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News

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Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S. Ambassador To Iraq Says Troop Withdrawal 'On Schedule' RFE/RL 11 Sep 2009 -- The U.S. ambassador to Iraq has told Congress that the recent spate of bombings in that country hasn't affected the U.S. schedule to withdraw its combat forces from the country by next August
• Sept. 11 airpower summary: F-15Es provide air support AFNS 11 Sep 2009 -- Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 11, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
• Sept. 10 airpower summary: B-1Bs provide show of force in Afghanistan AFNS 11 Sep 2009 -- Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 10, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
• Brigades Represent New Iraq Mission, Commander Says AFPS 11 Sep 2009 -- The new advisory and assistance brigades to flow into Iraq in the coming months will bring important new capability as they focus on building the Iraqi security forces, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said yesterday.
• CLB-7, 3rd LAR come home to warm welcome USMC News 11 Sep 2009
• Afghan Ministry Denies Claims About Weapons Distribution RFE/RL 11 Sep 2009 -- The Afghan Interior Ministry has rejected claims by the governor of northern Balkh Province that the ministry has given guns to some groups there, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reports
• Taliban Control Spreads in Afghanistan VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Eight years after the terror strike on the United States, which prompted an invasion of Afghanistan to oust the Taliban, there are indications that the insurgents are continuing to widen their reach inside the country. Meanwhile, some high-ranking British and American officials are expressing mounting concern about Afghanistan's fraud-tainted election process.
• Britain Deeply Concerned About Afghan Election Fraud Allegations VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Britain's foreign secretary say he has serious concerns about election fraud allegations swirling after last month's Afghan presidential vote and David Miliband says a thorough investigation is required.
• Commentary: Revisiting Afghanistan on 9/11 AFPS 11 Sep 2009 -- On this eighth anniversary of the worst attacks on U.S. soil in nearly 200 years, and with some Americans skeptical of the ongoing war in Afghanistan, it is helpful to remember how the U.S. military commitment there evolved.
• Killing Of Afghan Journalist Raises More Uncomfortable Questions RFE/RL 11 Sep 2009 -- Criticism and anger are mounting over the rescue of a Western journalist from Taliban militants
• TOW System Upgrade Goes To Troops In Afghanistan Army News 11 Sep 2009 -- A team from Close Combat Weapons Systems Project Office has returned from Afghanistan after a mission to field the latest capabilities to war fighters using Tube-launched Optically tracked Wire-to-command missiles
• More than 100,000 people uprooted by clashes in north-west Pakistan – UN UN News Centre 11 Sep 2009 -- With more than 100,000 people driven from their homes by fighting in the north-western Pakistani region of Waziristan, the United Nations has continued to rush assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs).
• Pakistan Says it Arrested Taliban Spokesman VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Pakistani military says it has arrested the spokesman for the Taliban in the restive Swat valley along with four other wanted "terrorists."
• Pakistan Arrests Taliban Spokesman in Swat VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Pakistan's military says it has arrested five top Taliban leaders, including its chief spokesman in the Swat Valley.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Post-9/11 U.S. is Safer, More Prepared, Commander Says AFPS 11 Sep 2009 -- Americans are safer and the country is in a better position to respond to threats and attacks than eight years ago, the top military commander over homeland defense said today.
• Obama, Pentagon Leaders Honor 9/11 Victims, Pledge Resolve in Defense of U.S. AFPS 11 Sep 2009 -- President Barack Obama today reflected on those who perished on Sept. 11, 2001, and said today’s anniversary is an opportunity to renew American resolve against those who perpetrated the attacks.
• Metering Program Helps Army Reduce Energy Costs Army News 11 Sep 2009 -- In the past, the Army did not have meters on buildings to measure electricity or natural gas use like private homes; the installation received one big energy bill that was not broken down by individual buildings
• Cargo Helicopter Upgraded Ahead Of Schedule Army News 11 Sep 2009 -- The Prototype Integration Facility has celebrated the completion of its latest modification to the CH-47F helicopter with a recognition ceremony for the team
• Guard members join Texas Rangers along Mexican border Army News 11 Sep 2009 -- Texas National Guard members have been asked by Gov. Rick Perry to support a special group of Texas Rangers called "Ranger Recon Teams" at high-traffic and high-crime areas along the Mexican border, state Guard officials confirmed today
• Feeding Soldiers becomes easier with new kitchen system Army News 11 Sep 2009 -- Soldiers deployed to remote locations in Iraq and Afghanistan have recently been using charcoal and wooden pallets to create a "grill" to cook meals. However, the Expeditionary TRICON Kitchen System is changing that.
• AMCOM Mission Flows With War Tide Army News 11 Sep 2009 -- The mission in the nation's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has changed in recent months, and Redstone Arsenal's charge has shifted slightly because of it
• New Contracting Brigade Activated at Fort Shafter Army News 11 Sep 2009 -- The 413th Contracting support Brigade was activated recently at a ceremony on Palm Circle at Fort Shafter
• Air Force Strengthens Nuclear Deterrence Operations AFPS 11 Sep 2009 -- New initiatives underway within the Air Force to consolidate commands, modernize systems and strengthen personnel emphasize nuclear security.
• Navy Carrier Strike Group Deployment Schedules to Shift Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- The Navy announced Sept. 11 the decision to shift near-term carrier strike group (CSG) deployment schedules to address a delay in the completion of USS Enterprise's (CVN 65) maintenance availability at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News.
• Commander U.S. 2nd Fleet Visits Brazilian Ship Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- The commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet visited Brazilian frigate BNS Liberal (F-43) during its port visit to Naval Station Norfolk Sept. 10.
• USS Tortuga Changes Command Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- USS Tortuga (LSD 46), one of only two forward-deployed landing ship docks, held a change of command ceremony Sept. 10 while moored in Sasebo, Japan.
• Renovation Contract Awarded for Fitness Center at NAS Meridian Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $6.8 million Multiple Award Construction Contract (MACC) for the renovation of a fitness center at Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian Aug. 28 to F&T Joint Venture, a small business out of Prospect Heights, Ill.
• ARRA Funded Dormitory Construction at Keesler AFB Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded Anderson Drace Joint Venture, a small business, of Gulfport, Miss. a $14.5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) contract Aug. 28 for construction of a dormitory at Keesler Air Force Base (AFB).
• ARRA Funds for Airfield Lighting at NAS JRB New Orleans Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded Atlantic Electric, LLC, of North Charleston, S.C. a $14.9 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded project for the repair and replacement of airfield lighting at Naval Air Station (NAS) New Orleans Joint Reserve Base (JRB) on Aug. 28.
• Seventh Fleet Holds Key Conference in Korea Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- Navy task force commanders from around the Western Pacific concluded a series of meetings in the Demilitarized Zone Sept. 11 marking the first time a 7th Fleet conference of this type was held in the Republic of Korea.
• Makin Island to Arrive in San Diego Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- The Navy's newest multi-purpose amphibious ship, USS Makin Island (LHD 8), will arrive at her homeport in San Diego Sept. 14, bringing more than 1,000 Sailors and their families to the community.
• USNS Richard E. Byrd Air Detachment Proves Vital to PP09 Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- Pacific Partnership 2009 (PP09) arrived at its final mission site the second week of September concluding a three-month humanitarian civic assistance mission that wouldn't have been possible for the U.S. Navy to execute without the support of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) contracted air detachment.
• Networking Infrastructure and Immersive Simulation Results Presented Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- The Naval Research Advisory Committee (NRAC) will brief Sept. 24 the results of two recent studies, Future Naval Use of COTS Networking Infrastructure and Immersive Simulation for Marine Corps Small Unit Training.
• USS Connecticut Deploys Navy NewsStand 11 Sep 2009 -- The USS Connecticut (SSN 22) left Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton for a scheduled Western-Pacific deployment Sept. 10.
• Airmen stand up medical squadron to support training exercise AFNS 11 Sep 2009 -- Airmen built and set up the 458th Expeditionary Medical Squadron here in early September to support a multinational medical exercise.
• Air Guard officials tout G-RAP program AFNS 11 Sep 2009 -- A revitalization of the Air National Guard's advertising and marketing and the continued success of its recruiting assistant program have helped recruiters in August and throughout the fiscal year, recruiting officials said here Sept. 10.
• Robotic Rodeo Displays Future Help for Soldiers AFPS 11 Sep 2009 -- Two seemingly different U.S. Army organizations gathered robotics experts, technologists, academecs, soldiers and companies from across the country in search of solutions to help save soldiers’ lives.
• Schweinfurt training area opens up for 173rd ABCT exercise Army News 11 Sep 2009 -- The Army is constantly altering its training methods and objectives to fully prepare Soldiers for the current threats and contingencies. In an effort to meet these demands and increase Soldiers' readiness, Camp Robertson, part of the Schweinfurt local training area, has upgraded its facilities to provide the tools and equipment needed for collective pre-deployment training.
• Harvest Hawk mission kit brings new era in Marine aviation USMC News 11 Sep 2009 -- Marine Corps aviation took the next step in battlefield capabilities, when a KC-130J "Super Hercules" from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 tested a new surveillance and weapons system, Aug. 29
• Putin says Russia ready to work with West on arms development RIA Novosti 11 Sep 2009 -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Friday Russia was ready to cooperate with the West in developing new weapon systems.
• Russia to call tender for foreign helicopter carrier RIA Novosti 11 Sep 2009 -- Russia plans to hold an international tender for the purchase of a helicopter carrier, involving France, Spain and the Netherlands, the country's Navy chief said on Friday.
• No relocation of Bulava missile production - Russian Navy RIA Novosti 11 Sep 2009 -- Russia's Defense Ministry will not transfer production of Bulava ballistic missiles to a different plant, the Navy chief said on Friday.
• Russian Navy denies reports of damage to Black Sea Fleet flagship RIA Novosti 11 Sep 2009 -- The Russian Navy has denied media speculation that the Moskva missile cruiser, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, needed repairs at a shipyard after a recent incident on board.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 11 Sep 2009

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for September 11, 2009
• First production Nimrod MRA4 takes to the skies BAE Systems 11 Sep 2009 -- The first production Nimrod MRA4 has made its maiden flight from the BAE Systems facility at Woodford in Cheshire.
• TALON Laser-Guided Rocket Team Completes First Guided Test Flights Raytheon 11 Sep 2009 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and Emirates Advanced Investments (EAI) completed the first guided test flights of the TALON Laser-Guided Rocket.

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 11 Sep 2009
• SENEGAL: One landmine gone, hectares of farmland gained IRIN 11 Sep 2009 -- Three women walk through lush forest with bowls of rice plants on their heads. It is a spectacular scene in the verdant Casamance region of southern Senegal, but the beauty is marred by red and white-striped warning tape demarcating areas where a team is scanning the land for deadly mines.
• Senior UN official warns of deadly dangers facing southern Sudan UN News Centre 11 Sep 2009 -- The people of southern Sudan face serious threats to their security from a brutal Ugandan rebel militia operating in the area as well as a recent flare-up of violent ethnic clashes, a senior United Nations official warned today.
• Ban sounds alarm on rocket firing into Israel from southern Lebanon UN News Centre 11 Sep 2009 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned today’s firing of at least two rockets into northern Israel from southern Lebanon, urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint.
• Yemen: UN appeal remains unfunded as thousands flee fighting through desert UN News Centre 11 Sep 2009 -- The United Nations voiced increasing alarm today over the plight of 150,000 people driven from their homes by fighting in northern Yemen, noting that the $23 million emergency appeal it launched nine days ago has not yet received a single cent.
• Food insecurity in Somalia expected to worsen in coming months, UN warns UN News Centre 11 Sep 2009 -- Food insecurity is expected to get worse for the remainder of this year in some drought-affected regions of Somalia, according the latest update from the United Nations humanitarian arm.
• At Least 2 Rockets Fired from Lebanon Hit Israel VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- There has been a flare-up on the Israeli border with Lebanon.
• Netanyahu Reaches Out to Settlers Ahead of Construction Freeze VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Under pressure from the United States to halt settlement expansion, Israel's leader is trying to calm the fears of one of his most important constituents: Jewish residents of the West Bank.
• United Nations Calls for Faster Resettlement of War Refugees in Sri Lanka VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- The United Nations is calling for faster resettlement of war refugees in Sri Lanka, and warns that it will not indefinitely fund a camp which houses tens of thousands of Tamils displaced by the fighting in the country. A quarter-century-long civil war ended in the country in May.
• North-South Talks in Sudan Fail to Break Gridlock VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- A new round of U.S.-mediated talks between North and South Sudan has ended in a stalemate, with no agreement reached. The two parties remain at odds over crucial details involving the upcoming national elections and Southern independence referendum.
• Sudan Peace Deal Plagued by Unresolved Problems, says Analyst VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Southern Sudan is scheduled to hold elections next year and a referendum on independence in 2011, but as an old saying goes, the devil is in the details.

News Reports

• British Paper Says Thatcher Opposed German Reunification RFE/RL 11 Sep 2009 -- It is rare that one gets a peek into the private discussions that world leaders like to hold behind closed doors
• UN health agency outlines measures to reduce impact of H1N1 flu in schools UN News Centre 11 Sep 2009 -- The United Nations health agency today outlined steps schools can take to reduce the impact of the H1N1 influenza pandemic, drawing on the recent experiences of several countries as well as studies of the consequences of school closures.
• US Ready for Bilateral Meeting With North Korea VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- The State Department said Friday it is prepared to hold a bilateral meeting with North Korea with the aim of prodding Pyongyang to return to multilateral negotiations over its nuclear program.
• US, Other Major Powers Propose Early Meeting with Iran VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- The United States, the four other permanent U.N. Security Council member countries and Germany are seeking an early meeting with Iran to explore that country's willingness to negotiate over its nuclear program.
• Russia Backs Iran Over Sanctions As Doubts Surface Over Its Real Intentions RFE/RL 11 Sep 2009 -- On September 9, Washington warned that Iran may have enough uranium to make a nuclear weapon. On September 10, Moscow dismissed growing worry about Iran's nuclear program, indicating it will torpedo a Western push for sanctions against Tehran
• Russia Warns Against Iran Strike; Tehran Proposes Talks VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Russia has warned that the use of force will not put an end to Iran's controversial nuclear program.
• Khamenei Warns Opposition, Says Iran Must Stand Firm On Nuclear Issue RFE/RL 11 Sep 2009 -- Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that the Islamic establishment will act against anyone who presents a risk to the country’s national security.
• Iran's Supreme Leader Warns Opposition of Harsh Response VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that anyone resisting or threatening the nation's authority will be directly confronted.
• Ex-president and wife given life sentences CNA 11 Sep 2009 -- Ex-president Chen Shui-bian and his wife Wu Shu-jen were both given life sentences and fined NT$200 million (US$6
• Former Taiwan President Sentenced to Life in Prison VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Former Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has been found guilty of corruption and sentenced to life in prison.
• Putin to reach agreement with Medvedev ahead of 2012 presidential polls RIA Novosti 11 Sep 2009 -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he and President Dmitry Medvedev would come to an agreement before the 2012 presidential polls and would not compete with each other.
• Weakened Al-Qaeda Continues To Evolve Since 9/11 Attacks RFE/RL 11 Sep 2009 -- Accepted wisdom about Al-Qaeda is that the terrorist network has been so greatly weakened since 2001 that it no longer, as an organization, poses the world's biggest terrorism threat
• Obama Marks September 11 Anniversary In Washington VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has marked the eighth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States by reaffirming his determination to defeat terrorism. The president laid a wreath in memory of those who died on that day's attack on the Pentagon.
• Lebanese PM-Designate Steps Down, Political Uncertainty Looms VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Lebanon's prime minister-designate Saad Hariri has announced Thursday he is stepping down and calling it quits after more than 10 weeks of fruitless attempts to form a coalition government.
• Senate Bill Prepares for Biological Attack Within 4 Years VOA 11 Sep 2009 -- Dire predictions in Washington , DC, as senators introduce a bill they hope will prevent a future biological attack. They say the bill will set a gold standard for international bioweapons security.