Defense News

Russia Tied To Iraq's Missing Arms
Pentagon: Weaponry relocated before war
[Washington Times, October 28, 2004, Pg. 1]
Russian special forces moved much of Saddam Hussein's weapons and related
goods out of Iraq and into Syria in the weeks before the U.S. invaded and
ousted Saddam's regime. Just before the war began, Russian troops, working
with Iraqi intelligence, "almost certainly" removed the high-explosive
material, said John A. Shaw, DoD undersecretary for international technology
security. He said the Russians were primarily concerned with shredding all
evidence of the contractual arrangements they had with Iraq.

Iraq Explosives Site Saw High U.S. Traffic
Infantry commander says theft after invasion force arrived 'very improbable'
[Baltimore Sun, October 28, 2004]
Col. David Perkins, the infantry commander whose troops first captured the
Iraqi weapons depot where large amounts of explosives disappeared, said it
is "highly improbable" that someone could have moved so much material once
U.S. forces arrived. Two major roads near the Al-Qaqaa installation were
clogged with U.S. military traffic and, although some looting did occur, it
would have been very difficult to transport the explosives without
attracting attention.

Missing Munitions Become Focus Of Presidential Race
[Washington Post, October 28, 2004, Pg. 1]
The disappearance of almost 400 tons of explosives in Iraq has taken center
stage in the presidential election race. John Kerry accused President Bush
of evading responsibility and Bush charged that Kerry is making
unsubstantiated charges.

Provincial Capital Near Falluja Is Rapidly Slipping Into Chaos
[New York Times, October 28, 2004]
Ramadi is sliding out of U.S. military and interim Iraqi government control.
The city is larger and strategically more important that its sister city of
Falluja. Ramadi is rapidly becoming a terrorist haven and assassinations of
Iraqis working with the Americans have become more commonplace.

U.S. Barred From Forcing Troops To Get Anthrax Shots
[Washington Post, October 28, 2004, Pg. 1]
A federal judge ordered DoD to stop forcing military personnel to get
anthrax inoculations. The judge's order will remain in place until the Food
and Drug Administration properly reviews the anthrax vaccine, or until
President Bush determines that the normal process must be waived because of
emergency conditions.

IRAQ

U.S. Marine, Soldier Killed In 2 Attacks
[Los Angeles Times, October 28, 2004]
One U.S. Marine and an Army soldier were killed in enemy action in separate
incidents in Iraq.

Fallujah Talks, And Battle Planning, Continue
U.S. Convoy Moves Toward Insurgent-Held City as British Forces Shift North
[Washington Post, October 28, 2004, Pg. 21]
Local leaders in Fallujah continue to negotiate with Iraq's interim
government about a possible handover of the city to Iraqi troops, but
townspeople say that insurgents and foreign military sources appear headed
for battle. A U.S. military convoy of armored vehicles moved toward
Fallujah, while British forces in southern Iraq headed north to plug any
gaps that an offensive might create.

Pentagon Trying To Pin Down When Materiel Disappeared
[USA Today, October 28, 2004, Pg. 6]
Pentagon analysts have begun searching through old satellites photos of the
Al-Qaqaa weapons facility to try and determine when tons of high-grade
explosives were removed from the site.

377 Tons A Small Part Of Iraq's Munitions
[USA Today, October 28, 2004, Pg. 6]
The 377 tons of high explosives reportedly missing from an Iraqi weapons
depot are just a tiny fraction of the total amount of weaponry and
explosives found and destroyed by U.S.-led forces.

4 Iraqis Tell Of Looting At Munitions Site In '03
[New York Times, October 28, 2004]
Looters claimed to have stormed the weapons depot at Al Qaqaa in the days
after U.S. troops swept through the area in early April 2003, gutting office
buildings, grabbing munitions and even dismantling heavy machinery. Four
Iraqis interviewed said the looting was extensive, but they did not directly
address the question regarding the disappearance of some 380 tons of
powerful explosives.

Ex-Inspector Says Iraqi Arms Site Likely Was Looted
[Wall Street Journal, October 28, 2004, Pg. 3]
Bush administration officials said Saddam Hussein could have been
responsible for removing nearly 400 tons of explosives from the Al Qaqaa
weapons depot, but a former weapons inspector said it is more likely that
looters made off with material during or after the invasion of Iraq began.

British Forces Redeploy To Baghdad Area
Prime Minister Tony Blair was criticized for sending them to a dangerous
area to free up U.S. troops targeting Fallujah.
[Philadelphia Inquirer, October 28, 2004]
Hundreds of British troops redeployed from Basra in southern Iraq to
southeast of Baghdad, a move that frees up American forces for an expected
assault on terrorist-dominated Fallujah.

Captives, Japanese And British, Plead For End Of Occupation
[New York Times, October 28, 2004]
A frightened Japanese traveler, on videotape, said he would be beheaded
unless Japan did not withdraw its troops within 48 hours. Another videotape
broadcast by an Arab satellite network showed Margaret Hassan, the
British-Iraqi aid official kidnapped earlier this month, pleading with
Britain to halt the movement of British troops toward Baghdad.

Bulgaria Questions Its Role In Iraq
[International Herald Tribune, October 28, 2004]
Seven Bulgarian soldiers have been killed in Iraq during the past 18 months.
The latest death has set off a round of soul-searching among Bulgarians who
question their contribution to the war. The soldier's death follows the
decapitation of two Bulgarian truck drivers in July and adds pressure
brought on the government by socialists to withdraw troops from Iraq by the
end of January.

A Deadly Road Leads To Anarchy
Highway 8 just south of Baghdad is a dangerous strip where lawlessness is
the norm. Money, not religion, seems to be the motivating factor.
[Los Angeles Times, October 28, 2004]
Highway 8, just south of Baghdad, is a 20-mile stretch of criminality.
Charred cars dot the roadside, reminders of dozens of killings, carjackings
and kidnappings. The cities along that part of Highway 8---Latifiya,
Mahmoudiya, Yousifiya and Iskandariya---have been dubbed the Death Triangle
by locals. U.S. Marines are attempting to establish a presence in the area.
They say the motivation along Highway 8 is money, and not the religious
fervor that seems to keep other insurgents going.

Shadowy Insurgency In Iraq Is Built On Homemade Bombs
The crude but deadly devices are the single biggest killer of U.S.
troops---and they are becoming even more lethal.
[Philadelphia Inquirer, October 28, 2004]
With tape, electrical wire, 9-volt batteries and kitchen timers, the Iraqi
insurgency is able to construct crude bombs that are the most lethal faced
by U.S. troops.

Iraqis: Winner Unimportant
Poll, interviews show better lives a priority
[USA Today, October 28, 2004, Pg. 12]
Winning the war on terrorism does not particularly concern Iraqis, and they
are less concerned about who wins the U.S. presidential election than what
the winner will do to help improve their lives.

TERRORISM

Former Detainees Allege Torture In U.S. Custody
[USA Today, October 28, 2004, Pg. 2]
Four Britons held at Guantanamo for more than two years filed a lawsuit
alleging that they were tortured while in U.S. custody. A Pentagon spokesman
said the four men were properly classified as al Qaeda fighters when they
were captured in Afghanistan in late 2001.

Intelligence Report To Assess Threat Posed By Terrorists
[New York Times, October 28, 2004]
U.S. intelligence agencies are preparing a report that could address whether
the Iraq war has increased or decreased the foreign terrorist threat to the
U.S. It won't be finished before Election Day.

U.N. Condemns Harsh Methods In Campaign Against Terror
[New York Times, October 28, 2004]
A U.N. official who monitors compliance with prohibitions against torture
has sharply criticized several practices adopted by the Bush administration
in its campaign against terror.

Poll Finds Most Americans Have Not Prepared For Terror Attack
[New York Times, October 28, 2004]
While Americans are closely divided about whether the U.S. is prepared to
deal with another terrorist attack, the overwhelming majority have done
nothing to prepare for that possibility themselves.

NAVY

A Navy SEAL Is Cleared Of Abuse Charges
[Los Angeles Times, October 28, 2004]
A Navy SEAL was found not guilty of abusing Iraqi prisoners, and the case
against two others was set to go to the equivalent of a grand jury hearing.

MARINE CORPS

Lejeune Troops Get Orders For Iraq
[Jacksonville Daily News, October 28, 2004]
Some 14,000 Marines and sailors with II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp
Lejeune will deploy to western Iraq in early 2005.

STATE DEPARTMENT

U.S. Envoy Calls Three Nations Top WMD Proliferators
[USA Today, October 28, 2004, Pg. 13]
Undersecretary of State John Bolton tabbed North Korea, Syria and Iran as
among the world's main proliferators of weapons of mass destruction.

CONGRESS

Hope Fades For Intelligence Bill Compromise Soon
Sense of Urgency Disappears as Budget Powers of New Director Continue to Be
Sticking Point
[Washington Post, October 28, 2004, Pg. 2]
Capitol Hill halted efforts to pass legislation that revamps the U.S.
intelligence system. Legislators warned that it could be impossible to reach
an agreement even in time for a lame-duck session in mid-November.

POLITICS

Pa. Soldiers File Ballot Action
The two seek a federal court order extending the deadline for overseas
tallies to be received, counted.
[Philadelphia Inquirer, October 28, 2004]
Two Pennsylvania soldiers serving in Kuwait and Iraq filed a motion in
federal court that would force the state to accept overseas absentee ballots
received after Tuesday's election. The GIs say without an extension, their
votes probably won't be counted.

BUSINESS

Boeing, Northrop Post Solid Results
Pentagon spending fuels the surge in profits. The firms employ more than
60,000 in the Southland.
[Los Angeles Times, October 28, 2004]
Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp. posted sharply higher profits for the
third quarter, as increased Pentagon spending boosted sales.

Despite Scandals, Boeing Still Wins Wall Street's Favor
[Washington Post, October 28, 2004, Pg. E1]
Despite being the target of several investigations into its business
practices, Boeing Co. remains a darling of Wall Street. The firm's bottom
line continues to grow---thanks in part to consolidation of the defense
industry, which gives the Pentagon fewer choices for obtaining weapons.

ASIA/PACIFIC

Powell's Comments In China Rile Taiwan
In Apparently Unintended Remarks, Secretary Says Island Is Not Independent
[Washington Post, October 28, 2004, Pg. 18]
Colin Powell created a tempest while in Beijing when he made some unorthodox
and apparently unintended remarks about U.S. policy on Taiwan. He said the
U.S. holds that there is just one China and Taiwan is not an independent
nation. Taiwanese officials immediately accused Powell of springing an
unfair surprise with a major U.S. policy shift, and insisted that their
island is independent. U.S. officials said Powell just used the wrong
language and China and Taiwan could settle their dispute without force.

India Test-Fires Missile With Nuclear Capability
[Philadelphia Inquirer, October 28, 2004]
India tested a nuclear-capable missile with a range up to 180 miles.

AFGHANISTAN

Japan To Continue Providing Military Help In Afghanistan
[San Diego Union-Tribune, October 27, 2004]
Japan extended its naval mission to provide logistical support for the
U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan by six months. Tokyo also approved a plan
to supply fuel for the coalition's helicopters.

MIDEAST

Iran Unveils Its Disputed Heavy-Water Plant
During a tour for journalists, officials said there were no plans to suspend
the nuclear program.
[Philadelphia Inquirer, October 28, 2004]
Iranian officials displayed their heavy-water plant to journalists, and
signaled that Iran has no plans to suspend its nuclear program despite calls
from the U.S. to do so.

OPINION

Rumors About A Draft Are False
Donald H. Rumsfeld
[Salt Lake City Desert News, October 28, 2004]
Myths can live on almost forever, fed by hype and/or fear. The current myth
is that a military draft is imminent. That simply is not true. There is no
secret plant to revive the draft after the elections. The entire deceit
surrounding the draft myth is underhanded and just flat-out wrong. But with
the compliance of a pliable media, those behind the myth appear to be
gaining ground with their lies.

What If It's Kerry's War?
Jim Hoagland
[Washington Post, October 28, 2004, Pg. 25]
If John Kerry wins next week, he must immediately begin focusing on what an
American military withdrawal from Iraq would mean for the Middle East and
the U.S. It is obvious that not much deep thinking has occupied the Kerry
team---they have presented nothing to indicate that it has. Many of Kerry's
supporters see his promises to fight the war better in Iraq as campaign
bilge, to be jettisoned once he takes office. Kerry made much of his Vietnam
experience during the campaign. He needs to take a page from that era and
realize that failure in Iraq is not an option.

Is It Really A Mutiny?
A look at U.S. military history helps put recent Iraq incident in
perspective.
Frederick J. Chiaventone
[Los Angeles Times, October 28, 2004]
The supply unit that recently refused orders to transport fuel in Iraq
committed "mutiny" by some accounts. In U.S. history examples of mutiny are
few and every such incident is surrounded by "mitigating circumstances."
What happened in Iraq will be investigated, and if the soldiers' concerns
about faulty mechanical issues are born out, it is highly unlikely that any
legal action will be forthcoming.

Defense That Makes Sense
Loren B. Thompson
[Baltimore Sun, October 28, 2004]
National security has been radically transformed since President Bush
promised to deploy a missile defense shield. He has been true to that pledge
made five years ago, with more improvements on the way. But does a missile
defense system really matter? The Sept. 11 attacks seemed to confirm
predictions that enemies would strike America at its weakest points, not
where it is well-prepared. The case for missile defense is more compelling
than it was when President Ronald Reagan proposed an ambitious scheme that
opponents dubbed "star wars." Nuclear weapons remain the greatest danger to
U.S. security. One nuclear-tipped missile would dwarf the trauma of Sept.
11. The Bush administration is devoting about two days' worth of federal
spending to missile defense. As long as the system works and doesn't
undercut other national defense spending, it's a sensible policy.

The Myth Of The 'Missing Explosives': A Shameless Lie
Ralph Peters
[New York Post, October 28, 2004]
John Kerry wouldn't mind if the U.N. picked our next president. That's one
reason why he is shamelessly touting the lies that the International Atomic
Energy Agency is telling about the missing explosives in Iraq. The IAEA just
happened to release a document detailing how the explosives MIGHT have gone
missing from the Al Qaqaa arms depot a week before our presidential
election.
John Kerry knows the U.N. allegations are a pack of lies, but he doesn't
care. The man knows no bounds when it comes to perpetuating his political
ambitions.

EDITORIAL

Abu Ghraib, Unresolved
[New York Times, October 28, 2004]
The Army has prosecuted a few low-ranking GIs in Abu Ghraib prison scandal.
No political leader is being held accountable for the policies set in
Washington that led to the prisoners' abuses. Let's hope that Congress
decides to find some backbone and focus on this issue next year.

Missing And Explosive
[Washington Post, October 28, 2004, Pg. 24]
It isn't clear if the explosives at Al Qaqaa disappeared before or after
invading U.S. troops reached the arms depot in April 2003. It might not be
fair to claim, as does John Kerry, that the loss represents a monumental
Bush administration failure. It is worth noting that the brouhaha over the
missing explosives emerged from the International Atomic Energy Agency,
whose boss, Mohamed ElBaradei, doesn't especially like President Bush. The
fact that he was providing campaign fodder for the president's opponent
doesn't appear to have bothered ElBAradei at all.

Non-Explosive Issue
[Washington Times, October 28, 2004, Pg. 22]
John Kerry has decided to attack our troops for incompetence, which he is
doing with help from Mohamed ElBaradei and the New York Times. Never mind
that there is no evidence to substantiate charges that U.S. forces failed to
secure some 400 tons of high explosives. It's an election campaign and any
lie will do, especially if it demeans the Bush administration. U.S. forces
have destroyed 240,000 tons of explosives and marked 160,000 more for
destruction. The Al Qaqaa cache is less than one percent of the explosives
that we knew Saddam Hussein had before the war. We could use more of that
incompetence.

A Risk In Rushing Spy Reform
[Los Angeles Times, October 28, 2004]
Congress would be better off waiting before enacting legislation to
restructure the U.S. intelligence system. Hasty decisions could come back to
haunt us, and this issue is too important not to get it right the first
time.

Saddam's U.N. Payroll
[Wall Street Journal, October 28, 2004, Pg. 14]
Do John Kerry's political minions understand that U.N. officials are up to
their knees in the Iraq oil-for-food program scandal? And the whole mess is
only getting deeper. Kerry's folks are in for a rude awakening if they think
Old Europe would rush to help a Kerry administration in Iraq, or that the
U.N. is competent and trustworthy enough to manage their foreign policy
projects. Saddam Hussein used the oil-for-food program to commit the largest
bribery scheme in the history of the world. Many of Kerry's good friends in
Old Europe and the U.N. benefited from Saddam's largesse. Kerry's insistence
that U.N. arms inspectors could have done more to isolate Saddam, and
eliminate the need for war in Iraq, doesn't pass the laugh test, much less
his global test.