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COMMENTARY -- WAR --
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| Queen
Elizabeth's coronation 50 years ago |
|
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has marked the 50th anniversary of her
coronation with a religious ceremony in London.
Queen
Elizabeth returned to Westminster Cathedral and heard the same trumpets that
played at her coronation 50 years ago.
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| Queen Elizabeth
comes to Westminster Cathedral |
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The queen wore a primrose dress, a broad-brimmed hat and white gloves
for the ceremony, which drew a congregation of about 1,000 people. Most of the
royal family was there, except Prince Harry, who stands third in the line of
succession. He had to take school exams.
Among the participants were 240 people who attended the 1953
coronation, as well as 34 so-called "coronation babies" who were born on June
2, 1953.
There were special prayers for Queen Elizabeth, and the
Reverend Chris Chivers also made note of the queen's role as leader of the
54-nation Commonwealth, made up primarily of former British
colonies.
"Oh God, who has made us members of the Commonwealth of
Nations, and has banded us together under one queen, grant that we may ever be
alert to our great responsibilities," he prayed.
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| Royal family
during prayers |
|
The event was low-key compared with last year's Golden Jubilee
festival for the queen's ascension to the throne on February 6, 1952, following
the death of her father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth's coronation ceremony
was held the following year.
After the religious service, the queen returned to Buckingham
Palace to host a garden party for underprivileged children. Attractions
included a 110-year-old carousel and a circus tent.
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Bush in Egypt for Talks on
Mideast Peace 'Road Map'
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Middle East - Egypt - US Bush @Sharm el Sheikh -
U.S.-Arab summit for Arab Support
Talks with the leaders (Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak, King Abdullah of Jordan, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa
al-Khalifa, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud
Abbas) Tuesday will center on the so-called road map to peace. It calls on the
Palestinians to rein in militant groups and for Israel to ease restrictions for
the Palestinians in the territories as part of a process of creating a
Palestinian state by 2005
VOA -- 03 Jun 2003, 00:06
UTC
Dale Gavlak
Sharm el
Sheikh
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| AP |
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| Egyptian President Mubarak Greets President Bush |
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President Bush is in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, on his first mission to
the region for Middle East peacemaking. He will be discussing a plan with Arab
leaders aimed at securing peace between Israel and the
Palestinians.
President Bush meets with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak,
King Abdullah of Jordan, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Saudi Crown
Prince Abdullah and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud
Abbas.
Talks
with the leaders Tuesday will center on the so-called road map to peace. It
calls on the Palestinians to rein in militant groups and for Israel to ease
restrictions for the Palestinians in the territories as part of a process of
creating a Palestinian state by 2005.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath expressed confidence Monday
that President Bush will stick with the plan. "We need first of all President
Bush to continue with what looks like real involvement and engagement in the
Arab-Israeli question," he said. "And that involvement is clear with this
conference and the one in Aqaba. We would like him to continue in that role as
a supporter of this peace process to push to get it implemented on the ground.
And we want the Arabs to help do that."
Summit host Egypt's foreign minister Ahmed Maher says U-S
support and particularly that of the president himself is what is really needed
now, not just to kick start the peace process, but to see it through to its
final stage.
"What is required is a firm commitment, implementation and
monitoring of the implementation," he said. "And this is what we hope will be
what comes out of the meetings."
Following the U.S.-Arab summit, President Bush will travel to
Aqaba, Jordan, where he will hold talks with King Abdullah, Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon and Mr. Abbas.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Mouasher says the meetings are
trying to reverse the cycle of violence and despair that has gripped both sides
for the last three years.
"We are
on the verge of a new era," he said. "We understand that this is going to be a
lot of hard work. But we have to cross a major hurdle by both sides accepting
the 'road map,' by both sides accepting each other as two independent
states."
Mr.
Mouasher says both sides will need much support if peace is to be achieved.
U.S. officials say President Bush will press Arabs to end financial assistance
to militant groups seen to hinder peace efforts.
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End of article 2
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Contents of Defend America
Page
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Military News Worldwide
@USA
DoD -- Logged Monday,
02-Jun-2003
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| FOOT PATROL Soldiers of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion,
6th Infantry, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany, conduct a foot patrol
in a local marketplace in Fallujah, Iraq, to get a sense of the local people's
feelings on the U.S. presence in the area. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Albert EaddyMore News Photos (6) |
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| Review of U.S. Forces to Enhance DMZ
Deterrence |
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| By Gerry
J. Gilmore / American Forces Press Service |
|
 TOKYO, June 2, 2003 Any
realignment of American military forces in South Korea would enhance, rather
than degrade, that country's ability to deter potential threats such as those
posed by North Korea, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz said June
2 in Seoul.
Wolfowitz had given a keynote
luncheon speech to a group of South Korean business leaders before flying to
Tokyo.
Japan is the last leg of Wolfowitz's
trip to address East Asian security matters after stops in Singapore and South
Korea.
Because of the changed nature of
today's threats and the dramatic new capabilities of U.S. forces as exhibited
in Afghanistan and Iraq, Wolfowitz pointed out it's time to evaluate how U.S.
forces are postured around the world and the United States and how to achieve
more effectiveness while maintaining deterrence capability.
More |
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| Americans Help When Afghan Soldier Killed, 14 Hurt in
Crash |
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| By U.S.
Army Cpl. Keith A. Kluwe / 109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment |
|
 KANDAHAR AIR FIELD,
Afghanistan American troops were quick to help out when 14 Afghan soldiers were
injured and one killed June 2 in a head-on motor vehicle collision on Highway 4
between Kandahar City and Spin Boldak.
Both
trucks involved in the accident were transporting AMF soldiers, according to
Capt. Mohmmad Ismal, an AMF unit commander who was also injured in the
accident.
The injured were transported to the
U.S. Army medical facility at Kandahar Air Field for treatment. The soldier
that was killed in the accident was transported to Kandahar mortuary affairs.
More |
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| Memorial
Day marked the start of Operation Tribute to Freedom, a program of activities
slated for the days, weeks and months ahead that demonstrate public
appreciation for service members' accomplishments and sacrifices in the global
war against terrorism. DefendAmerica will routinely provide information on
upcoming Tribute to Freedom events. |
|
| For more
information on Operation Tribute to Freedom
. |
|
 |
 SEARCH THE THANK YOU NOTE Nearly 11 million people have
signed the on-line Thank You Note DefendAmerica.mil launched last May. To see
the names . |
| SEND A MESSAGE Send a Welcome Home" message to
U.S. troops returning from the war in Iraq and a "Thank You" to all who support
the global war on terrorism. To send your message . |
AMERICA'S BEST WISHES "Thank you for a job well done.
Your dedication and sacrifices are very much appreciated. We may not be there
to physically welcome you home, but be assured in spirit, we welcome you home
with open arms and tremendous THANKS!! GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL THOSE WHO
SERVE HER PROUDLY!!"
The Bolyard Family of Chillicothe,
Ohio |
| To read more Welcome Home messages
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| Vice President Richard Cheney |
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| "On September 11th, 2001, we learned that
threats which gather for years in secret can suddenly appear in our own cities.
We discovered that our future is closely tied to the fate of nations and
peoples on the other side of the earth, and indifference only increases the
danger. In a moment of tragedy, our nation was called to wage a global and
unrelenting campaign to eliminate the terrorists and the threats they pose. And
in this war, we are winning." |
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United
States Military Academy,
West
Point, New York, May 31, 2003 |
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3rd ID Soldiers Work to Keep
Baghdad s Streets
Safe |
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| By U.S.
Army Cpl. Todd Pruden / 372nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment |
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 BAGHDAD, Iraq Keeping the streets
of Baghdad free of crime and safe for the residents of the city is a task that
has fallen into the laps of coalition forces since the fall of the last
regime.
Members of the 3rd Infantry
Division (Mechanized) out of Fort Stewart, Ga., have been tasked to instill law
and order since the end of the war. They patrol the streets of Baghdad and
guard buildings from further looting.
According
to 1st Lt. Jason Redmon, a platoon leader for Company A, 4th Battalion, 64th
Armor, 3rd Inf. Div., the buildings that are priority for these soldiers to
guard are schools, banks, mosques and government facilities.
We are in charge of securing buildings and making sure
no looters take anything from these buildings, Redmon said.
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| VICE
PRESIDENT CHENEY |
| 'Bush Doctrine' Frees 2 Nations |
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| Sgt. 1st
Class Doug Sample / American Forces Press Service |
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WASHINGTON, June 2, 2003 "If there is anyone in the world today who doubts the
seriousness of the Bush Doctrine, I would urge that person to consider the fate
of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq," Vice
President Richard Cheney told the 2003 West Point graduating class.
The doctrine asserts that states supporting
terrorists, or providing sanctuary for terrorists, will be deemed just as
guilty of crimes as the terrorists themselves, Cheney noted in his May 31
commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy.
"Before 9-11, all too many nations tended to draw a
distinction between the terrorist groups and the states that provided these
groups with support. They were unwilling to hold these terror-sponsoring states
accountable for their actions."
After 9-11,
the president "decided that the distinction between the terrorists and their
sponsors should no longer stand," he said.
Cheney added perspective to the president's actions by saying that in 20 months
since the Sept. 11 attacks, "the United States has freed two nations from
oppression and terror."
More |
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| DMZ Soldiers and Marines are 'On the Front Lines of
Freedom' |
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| By Gerry
J. Gilmore / American Forces Press Service |
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SEOUL, South Korea, June 1, 2003 U.S. soldiers and Marines deployed along the
demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea "are on the front lines of
freedom," U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz said June 1 during a
visit to Camp Greaves located a mile from the DMZ.
"The country is grateful for your service," Wolfowitz
told the 500 Army soldiers and Marines gathered inside the camp's gymnasium. He
noted that both President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld "have
asked me to send a message to you: that we appreciate what you're doing -- it
is fantastic."
More |
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| North Korea's Nuclear Program Threatens Global
Stability |
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| By Gerry
J. Gilmore / American Forces Press Service |
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SINGAPORE, May 31, 2003
There's no greater threat to peace and stability facing Asian and other nations
today than North Korea's nuclear program, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D.
Wolfowitz said here May 31.
In his remarks
to attendees at the second annual Asia Security Conference in Singapore,
Wolfowitz observed that the spirit of multilateral cooperation embodied by such
conferences holds "important promise for enabling countries in the region to
resolve problems peacefully." The conference is sponsored by the International
Institute for Strategic Studies.
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Senior Airman Juan Carlos
Ochoa and other Air Force members of 6th Operations Support Squadron, hold up
welcome home signs provided by a local news station for Air Force members
returning from the Iraqi theater of operations to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
U.S. Air Force photo by Douglas K.
Lingefelt |
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| Seabees Helping Rebuild Iraq |
CAMP COMMANDO, Kuwait (NNS) While many of the U.S. troops in the Middle East
are starting to think about going home, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
Engineer Group Seabees continue to seek out and complete a multitude of
rebuilding projects in Iraq.
Called civil-military
operations, these projects combine the efforts of coalition forces and local
citizens, to improve the general welfare of the Iraqi people and support U.S.
forces still in theater.
How do the Seabees maintain
momentum and motivation to continue working, while their Marine and soldier
counterparts are preparing to pack up and depart? Command Master Chief Kevin
Timmons, who is responsible for the keeping the pulse on the morale and welfare
of the MEG enlisted troops, explains, As long as theres a purpose, the Seabees
will work 24 hours a day to get a job done. U.S. Navy Seabees are the best
resource around to ensure mission accomplishment. There is no one better suited
to accomplish the humanitarian mission.
More |
Task Force Neighborhood Moves to
North-Central Baghdad |
 Soldiers of "Task Force Neighborhood"
directed an all-out effort of reconstruction and clean-up May 27 on the
al-Hurriyah neighborhood of north-central Baghdad.
Building on an outing that removed more than 20 trucks of trash from the
al-Noor neighborhood in northwest Baghdad May 18, this week's effort was
situated about two miles to the southeast. Using the approach of "maximum
immediate effort for maximum immediate results," the task force soldiers joined
local citizens in a focused one-day effort.
Beginning at 9 a.m., soldiers from 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry, 82nd Airborne
Division, as well as engineers from the 130th Engineer Brigade, busied
themselves on a variety of projects in the neighborhood.
"We've got soldiers welding a metal door on a school down
the street; we've restocked a medical clinic (formerly a Fedayeen building)
around the corner; we've been hiring workers; and we're still cleaning up the
large amount of garbage everywhere," said Maj. Bernie Lindstrom, a battalion
executive officer with 130th Engineer Brigade.
More |
| More Operation Iraqi Freedom
Stories |
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Iraqi SAM Cache |
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U.S.
soldiers from the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion Quick Reaction Team uncover a
cache of Russian-made surface-to-air missiles May 28 in downtown Baghdad, while
1st Lt. Bryan Albertson and Staff Sgt. Terry Brown inspect buildings on the
lot.U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Jacob H.
Smith |
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Iraq Survey Group to Take
Over Hunt for
Iraqi Weapons |
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| By Jim
Garamone / American Forces Press Service |
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Washington,
May 30, 2003 A significant expansion of effort in the hunt for weapons of mass
destruction will begin to take hold in Iraq in coming days, DoD officials said
today.
That presence will come about with
startup work by the Iraq Survey Group. Army Maj. Gen. Keith Dayton, who will
head the group, said the group will consolidate the efforts of the various
collection operations in Iraq under one national-level headquarters. The
transition is slated to begin no later than June 7, Dayton said.
The group will ultimately have between 1,300 and 1,400
people from the United States military, other U.S. government agencies, the
United Kingdom and Australia. The main headquarters will be in Baghdad.
More |
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| On Afghanistan |
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Pentagon Identifies
Soldiers Killed in
Iraq |
WASHINGTON, June 2, 2003 Defense officials announced today the identities of
three soldiers who were killed in Iraq May 30. They are: Spc. Zachariah W.
Long, 20, of Milton, Pa., Spc. Michael T. Gleason, 25, of Warren, Pa., and Spc.
Kyle A. Griffin, 20, of Emerson, N.J. The soldiers were traveling in a
three-vehicle convoy during a storm from Mosul to Tikrit.
A civilian vehicle dodged a pothole causing the HUMMVs in
the convoy to swerve. There was not enough stopping distance between the
vehicles causing the LMTV to swerve off the road and turn over, causing the
death of three soldiers. The soldiers were assigned to 519th Military
Intelligence Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C. The incident is under investigation.
News Release |
|
Wounded Marines Return
To Uncertain
Future |
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (May 29, 2003) His hand all but gone,
Capt. Jason R. Frei reluctantly flexes a mechanical claw - knowing he may well
lose his grip on the Marine Corps anyway.
Frei, the
battery commander for A Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, put his
life on the line in Operation Iraqi Freedom. And although the Marine Corps put
him to good use in Iraq, it may not be able to use him any longer.
Frei is one of 251 Marines returning from Iraq with wounds
received in action. While moving in a convoy through Iraq, Frei was caught in
an ambush and hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, causing irreparable damage to
his right hand. Frei has been fitted with a prosthetic device with two hooks -
a poor substitute for a hand that will hinder his job performance, he said.
"When they're going to get a prosthesis, I think most
people are thinking in the back of their minds, 'Okay, I'm going to get my arm
back. I'm going to be able to do all of the things I could do, as soon as I can
get that prosthesis.' Well, you can't."
More |
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| Program Helps Spouses With Marine
Homecomings |
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. More than 80 family members of deployed
Marines gathered here May 20 for a "Return and Reunion Brief."
The brief was held to prepare the spouses of Marine Air
Control Squadron-1 and Combat Service Support Detachment-16 for the return of
their Marines, some of whom were arriving later that evening.
While some spouses may have wanted to prepare for
their Marines by going to greet the "Devil Dogs" as they debark the airplane or
bus that brings them home, the goal of the brief was geared more toward
mentally and emotionally preparing the spouses for a stressful situation.
More |
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| Profile |
Marine Chief Warrant Officer 4
Tom Cierley |
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LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA VIPER, Iraq
More than three decades ago, Marine Pvt. Tom Cierley pumped fuel for trucks and
helos heading off to fight enemy forces in Vietnam. Today, the 55-year-old bulk
fuel chief warrant officer 4 finds himself engaged in another conflict, far in
time and place from the jungles of Southeast Asia.
"The
sand here is so fine," said the Bakersfield, Calif., reservist as he surveys
the lunar-like terrain surrounding him. Cierley works as the operations officer
for Tucson, Ariz.,-based Bulk Fuel Alpha, a 4th Force Service Support Group
asset tasked with providing bulk liquids in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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American Troops Bring
Luau to
Uzbekistan |
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CAMP STRONGHOLD FREEDOM, Uzbekistan,
May 30, 2003 Hawaiian decorations, Philippine ancestral dances, Tahitian
beauties, Uzbek dance performers, and other Asian-Pacific cultural icons
recently showed U.S. service members supporting Operation Enduring Freedom the
true beauty of the realm they are protecting.
The
Asian-Pacific Heritage Observance Salute to Liberty Luau was hosted by
Logistical Task Force 46 at Camp Stronghold Freedom, Uzbekistan.
There were a total of 20 dances performed by several
different groups of performers. Some of the performers were hard-working U.S.
service members at Stronghold Freedom, while others were local performers from
Karshi-Khanabad, Uzbekistan.
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Engineers in Afghanistan
Test New Mine
Detector |
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BAGRAM, Afghanistan After being
tested in South Africa and sitting in the Armys warehouse for more than four
years, the new Interim Vehicle-Mounted Mine Detector is being tested here by
Company C, 27th Engineer Battalion, deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C., the
engineers chosen to be the first in the U.S. Army to use the system.
Afghanistan is rated one of the top five countries in the
world for having the largest number of landmines. The U.S. military decided
this would be the perfect place to test the new IVMMD system to see what it can
do.
More |
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| Afghanistan Update |
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Soldiers Use Pantyhose in
War
Against Baghdad Enemy |
BAGHDAD, Iraq As the modern,
computerized battlefield delivers a leading edge for todays field commanders, a
seemingly insignificant enemy rages war against the coalitions high-tech
operations each dayunseen to the layers of security around the main coalition
installation here.
This enemy has no weapons, aircraft
or secret informants, but every day it easily slips past the miles of
razor-sharp wires, the M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks of the 3rd Infantry
Division and past soldiers of the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion. The enemy is
sand.
Sand is everywhere. It is in everyones hair,
socks, uniforms, cots, vehicles, food, fingernails and thousands of laptop
computers and electronic devices across Baghdad and Iraq.
To wage war against a passive, microscopic enemy, the signal
officer assigned to the 422nd CA has conceivably dented Mother Natures forward
combat lines with common pantyhose material.
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| 'On The Ground'
Archive |
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End of article 3
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European Space Agency Launches
Its First Mars Flight
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Europe - EU (ESA)@Kazakhstan - Mars or
Bust
The European Space Agency
has launched its first mission to Mars in an effort to seek signs of life on
the red planet. The spacecraft took off on its six-month journey Monday atop a
Russian Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan. The Mars Express mission is similar to a
pair of U.S. probes that are to head to the red planet later this month. The
American orbiters will also deploy landers by parachute and they, too, will
search for water and life-giving environments, like the U.S. Pathfinder mission
did six-years ago. The difference is that the U.S. landers will roam on wheels
up to one-kilometer in their quest for interesting rocks to study, while the
compact European lander will stay in place.
VOA -- 02 Jun 2003, 19:17
UTC
David McAlary
Washington
Listen
to David Mcalary's report (RealAudio)
McAlary
report - Download 358k (RealAudio)
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Launch of
Mars spacecraft in Kazakhstan
Photo - European Space Agency |
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The European Space Agency has launched its first mission to Mars in
an effort to seek signs of life on the red planet. The spacecraft took off on
its six-month journey Monday atop a Russian Soyuz rocket from
Kazakhstan.
Europe's first foray into Mars exploration is called the Mars
Express. It is to enter Martian orbit in December and deploy a small lander by
parachute onto the barren surface.
The main objective is to search for water beneath the rocky
surface of our nearest planetary neighbor. Scientists believe water once flowed
plentifully there and may still exist as underground rivers, pools or
permafrost. They say the discovery of water would increase the possibility that
life existed or might still exist on Mars.
The Mars Express will circle the planet for one Martian year,
or 687 Earth days, and probe for subsurface water with a powerful radar. It
will also measure water levels in the atmosphere.
European Space Agency spokeswoman Jocelyne Landeau says the
lander below will check the atmosphere for traces of methane produced by living
organisms and search for other signs of life in rocks.
"We are going to grind holes into rocks and find out whether
you have any form of life somewhere, present life or past life," she said. "Of
course, we are not going to find a flower or an animal on Mars. We are going to
find probably microbes or bacteria."
The Mars Express mission is similar to a pair of U.S. probes
that are to head to the red planet later this month. The American orbiters will
also deploy landers by parachute and they, too, will search for water and
life-giving environments, like the U.S. Pathfinder mission did six-years ago.
The difference is that the U.S. landers will roam on wheels up to one-kilometer
in their quest for interesting rocks to study, while the compact European
lander will stay in place.
The European and American Mars efforts are cooperative. The
American space agency NASA provided some of the money for a U.S.-built
instrument on Mars Express. NASA's Mars Odyssey satellite now circling the red
planet will relay early data from the European lander back to Earth. Jocelyne
Landeau says the European orbiter will perform the same function for the future
U.S. rovers.
"It is a European mission. On the other hand, it is also a
mission based on cooperation," she said. "We could not do it if we had not had
a predecessor. We will be useful as well for our followers, or following
missions."
The reason the fleet of European and U.S. spacecraft are
journeying to Mars at the same time has to do with the alignment of the two
planets' orbits. They are taking advantage of the fact that the planets will be
at their closest in August, something that occurs every 26 months.
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End of article 4
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'Excellent start' for Mars
mission
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Europe - EU (ESA)@Kazakhstan - Mars or Bust - 2nd
Article
The Mars Express orbiter
and its lander Beagle 2 were hurled towards the Red Planet on a Russian
Soyuz-Fregat launcher, which blasted off from Baikonur in Kazakhstan at 1845
BST (1745 GMT) on Monday.
BBC -- Monday, 2 June, 2003, 20:44
GMT 21:44 UK
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'Excellent start' for Mars mission
Europe's first
mission to Mars is on its way.
A perfect launch from
Soyuz |
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The Mars Express orbiter and its lander Beagle 2
were hurled towards the Red Planet on a Russian Soyuz-Fregat launcher, which
blasted off from Baikonur in Kazakhstan at 1845 BST (1745 GMT) on Monday.
The launch vehicle powered into the night sky, its
four stages pushing the precious scientific payloads precisely on to the
planned trajectory.
A signal from Mars Express reporting that all
systems were "nominal" was received at 2044 BST (1944 GMT).
It will take six months for the orbiter and its
lander passenger to reach the Red Planet.
Beagle is expected to be on the Martian surface at
0254 GMT on 25 December. Mars Express will go into a highly elliptical polar
orbit of the planet on the same day.
"It's done; it's been a brilliant job," said
Professor David Southwood, the director of science at the European Space Agency
(Esa). "I'd like to thank everyone involved for a very successful start to the
mission."
First reports
The scientists and engineers who had travelled to
Baikonur to watch the blast-off jumped up and down with delight and hugged each
other as the Soyuz rocket headed into space.
Each successful stage separation was cheered. By
2015 BST (1915 GMT), it was confirmed Mars Express had successfully detached
from the Fregat booster following a one-lap trip around the Earth.
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