 |
|||||||
|
|||||||
 |
|
May 9, 2008:
May 8, 2008:
Osama Hamdan, Hamas (Lebanon): "Abbas's speech reveals his unserious in dialogue, reveals his inability to assume responsibility...If he handle any responsibility, he would stop the corruption of his security cervices, or he would save Mecca agreement...When we asked him, but he put the matter in the hands of the leaders of security services and did nothing, and if he assumed any responsibility, he would refuse to meet with Olmert; in particular, after the terrorist massacre of Gaza in the last February and March, when the resistance confronted the Zionist aggression..." ("Hamdan: Abbas is in Compatible with an American & Zionist Vision," Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades [Hamas] Website, May 8, 2008). May 8, 2008:
Clashes between Shia supporters of Hizaullah and Sunni backers of the Lebanese government intensify, transforming certain Beirut neighbourhoods into war zones. Masked gunmen on street corners in West Beirut open fire with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. Fighting is also reported on the Corniche Mazraa and the nearby Ras el-Nabeh area. The violence later spreads close to the downtown area. Lebanese troops in armoured carriers move in to separate the warring factions. Saudi Arabia: "The Kingdom urges the groups behind the escalation to reconsider their position, and to realise that leading Lebanon towards turmoil will not bring victory to any party except extremist external forces..." ("Violence escalates between Sunni and Shia in Beirut," The Guardian, May 8, 2008; "Saudi Warns Lebanon Opposition Against Escalation," Agence France-Presse, May 8, 2008). May 8, 2008:
A significant unmanned aerial vehicle warfighting milestone was reached more than two years ahead of schedule May 1, with the beginning of the 24th MQ-1 Predator combat air patrol in the global war on terror. This CAP doubles the around-the-clock Predator capability of last year, two years ahead of the Defense Department's goal of 2010 for 21 Predator CAPs. Predators now supply more than 13,400 hours of full-motion video to ground forces every month while conducting armed overwatch, force protection and precision air-to-surface engagements with the AGM-114 Hellfire missile. Sustaining one CAP 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year typically calls for four aircraft, but for surge operations, the Air Force now maintains 24 continuous CAPs with the total fleet of 76 combat aircraft. Predator missions are launched by crews at sites in U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility while flown by crews at various locations in the United States. This concept of operations, called remote split operations, allows greater effectiveness in supplying more full-motion video directly to warfighters engaged in combat, officials said. This model of operations nearly triples sustainable combat capability by maximizing the number of available crews and aircraft engaged in combat operations in the global war on terror. ("Predator Combat Air Patrols Double in One Year," American Forces Press Service, May 7, 2008). May 7, 2008:
Raytheon Company and Emirates Advanced Investments of the United Arab Emirates sign a cooperative development agreement for a semiactive laser guided 70 mm (2.75-inch) rocket designed to provide increased precision and lethality compared with conventional unguided rockets. Hussain I. Al Hammadi, Emirates Advanced Investments' chief executive officer: "The Laser Guided Rocket project with Raytheon is a very important defense industry initiative for the United Arab Emirates...It is designed to destroy targets ranging from tactical armored vehicles to high-speed naval craft and will provide a very affordable precision weapon for attack helicopters." Under the cooperative development agreement, the Laser Guided Rocket program represents a transfer of technology to the United Arab Emirates. Subject to approval of the respective companies' governments, Raytheon Missile Systems and Emirates Advanced Investments will produce the laser guided rocket for national and international customers. The agreement details a complete development and qualification program and provides for a follow-on proposal to supply a commercial off-the-shelf laser guided rocket for military customers in the United Arab Emirates, United States and other countries. Initially, the laser guided rocket will be qualified on a single United Arab Emirates' platform, with later integration onto additional platforms. ("Raytheon Teams with Emirates Advanced Investments to Develop Laser Guided Rocket," Raytheon Press Release, May 7, 2008). |
