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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 07 July 2010 [PDF]
• Iraqi Forces Arrest 3 Terrorism Suspects AFPS 07 Jul 2010 -- Iraqi forces arrested three terrorism suspects in recent operations in Iraq, military officials reported.
• Iraqi, U.S. Navies Partner to Bolster Iraq's Maritime Security Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- Through a partnership with the U.S. Navy and U.S. industry to help bolster Iraq's maritime security, the first group of 50 Iraqi Sailors receiving training at the Swiftships Shipbuilding facility in Morgan City, La., will graduate July 16.
• 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Headquarters Returns Army News 07 Jul 2010 -- Hundreds of families and friends were crowded inside the Kieschnick physical fitness center on Support Avenue for the homecoming ceremony of the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).
• Transcript: DOD News Briefing with Lt. Gen. Rodriguez from Afghanistan DoD 07 Jul 2010 -- Presenter: Commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez
• Britain to Withdraw Troops from Volatile Afghan Region VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- The British government says it will withdraw its troops from a volatile region of southern Afghanistan and handover control to U.S. Marines later this year.
• Coalition Makes Progress, Regains Momentum, General Says AFPS 07 Jul 2010 -- Coalition forces are making steady progress in Afghanistan, and the coalition and government are regaining the momentum from the Taliban, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command said today.
• Rodriguez Describes Changes to Operations in Afghanistan AFPS 07 Jul 2010 -- The commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Afghanistan has made changes to improve command and control in the key province of Helmand.
• Innovation aims to reduce collateral damage in Afghanistan Army News 07 Jul 2010 -- While some commands severely restrict artillery fires, one task force in Afghanistan has taken active steps to reduce collateral damage by developing an alternative method.
• Commander Claims 'Upward Trajectory' in Southern Afghanistan VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- The number two American commander in Afghanistan says in spite of continuing fighting and high U.S. and Afghan military casualties, there is an "upward trajectory" toward establishing security and the authority of the Afghan government in the strategically key southern part of the country.
• NATO 'Friendly Fire' Incident Kills 5 Afghan Soldiers VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- A NATO airstrike killed five Afghan soldiers Wednesday and wounded two others in what officials say was a "friendly fire" incident. The Afghan troops were were on patrol in the eastern Ghazni province, when a NATO aircraft began shooting at them.
• International, Afghan Team Investigates Air Strike AFPS 07 Jul 2010 -- A team composed of officials from the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command and Afghanistan’s security forces is working to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding an operation today in which Afghan soldiers were killed and injured.
• UK withdrawal from Sangin ‘not a retreat,’ Fox insists IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- Defence Secretary Liam Fox confirmed Wednesday that British troops in the Sangin area of Helmand province in Afghanistan are to be replaced by US forces, but insisted it was not a retreat.
• UK prepares retreat from Sangin after over 100 deaths IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- British troops are preparing to withdraw from Sangin in Helmand province after suffering more than 100 deaths in the remote region, it was reported Wednesday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Bin Laden Aide Pleads Guilty in Military Commission AFPS 07 Jul 2010 -- A Sudanese man pleaded guilty in a military commission today to conspiracy and providing material support to al-Qaida in the five years leading up to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the United States.
• Military Commission Guilty Plea DoD 07 Jul 2010 -- The Department of Defense announced that Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi, 50, pleaded guilty today in a military commission to providing material support to al Qaeda and conspiring to commit terrorism and material support to terrorism. His sentence will be determined at a hearing in August.
• Germany to take in two Guantanamo inmates IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- Germany has reportedly agreed to take in two inmates still languishing at the US prison facility in Guantanamo Bay, media reports said here on Wednesday.
• USS Klakring Hosts Foreign Navy Officers Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- USS Klakring (FFG 42), Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HSL) 42 Detachment 10 and embarked Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 40 welcomed aboard 14 naval officers from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay June 30 in Callao, Peru.
• PHIBRON 5, USS New Orleans Participate in Southern Exchange and Partnership of the Americas 2010 Opening Ceremony Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 5 / Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station 2010 (A-SPS 10) and USS New Orleans (LPD-18) participated in the opening ceremony for Southern Exchange and Partnership of the Americas 2010 (SE/POA 10) in Ancon, Peru, July 5.
• DESRON 40, Peruvian Navy Submarine Force Commences Silent Forces Exercise 2010 Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- U.S. Navy forces teamed up with their Peruvian Navy counterparts July 6 to begin Silent Forces Exercise (SIFOREX) 2010, a bilateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise, in Callao, Peru.
• Thousands of DON Civilians Transitioned from NSPS Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- The Department of the Navy (DoN) successfully completed its first phase of the transition of employees from the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) to the General Schedule (GS) July 2.
• ARRA Funded $2.9 Million Energy Projects Complete at Camp Pendleton Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (MCBCP), Calif., June 29 celebrating the completion of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded solar photovoltaic rooftop power system installation and interior lighting retrofit at the base.
• HSC-25 Teams with Coast Guard, Guam Fire Department to Save Fishermen Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 rescued two stranded fishermen on a 14-foot fishing boat about 35 miles west of Guam July 1.
• 'Show Me State' Submarine Set to Join the Fleet Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- The seventh submarine of the Virginia class will officially join the U.S. Navy fleet when Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Missouri (SSN 780) is commissioned during a ceremony July 31 at 11 a.m. at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn.
• Naval Special Warfare Sailors Rescue Nine From Overturned Tour Boat Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- Sailors from Special Boat Team 20 helped rescue nine people July 7 from an overturned tourist boat in the Delaware River.
• Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Requires Obligated Service Navy NewsStand 07 Jul 2010 -- For those Sailors with children approaching college age, about to start higher learning or with spouses with college aspirations, now is the time to ensure your Post-9/11 GI Bill transferability is properly set up.
• 'Bad guys' add realism to capabilities exercise AFNS 07 Jul 2010 -- An Army Special Forces team jumped out of an MC-130W Combat Spear and deployed their parachutes to slowly descend to the landing zone. After hitting the hard New Mexico soil, they fanned out and moved toward their objective.
• ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Surveys Hit Servicemembers’ Inboxes AFPS 07 Jul 2010 -- At noon today, Defense Department officials e-mailed surveys to 400,000 servicemembers as part of a special review to prepare the military for a potential repeal of the so-called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that bans gays and lesbians from openly serving, Pentagon officials announced today.
• Army plans network integration exercise Army News 07 Jul 2010 -- The U.S. Army is planning a brigade combat team integration exercise at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., July 12 through 16 which will connect Soldiers, sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles, networked vehicles on-the-move, command posts and other nodes over long distances through satellite and software-programmable radio as part of an effort to evaluate the progress of its battlefield network, service officials said.
• 49th Transportation Battalion Change of Command Army News 07 Jul 2010 -- In a ceremony June 24, Lt. Col. Lillard D. Evans accepted command of the 49th Transportation Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, from Lt. Col. Peter M. Haas.
• Marines, Bulgarians bring out the big guns USMC News 07 Jul 2010 -- The Marines and Sailors of scout platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Tank Battalion, partnered with Bulgarian army soldiers with 38th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Light Infantry Brigade, during a live-fire exercise at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, July 7, as part of the final peacekeeping operation of the Black Sea Rotational Force 2010 deployment.
• Marine reserves kickoff exercise in Peru USMC News 07 Jul 2010 -- The parade deck was an elaborate mixture of both ceremonial dress and battle dress uniforms. Desert tans and woodland green camouflage patterns were each as unique as the culture and country they came from: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and the United States. Although their backgrounds, culture and uniforms are different they all have one thing in common—they are Marines.
• Ukraine, NATO to hold Sea Breeze military drills in July RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- This year's Ukraine-NATO Sea Breeze military exercises will be held in Ukraine's Black Sea region on July 12-23, the country's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
• Japan against Russian military drills on disputed Kuril island RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- Japan is concerned by the holding of Russia's Vostok-2010 military drills on Iturup Island, the largest of the disputed South Kuril Islands, Japan's Kyodo news agency said.
• Russia, S.Korea to hold joint military drills in Sea of Japan RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- Russian and South Korean coast guards will hold joint anti-piracy and antiterrorism drills on Wednesday in the Sea of Japan, a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) border guard spokesman said.
• India successfully test fires Astra missile IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- India on Wednesday test-fired 'Astra', the indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile, at Chandipur near Balasore in Orissa, hours after carrying out the first night trial of the weapon.
• Israel’s nuclear arsenal only “widespread assumption,” says UK IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- The UK government continues to refuse to call on Israel to declare its nuclear weapons arsenal because its capability has never been admitted.
• Senior Russian lawmaker urges more professional soldiers RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- The number of professional soldiers in the Russian Army should be increased, the head of the defense committee in the Russian parliament's upper house said on Wednesday.
• Russia to upgrade 200 Soviet-era tanks for Libya RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- Russia will modernize about 200 T-72 main battle tanks for the Libyan Army over the next few years, a Russian defense industry source said on Wednesday.
• July 7, 2010 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 07 Jul 2010
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 07/07/2010 The White House 07 Jul 2010

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 07, 2010
• BAE Systems Awarded $70 Million for the HERCULES Recovery Vehicle BAE Systems 07 Jul 2010 -- BAE Systems was recently awarded a contract for $70 million to convert 30 M88A1 hulls into M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System (HERCULES) vehicles and provide associated spare parts. HERCULES is the latest configuration in the M88 family of vehicles.
• Bath Iron Works Awarded $105 Million for DDG 1001 and DDG 1002 Advanced Material Procurement and Support General Dynamics 07 Jul 2010 -- The U. S. Navy has awarded Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $105.4 million modification to a previously awarded contract for procurement of long-lead-time material and engineering, production and support services associated with the construction of DDG 1001, and for long-lead-time material procurement associated with DDG 1002. The original contract was awarded in February 2008. Work encompassed by this modification is expected to be completed by February 2011.
• Lockheed Martin F-35A Becomes Second Variant To Fly With Mission Systems Lockheed Martin 07 Jul 2010 -- The ninth Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter entered flight testing on Tuesday, becoming the second test jet to fly with the next-generation avionics package that will populate all operational F-35s. The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, known as AF-3, flew for 42 minutes during its first flight.
• Northrop Grumman Gear Elements Enable Fast Combat Support Ship to Operate at Top Speed for the First Time in Three Years Northrop Grumman 07 Jul 2010 -- During recent sea trials, the USNS Arctic (T-AOE-8) fast combat support ship reached its top speed for the first time in three years because of the remanufactured high-speed gear elements designed and built by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC).
• Raytheon BBN Technologies Awarded Defense Funding to Advance Automatic Translation Raytheon 07 Jul 2010 -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) BBN Technologies has been awarded an additional $6.14 million in funding by DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) under the Multilingual Automatic Document Classification, Analysis and Translation (MADCAT) program. This award follows Raytheon BBN's success in meeting required milestones during the first two years of the MADCAT program.
• BAE Systems Seeker Performs in Detecting Complex Target in Latest THAAD Test BAE Systems 07 Jul 2010 -- A BAE Systems seeker detected and destroyed a unitary target performing the lowest endo-atmospheric intercept to date for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense weapon system flight test program on June 28 at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii.

Other Conflicts

• 7 July 2010 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 07 Jul 2010
• Accountability key to protecting civilians in conflict, Security Council told UN News Centre 07 Jul 2010 -- The targeting of civilians, sexual violence and the denial of humanitarian access remain widespread in armed conflict, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today, urging greater efforts to end impunity for such acts.
• Gaza and Middle East peace among issues discussed by Ban and Israeli leader UN News Centre 07 Jul 2010 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today at United Nations Headquarters in New York, where they discussed a number of issues including the Middle East peace process and the situation in Gaza.
• ISRAEL-OPT: Cautious response to Israel’s new list of permitted Gaza imports IRIN 07 Jul 2010 -- The UN and international relief organizations have cautiously welcomed Israel’s easing of import restrictions on the Gaza Strip, but say only the complete lifting of the blockade can address the humanitarian crisis.
• Israel Offers More Gestures to Enable Direct Peace Talks VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York, Wednesday, to discuss issues including Israeli-Palestinian peace-making efforts.
• Israel Willing to Offer More to Facilitate Peace Talks VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is willing to take steps, including "easing the movements" of Palestinians in the West Bank and expanding economic projects, to help facilitate direct peace talks with Palestinians.
• Israel: White House Summit Boosts Peace Process VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- A day after Israeli and American leaders met at the White House, Israel is expressing optimism about the Middle East peace process. The Palestinians, however, are not as enthusiastic.
• UN mission chairs talks with Lebanese, Israeli military officials UN News Centre 07 Jul 2010 -- The head of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Lebanon today chaired a tripartite meeting bringing together senior officials from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).
• Eritrean Official Warns More Peacekeeping Troops in Somalia Will Lead to Chaos VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- A senior official with Eritrea’s government told VOA a decision by the Heads of State and Government of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc to increase peacekeeping troop levels in Somalia, will plunge that country into chaos.
• Al-Shabab Vows Jihad Against New Troops VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- The Somali insurgent group al-Shabab has vowed to wage "holy war" against any new peacekeeping troops sent to assist the Somali government.
• Indian Army Deployed in Kashmir Following Deadly Protests VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- India has deployed its army in Kashmir for the first time in two decades to enforce a curfew aimed at quelling weeks of deadly anti-India protests.
• Darfur: UN-African Union mediator welcomes steps towards peace UN News Centre 07 Jul 2010 -- The joint African Union-United Nations mediator working to help resolve the conflict in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region has welcomed progress made in negotiations between the Government and a key rebel group.
• SUDAN: Clashes and demos in Abyei IRIN 07 Jul 2010 -- Tension over the future of Abyei, a flashpoint region roughly the size Lebanon on Sudan’s north-south border, erupted into armed violence and street demonstrations this week.

News Reports

• Poland to extradite Mossad agent to Germany over Dubai murder IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- A Polish court ruled on Wednesday that an alleged Mossad operative linked to the Dubai slaying of a Hamas leader should be extradited to Germany, press reports said here on Wednesday.
• Three suspected Russian spies to be moved from Virginia to N.Y. RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- A Virginia court ruled on Wednesday that the case of three suspected Russian spies should be heard in New York and ordered that they be transferred there.
• Russia could arrange 'spy swap' deal with U.S. RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- Russia could swap a scientist jailed for spying for the West for one of the suspected Russian agents detained in the U.S. high-profile spy scandal.
• Russia, US May Be Planning Spy Exchange VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- Russia may be preparing to release a scientist jailed on charges of spying for the United States in exchange for the release of suspected Russian agents detained recently in the United States.
• Iran's Atomic Energy Head Says Sanctions 'Slowing Down' Nuclear Program VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- Amid great fanfare, Iran's Atomic Energy Agency head Ali Akbar Salehi told a press conference Wednesday that the long delayed completion of Iran's Bushehr civilian nuclear power plant would take place by late August or September, now that final testing is complete. He said that Iran is conducting final tests on the Bushehr plant and that God willing, it would be officially up and running by late summer. Russia agreed to build the plant 15 years ago so that would finally end the long wait for the project's completion.
• Salehi: Iran enriches uranium 20 percent not more than it needs IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi said on Wednesday that Iran will not enrich uranium 20 percent more than it needs for Tehran medical research reactor.
• Commentary: Increasingly Isolated, Iran Looks Toward Africa RFE/RL 07 Jul 2010 -- Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's current visit to Nigeria and Mali is yet another attempt to forge new alliances with African states in the hope that this can offset his country's growing isolation.
• Iran to produce composite fuel plate for medical reactor next year IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi said on Wednesday that planning has been made to produce composite fuel plate for Tehran medical research reactor by August/ September 2011.
• Bushehr power plant to become operational soon: official IRNA 07 Jul 2010 -- Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi here on Wednesday announced that the Bushehr nuclear power plant is to become operational in the Iranian month of Shahrivar (August 23- September 22).
• Iran's nuclear chief admits sanctions having effect RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- The head of Tehran's nuclear program acknowledged on Wednesday that the new UN sanctions imposed on Iran were having an effect but vowed the work would continue, ISNA news agency reported.
• Interview: Groups That Create Militias Are Not Acceptable To Pakistan RFE/RL 07 Jul 2010 -- Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, says that Islamabad sees the Taliban as a threat to its security, both in Afghanistan and, increasingly, in Pakistan itself.
• Yemeni Court Sentences 2 Al-Qaida Suspects to Death VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- A Yemeni court has sentenced two suspected al-Qaida militants to death for a series of lethal attacks against military and police targets last year.
• Kyrgyzstan to demand ousted President Bakiyev's extradition again RIA Novosti 07 Jul 2010 -- Kyrgyz authorities will demand again the extradition of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev from Belarus, a senior interim government official said Wednesday.
• French Court Sentences Noriega to 7 Years in Prison VOA 07 Jul 2010 -- A Paris court has sentenced former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega to seven years in prison for laundering millions of dollars in drug money. Noriega was convicted of the charges on Wednesday.