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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 24 Mar 2010 [PDF]
• Airpower Summary: March 22 AFNS 24 Mar 2010
• Afghanistan Troop Level to Eclipse Iraq by Midyear AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- This summer will mark the first time since 2003 that the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan will overshadow the American presence in Iraq, the top U.S. military officer told Congress today.
• Iraqi Forces Arrest 5 Suspected Terrorists AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- Iraqi forces with U.S. advisors arrested five men suspected of carrying out attacks for two terrorist groups operating in Iraq, military officials said.
• Quartermasters train to stay fresh during deployment Army News 24 Mar 2010 -- The 263rd Quartermaster Company out of Fort Bliss, Texas, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) continues to train their Soldiers on the technical and tactical skills of their laundry-service mission at Contingency Operating Base Taji, Iraq.
• Military and civilian officials cut ribbon of Super jet Travel Agency at JBB Army News 24 Mar 2010 -- Military and Maitha General Trading group officials celebrated the grand opening of MGT's Superjet Travel Agency with a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 15 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
• Gates: Low-Level Reconciliation Growing in Afghanistan VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says as more troops flow into Afghanistan and they begin to implement the new U.S. strategy, there has been an increase in the number of low-level Taliban fighters who are surrendering. But as Afghan President Hamid Karzai begins talks with the leaders of the Taliban and related groups, Gates says he thinks it is too early to expect those committed militants to accept peace on what he considers reasonable terms.
• Engineer and logistics battalions work together to fortify infantry battalion positions in Marjah USMC News 24 Mar 2010 --The heat of Marjah, Afghanistan has turned Cpl. Alton S. Floyd’s truck into a sauna. Already sweating, Floyd a wrecker operator for 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion flips the air conditioning on only to have hot, dusty, brown air blown into his vehicle. Nevertheless, Floyd appears driven as he pulls his vehicle into his unit’s convoy.
• Marines conduct census patrols to better understand surrounding villages USMC News 24 Mar 2010 -- Marines from Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, along with soldiers from the 6th Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 205 Corps, Afghan National Army, conducted a census patrol in the vicinity of Mian Poshteh, Garmsir District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 19.
• A new year brings a new outlook for Muslims in Nawa USMC News 24 Mar 2010 -- Afghans celebrated the Islamic New Year at Nawa’s market square March 21, under a blanket of security provided by the Afghan national security forces and Marines from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.
• Forces Capture Insurgents, Seize Weapons AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- Afghan and international forces captured a Taliban subcommander and several other militants last night in operations in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Helmand provinces, military officials said.
• Mullen, Gates Press Congress for Afghanistan Funding AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- The stakes in Afghanistan are “too high for failure,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Congress today as he urged quick passage of funding legislation that supports operations there.
• NATO: Russia Can Contribute More To Afghan War Effort RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- NATO says Russia can contribute to the war effort in Afghanistan by training more counternarcotics agents and providing helicopters to the country's air force.
• Afghan President Signs Economic Agreements On China Visit RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- The presidents of Afghanistan and China have overseen the signing of new agreements aimed at strengthening the Afghan economy and stabilizing the volatile region.
• Chinese, Afghan Presidents Meet in Beijing VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Afghanistan's president is in China for talks aimed at strengthening political and economic ties between the two neighbors.
• FM says Pakistan Will Prevail in Struggle with Insurgents VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told top U.S. officials Wednesday his government will prevail in its struggle with the Taliban and other Islamic radicals. He spoke at the close of the first day of a bilateral dialogue that he said yielded a U.S. agreement to fast track delivery to Pakistan of key military supplies.
• Pakistani Raid on Tribal Area Kills 21 VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Pakistani officials say security forces and helicopter gunships have killed at least 21 suspected militants in the northwestern tribal region of Orakzai.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Georgia accepts 3 former Guantanamo Bay prisoners RIA Novosti 24 Mar 2010 -- Georgia has accepted three former inmates from the U.S. Guantanamo Bay detention camp under strategic partnership accords with Washington, a senior Georgian diplomat said on Wednesday.
• Pakistan, U.S. Opening Talks On 'Strategic' Partnership RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- Visiting top Pakistani officials and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are due to open two days of talks aimed at strengthening what officials are calling a "strategic" partnership between the two countries.
• U.S.-Pakistan Talks Aim To End Years Of Mutual Skepticism RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi today began two days of what Washington is calling a "strategic dialogue" in hopes of drawing their countries out of a state of mutual skepticism.
• US, Pakistan Open Strategic Dialogue VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has opened a high-level strategic dialogue with Pakistan, saying the two-day meeting begins a "new day" in the U.S.-Pakistan partnership. Security, energy and economic issues will dominate the ministerial level forum.
• Gates to Recommend Vice Admiral to Head F-35 Program AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will recommend that President Barack Obama nominate Navy Vice Adm. David J. Venlet, commander of Naval Air Systems Command, to oversee restructuring of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program, a Defense Department official told a congressional panel today.
• Gates, Mullen Report on Merida Summit in Mexico AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates assured Mexican military leaders during yesterday’s Cabinet-level visit to Mexico City that he’ll look into ways to speed up equipment deliveries to support their fight against drug cartels.
• Army Extends RFI for HMMWV Recap Army News 24 Mar 2010 -- The U.S. Army is extending its Request for Information (RFI) to industry as part of an effort to recapitalize its fleet of up-armored HMMWVs, improving survivability, mobility and payload capacity for the vehicles, service officials said.
• DoD relooks at plans for Guard response capabilities Army News 24 Mar 2010 -- The National Guard's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosives, or CBRNE, response capabilities will undergo a reorganization to allow better continuity of response to an incident and an easier transition between state and federal command and control elements, a senior DOD official said yesterday.
• Pinnacle C: The Future of Army Recruiting? Army News 24 Mar 2010 -- Long gone are the days when a lone Army recruiter spent countless hours out on the street, trolling video arcades, hanging out in high schools and pounding the pavement till dusk looking to recruit a citizen into the ranks of the Army.
• Air Traffic Services leaders address issues at conference Army News 24 Mar 2010 -- They are the ones who support the Aviation community here and abroad, and Air Traffic Services personnel discussed ways to increase capabilities in support of that mission during their conference held here March 16-19.
• First all-engine flight using biomass and conventional jet fuel blend set AFNS 24 Mar 2010 -- An Air Force test pilot is scheduled to fly an A-10 Thunderbolt II jet aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base March 25 on a blend of biomass-derived and conventional JP-8 jet fuel. This will be the first flight of an aircraft powered solely on a biomass-derived jet fuel blend.
• Yokota maintainers use AFSO21 to improve C-130 inspection process AFNS 24 Mar 2010 -- Twenty-one Airmen held a weeklong training scenario focusing on improving the C-130 Hercules isochronal inspection process in mid-March here.
• Officials Step Up Efforts to Detect, Prevent Brain Injury AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- The Defense Department is “extremely invested” in the early detection of traumatic brain injury, and is pushing new guidelines and numerous research initiatives to the front burner to aid in that effort, a brain injury expert said today.
• Last Marine logistics battalion to serve in Iraq deactivates, returns to New Orleans command USMC News 24 Mar 2010 -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 departed Rota, Spain, March 23 in support of exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2010.
• DFT Latvia Departs Naval Station Rota in Support of BALTOPS 2010 Navy NewsStand 24 Mar 2010 -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 departed Rota, Spain, March 23 in support of exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2010.
• Freedom Departs Cartagena After Successful Port Visit Navy NewsStand 24 Mar 2010 -- CARTAGENA, Colombia (NNS) – The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) wrapped up its first theater security cooperation (TSC) port visit in Cartagena on March 23.
• Blue Ridge Pulls into Hong Kong Navy NewsStand 24 Mar 2010 -- USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) will anchor in Victoria Harbour March 25, beginning the crew's five-day port visit in Hong Kong.
• NBG Fuel Farm Gets New Generator Navy NewsStand 24 Mar 2010 -- U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) Fuel Farm Division held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Tenjo Vista Tank Farm to celebrate the construction of a new generator facility March 23.
• French Joint Inspector General visits Commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic Navy NewsStand 24 Mar 2010 -- The Joint inspector general, French Air Force visited commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet March 16 to foster ongoing relationships with the U.S. Military and to assist in training and certification of forces before operational deployments.
• Army Steps Up Plans to Fight Corrosion Army News 24 Mar 2010 -- The U.S. Army is using dehumidification systems, special covers, composite materials and galvanizing techniques among other things as part of stepped-up effort to mitigate the damaging effects of corrosion of its equipment and infrastructure, a phenomenon estimated by the Virginia-based Logistics and Maintenance Institute (LMI) to cost the service up to $5.5 billion per year, service officials said.
• 230th MPs partner with Macedonian army, prep unit to deploy Army News 24 Mar 2010
• Bases Get New Names in Realignment AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- Some military installations are consolidating and getting new names as joint basing becomes a reality.
• A-10 pilots, controllers provide 'close-air support' to stranded civilian aviator AFNS 24 Mar 2010 -- The A-10 Thunderbolt II's primary mission is close-air support. A mission on March 11 proved it.
• MC-12 aircrews complete 2,000th combat sortie AFNS 24 Mar 2010 -- MC-12 Liberty aircrews assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron completed their 2,000th combat sortie recently from Joint Base Balad.
• Agency Provides Meals, Supplies for Religious Observances AFPS 24 Mar 2010 -- The Defense Logistics Agency’s supply center here is ensuring servicemembers around the globe have Passover meals available for observance of the upcoming Jewish holiday and palm fronds for the upcoming Christian observance of Palm Sunday.
• DoD News: Fiscal 2009 Department Of Defense Value Engineering Achievement Awards Announced DoD 24 Mar 2010 -- The Department of Defense (DoD) announced the winners of the fiscal 2009 Department of Defense Value Engineering Achievement Awards.
• 26th MEU to train at Fort Pickett, Va. USMC News 24 Mar 2010 -- Approximately 1,500 Marines from 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will train at Fort Pickett, Va., from March 24 to April 6. This will be the first unit-wide field exercise for its pre-deployment training period.
• Russian bombers fly near U.S. Aleutian Islands during Pacific patrol RIA Novosti 24 Mar 2010 -- Two Russian Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers have carried out a 15-hour routine patrol mission over the Pacific, including near the U.S. Aleutian Islands, an Air Force spokesman said on Wednesday.
• Russia-U.S. arms pact ready, could be signed in Prague - Kremlin source RIA Novosti 24 Mar 2010 -- Russia and the United States have synchronized all the documents on a new strategic arms pact, which could be signed in Prague, a Kremlin source said on Wednesday.
• Russia conducts Navy anti-submarine drills in Sea of Japan RIA Novosti 24 Mar 2010 -- A mixed task force from the Russian Pacific Fleet started on Wednesday a series of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) drills in the Sea of Japan, a fleet spokesman said.
• Russia, Moldova, Transdnestr peacekeepers to hold joint drills RIA Novosti 24 Mar 2010 -- Peacekeepers from Russia, Moldova and Transdnestr will practice interoperability during joint exercises on March 24-25, the head of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Transdnestr said on Wednesday.
• Romanian Defense Body Backs Used F-16s Plan RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- Romania's main military coordinating body has backed a plan to acquire 24 second-hand F-16 fighters -- manufactured by Lockheed Martin -- in order to modernize its air force.
• Romania plans to replace obsolete Soviet fighters with U.S. F-16s RIA Novosti 24 Mar 2010 -- Romania's top national security body has approved a plan to replace Soviet-made MiG-21 LanceR fighters with second-hand U.S. F-16 Falcon jets, the president's office said on its website on Wednesday.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 24 Mar 2010
• Briefing by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 3/24/10 The White House 24 Mar 2010

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 24, 2010
• Eurocopter and Funkwerk Avionics perform the first helicopter test flight in Galileo test bed GATE EADS 24 Mar 2010 -- The test flight was one of three demonstration campaigns as part of the European research project MAGES. MAGES stands for Mature Applications of Galileo for Emergency Services and is a project funded by the Galileo Supervisory Authority (GSA), which aims to demonstrate the benefits of EGNOS and Galileo for emergency services.
• Lockheed Martin’s Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb Successful in Series of Flight Tests Lockheed Martin 24 Mar 2010 -- Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb successfully completed a series of six flight tests March 3 at Eglin Air Force Base, FL. The Paveway II Plus LGB uses an enhanced laser guidance package, significantly improving precision when compared to existing Paveway II LGBs.

Other Conflicts

• Ban to attend Arab League summit amid new concerns about the Middle East UN News Centre 24 Mar 2010 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that he will participate in the League of Arab States summit this weekend in Libya amid what he called a crisis of confidence surrounding Israel’s plans to build new settlements in East Jerusalem.
• UN Chief to Seek Wider Arab Support for Israeli-Palestinian Talks VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he will ask Arab leaders to support indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians when he meets them in Sirte, Libya later this week.
• Netanyahu Meets With Obama Amid Settlement Row RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has held talks at the White House with U.S. President Barack Obama amid mutual tensions over Israeli plans to expand Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.
• Obama to Netanyahu: US Wants 'Steps to Build Confidence' VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take "steps that build confidence" in the Middle East peace process.
• Israeli Warplanes Strike 'Weapons Cache' in Gaza After Rocket Hits Israel VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Israel has carried out an air strike on what it calls a weapons cache in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket attack on southern Israel by Gaza-based Palestinian militants.
• Obama, Netanyahu Meet Twice at White House Tuesday VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- U.S. President Barack Obama met twice with Israel's prime minister at the White House Tuesday as the two allies try to resolve a dispute about Israeli housing construction plans in East Jerusalem.
• Palestinian institution-building efforts continue despite challenges, UN seminar told UN News Centre 24 Mar 2010 -- Despite challenging political and economic circumstances, Palestinian efforts towards reform, institution-building and development have continued with the aim of eventually establishing a Palestinian State, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
• UN paves way for normalizing life in isolated area of eastern DR Congo UN News Centre 24 Mar 2010 -- It may be a brown dirt road but the Bukavu-Shabunda route is the equivalent of a big highway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the United Nations says its work to reconstruct the road will improve the economic, social and security situations in the troubled province of South Kivu.
• Cyprus: UN signs deal to build new road and allow crossing point to open UN News Centre 24 Mar 2010 -- Work is set to begin on a new crossing point that will link the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the Mediterranean island after the United Nations signed a contract today with a local joint venture.
• UN Mission in Sudan Works to Provide Electoral and Humanitarian Assistance VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- A top official of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) says the world body works closely with both local and international non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) to provide various forms of assistance to Sudan.
• SUDAN: "Very complicated" elections - the view from Warrap IRIN 24 Mar 2010 -- Faced with the choice of two villages of only a few stone buildings each, local authorities decided in 2007 that Kwajok should be the capital of Sudan’s 41,000 sqkm Warrap State, even though it boasted little more than a mission school.
• Bangladesh sets regional precedent as it joins International Criminal Court UN News Centre 24 Mar 2010 -- Bangladesh has become the first South Asian country to ratify the pact that established the International Criminal Court (ICC) and gave it a mandate for trying people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

News Reports

• Ireland under pressure to follow UK and expel Israeli diplomat IRNA 24 Mar 2010 -- Ireland’s government is under growing pressure to act against Israel over the use of forged Irish passports in the assassination of a Hamas official in Dubai following the decision by Britain to expel a Mossad agent.
• Britons warned not to hand over passports to Israeli officials IRNA 24 Mar 2010 -- Britons travelling to Israel are being warned by the Foreign Office not to hand their passports over to Israeli officials unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Six Major Powers Hold Conference on Possible Iran Sanctions VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Britain's U.N. ambassador says senior officials of the six major powers held a conference call Wednesday on possible new U.N. sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program.
• U.S. Issues New Warning On Travel To Iran RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- The Obama administration has warned U.S. citizens about traveling to Iran, saying they could face hostility, harassment, or arrest by Iranian authorities.
• Iranian official dismisses Obama's offer of dialogue as sham RIA Novosti 24 Mar 2010 -- A senior Iranian official has slammed President Barack Obama offer of engagement with Tehran, the Ilna news agency reported on Wednesday.
• Saudi Arabia Arrests More than 100 Al-Qaida Suspects VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Saudi Arabia has announced one its largest anti-terrorist sweeps in years, arresting more than 100 people suspected of involvement in al-Qaida plots. More than half of those detained are said to be from Yemen.
• UK urged to speed up body scanners at airports IRNA 24 Mar 2010 -- A parliamentary committee Wednesday called on the British government to speed up the introduction of body scanners and "mix-up" security regimes at airports.
• Security Experts say Indonesian Terrorism Threat Growing VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Recently Indonesia police received praise for dismantling a terrorist training camp and killing a leading terror suspect. But security experts say these police raids also indicate a growing terrorism threat in Indonesia.
• Thai Protesters Take to Streets to Express Wide-Ranging Grievances VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- Thailand is again gripped by political unrest. But unlike some previous demonstrations, which were mainly seen as part of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's struggle against those who deposed him, political analysts say the new rallies have become a forum for people who feel marginalized and want broad political change.
• Congo Could Have Most of Debt Forgiven by June VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- The Democratic Republic of Congo could have the bulk of its external debt forgiven by June in a deal with foreign donors and the International Monetary Fund.
• Kocharian Criticizes Armenian Government's Handling Of Economy RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- Former Armenian President Robert Kocharian has criticized the economic policies of the current government, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.
• Kyrgyz Assembly Dashes Bakiev's Hopes For Big Show Of Support RFE/RL 24 Mar 2010 -- Some of the closest allies of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev have criticized his policies at a national assembly the president had gathered as a show of support for his government, amid its plunging popularity.
• GLOBAL: New aid database spotlights "small donors" IRIN 24 Mar 2010 -- The largest database to track donor aid flows is being launched today, spotlighting funds provided by 36 under-reported bilateral and multilateral donors.
• GLOBAL: Faith-based donations confuse US aid policy IRIN 24 Mar 2010 -- From the first day of his presidency, George W. Bush made it a priority to provide faith-based organizations, including those abroad, with greater opportunities to receive government money. In 2006, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded US$552 million to such groups, rising to $586 million in 2007.
• Ex-US official: Iraq invasion “unqualified disaster” IRNA 24 Mar 2010 -- The 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq was a “mistake and unqualified disaster” the consequences of which continues to the present time, a former US Department of State official said.
• UN Security Council to Discuss Burma VOA 24 Mar 2010 -- The United Nations Security Council will hold consultations on Burma Wednesday to consider how to respond to the military government's controversial new election laws.