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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 05 Jan 2010 [PDF]
• Airmen's ingenuity helps Iraqi air force save money AFNS 05 Jan 2010 -- Airmen from the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron here improvised a device to recharge fire suppression bottles for the Russian-made Mi-17 Hip helicopter to save the Iraqi air force tens of thousands of dollars.
• Soldiers Train for Convoy Defense AFPS 05 Jan 2010 -- Soldiers of the 1st Armored Division’s 501st Military Police Company participated in a live-fire training exercise Jan. 2 at the Besmaya Range complex near Contingency Operating Station Hammer.
• Iraqi, U.S. military police spark new relationship in Amarah Army News 05 Jan 2010 -- For the past four months, Staff Sgt. Ryan Farrow and his squad of 14 Soldiers have been building a partnership with their Iraqi counterparts.
• Service members bring electronic warfare to the ground in Iraq USMC News 05 Jan 2010 -- Since 2006, sailors and airmen trained as Electronic Warfare Officers have been helping the Marine Corps protect themselves against improvised explosive devices.
• US Report: Intel Gathering in Afghanistan Needs Major Changes VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The top NATO and U.S. military intelligence chief in Afghanistan says radical changes are needed in the way information is gathered and shared in the country.
• U.S. Reports Say CIA Bomber Was Al-Qaeda Double Agent RFE/RL 05 Jan 2010 -- U.S. media reports say the suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees in Afghanistan last week was an Al-Qaeda double-agent.
• Reports: Suicide Bomber at US Base in Afghanistan Was al-Qaida Double Agent VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- U.S. media say a suicide bomber who attacked a CIA base in eastern Afghanistan last week was a Jordanian working as an al-Qaida double agent.
• Airmen help Afghan National Army Air Corps soldiers take aim AFNS 05 Jan 2010 -- Airmen of the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group here are training 30 Afghanistan National Army Air Corps soldiers on the M-240B rifle in January here.
• A-10 unit marks 10,000 flight hours, 2,500 sorties in 6-month tour in Afghanistan AFNS 05 Jan 2010 -- More than 10,000 flight hours and 2,500 sorties marked the closing stages of a six-month tour for the members of the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron here New Year's Day.
• VMGR-352 Raiders Transport Troops, Cargo for MEB-Afghanistan USMC News 05 Jan 2010 -- For the Marines in Afghanistan, the need for ammunition, fuel, water and other supplies is constant. But unlike in Iraq, most supplies need to be airlifted throughout the country due to fewer secure ground transportation routes.
• Nimitz Prowlers Contribute in Afghanistan AFPS 05 Jan 2010 -- Employing force that doesn’t use explosions or projectiles -- known in military circles as “nonkinetic force” -- Carrier Air Wing 11 supports troops on the ground in Afghanistan while minimizing the potential for civilian casualties.
• Clearing the Way: Guard Unit Makes Afghan Roads Safer AFPS 05 Jan 2010 -- The tired, frazzled and hungry soldiers of the Missouri Army National Guard’s 3rd Platoon, 1141st Engineer Company, rolled into their combat outpost here well after dark, worn out and in desperate need of a break.
• World must act now to reverse worsening situation in Afghanistan IRNA 05 Jan 2010 -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the Afghan government and world community to make the best possible use of the coming months to focus on agreed priorities and meet the principal needs of delivering services to the Afghan people.
• Afghan Parliament To Reconvene To Consider New Cabinet Nominees RFE/RL 05 Jan 2010 -- including the defense, interior, finance, and agriculture ministries -- have been approved by the lower house, and are viewed as acceptable to Afghans and the international community alike. A nominee for foreign minister has yet to be proposed.
• UN urges "change of mindset" to improve Afghanistan situation RIA Novosti 05 Jan 2010 -- The UN secretary general has urged a change of position on Afghanistan to improve the security situation in the South Central Asian country.
• UN steps up aid to vulnerable Afghans as harsh winter conditions take hold UN News Centre 05 Jan 2010 -- United Nations agencies have stepped up their humanitarian relief efforts to help tens of thousands of vulnerable Afghans survive the bitter winter weather in the east of the country, the world body’s mission there, known as UNAMA, said today.
• PAKISTAN: Poor health facilities exacerbate bomb tolls IRIN 05 Jan 2010 -- The death toll from bombings across Pakistan in recent months has been exacerbated by the lack of health facilities, especially in rural areas, health officials say.
• Militancy poses great threat to Pakistan’s existence: Zaradi IRNA 05 Jan 2010 -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said here Monday militancy and extremism are new and a great threats to country’s existence.
• Kosovo Force to Transform into Deterrent Presence AFPS 05 Jan 2010 -- Kosovo Force will transition from about 14,000 to 10,000 NATO forces by Jan. 31, due to improvements in security, said the commander of Multinational Task Force - East.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Air Force officials issue notice of intent for F-35 basing AFNS 05 Jan 2010 -- Air Force officials here published the notice of intent in the Federal Register Dec. 30 to prepare an environmental impact statement to assess the potential environmental impacts of a proposal to establish operational F-35 Lightning II aircraft at one or more existing Air Force and Air National Guard installations within the continental United States.
• Staff NCO Academy adopts new course techniques USMC News 05 Jan 2010 -- In an effort to improve the knowledge and leadership capabilities of Marines around the Corps, the Enlisted Professional Military Education Program and Camp Pendleton’s Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy has recently modernized its teaching approach and restructured the course curriculum.
• Stop-Loss Payments Continue, But Some No Longer Eligible AFPS 05 Jan 2010 -- The fiscal 2010 defense budget extends payments to servicemembers involuntarily extended on active duty under the so-called “Stop Loss” program, but those who received a bonus for voluntarily re-enlisting or extending their service after being involuntarily extended no longer qualify for retroactive Stop Loss pay.
• DoD News: DOD Announces New Defense Science Board Membership DoD 05 Jan 2010 -- The Department of Defense announced today the appointment of 39 new Defense Science Board members.
• Blair to be questioned on Iraq war within the next month IRNA 05 Jan 2010 -- Former prime minister Tony Blair is to be questioned at the end of this month or in the first week of February over his role in the Iraq war, inquiry chair Sir John Chilcot announced Tuesday.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 05 Jan 2010
• Briefing by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 1/5/10 The White House 05 Jan 2010

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 05, 2010
• Airbus chief threatens to ditch A400M military transport aircraft IRNA 05 Jan 2010 -- The head of Airbus Thomas Enders has threatened to drop the A400M military transport aircraft project unless clients pick up the cost overruns, estimated to be 11.3 billion euros, the German edition of the daily Financial Times said Tuesday.
• Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Army Achieve Major Milestone Toward RC-12X Guardrail Airworthiness Certification Northrop Grumman 05 Jan 2010 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the U.S. Army recently completed successful electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility (EMI/EMC) testing on the first RC-12X Guardrail, bringing this highly-capable signals intelligence (SIGINT) system one step closer to providing mission-critical capability to the warfighter this year.
• Boeing CH-47F Chinook Helicopter Fielded by 5th US Army Unit Boeing 05 Jan 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that a fifth U.S. Army unit has fielded the CH-47F Chinook helicopter. The 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Fort Campbell, Ky., completed all required training and officially assumed operation of 12 CH-47F Chinooks on Dec. 8.
• Oshkosh Defense Receives $33 Million Award to Install Camera System on M-ATVs Oshkosh 05 Jan 2010 -- Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), has received an award valued at more than $33 million from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) to install rear-view camera systems on more than 2,250 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV).
• Oshkosh Defense Receives $290 Million Delivery Order for the U.S. Army Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles Oshkosh 05 Jan 2010 -- Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK) announced that its Defense division has received a delivery order valued at more than $290 million from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) to deliver more than 725 next-generation Palletized Load Systems (PLS) A1.
• Pratt & Whitney Delivers Final Conventional Take Off and Landing-Carrier Variant F135 System Development and Demonstration Engine Pratt & Whitney 05 Jan 2010 -- Pratt & Whitney has delivered its final Conventional Take Off and Landing/Carrier Variant (CTOL/CV) F135 flight test engine to the F-35 Joint Program Office, marking another major milestone as the program transitions from System Development and Demonstration to production.

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 05 Jan 2010
• Press Conference by Security Council President United Nations 05 Jan 2010
• Haiti: UN helps in preparations for legislative elections UN News Centre 05 Jan 2010 -- The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) is helping the impoverished Caribbean country prepare for upcoming legislative elections, providing secondary support in logistics, security and raising public awareness while leaving the primary organizing role to the national authorities.
• National police undertake UN-backed pre-election training in Darfur UN News Centre 05 Jan 2010 -- Sudanese police officials have wrapped up a series of United Nations-backed security training sessions in the country’s war-ravaged region of Darfur in preparation for this year’s national election.
• WFP Ends Food Aid to 1 Million Somalis VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The World Food Program is pulling its operations out of much of rebel-controlled Somalia, affecting some 1 million in-need Somalis. The food aid organization is citing "unacceptable demands" from the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab that reached a breaking point in the form of a January 1 rebel-issued ultimatum.
• Capture of power by Maoists will not be allowed: Nepal PM IRNA 05 Jan 2010 -- Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that the government will not be a mute spectator if Maoists initiate moves to capture power, as the former rebels declared "autonomous states" to set up parallel authorities in the country.
• Israeli FM speaks against deadlines in Israeli-Palestinian talks RIA Novosti 05 Jan 2010 -- Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has spoken against setting deadlines in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Israeli media has reported.
• UN World Food Program halts food distribution in south Somalia RIA Novosti 05 Jan 2010 -- The UN World Food Program has halted its humanitarian operations in a number of southern Somali regions due to escalating attacks from armed groups, the organization said on its website on Tuesday.
• Uptick in attacks makes it ‘virtually impossible’ for UN to feed hungry Somalis UN News Centre 05 Jan 2010 -- Mounting “inhumane” attacks on humanitarian workers, as well as unacceptable demands made by armed groups, have made it “virtually impossible” for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to continue feeding up to one million hungry people in Somalia, the agency said today.
• UN Suspends Food Aid in Southern Somalia VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The U.N. World Food Program is halting aid to much of southern Somalia, saying attacks and demands from armed groups have made its work impossible.

News Reports

• China urges more talks on Iran nuclear program IRNA 05 Jan 2010 -- China on Tuesday said it still favoured more international talks on Iran's nuclear program.
• MP: Iran’s 2-month deadline for fuel supply is logical IRNA 05 Jan 2010 -- An Iranian lawmaker said on Tuesday that the deadline set for the west to supply fuel for Tehran Research Reactor is logical and justified.
• VOA: Iran Trying to Intimidate With Ban on Media Contact VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The head of U.S.-funded Voice of America says Iran's government is hoping to intimidate its citizens by banning contact with some 60 outside organizations such as VOA and the BBC.
• China: Diplomacy Best Way to Resolve Iranian Nuclear Issue VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- China has called for diplomatic efforts to resolve the controversy over Iran's nuclear program, saying "dialogue and negotiation" are the best ways to address the issue.
• Clinton: US Discussing Iran Sanctions with Allies VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Washington has begun talks with its allies about imposing new sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear program.
• Iran Ban Targets Some 60 'Seditious' Western Groups RFE/RL 05 Jan 2010 -- which has worked on women's rights and HIV/AIDS issues with local civil society groups in Iran -- had faced similar accusations in state media in recent years.
• Iran blacklists some 60 foreign organizations RIA Novosti 05 Jan 2010 -- Iran has compiled a list of some 60 foreign organizations and media which it said were agents in the "soft war" against the country, the Press TV reported on Tuesday.
• Clinton: Iran Showing 'Mounting Signs of Ruthless Repression' VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Iran is showing "mounting signs of ruthless repression" in its treatment of opposition activists.
• German prosecutors probe CIA plot to kill alleged al-Qaeda aide IRNA 05 Jan 2010 -- German prosecutors have begun a preliminary investigation looking into reports about a CIA plot to kill an alleged al-Qaeda aide in Hamburg in 2005, news reports said Monday.
• Remarks by the President on Security Reviews The White House 05 Jan 2010
• Obama Calls Intel Failure One of Analysis, Not Collection AFPS 05 Jan 2010 -- President Barack Obama called the intelligence failure associated with the attempted bombing of a U.S. civilian airplane one of analysis and not collection.
• US Revoking Visas After Detroit Airliner Incident VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The State Department said Tuesday it has revoked U.S. travel visas for a number of individuals after a Nigerian man with a visa to travel to the United States tried to bring down a jetliner over Detroit December 25. Officials say the number of revocations is not large and that the United States wants to remain a welcoming country for legitimate business and tourist travelers.
• US Reopens Embassy in Yemeni Capital Sanaa VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The United States is reopening its embassy in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, after a brief closure, saying Yemeni military action Monday addressed one of its security concerns.
• Obama: US Intelligence Could Have Stopped Airline Plot VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- U.S. President Barack Obama says U.S. intelligence agencies had enough evidence to disrupt a plot to blow up a plane on December 25, but failed to do what was needed to stop the terror attempt.
• Christmas Day Attack Highlights US Intelligence Gaps VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The 2001 attacks, in which terrorists hijacked airliners to use as guided missiles, sparked a major overhaul of the U.S. intelligence community.
• Death toll from flu outbreak in Ukraine tops 800 RIA Novosti 05 Jan 2010 -- The death toll from the flu outbreak in Ukraine has risen to 805, a spokesman for the country's Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
• Obama to Unveil Reforms to Anti-Terror Policies VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- U.S. President Barack Obama is preparing to announce reforms to the nation's counterterrorism policies, following the attempted Christmas Day bombing of a U.S. jetliner.
• US Reopens Embassy in Yemeni Capital Sana'a VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The United States is re-opening its embassy in the Yemeni capital Sana'a, after a brief closure, saying Yemeni military action Monday addressed one of its security concerns.
• US Steps Up Security Measures for Air Travelers VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The United States has increased security screenings for air travelers from 14 countries, in response to the attempted December 25 bombing of a U.S. jetliner flying from Amsterdam to Detroit. The U.S. State Department considers four of those countries: Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria - state sponsors of terrorism. The other 10: fghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen - are considered countries of interest.
• US Asks Yemen for Help in Fight Against al-Qaida VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The United States and Britain on Monday kept their embassies in Yemen closed for a second day because of threats from a local branch of the al-Qaida terrorist network. France also closed its embassy in Yemen.
• IRAQ: MP calls for more IDP funding IRIN 05 Jan 2010 -- An Iraqi member of parliament has said the proposed extra government funding for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees is insufficient.
• UN rushes aid to tsunami victims in Solomon Islands UN News Centre 05 Jan 2010 -- The United Nations is rushing aid, including sanitation facilities, safe water and basic health care, to victims of a tsunami that hit the Solomon Islands yesterday, the second such massive wave to strike the region in three years.
• Drafting of New Constitution to Begin in Zimbabwe VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- Scene at stakeholders' conference in July 2009 to prepare for Zimbabwe's constitutional process
• Hubble Photo Displays Galaxies From Early Universe VOA 05 Jan 2010 -- The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a mosaic of images to reveal the most complete picture of the early universe, with thousands of galaxies in "various stages of assembly."