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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 03 Nov 2010 [PDF]
• Airpower Summary for November 01 AFNS 03 Nov 2010
• Airpower Summary for October 30 AFNS 03 Nov 2010
• Airpower Summary for October 29 AFNS 03 Nov 2010
• Airpower Summary for October 28 AFNS 03 Nov 2010
• U.S. Army aviators depart Iraq, share bird's-eye perspective on success Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- Lt. Col. Michael Bentley no longer cringes flying over Baghdad. In the "old days," the city was dangerous. But now the Army pilot looks down from his Black Hawk helicopter to see the lights of amusement parks and kids at swimming pools. After seven years of war in Iraq, Bentley sees success.
• Strategic initiatives outline command's pathway forward Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- Major objectives, missions, and lines of operation sound like something from a classic espionage movie. In reality, they are documents used as part of the Army Contracting Command's strategic planning process.
• Former Taliban Leaders In Afghanistan See Peace As A Long Way Off RFE/RL 03 Nov 2010 -- The three hail from different backgrounds, but each served the Taliban government until its demise in late 2001.
• Combined Force Kills Insurgents in Helmand Province AFPS 03 Nov 2010 -- A partnered Afghan and International Security Assistance Force patrol yesterday killed several insurgents and detained several others during an operation to detain a Taliban leader in the Nad-e Ali district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province, military officials reported.
• AFGHANISTAN: UNHCR worried about growing number of conflict IDPs IRIN 03 Nov 2010 -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says it is concerned about the growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) caused by conflict in Afghanistan, and the fact that it is often too dangerous to assist them.
• Czechs, Slovaks To Expand Afghanistan Missions RFE/RL 03 Nov 2010 -- The lower house of the Czech parliament has given final approval to expanding the country's military mission in Afghanistan to 720 troops next year from the current level of 535.
• Pakistan forces kill 17 militants IRNA 03 Nov 2010 -- Pakistan military helicopters Tuesday shelled positions of suspected militants and killed at least 17 of them, security sources said.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Sessions comments today regarding the Navy's proposal to purchase additional Littoral Combat Ship Office of Senator Jeff Sessions 03 Nov 2010 -- US Senator Jeff Sessions, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, made comments regarding the Navy's proposal to purchase additional Littoral Combat Ships.
• DoD News: Navy to Christen Submarine California DoD 03 Nov 2010 -- The Navy will christen its newest attack submarine California, Saturday, Nov. 6, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News, in Newport News, Va.
• Space Requires New Thinking, Practices, Lynn Says AFPS 03 Nov 2010 -- Once the private preserve of the United States and the Soviet Union, space has become “congested, contested and competitive,” requiring a shift in the military space community’s thinking and practices, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said today.
• Sailors and Marines Train-Up for Amphibious Operations Navy NewsStand 03 Nov 2010 -- More than 200 active and Reserve component Sailors and Marines stormed Anzio Beach aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEBLCFS), Va., Oct. 29, as part of Exercise Sandcrab 2010.
• Frank Cable Receives 2010 SECNAV Safety Excellence Award Navy NewsStand 03 Nov 2010 -- USS Frank Cable (AS 40) was honored as one of the recipients for the 2010 Secretary of the Navy Safety Excellence Award Oct. 5 in Washington D.C.
• Vice Adm. Curtis Speaks to Surface Warfare Community Aboard NSA Bahrain Navy NewsStand 03 Nov 2010 -- Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, spoke with members of the Surface Navy Association and surface warfare community during a "brief and discussion" session aboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Oct 28.
• Lisa Azul Exercise Builds On U.S., Spanish Partnership Navy NewsStand 03 Nov 2010 -- Marines attached to 2nd Platoon Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST), Company Europe, began conducting a bilateral training exercise, Lisa Azul, with Spanish marines aboard Naval Station (NS) Rota Oct. 25.
• USS Antietam Holds Change of Command Ceremony Navy NewsStand 03 Nov 2010 -- USS Antietam (CG 54) held a change of command ceremony pier-side at Naval Base San Diego, Oct. 22.
• 21st TSC program makes property accountability, equipment turn-in easier Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- The 21st Theater Sustainment Command has been conducting a campaign for property accountability and turn-in of excess military equipment called Task Force Harvest.
• TRADOC launches Profession of Arms study Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- Leaders from across the Army discussed the Profession of Arms in an Institute of Land Warfare forum at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting. This forum followed Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey’s announcement of a year-long campaign to study the Profession of Arms.
• Resolute Warriors welcome new command team Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- The 7th Sustainment Brigade conducted a change of command and change of responsibility ceremony Tuesday morning at 3rd Port, welcoming on board Col. Lawrence A. Kominiak as the new brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Tony Escalona as the new brigade command sergeant major.
• Combatives tournament reinforces law enforcement training Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- The 230th Military Police Company "Warmasters" held a combatives tournament Oct. 25 on Sembach Kaserne here to find the best hand-to-hand fighter in the company.
• IMCOM begins second phase of guard conversion Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- Nearly 1,400 jobs at 16 installations will transition from contract security firms to federal civil service beginning in January 2011 as the conversion of access-control-point security guards enters its second phase.
• MRTs bring resilience to 21st TSC Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- Between multiple deployments, intense training schedules and family life, Soldiers today can find themselves in many different stressful situations.
• Raider Battalion provides OPFOR for 116th Cavalry mobilization Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- As the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team prepares for deployment in support of Operation New Dawn, Task Force - Opposing Force sets the stage for realistic training to ensure the deploying unit is prepared to successfully execute its combat tasks.
• Vanguard Soldiers hone map, land navigation skills Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- Soldiers with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team rear detachment conducted a series of classes in map reading and land navigation training to update their basic Soldiering skills and re-familiarize themselves on their perishable skills, Oct. 27-28.
• Indian, U.S. Soldiers share airborne techniques Army News 03 Nov 2010 -- Soldiers of U.S. Army Alaska and the Indian Army combined a diversity of procedures, techniques and cultures to conduct basic airborne refresher training Nov. 2-3.
• Obama: Congress, Not Courts, Should Resolve ‘Don’t Ask’ Law AFPS 03 Nov 2010 -- President Barack Obama said today he hopes the current Congress will resolve the uncertainty about whether gay men and lesbians can serve openly in the military.
• Eyes in the sky at Kandahar save lives AFNS 03 Nov 2010 -- Providing command and control over Afghanistan, all 250,000-plus square miles of it, might sound like a large task, but it's nothing the Airmen of the 73rd Expeditionary Air Control Squadron here can't handle.
• 37th Bomb Squadron Airmen, Canadian forces train AFNS 03 Nov 2010 -- Airmen from the 37th Bomb Squadron hosted five joint terminal attack controllers from the 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in a training exercise Oct. 28 in Alzada, Mont.
• Airmen help Soldiers meet airborne school requirements AFNS 03 Nov 2010 -- Paratroopers sat side-by-side both crushed and cozy from the weight of the massive parachute packs on their laps. Each jumper's eyes squinted from a combination of fatigue and flying dust kicked up by the ferocious winds whirling in from the C-17 Globemaster III's side doors.
• CLB-22 increases unit capabilities through Fort Bragg-based training USMC News 03 Nov 2010 -- Nearly three hundred Marines and sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 22, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, participated in a pre-deployment field training exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C. from Oct. 20-27.
• Officials stand up enlisted cyberspace defense operations career field AFNS 03 Nov 2010 -- Air Force officials added a new enlisted career field for cyberspace defense operators Nov. 1.
• Cyber Command Achieves Full Operational Capability DoD 03 Nov 2010 -- Department of Defense announced today that U.S. Cyber Command has achieved full operational capability (FOC).
• NATO open to Ukrainian role in missile defense - Rasmussen RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- Ukraine may also take part in NATO's missile-defense program, as the invitation to join should not be limited to Russia, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in Moscow on Wednesday.
• Academy officials break ground on solar array AFNS 03 Nov 2010 -- The U.S. Air Force Academy broke ground on their latest and most ambitious solar energy project 1 Nov.
• NATO will not change Georgia policy at Lisbon summit - Rasmussen RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- The upcoming NATO summit in Lisbon will not see any change in the alliance's stance on Georgian membership, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in Moscow on Wednesday.
• Russian assistance in Afghanistan: A price to pay RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- NATO and Russia are clearly ready for improved relations, as demonstrated by the flurry of diplomatic activity ahead of the NATO summit in Lisbon on November 19-20. Compared to the period of friction following the August 2008 war over South Ossetia, this diplomatic surge looks very much like - if not better than - the U.S.-Russian reset.
• Russian weapons shifting balance of forces in Middle East – Israel's MI chief RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- Military cooperation between Moscow and Damascus is shifting the balance of forces in the Middle East "back to the '70's," when Israel was close to being defeated by Syria, outgoing chief of Israel's military intelligence said.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for November 03, 2010
• CACI Awarded $45 Million Contract to Continue Support for Common Ground Systems in U.S. Army Operations CACI 02 Nov 2010 -- CACI International Inc (NYSE:CACI) announced today that it has been awarded a $45 million task order contract to provide program management and technical engineering services to upgrade Common Ground Systems (CGS) with subsystems from the U.S. Army's Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A) Ground Mobile system. With the support of key teammate General Dynamics C4 Systems, CACI received the one base-year (six-month option) award under its Strategic Services Sourcing (S3) contract with the Army.
• General Dynamics Awarded Four-year Ammunition Contract by Spanish Army General Dynamics 03 Nov 2010 -- The Ministry of Defense of Spain has awarded General Dynamics European Land Systems, through its Spanish subsidiary Santa Bárbara Sistemas S.A., a four-year contract for the supply of 5,56x45 mm NATO ammunition for the Spanish Army, Air Force and Navy. The contract has a maximum potential value of approximately €20 million ($27.9 million) if all options are exercised.
• SAIC Completes Integrated Testing of Commercially-Hosted Infrared Payload for U.S. Air Force SAIC 03 Nov 2010 -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) (NYSE: SAI) today announced that the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), SES WORLD SKIES U.S. Government Solutions, Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital), and SAIC team recently completed the Commercially-Hosted Infrared Payload (CHIRP) Integrated Sensor Functional Test.
• Thales awarded Instrument Landing Systems Contract for Canadian Air Force Bases Thales 03 Nov 2010 -- Thales has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Department of National Defence to supply and install four Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) at Canadian Air Force bases in Trenton, Bagotville and Comox. The contract also has options to replace legacy Instrument Landing Systems at other Canadian Air Force bases across the country.
• ATK Awarded Five-Year FBI Ammunition Contract Valued at $95 Million ATK 03 Nov 2010 -- ATK (NYSE: ATK) announced today that it has received a contract from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for 5.56 caliber duty and training ammunition. The contract is a five-year, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) agreement with a maximum value of $95 million. ATK will produce the mission-specific ammunition at its facility in Anoka, Minnesota.
• Putin pushes for more Russian arms sales RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- Russia should increase its share of the world's arms market, especially with high-tech products, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
• Russia's arms exports: Farewell to arms, hello to profits RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport accounts for 85% of the country's arms sales worldwide, with the remainder coming from several companies authorized to deal in arms on the global market.
• International Debut for Rafael's Imilite ISR Exploitation System Rafael 03 Nov 2010 -- ImiLite is a cost-effective, ISR Command and Control Exploitation System, designed to receive, process and exploit multiple standalone imagery video and other intelligence data in a centralized and unified way.

Other Conflicts

• 3 November 2010 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 03 Nov 2010
• Israel Cuts Off Dialogue With Britain Over War Crimes Law VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- Israel has suspended strategic discussions with Britain in protest of a British law targeting foreigners for arrest on alleged war crimes.
• Israelis, Palestinians Assess US Election Impact VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- Israelis and Palestinians are assessing the impact of the U.S. midterm elections on bilateral relations and the Middle East peace process.
• Japanese ambassador says talks between Medvedev, Kan will go ahead RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- Talks between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan are likely to take place, said the Japanese ambassador to Russia, who was temporarily recalled from his post on Tuesday after a dispute between the two states.
• Russia expects Japan to avoid artificial obstacles for developing cooperation - Lavrov RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- Moscow expects Tokyo to avoid artificially-created obstacles in the development of Russian-Japanese cooperation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
• Western Sahara: UN announces next round of informal talks between the parties UN News Centre 03 Nov 2010 --A new round of informal talks between the parties to the conflict over Western Sahara will take place in New York next week at the invitation of the United Nations envoy, according to a UN spokesperson.
• Darfur: UN-African Union mission deeply concerned over recent arrests UN News Centre 03 Nov 2010 -- The African Union-United Nations mission in Sudan’s Darfur region, known as UNAMID, said today that it was “deeply concerned” by reports of the closure of the office of a radio station in Khartoum and the arrest of several journalists and human rights activists.
• Breakthrough Ivorian elections show people’s resolve to end crisis – UN official UN News Centre 03 Nov 2010 -- The Côte d’Ivoire’s “calm and orderly” presidential vote, avoiding any major human rights violations, showed that the Ivorian people were ready to put an end to the civil crisis that divided the West African nation, a top United Nations official told the Security Council today.
• Deadly Violence Flares In Kashmir Days Before Obama India Trip VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- Police say Indian troops in India's Jammu and Kashmir state have killed at least six people they suspected of planning violence. Security is tight in the Kashmir valley, where separatist activists have vowed to draw attention to their cause during U.S. President Barack Obama's upcoming visit.
• Analysis: Tough job ahead for Somalia's new prime minister IRIN 03 Nov 2010 -- Somalia has a new prime minister - the fourth since 2004 - and leaders in Mogadishu hope he will breathe new life into the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), but just what can Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (also known as Farmajo) do to quickly turn round a country that has been in turmoil for almost two decades?
• CONGO: Airport "powder keg" to be demined IRIN 03 Nov 2010 -- Areas around the Republic of Congo’s (ROC) main Maya-Maya Airport are to be demined for the first time since the end of the 1997 civil war.
• UN refugee agency appeals to Kenya to halt forced return of Somalis UN News Centre 03 Nov 2010 -- The United Nations refugee agency issued an urgent appeal today to Kenya to immediately halt its forced returns of Somalis fleeing factional violence in their homeland, following an eviction order by local authorities to some 8000 residents of a border camp.

News Reports

• Supreme Leader commends the youth for foiling last year's conspiracy IRNA 03 Nov 2010 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday commended the youth for foiling post-election conspiracy last year.
• President: 5+1 should enter talks based on justice, respect IRNA 03 Nov 2010 -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the 5+1 should take part in negotiations with an attitude based on justice and respect.
• Mottaki: Fuel swap to take place only based on Tehran Declaration IRNA 03 Nov 2010 -- Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said fuel swap will be carried out only based on Tehran Declaration.
• Ahmadinejad Condemns Russia Over Canceled Missile Deal RFE/RL 03 Nov 2010 -- Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad accused Russia today of "selling out" Iran to the United States by canceling a missile deal.
• Iran says it's ready to talk: But what about? RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- For those who follow foreign policy, the Washington Post story of October 29th was astounding news, coming as it did, on the Friday, in apparent culmination to the week's events.
• Reunion of Separated Families from North and South Continues KCNA 03 Nov 2010 -- The reunion of separated families and relatives from the north and the south is going on at Mt. Kumgang resort.
• Viktor Chernomyrdin, Former Russian Prime Minister, Dead At 72 RFE/RL 03 Nov 2010 -- both friends and foes -- Former Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin died today in the early hours after battling a long illness. He was 72.
• Al-Qaida Threatens Christians in Egypt, Elsewhere in Middle East VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- Christians in the Middle East are on alert after Islamist extremists called them "legitimate targets" days after a bloody siege of a Baghdad church. In Egypt, security has been stepped up around Christian sites as Islamists demand the release of two Coptic women who reportedly converted to Islam.
• Britain Discloses AQAP Member Arrest VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- Home Secretary Theresa May said Wednesday that security forces in Britain had arrested a member of al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack.
• British Home Secretary Warns Against 'Mass Murder on the Streets of London' VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- Britain's Home Secretary said Wednesday that people from Britain have traveled to Somalia to fight and that they may want to return to Britain to commit mass murder.
• Greece Halts Air Cargo after Bombs Target European Leaders VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- Greece has stopped all airborne parcels headed out of the country after the discovery of three letter bombs addressed to European leaders.
• NASA again delays last launch of Discovery shuttle RIA Novosti 03 Nov 2010 -- The latest launch of the Discovery shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS), initially scheduled to take place on Wednesday, was again delayed for at least 24 hours, NASA said.
• Taiwan remains alert despite warming ties with China: president CNA 03 Nov 2010 -- President Ma Ying-jeou said Wednesday that Taiwan will stay alert to the potential threat posed by China to the country's security, despite recent positive developments in cross-Taiwan Strait ties.
• Commentary: Where Turkey Can Help RFE/RL 03 Nov 2010 -- Much has been made of Turkey’s pretensions of being a regional, if not global, power. Given the Islamist roots of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), some are justifiably uneasy about the specter of Turkish power, and deride the AKP's aspirations as a function of "neo-Ottoman" impulses.
• UN and partners launch $47 million appeal for flood-ravaged Benin UN News Centre 03 Nov 2010 -- The United Nations, its humanitarian partners and the Government of Benin today launched a joint $47 million emergency appeal to help nearly 800,000 people in the West African nation which is experiencing the worst flooding in a century.
• UN agencies seek funds to help people affected by food shortages in Djibouti UN News Centre 03 Nov 2010 -- United Nations agencies and the Government of Djibouti today appealed for nearly $39 million to enable them to continue providing assistance to an estimated 120,000 people who are experiencing severe food shortages after four years of inadequate rainfall in the Horn of Africa country.
• Tanzania's Ruling Party Expects to Win Election VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- With unofficial results being released, Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete looks set to begin a second term in office, but delays in the tallying process have raised tensions around the country and observers are concerned about the vote's transparency.
• Burma Elections Bring Little Hope to Burmese Refugees in Thailand VOA 03 Nov 2010 -- Fear is rising among Burmese refugee groups living in Thailand that Burma's military is preparing to launch operations against armed ethnic groups following elections on November 7 -- a vote that refugees think will bring few benefits for Burma's minority communities.
• Pirates off Somalia committing more violence despite naval patrols – Ban UN News Centre 03 Nov 2010 -- Naval patrols off Somalia’s coast have increasingly disrupted the activities of pirates, with many sea bandits arrested and prosecuted, but others have continued to seize ships using increasingly violent methods, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new report.
• Ban, welcoming consensus on Guinea elections, urges peaceful campaign UN News Centre 03 Nov 2010 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed a consensus reached among Guinean stakeholders that paves the way for the holding of run-off presidential election on 7 November 2010, calling on all actors to ensure the smooth conduct of the poll.