U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Edens, right, a combat flight medic with the 1st Forward Support Medical Team, checks a wounded Iraqi army soldier's pulse during a medical evacuation mission near Tal Afar, Iraq, July 20, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Edens, center, assists Iraqi army soldiers in loading a wounded Iraqi soldier onto a U.S. Army UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter at a medical evacuation point near Tal Afar, Iraq, July 20, 2006. Edens is a combat flight medic with 1st Forward Support Medical Team, 542nd Medical Company (Air Ambulance) out of Fort Campbell, Ky. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Gideon Brent prepares for takeoff after receiving a "nine line," an urgent medical evacuation mission, near Tal Afar, Iraq, July 17, 2006. Brent is a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter pilot from the 1st Forward Support Medical Team, 542nd Medical Company (Air Ambulance) out of Fort Campbell, Ky. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

An Iraqi army soldier is unloaded from a U.S. Army UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter at the 47th Combat Support Hospital in Mosul, Iraq, July 20, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

An Iraqi army soldier is unloaded from a U.S. Army UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter at the 47th Combat Support Hospital in Mosul, Iraq, July 20, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

U.S. Army medics from the 47th Combat Support Hospital in Mosul, Iraq, transport an injured Iraqi army soldier, July 17, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

The staff of the 47th Combat Support hospital in Mosul, Iraq, treats a wounded Iraqi soldier, July 20, 2006. The soldier suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

by Lt. Col. William Thurmond
July 28, 2006
Army Bull Rider Mike Lee goes the full 8 seconds on the back of "Shanghai" at the July Fritos Invitational in Dallas. He's now fourth in overall series points.

News of Note
Israel at War
Israeli forces kill Islamic Jihad head
Israel Pulls Back From Lebanon Border Town
Rice Back in Mideast to Talk Peace
Hezbollah Chief Lobs Threats at Israel, Condoleezza Rice
Humanitarian Aid Continues to Arrive in Beirut
Abbas: No Plans to Work With Hezbollah on Prisoner Release
Israel Rejects U.N. Request for Temporary Cease-Fire
Nasrallah says Rice mission to serve Israel
Israel bombs Gaza militants' homes
Rice seeks deal on peacekeepers to end Lebanon war - Video
France offers new UN resolution on Mideast crisis
Lebanon crisis is part of broader struggle: Bush
Islamic Jihad: Israel killed militant head
Israel pulls out of Hezbollah stronghold

Operation Iraqi Freedom
3,700 GIs Headed for Baghdad

Operation Enduring Freedom
NATO sets sights on Afghan drug barons

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Security High at Seattle-Area Synagogues, Mosques
6 Shot at Jewish Center

Worldwide Wackos
State Radio: Iran Will Reject U.N. Nuke Resolution

Chavez, Ahmedinejad Meet
N.Korean missile broke up soon after launch: reports

Politics / Government
Rove says US voters inattentive but not stupid
Voters in mind, Congress eyes money issues

Mother Nature
Deadly Java tsunami weighs on warning system meeting
More than 60 percent of U.S. in drought

Oddities
Man accused of biting off rooster's head

Other News of Note
227 Fall Ill Aboard Cruise
5 killed in latest New Orleans shootings

Fox News
Plane Carrying Skydivers Crashes in Mo., Killing 4
Chinese Farmer With Face Transplant Leaves Hospital
5 Killed in N.O. Shootings
Friends: Colo. Killer Who Claims 49 Victims Was 'Kind' (except for that killing-49-people thing)
Police Flooded With Calls

Reuters: Top News
Congolese vote to end years of war and chaos - Video
Microsoft fails to quash Vista fears
Venom protein may lead to brain cancer cure -- study
Study debunks birth season-autism risk link
Pamela Anderson marries Kid Rock in St. Tropez
Mel Gibson apologizes for drunk driving
Jobs, more data and profits to drive stocks
Microchip stocks rally as investors sense bottom
Clothier Volcom shares fall after downgrade
Christopher & Banks raising payout 50 percent
Stocks soar as GDP report sparks rate hopes - Video
Retreat in transport stocks bodes well
The Reuters Select wrap-up
Hilton reaches accord with hotel labor union
US Airways tested Delta's interest in merger: WSJ
Court won't block McClatchy newspaper sale
M.Stanley in talks on News Corp Boston land: report
Wal-Mart sees July same-store sales up 2.4 pct

AP World News
Seattle suspect allegedly ambushed girl
Granderson stars as Tigers top Twins
Beltran supplies power as Mets rout Braves
Devil Rays rout Big Unit, Yankees 19-6
At 60, Sony focuses on rebuilding brand
Western Carolina U. plans 'body farm'
Anderson, Kid Rock marry in St. Tropez
Webb holds off Wie to win Evian Masters
McCartney reportedly files for divorce
Chinese man heading home after transplant
IOC president defends cycling amid scandal

Department of Defense
NEWS UPDATES
World Must Stop Lebanon Fight - Story
For Top News Visit DefenseLink

ON THE GROUND
Airmen Work to Ensure Planes Meet Mission - Story
Iraqis Receive Excavation Equipment - Story
Battalion Helps Iraqis Take the Lead - Story

IN IRAQ
Soldiers Join Noncommissioned Officer Corps
British Regiment Gets Hometown Treat

IN AFGHANISTAN
New Command Oversees Military Doctrine
Airmen Control Skies Over Dangerous Areas
Stops in 'Hot' Zone Require Quick Off-loads

DefendAmerica Week in Review
Sunday - Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday - Saturday

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq (PDF)
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (PDF)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

Weather
Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Gitmo

Today in History
1619 - The Virginia House of Burgesses, the first U.S. elective governing body, is formed. 1729 - The City of Baltimore is founded.
1733 - In Boston, the Society of Freemasons opens its first American lodge.
1792 - France's national anthem - the "Marseillaise" - is first sung.
1839 - Rebel slaves take over the Amistad.
1863 - President Abraham Lincoln issues an "eye-for-eye" order - for every Black prisoner shot by Confederates, a Rebel prisoner will be shot.
1864 - Battle of the Crater (Petersburg campaign).
1870 - The Staten Island ferry "Westfield" burns, killing 100.
1908 - The Around the World Autombile Race ends in Paris.
1909 - The U.S. Army accepts delivery of the first military airplane.
1913 - The 2nd Balkan War ends.
1916 - German saboteurs blow up a munitions plant in New Jersey.
1942 - FDR signs the bill creating the Womens' Navy Auxiliary agency (WAVES); the German SS kills 25,000 Jews in Minsk.
1946 - At White Sands, NM, the first rocket attains an altitude of 100 mi (167 km) altitude
1956 - The U.S. motto "In God We Trust" is authorized.
1965 - LBJ signs the Medicare bill; it goes into effect the following year.
1971 - A Japanese Boeing 727 collides with an F-86 fighter, killing 162; the U.S. Apollo 15 lands on the Moon.
1974 - The U.S. House of Representatives recommends three articles of impeachment for President Richard M. Nixon.
1975 - Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa disappears in suburban Detroit.
1983 - In California, the official speed record for a piston-driven aircraft is set at 832 kph.
1984 - The Alvenus tanker spills 2.8 million gallons of oil in Louisiana.
1988 - Ronald J. Dossenbach begins his world record ride, pedaling across Canada
from Vancouver to Halifax.

Birthdays
1863 - Henry Ford, auto maker
1880 - Robert Rutherford McCormick, editor/publisher of the Chicago Tribune
1939 - Eleanor Smeal (National Organization for Women)
1940 - Patricia Schroeder (Rep-CO)

Passings
1914 - Jean Léon Jaurès, leading socialist, assassinated in Paris

Reported Missing in Action
1967
Biscailuz, Robert Lynn, USMC (CA); CH46A shot down, remains returned June, 1993

Byars, Earnest Ray, USMC (TX); CH46A shot down,remains returned June, 1993
Frederick, David A., USMC (OH); CH46A shot down,remains returned June, 1993

Waterman, Craig H., USMC (MA); CH46A shot down,remains returned June, 1993

1968
Beyer, Thomas J., USAF (ND); O2A disappeared while on reconnaissance mission

1970
Brown, Donald A., USAF (AZ); RF4C disappeared (navigator) while on mission over Laos

Chavez, Gary A., USAF (NY); RF4C disappeared (pilot) while on mission over Laos

1972
Breckner, William J., Jr., USAF (OH); F4D shot down over Hanoi, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Major General - alive as of 1998

Price, Larry D., USAF (FL); F4D shot down, released by DRV March, 1973