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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 15 May 2008 [PDF]
• May 14 airpower summary: C-17s master the globe AFPN 15 May 2008
• Coalition Forces Kill Two, Detain 21 Terrorism Suspects AFPS 15 May 2008 -- Coalition forces killed two terrorism suspects and detained 21 others during operations across Iraq today.
• Commander Charts Progress in Baghdad, Diyala AFPS 15 May 2008 -- A mix of force, good governance and economic stimuli has resulted in a turnaround for an area in Iraq that once was a hotbed of Sunni and Shiite insurgents.
• Unlawful killings continue at heavy rate in Afghanistan, UN rights expert says UN News Centre 15 May 2008 -- Afghan police and military forces, Taliban insurgents and foreign troops must step up efforts to prevent more civilian casualties, an independent United Nations human rights expert said today, warning that Afghanistan still suffers from large numbers of avoidable killings.
• AFGHANISTAN: Unlawful killings must cease immediately - UN rapporteur IRIN 15 May 2008 -- A special rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights has said hundreds of civilians have been unlawfully killed by the Afghan police, militias, international forces, foreign intelligence agents and Taliban insurgents in the past four months.
• Five More Flights Deliver Relief to Burma AFPS 15 May 2008 -- The United States sent another five military aircraft loaded with relief supplies to Burma today, and looks forward to the opportunity to send more, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today.
• U.S. Flights Continue to Deliver Supplies to Burma AFPS 15 May 2008 -- A total of eight Air Force C-130s have delivered supplies to Burma as part of the U.S. relief effort following Cyclone Nargis, a senior military official said yesterday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US House of Representatives Defeats Iraq Funding Measure, Approves Others VOA 15 May 2008 -- Majority Democrats in the House of Representatives suffered a defeat Thursday, in a vote rejecting a portion of legislation to provide money requested by President Bush for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan into next year
• Pentagon Calls on Burma's Junta to Accept Aid VOA 15 May 2008 -- The Pentagon is calling on Burma's leaders to "put their pride aside" and allow more international help for victims of the cyclone that hit the country 12 days ago
• US Defense Secretary Calls for More Leverage on Iran Before Talks VOA 15 May 2008 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the United States should develop some leverage on Iran and then hold talks with the regime that the U.S. government says supports global terrorism and sponsors insurgents in Iraq who are killing American troops
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Geoff Morrell from the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 15 May 2008 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell
• Officials to explore cyberspace mission at symposium AFPN 15 May 2008 -- Air Force officials invite military and civilian defense personnel, industry and business leaders, academics and others interested in the Air Force's cyberspace mission to attend its upcoming symposium to analyze and discuss the service's role in cyberspace.
• Gates Lauds Moves to Bolster Civilian Agencies AFPS 15 May 2008 -- Calling civilian government agencies a "combat multiplier," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said last night that he's encouraged by moves to bolster the support agencies can provide to fight the war on terror.
• Pentagon Endorses Transfer of GI Bill Benefits to Spouses, Children AFPS 15 May 2008 -- The Pentagon provided proposed legislation to Congress to make it easier for servicemembers to transfer GI Bill education benefits to their spouses or children and to increase the tuition ceiling amount paid by the program, a senior Defense Department official said here today.
• Gates, Senate Committee Discuss Nominations, Defense Issues AFPS 15 May 2008 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today urged the Senate Armed Services Committee to act quickly on several key military nominations, including Army Gen. David H. Petraeus' appointment as chief of U.S. Central Command, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today.
• Chiefs Testify to Historic Impact of Guard, Reserves AFPS 15 May 2008 -- The nation's top National Guard and reserve officers testified yesterday to the monumental and historic response by their forces in the nation's defense since the terrorism attacks against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.
• USS Harry S. Truman Conducts RAS with USNS Patuxent Navy NewsStand 15 May 2008 -- The Sailors from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201) worked together to complete a successful replenishment at sea (RAS) on May 12.
• NMCB 74 Seabees Take Part in Earth Day Clean-Up Navy NewsStand 15 May 2008 -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 74 Detachment Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) Seabees took a break from their regular tasks - near the halfway point of their deployment - to participate in a base-wide cleanup April 22.
• DSU Prepares for Submarine Escape and Rescue Exercise Navy NewsStand 15 May 2008 -- Deep Submergence Unit (DSU), the Navy's only worldwide deployable submarine rescue capability command loaded equipment and support personnel onboard a Russian aircraft at Naval Air Station North Island, May 13-14, in preparation for the NATO exercise Bold Monarch (BMH) 2008.
• USS Anzio Arrives in Zeebrugge, Belgium Navy NewsStand 15 May 2008 -- USS Anzio (CG 68) conducted a five-day port visit to Zeebrugge, following completion of Exercise Joint Warrior 08-1. Exercise Joint Warrior was a two week at-sea NATO exercise conducted in the North Atlantic.
• Navy Transfers Waterfront Property to Port of San Diego Navy NewsStand 15 May 2008 -- In a morning ceremony, May 14, the U.S. Navy and the Port of San Diego announced the transfer of the leasehold of the 1220 Pacific Highway property to the Port of San Diego, 41 years ahead of schedule, returning the 3.35 acre waterfront parcel to local control.
• Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group Underway Following Port Visit to Pearl Harbor Navy NewsStand 15 May 2008 -- The San Diego-based Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group (PELESG) departed Naval Station Pearl Harbor, May 12, following a two-day port visit that served as the first leg of the 2008 deployment.
• GW Sailors Transit the Strait of Magellan to Arrive in the Pacific Navy NewsStand 15 May 2008 -- Sailors aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) (GW) navigated the Strait of Magellan, May 9-10, completing the Atlantic Ocean portion of their Partnership of the Americas (POA) 2008 deployment.
• Naval Training Leader Stresses Importance of U.S. Air Power Navy NewsStand 15 May 2008 -- Rear Adm. Gary Jones, commander, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), addressed the Order of the Daedalians annual convention, during a luncheon at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, May 13.
• DoD National Case Study Winner Announced 15 May 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today that a team from the University of Illinois at Chicago won the DoD National Case Study Competition
• SECAF discusses 'culture shift' in continuous process improvement AFPN 15 May 2008 -- Speaking to more than 500 military members and civilians representing all services, as well as interagency and international partners, during the Department of Defense Continuous Process Improvement Symposium May 13, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne emphasized Department of Defense officials are embracing a "culture shift."
• Air Force officials award strategic partner contract AFPN 15 May 2008 -- Air Force officials here recently announced the award of the Personnel Services Delivery Transformation - Strategic Partner contract to Lockheed Martin Services, Inc.
• Deployed environmental stewardship pays off AFPN 15 May 2008
• US House Panel Confirms Cuts to European Missile Program VOA 15 May 2008 -- A House of Representatives committee has voted down attempts by Republicans to restore more than $200 million for a planned U.S. missile defense system in Europe
• Russian Air Force commander backs idea of Abkhazia military base RIA Novosti 15 May 2008 -- The creation of a Russian military base in Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia would increase the security of Russia's borders in the region, Russia's Air Force commander said on Thursday.
• Cluster Munitions Treaty Negotiations Move into Final May 19th VOA 15 May 2008 -- Next Monday, representatives from over 100 governments will begin a two-week conference in Dublin to hammer out the final details of a treaty banning cluster munitions
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 15 May 2008
• Press Gaggle by Dana Perino The White House 15 May 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 15, 2008
• Boeing Completes 6 Years of On-Time Minuteman III Missile Guidance Set Deliveries Boeing 15 May 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has achieved six years of consecutive on-time deliveries for the Minuteman III missile program with the recent delivery of the 593rd missile guidance set (MGS) to the U.S. Air Force.
• U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin Team $1.4 Billion Contract To Build GPS III Space System Lockheed Martin 15 May 2008 -- The U.S. Air Force today announced that a team led by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has won the competition to build the next-generation Global Positioning System (GPS) Space System program, known as GPS III.
• NetFires LLC Precision Attack Missile Flight Test Sets the Stage for Complete System Testing Raytheon 15 May 2008 -- A Non Line-of-Sight-Launch System (NLOS-LS) Precision Attack Missile was successfully launched May 15 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., taking the missile system a step closer toward providing the warfighter a much-needed precision weapon system.
• BAE SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM TO U.S. NAVY BAE Sytems 15 May 2008 -- BAE Systems will provide an interoperable data link system to the U.S. Navy that will collect and transmit in-field intelligence in real time, enhancing the situational awareness and communications capabilities of warfighters.
• BAE SYSTEMS RECEIVES $21.8 MILLION CONTRACT FOR PALADIN INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT VEHICLES BAE Sytems 15 May 2008 -- BAE Systems has been awarded a $21.8 million contract modification from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command for the design and development of M109A6 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) self-propelled howitzer vehicles.
• Boeing Resumes Chinook Operations in Philadelphia Boeing 15 May 2008 -- The Boeing Company's [NYSE: BA] Rotorcraft Systems division in Philadelphia today resumed operations on the H-47 Chinook helicopter production line. All employees are reporting to work on their regularly assigned shifts.
• Raytheon, US Navy Sign $61 Million Phalanx Close-In Weapon System Contract Raytheon 15 May 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $61.1 million U.S. Navy contract to purchase radar upgrade kits and other spare parts for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems. Sixty- eight radar kits will be procured for use with the sea-based Phalanx and the Centurion Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System.
• Boeing Contributes $700 Million Annually to Alabama Economy through GMD Program Boeing 15 May 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], through its work on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program, contributed more than $700 million to Alabama's economy in 2007 and supported nearly 5,600 direct and indirect jobs, according to a new University of Alabama study.

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 15 May 2008
• ISRAEL-OPT: Opening of Gaza's borders not imminent - analysts IRIN 15 May 2008 -- The recent visit by Egyptian intelligence chief Gen Omar Sulaiman to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories was supposed to help advance a ceasefire deal between the Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip, headed by Hamas, and the Jewish state.
• Israel warns Hamas rockets could double range RIA Novosti 15 May 2008 -- Palestinian militants could double the effective range of their rockets in two years, making every community within 40 km of Gaza vulnerable to attacks, Israel's Military Intelligence chief said.
• Probe into Olmert's Finances Imperils Israeli-Palestinian Peace Outline cfr.org 15 May 2008
• UN humanitarian airlift in Sudan gets temporary reprieve UN News Centre 15 May 2008 -- The top United Nations refugee official, beginning a five-day visit to Yemen, today called on the international community to bolster its assistance to Somali refugees who have reached the Middle East country after making the perilous crossing of the Gulf of Aden.
• Deadly fighting forces UN mission to evacuate staff from disputed Sudanese town UN News Centre 15 May 2008 -- The United Nations has evacuated most of its staff from the Sudanese town of Abyei, located in a disputed oil-rich area, amid continued shooting between Government forces and the former southern rebels with whom they reached a peace deal in January 2005.
• Darfur Rebel Leader Gains Momentum Despite Dwindling Political Base VOA 15 May 2008 -- An attack on Sudan's capital by Darfur rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement has boosted the international profile of the group's leader, Khalil Ibrahim
• COMOROS: Rebel leader in limbo IRIN 15 May 2008 -- The Comoros government has welcomed France's rejection of a request for political asylum by Anjouan's toppled rebel leader, Mohammed Bacar, but its refusal to extradite the ousted Colonel has sparked outrage in the impoverished Indian Ocean archipelago.
• Kosovo prison guard convicted by UN tribunal to serve rest of jail term in France UN News Centre 15 May 2008 -- A former prison guard for the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) who was convicted by a United Nations war crimes tribunal for the murder of nine detainees and the torture of another prisoner will now serve the rest if his 13-year jail sentence in France.
• Security Council calls for plans to deploy UN peace force to Somalia to continue UN News Centre 15 May 2008 -- The Security Council today called on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to continue contingency plans to deploy a possible United Nations peacekeeping operation in strife-torn Somalia and to relocate its political office from neighbouring Kenya.
• UN Reports Sharp Increase in Disabled War Victims in Africa VOA 15 May 2008 -- The United Nations says the number of people in Africa with disabilities has doubled in a decade
• US Calls Alleged Venezuelan Help to Colombian Rebels Highly Disturbing VOA 15 May 2008 -- The U.S. State Department Thursday said reports that Venezuela may have tried to acquire advanced weapons for Colombian FARC rebels are highly disturbing
• Lebanese Adversaries to Meet Under Arab League Auspices VOA 15 May 2008 -- Arab League mediators have unveiled a new plan to bring an end to the crisis in Lebanon, where sectarian fighting over the last week left at least 65 people dead and more than 200 wounded
• France Refuses Asylum to Comoros Rebel VOA 15 May 2008 -- The French government has decided not to offer asylum to Comoros rebel-leader Mohamed Bacar - but has also rejected sending him back to the Comoros for fear of persecution
• UGANDA-SUDAN: Fresh questions as Kony remains elusive IRIN 15 May 2008 -- The failure of Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony to meet a team of elders has created a stalemate that raises fresh questions over the viability of talks between his group and the Ugandan government, a regional analyst said.
• YEMEN: ICRC appeals for more funds as IDP numbers rise IRIN 15 May 2008 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has appealed for an additional US$8 million to help it respond to the increasing needs of civilians affected by fighting in the northern governorate of Saada.
• Analysis: Does Azerbaijan Face A New Irredentist Threat? RFE/RL 15 May 2008 -- Two separate recent developments have served to focus attention on the potential for conflict posed by the division between Russia and Azerbaijan of the historic homeland of the Lezgins
• Analysis: Bluster, Bathos Permeate Georgia's War Of Words Against Russia, Abkhazia RFE/RL 15 May 2008 -- Since early May, Georgian officials have turned up to full blast the rhetorical heat of their arguments that the international community should unequivocally condemn recent Russian moves perceived in Tbilisi as tantamount to the creeping annexation of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and that Russia's actions disqualify it from playing any further role in the search for a solution at least to the Abkhaz conflict.

News Reports

• Ban Ki-moon to send UN humanitarian chief to Myanmar UN News Centre 15 May 2008 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he plans to send the United Nations' highest-ranking aid official to Myanmar to boost efforts to tackle the crisis caused by Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the country at the beginning of the month.
• Analysis: A Complicated Alliance cfr.org 15 May 2008 -- Seventy-five years ago this month, California's Standard Oil Company closed a deal with the finance minister of Saudi Arabia, a country the United States had only officially recognized two years earlier
• Delayed Zimbabwe Presidential Run-Off Ballot Could Be Called For Late June VOA 15 May 2008 -- The Zimbabwean government's decision to extend the deadline for holding the second round of the presidential election to the end of July has drawn strong objections from the opposition, which said the second round should be held on May 23.
• Iran: Ahmadinejad Says Israel Is 'Dying' RFE/RL 15 May 2008 -- As Israel marks the 60th anniversary of its creation, Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad says the Jewish state is "dying" and that the celebrations are a failed attempt to prevent its "annihilation."
• Tajikistan: 'Disappearance' Of President's Brother-In-Law Sparks Rumors RFE/RL 15 May 2008 -- Hasan Sadulloev, a powerful Tajik businessman and the brother-in-law of President Emomali Rahmon, has not been seen in public for nearly two weeks.
• Red Cross Warns of Further Misery for Burma's Cyclone Victims VOA 15 May 2008 -- The International Red Cross says heavy rains will bring new misery to survivors of the cyclone in Burma's Irrawaddy Delta region
• Hopes Dim For China Quake Victims VOA 15 May 2008 -- China reported progress with its earthquake relief efforts, but survivors showed frustration with the government's response