history
• 1st Boeing P-8A Poseidon Gets Its Wings Boeing 08 May 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] joined the wing assembly and fuselage of the first P-8A Poseidon for the U.S. Navy on May 1 in Renton, Wash.
• CACI Awarded $134 Million Contract to Support Military Sealift Command CACI 08 May 2008 -- CACI International Inc (NYSE:CAI) announced today that it has been awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for up to 10 years, worth up to $134 million, to continue providing worldwide logistics support services to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC).
• Raytheon Awarded $32 Million for LPD 25 Raytheon 08 May 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $32 million contract to develop and integrate the total ship electronics systems for LPD 25, the ninth ship of the U.S. Navy's LPD 17 class of expeditionary warfare ships.
• Samtel & Thales seal their cooperation with the signature for the creation of Samtel Thales Avionics Thales 08 May 2008 -- Samtel Display Systems Ltd and Thales announced today that they have signed an agreement for the creation of the Joint Venture Company, Samtel Thales Avionics Pvt. Ltd. Leveraging on the track record and domain expertise of both companies, Thales and Samtel will work, towards the local development, production, sale and maintenance of Helmets Mounted Sight & Display (HMSD) and avionics systems destined for the Indian market.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 08 May 2008
• UN Chief Calls for Calm in Lebanon VOA 08 May 2008 -- The U.N. secretary-general is calling on all parties in Lebanon to show restraint, as a second day of sectarian clashes threatens to escalate that country's political crisis
• Second Day of Violence Engulfs Beirut VOA 08 May 2008 -- Clashes between Lebanese government supporters and the opposition Hezbollah are continuing for a second day in Beirut and the Bekaa Valley
• Lebanon faces most serious crisis since civil war - UN envoy UN News Centre 08 May 2008 -- The stalled political process in Lebanon, combined with the current violence on the streets and the "defiant manoeuvres of militias," is leaving the country struggling to function as a sovereign, democratic State, United Nations Special Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen told the Security Council today.
• SENEGAL: Villagers mutilated by armed men in Casamance IRIN 08 May 2008 -- Armed men claiming to represent the rebel group Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) attacked twenty villagers from Tampe 15 km east of the regional capital Ziguinchor on 7 May and hacked each of their left ears with machetes, according to the victims and the Senegalese army.
• Southern Chad relatively stable despite influx of refugees, says UN UN News Centre 08 May 2008 -- A good level of security prevails in southern Chad, despite concerns over road banditry and an influx of refugees from the Central African Republic (CAR), says the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the two countries.
• US Concerned That Tensions Between Russia and Georgia Could Escalate VOA 08 May 2008 -- A U.S. official is expressing concern that tensions between Russia and Georgia could lead to armed conflict
• Army Says 50 Rebels Killed in Burundi Clashes VOA 08 May 2008 -- Burundi's military says it killed 50 members of a rebel group in clashes outside the capital Bujumbura on Wednesday night
• Georgia president says threat of war with Russia still relevant RIA Novosti 08 May 2008 -- The threat of war between Georgia and Russia is still relevant, the president of the ex-Soviet Caucasus state said on Thursday.
• Abkhazia says fifth Georgian drone downed, Tbilisi denies claim RIA Novosti 08 May 2008 -- Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia has shot down a Georgian surveillance drone, the fifth since the beginning of the year, the defense minister said on Thursday.
• Georgian defense minister denies war plans RIA Novosti 08 May 2008 -- Georgia's defense minister denied Thursday that the country planned to wage war against its breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

News Reports

• Putin Confirmed As Russian Prime Minister RFE/RL 08 May 2008 -- Russia's State Duma has confirmed Vladimir Putin as prime minister by an overwhelming vote of 392 to 56, just one day after Dmitry Medvedev succeeded him as the country's president.
• Analysis: With Transition, Power In Russia Moves Further Into The Shadows RFE/RL 08 May 2008 -- The official line on the transfer of power in Russia is continuity
• Parliament approves Putin as prime minister RIA Novosti 08 May 2008 -- Russia's lower house of parliament approved Vladimir Putin as prime minister on Thursday, a day after he stepped down as president following eight years as head of state.
• Putin Confirmation as Russian Premier Sparks Verbal Fireworks VOA 08 May 2008 -- Vladimir Putin has been confirmed as Russian's new prime minister by an overwhelming vote in the lower house of Parliament
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR ON HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN MYANMAR United Nations 08 May 2008
• Analysis: Myanmar in Crisis cfr.org 08 May 2008 -- A cyclone in Myanmar last weekend has so far left tens of thousands dead and missing and many more homeless, exposing the vulnerabilities of a repressed population under an isolationist military regime
• Frustration growing at limited access to Myanmar cyclone victims - UN UN News Centre 08 May 2008 -- The United Nations humanitarian chief today voiced disappointment at the limited progress made in gaining access to Myanmar, where some 1.5 million people are believed to be severely affected by the recent cyclone and the situation is becoming "increasingly desperate."
• UN: Burmese Authorities Not Moving Fast Enough to Let In Aid Workers VOA 08 May 2008 -- The U.N.'s humanitarian chief says he is disappointed with the government in Burma because it has not moved faster to allow in international aid workers and relief supplies to the cyclone-devastated country
• Pressure Mounts on Burma to Help Cyclone Victims VOA 08 May 2008 -- As hundreds of thousands of cyclone victims go without food, water and medicine, Burma's military leaders are refusing to grant access to international disaster teams who want to help them
• US Relief Flight for Burma Still Waiting for Approval, First UN Aid Flight Arrives VOA 08 May 2008 -- The United States says it is still waiting for Burma's military government to allow a U.S. military plane to deliver emergency aid to survivors of last week's cyclone that killed more than 22,000 people.
• Southern African Leaders, Diplomats Step Up Efforts On Zimbabwe Crisis VOA 08 May 2008 -- The Southern African Development Community and the government of South Africa have stepped up diplomatic efforts in Zimbabwe to resolve its deepening post-election crisis amid charges by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change that at least 30 people have died in violence allegedly mounted by ruling party militants.
• Silvio Berlusconi Sworn in as Italy's Prime Minister for Third Time VOA 08 May 2008 -- Silvio Berlusconi has been sworn in as prime minister of Italy for the third time in his political career, after emerging as the clear winner in last month's early general elections.
• LEBANON: High prices, low wages feed violent political stand-off IRIN 08 May 2008
• Dalai Lama envoys say little progress in Tibet talks with China RIA Novosti 08 May 2008 -- Envoys of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said on Thursday last weekend's talks in China to end the crisis in Tibet brought no progress.
• U.S. sends Russian arms dealer extradition request to Thailand RIA Novosti 08 May 2008 -- Thailand has received an official request from Washington to extradite an alleged Russian arms dealer to the U.S. where he has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to kill Americans, the Russian Embassy in Bangkok said.
• Israel Celebrates 60th Anniversary VOA 08 May 2008 -- Israelis from all walks of life celebrated their country's 60th anniversary with military parades, musical concerts and the favorite Israeli Independence Day pastime: barbeques