July 22, 2005
TOP STORIES
London Hit Again With Explosions
Small Blasts On 3 Trains And A Bus Reminiscent Of Deadly July 7 Attacks
(Washington Post, July 22, 2005, Pg. 1)
Four small explosions shut down London's public transit system at lunchtime
and sent panicked passengers fleeing for safety, in an echo of the deadly
suicide strikes of two weeks ago. Police reported one injury. Just as
on July 7, men carrying bombs concealed in backpacks hit three subway
trains and a double-decker bus in quick succession. Initial investigation
suggested that the explosives in the bags only partially detonated.
Pentagon: Iraq Progress 'On Track'
(Los Angeles Times, July 22, 2005)
The Pentagon sent Congress a formal assessment of the war in Iraq that
described the insurgency as "capable, adaptable and intent,"
but did not disclose details on the readiness of Iraqi security forces.
The report, the first of a series required by law at 90-day intervals,
provided a generally upbeat view of progress, contending that postwar
recovery efforts have the support of a majority of Iraqis and the international
community.
Missile Defense System Tests To Restart In Fall
(Miami Herald, July 22, 2005)
Flight tests of the U.S. missile defense program will resume in the fall
for the first time since they were halted in February after several failures.
Lt. Gen. Trey Obering, chief of the Missile Defense Agency, said that
a review identified six possible technical problems and that development
efforts have focused on "driving those out of the program."
North Korea Ties New Issue To 50's War
(New York Times, July 22, 2005)
North Korea said that the crisis over its nuclear weapons program could
be resolved if the United States was willing to normalize relations, including
replacing the cease-fire that has existed since the end of the Korean
War with a permanent peace agreement. The announcement came as the six-nation
talks to defuse the nuclear crisis were scheduled to resume Tuesday in
Beijing.
Sub Officers Objected To Closing Base In Groton
(Boston Globe, July 22, 2005, Pg. 1)
The Navy's top submarine officers disagreed with a study used to justify
a Pentagon recommendation to close the sub base in Groton, Conn., according
to previously undisclosed documents, raising questions about the Defense
Department's rationale for shuttering the facility. Under the Pentagon
plan, the submarines stationed at Groton would be transferred to ports
in Virginia and Georgia.
IRAQ
Pentagon Report Says Iraqi Forces Are Not Yet Able To Defend Country
(Washington Post, July 22, 2005, Pg. 16)
Iraqi security forces are not yet ready to defend their country on their
own against a stubborn insurgency, but most of the nation's army battalions
are able to fight with help from U.S. and coalition forces, according
to a Pentagon assessment of progress in Iraq.
Algeria's Top Envoy Is Abducted In Iraq
(Washington Post, July 22, 2005, Pg. 16)
Algeria's top diplomat in Iraq was abducted by masked gunmen, witnesses
said, nearly three weeks after terrorists kidnapped and killed an Egyptian
envoy and threatened to seize more diplomats. Ali Belaroussi, the charge
d'affaires at the Algerian Embassy, was accosted by gunmen about 100 yards
from the embassy in the west Baghdad neighborhood of Mansour.
Sunnis Set Terms Of Return To Panel
(Los Angeles Times, July 22, 2005)
Sunni Arabs laid out the demands that they said must be met by the Iraqi
government if they are to rejoin the committee drafting a permanent national
constitution, warning that it would be a dire mistake to move ahead without
their participation. The Sunnis seek the appointment of an international
panel to investigate the assassination of a Sunni committee member as
well as the assignment of armed guards for the remaining Sunni members.
Testy Hussein Seen On Video Facing Iraqi Tribunal Judge
(Washington Post, July 22, 2005, Pg. 16)
A combative Saddam Hussein was shown on videotape facing an Iraqi special
tribunal judge, listening to charges against him and protesting that the
proceedings were illegitimate. In one exchange, Hussein said to the judge:
"I am detained, yes. It is a game, and you will discover it. They
say, 'You are detained by the new Iraqi government,' which was appointed
by the Americans."
U.S. Ties Funds For Insurgents To 4 Nephews Of Hussein
(New York Times, July 22, 2005)
The Treasury Department identified four nephews of Saddam Hussein who
it said had operated from Syria and played significant roles in providing
money, weapons, explosives and other support to the anti-American insurgency
in Iraq. The department made the details public as it announced action
to freeze any bank accounts or other assets in the United States linked
to the four men and to two younger brothers.
For Marines In Iraq, Humor Offers Escape
(Miami Herald-miami.com, July 21, 2005)
As they have throughout their history, U.S. Marines in Iraq often turn
to jokes or pranks to relieve the tension of living in constant danger.
The humor is often dark and almost always salty, focusing on aching backs,
alcohol, their own mortality—and, of course, old girlfriends.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Director Of National Reconnaissance Office Named
(New York Times, July 22, 2005)
Donald M. Kerr, the CIA's deputy director for science and technology,
has been named the director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which
builds and operates the nation's spy satellites, the Defense Department
announced.
Pentagon Proposes Rise In Age Limit For Recruits
(New York Times, July 22, 2005)
As the U.S. military falls behind its recruiting goals for the year, the
Pentagon has asked Congress to increase the maximum age for recruits to
42 for all service branches. Now, the limit is 39 for persons without
previous military service who want to enlist in the reserves and the National
Guard, and 35 for those seeking active duty.
Panel Weighs Giving Troops Option Of Cash Instead Of Benefits
(European Stars and Stripes, July 21, 2005)
Should the Defense Department take the money it spends on benefits and
offer it as cash for service members to spend as they see fit? That is
one of the questions the Defense Department's advisory committee
on military compensation tackled during its third public meeting.
Military Plans For 'Irregular' Wars
(Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 17, 2005, Pg. 10)
With no end of the war in Iraq in sight, the military is planning for
more "irregular" wars that combine terrorism, insurgency and
regional conflicts and may last decades. The number of linguists—not
tanks—may decide who wins battles against insurgents or terrorists,
experts told a military conference on future warfare at Quantico, Va.
WHITE HOUSE
White House Against Detainee-Treatment Bill
(Washington Post, July 22, 2005, Pg. 6)
The White House threatened to veto a Senate bill for $442 billion in next
year's defense programs if it moves to regulate the Pentagon's treatment
of detainees or sets up a commission to investigate operations at military
prisons at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and elsewhere.
Cheney Calls War On Terror Unpredictable
(New York Times on the Web, July 21, 2005)
Vice President Dick Cheney, standing with veterans to mark the 75th anniversary
of the government agency created to serve them, said "we cannot predict
the length or the course of the war on terror."
CONGRESS
Senate Votes To Give Military Health Care To Guard, Reserves
(National Journal's CongressDailyAM, July 22, 2005)
The Senate opted to extend military health care to all participating members
of the National Guard and Reserve, setting the stage for a major debate
with House members when the $441.6 billion 2006 defense authorization
bill heads to conference committee.
Senate Defense Bill Amendments To Target RNEP, Humvees
(Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, July 22, 2005)
Senators attempting to amend the fiscal 2006 defense authorization bill
will try to eliminate funds for developing the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator,
strip more than $60 million from national missile defense and boost funding
to buy up-armor Humvees for the Army and the Marine Corps.
Military Needs Vehicle To Replace Humvee, Hunter Says
(Defense Today, July 22, 2005, Pg. 1)
The Army and Marine Corps need to develop a new generation of vehicles
to eventually replace the Humvees that are seeing so much duty in Iraq
and Afghanistan, according to House Armed Services Committee Chairman
Duncan Hunter. U.S. forces, Hunter said, need a vehicle that is sufficiently
armored to withstand most improvised explosive devices while remaining
sufficiently agile to maneuver around tight urban areas.
U.S. Congress Seeks To Improve Sharing Of Military Technology With Civilians
(DefenseNews.com, July 21, 2005)
Technology developed for the U.S. military is gradually moving into the
civilian sector to help arm authorities at home for the war on terrorism.
For example, helmet-mounted communications sensors developed for Navy
SEALS now are used by civilian firefighters, and anthrax detectors now
screen U.S. mail. But some members of Congress worry that the process
for identifying military equipment that could help civilian authorities
is too haphazard and may be overlooking some promising technology.
Gilchrest Joins Call For Announcing Iraq Withdrawal Plan
(Baltimore Sun, July 22, 2005)
Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest of Maryland has become the third Republican co-sponsor
of a resolution calling on the Bush administration to announce a withdrawal
plan for U.S. troops in Iraq by the end of this year.
Lautenberg: U.S. Should Get Tough With Saudis
(Philadelphia Inquirer, July 22, 2005)
Contending that Saudi Arabia remains a center of financing and recruitment
for extremists, Sen. Frank Lautenberg says it is time for the United States
to consider ending military cooperation with the Saudis unless they crack
down more forcefully on radical Islamic groups.
Pols Call To Shut Paramilitary School
(Long Island Newsday, July 21, 2005)
A 12-year legislative campaign to end support for the Army's School of
the Americas has gained backing from several New York-area members of
Congress. The school at Fort Benning, Ga., trains mostly soldiers from
Latin America, some of whom were later accused of atrocities in their
home countries.
Iraq War Veteran Runs For Congress
(Washington Times, July 22, 2005, Pg. 9)
A few months ago, Paul Hackett was flushing out insurgents and avoiding
ambushes in Fallujah, Ramadi and other hot spots in the Iraq war. Today,
the Marine Reserve major, a Democrat, is trying to round up votes in southern
Ohio's conservative 2nd Congressional District in a bid to become the
first Iraq war veteran elected to Congress.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Airspace Authority Changes Weighed
(Washington Post, July 22, 2005, Pg. 10)
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Homeland Security Secretary Michael
Chertoff are near agreement on a plan to give the military sole authority
to shoot down civilian aircraft that violate restricted airspace over
Washington, a Pentagon official said, eliminating potential confusion
between government agencies.
DOD Eyes New Air Defense Package To Secure Skies At Special Domestic
Events
(InsideDefense.com, July 21, 2005)
The Defense Department is considering establishing a standing, mobile
air defense system to secure domestic air space over high-profile events,
including gatherings of heads of state, political conventions and even
major sporting events. Last year, the U.S. military assembled air defense
packages on an ad hoc basis to support a number of high-profile events,
such as the Group of Eight summit at Sea Island, Ga., and political conventions
in Boston and New York City.
TERRORISM
U.S. Forces In England Go About Their Business After Latest London Attacks
(European Stars and Stripes, July 22, 2005)
After being criticized for a perceived overreaction to the deadly London
bombings two weeks ago, the U.S. Air Force in England remained calm in
the wake of Thursday's incidents. Following the July 7 blasts, the Air
Force ordered its members not to go to London, even though city officials
insisted that the capital was safe. British media chastised the service
for being so cautious, with one columnist referred to American airmen
as "lilly-livered."
MISSILE DEFENSE
U.S. Missile Defense Being Expanded, General Says
(Washington Post, July 22, 2005, Pg. 10)
The United States is expanding its preliminary missile defense system
to address potential threats from the Middle East and China, and from
ship-borne missiles off America's coast, the chief of the Pentagon's program
said. The Pentagon is upgrading radars in Britain and surveying four European
countries for a new site for U.S. interceptor missiles, to better monitor
and defeat incoming strikes from the Middle East, according to Air Force
Lt. Gen. Henry A. Obering III, director of the Missile Defense Agency.
Lockheed Missile Interceptor Role Ends, Obering Says
(Bloomberg.com, July 21, 2005)
Lockheed Martin will be phased out as a provider of interceptor boosters
carrying warheads for the U.S. ground-based missile defense program, leaving
Orbital Sciences as the sole source, Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry A. Obering
III, director of the Missile Defense Agency, said. The move is based on
cost considerations that prohibit the agency from keeping both companies
as suppliers in the face of about $1 billion in budget cuts, Obering said.
ARMY
Army Boosts Benefits For Recruits Taking High-Demand Jobs
(Washington Post, July 22, 2005, Pg. 9)
Active-duty Army recruits can reap an unprecedented benefit of more than
$100,000 in bonuses, college funds and extra pay for accepting high-demand
jobs in priority units, the Army announced. Beginning July 13, the Army
offered new incentive pay of as much as $14,400 to soldiers who enlist
for three or more years as infantrymen, mechanics, medics or a wide range
of other career fields, according to the Army Recruiting Command. The
soldiers must also agree to join "priority units," which Army
officials said means units that are reorganizing or preparing to deploy
overseas.
NAVY
In Small Numbers, SEALs Tackle Huge Tasks
(Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, July 22, 2005)
Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have pushed Navy SEALs from their traditional
role as sea warriors into mountain and urban commandos. They focus on
the same core missions, however—reconnaissance, capturing the enemy
and fighting in the most unforgiving conditions.
AIR FORCE
Hunter Finds Shrinking Air Force Fighter Inventory 'Troubling'
(Inside The Air Force, July 22, 2005, Pg. 1)
The number of fighter aircraft Pentagon officials plan to employ in the
future is "troubling," House Armed Services Committee Chairman
Duncan Hunter said, adding the Air Force should consider extending production
of soon-to-be legacy was planes such as the F-15E Strike Eagle and the
F-16.
JASSM Hits Target In Latest Flight-Test
(Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, July 22, 2005)
The Air Force's Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile flew in what appeared
to be a successful test July 20, giving the program a lift after taking
a beating on Capitol Hill the previous month. During the test, the missile
cleanly separated from an F-16 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and
flew about 21 minutes before detonating in a hardened test target, according
to a government source.
MARINE CORPS
Marine Who 'Wouldn't Quit Fighting' Is Honored
(Los Angeles Times, July 22, 2005)
With his Marine unit in danger of being overrun by insurgents in Fallujah,
Iraq, Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin exposed himself to enemy fire to throw a
grenade at their position 20 meters away. The grenade helped repel the
attack, but Austin was mortally wounded. Today, in a ceremony at the Texas
Panhandle War Memorial in Amarillo, Austin's parents will receive the
Silver Star, awarded posthumously to their son.
Squadron Noted For Mishap-Free Milestone
(Beaufort Gazette, S.C., July 21, 2005)
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort celebrated a milestone, as Marine All-Weather
Fighter Attack Squadron 332 was recognized for making it through 100,000
mishap-free hours, a Marine aviation record.
COAST GUARD
Panel Grills Coast Guard Chief
(Miami Herald, July 22, 2005)
Members of a key House Appropriations subcommittee grilled Coast Guard
Commandant Adm. Thomas Collins about a program to repair and replace the
Coast Guard's aging patrol boats and aircraft. The Deepwater Project began
in 2002 with a contract for $15 billion over 20 years. The Coast Guard
on Thursday told the Subcommittee on Homeland Security that it now will
cost $24 billion over 25 years.
BUSINESS
Halliburton Posts Profit, Led By Oil-Field Services
(Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2005, Pg. 7)
Halliburton swung to a second-quarter profit with strong results from
its oil-field services unit, which provides specialized services and technologies
to energy companies. The company's contracting and construction unit,
Kellogg Brown & Root, posted $122 million in operating income, as
the military paid the company fees for work supporting the troop deployment
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Armor Holdings To Face Competition For New Humvees
(Bloomberg.com, July 21, 2005)
Armor Holdings, the sole provider of armor for Humvees used by the Army
in Iraq, will face competition to equip the vehicles for the first time
next year. The Army plans to switch to two new Humvee models and allow
the manufacturer, AM General, to select suppliers for the armor.
GUANTANAMO
Some Guantanamo Prisoners Have Gone On Hunger Strike
(New York Times, July 22, 2005)
Some 50 prisoners at the American naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
have been on a hunger strike for three days, a Pentagon spokesman said,
adding that that he did not know why the prisoners were refusing food.
Earlier, two Afghans that had been released from the prison claimed that
more than 180 prisoners were on a hunger strike to protest mistreatment.
AFGHANISTAN
Taliban Militants Kill Nine In Raid
(Washington Times, July 22, 2005, Pg. 14)
Suspected Taliban militants raided an Afghan village and killed nine tribesmen
and vengeance-seeking relatives killed four persons in another hamlet,
as violence simmered ahead of key parliamentary elections.
Australia Reassesses Afghan Effort
(Christian Science Monitor, July 22, 2005)
A move by Australia to redeploy 150 special forces troops to Afghanistan
in time for the September elections has been dismissed by observers in
Canberra as a "pittance"—a largely symbolic move designed
to mollify the United States.
ASIA/PACIFIC
China Says It Won't Be First To Use Nukes
(USA Today, July 22, 2005, Pg. 5)
China rejected a general's remark that its military might use nuclear
weapons against U.S. forces in a conflict over Taiwan. Foreign Minister
Li Zhaoxing said China "will not first use nuclear weapons at any
time and under any condition" and that the general was expressing
his "personal view."
Despite U.S. Effort, Pakistan Remains Key Terror Hub
(Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2005, Pg. 1)
Al Qaeda's possible role in the July 7 London bombings and the latest
attacks remains murky, but one thing is clear to South Asia analysts and
Western intelligence officials: Pakistan continues to be a principal recruiting
ground and logistical center for global terrorists. This is despite three
years of military operations by the U.S. and Pakistan to root out Al Qaeda
and Taliban members in the remote tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan
border.
Musharraf Wants Jihad On Hate
(USA Today, July 22, 2005, Pg. 7)
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf called for a holy war against preachers
of hate after a roundup of suspected extremists.
NORTH KOREA
Pyongyang's Intentions To Be Tested At Talks
(Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2005, Pg. 10)
Washington and Seoul plan to test North Korea's intentions when multilateral
disarmament talks resume in Beijing next week and are prepared to start
substantive negotiations if Pyongyang commits to abandoning all of its
nuclear programs, U.S. and South Korean officials said.
MIDEAST
Turkey Expects Some U.S. Help With Rebels
(New York Times, July 22, 2005)
With Turkey on edge after two bombings at beachfront resorts, the country's
military said this week that the United States had issued an order to
American troops to capture Kurdish rebel leaders hiding in northern Iraq.
While not commenting on the specifics of the statement, a Pentagon spokesman
said that American forces would seize any suspected terrorists, including
those of Turkish origin, if the American soldiers came across them in
the course of daily counterterrorism operations in Iraq.
EUROPE
U.S., Russia Descend Into Mutual Mistrust
(San Francisco Chronicle, July 21, 2005, Pg. 1)
Growing disputes between the United States and Russia are threatening
to significantly chill the once warm relations between the two countries.
They also may seriously undercut a major front in the U.S. war on terrorism.
VETERANS
Last Comanche Code Talker Of WWII Dies
(USA Today, July 22, 2005, Pg. 3)
Charles Chibitty, the last of 20 Comanche Indians who used their native
language as a code to transmit messages for the Allies during World War
II, has died in Tulsa, Okla. He was 83. Known as code talkers, a group
of Comanche Indians from the Lawton, Okla., area were selected for special
duty in the Army, speaking a language that the Germans could not decipher.
OPINION
Why Do They Hate Us? Not Because Of Iraq
Olivier Roy
(New York Times, July 22, 2005)
The author of "Globalized Islam" writes that Western-based Islamic
terrorists are not the militant vanguard of the Muslim community; they
are a lost generation, unmoored from traditional societies and cultures,
frustrated by a Western society that does not meet their expectations.
And their vision of a global ummah—the worldwide community of Muslim
believers—is both a mirror of and a form of revenge against the
globalization that has made them what they are.
Handing Over The Mic
Troops Talk From Iraq
Michael Graham
(National Review Online, July 21, 2005)
A Washington, D.C., radio talk show host, who spoke with more than 100
service members during a tour of Iraq, writes that they overwhelmingly
said the same things about the war: "We believe in the mission."
"We're making progress." "The Iraqis are making progress,
too."
Visualize Iraq—In Space
Lawrence J. Korb and Peter Ogden
(Seattle Times, July 21, 2005)
Two officials at the Center for American Progress write: "Instead
of pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into a space-weapons program
that will not enhance existing U.S. assets (but which will provide yet
another incentive for the rest of the world to pursue and develop nuclear
weapons), President Bush should learn from his experience with Iraq and
invest in the U.S. military's capacity to fight wars with countries that
will not seek to engage us in direct force-to-force combat.
America's Soft Power Needs Hard Work
Lionel Barber
(London Financial Times, July 22, 2005)
Karen Hughes, President Bush's close political adviser and his nominee
for undersecretary for public diplomacy, testifies before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee today. The question is whether one person—or
one agency—is capable of reversing the worldwide tide of anti-Americanism.
Traditionalists will argue that policy trumps perception. But maybe they
have it wrong, at least in terms of the struggle against radical Islam,
which means engaging the enemy in the realm of ideas as well as on the
battlefield.
Source: Defense News
|
