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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Airpower Summary for December 13 AFNS 18 Dec 2010
• Airpower Summary for December 15 AFNS 18 Dec 2010
• Airpower Summary for December 14 AFNS 18 Dec 2010
• Afghan Taliban slam Obama strategy as 'fake hopes' IRNA 18 Dec 2010 -- Afghan Taliban Friday dismissed President Obama’s review of Afghan strategy as ‘a fake hope to American and other nations of world’ and to divert the international community's attention from the U.S. failure.
• New Violence Grips Afghanistan as German Leader Visits VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- New violence raged across Afghanistan Saturday, taking the life of at least one child and a Bangladeshi engineer.
• Profile: Frank Ruggiero, New Acting U.S. Special Envoy To Afghanistan And Pakistan RFE/RL 18 Dec 2010 -- The death on December 13 of U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke, who was President Barack Obama's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, blew a gaping hole in the U.S. team heading up the civilian mission of the White House's strategy.
• CIA station head leaves Pakistan over security threats IRNA 18 Dec 2010 -- Head of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Islamabad has been recalled by US authorities over security threats, local media reported Friday.
• CIA Pulls Its Chief From Pakistan RFE/RL 18 Dec 2010 -- The CIA has recalled it top officer from Pakistan after his cover was blown and his life threatened.
• NATO supplies container burnt, driver injured IRNA 18 Dec 2010 -- Unidentified armed men in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province. Saturday fired at a container, carrying supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan and injured its driver and another person, police said.
• US drone strikes kill 35 more in Pakistan, mostly civilians IRNA 18 Dec 2010 -- US drone aircraft launched series of strikes in a Pakistani tribal region Friday killing 35 people, mostly civilians, local TV channels reported.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US Congress Repeals Ban on Gays in Military VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- The U.S. Senate has voted to repeal the ban on gays serving openly in the military.
• President Hails Vote to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Law AFPS 18 Dec 2010 -- President Barack Obama hailed the Senate’s vote today to repeal the law that banned gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military and expressed confidence the Defense Department can institute the new policy while maintaining military strength and readiness.
• DoD News: Statement by Secretary Robert Gates on Senate Vote to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' DoD 18 Dec 2010
• DoD News: Statement by Adm. Mike Mullen on Senate Vote to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' DoD 18 Dec 2010
• 'Don't Ask' Remains in Effect as Gates, Mullen Tackle Plan AFPS 18 Dec 2010 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, welcomed the Senate’s vote today to repeal the so-called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law, while emphasizing that the current law and policy will remain in effect until they and President Barack Obama certify the plan to implement it.
• CNO Issues Statement Following Vote to Repeal DADT NNS 18 Dec 2010 -- The Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, released the following statement following the vote to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell":
• Obama Urges Swift Approval of START Treaty VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- President Barack Obama is urging the U.S. Senate to rafity the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia before the end of the legislative session.
• Weekly Address: START is About the Safety and Security of America; Not Scoring Political Points The White House 18 Dec 2010
• Army Periodic Health Assessment pilot program instituted for demobilizing 53rd IBCT Army News 18 Dec 2010 -- The Army has initiated a pilot program intended to improve and transform the way it meets the healthcare needs of Soldiers, ensuring they reach maximum medical readiness to support future deployments.
• USS Olympia Returns Following Pacific Deployment NNS 18 Dec 2010 -- The Los Angeles-class submarine USS Olympia (SSN 717) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Dec. 17, after completing a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific region in support of 7th Fleet operations.
• Carrier Air Wing Eight Holds Change of Command Ceremony NNS 18 Dec 2010 -- Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 held a change of command ceremony aboard Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., Dec. 17.
• Naval Submarine Support Command Changes Hands NNS 18 Dec 2010 -- Naval Submarine Support Command (NSSC) Pearl Harbor held a change of command ceremony at the submarine piers aboard Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Dec. 17.
• TRICARE Outpatient Clinic Pharmacy Goes High-Tech NNS 18 Dec 2010 -- Naval Medical Center San Diego's(NMCSD) TRICARE Outpatient Clinic (TOC) East County Pharmacy in Santee, Calif. modernized pharmaceutical care in September 2010 with the installation of a new robotic system.
• U.S., Bahrain Discuss Regional Security Issues AFPS 18 Dec 2010 -- Regional security issues and strengthening the U.S.-Bahraini alliance were on the table during a meeting between Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff last night.
• Obama Vows to Press on as Senate Blocks DREAM Act AFPS 18 Dec 2010 -- President Barack Obama expressed disappointment today that the Senate blocked a bill that would have granted a path to citizenship for certain immigrants who serve in the military, but vowed to continue pressing for its passage.
• South Korea Poised For Military Drill Despite Threat From North RFE/RL 18 Dec 2010 -- South Korean troops are poised to launch a life-fire drill on a small island close to the North, in defiance of threats by Pyongyang.
• Russia to begin building first Project 11356 frigate for Black Sea Fleet on Saturday RIA Novosti 18 Dec 2010 -- The construction of the first Project 11356 frigate for Russia's Black Sea Fleet will begin at the Yantar Shipyard in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad on Saturday, a spokesman for the Russian Navy said.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Armed men fire at UN peacekeepers in Côte d'Ivoire UN News Centre 18 Dec 2010 -- Armed men in military uniform fired shots in the direction of a patrol vehicle of the United Nations peacekeeping troops in Côte d'Ivoire overnight, the mission said today, reiterating its call for calm in the West African country where a tense standoff over the outcome of the presidential election resulted in violence this week.
• UN Spokesman: Gbagbo Not Ivory Coast President VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- The United Nations says a request by incumbent Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo for all foreign peacekeepers to leave the divided country immediately is irrelevant. Ivorian state television issued a statement earlier Saturday accusing peacekeepers of siding with rebels and Mr. Gbagbo's presidential rival Alassane Ouattara.
• Ivory Coast President Gbagbo Orders UN Peacekeepers Out VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- The government of incumbent Ivorian president, Laurent Gbagbo, has called for the immediate departure of U.N. and French peacekeepers. Mr. Gbagbo says he will not cede power to U.N.-endorsed election winner, Alassane Ouattara.
• Ivory Coast President Gbagbo Shows No Signs of Bowing to Pressure to Step Down VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- A spokeswoman for incumbent Ivorian president, Laurent Gbagbo, says Mr. Gbagbo will not step down, despite violent street protests and mounting international pressure for him to cede power to U.N.-endorsed election winner, Alassane Ouattara. The spokeswoman also read a statement demanding French and United Nations troops leave the country.
• Palestine to be ready for independence by 2011, says PM RIA Novosti 18 Dec 2010 -- The efforts which the Palestine's administration takes to develop state institutions and bolster economic growth will create a certain base for setting up an independent state by the summer of 2011, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said on Saturday.
• UN panel on Sudan's referenda in the country to review preparations UN News Centre 18 Dec 2010 -- The United Nations panel tasked with monitoring the forthcoming referenda on the self-determination of Southern Sudan arrived in Khartoum today for a series of meetings with officials involved in preparations and other key stakeholders.
• Sudan President Accused of Hiding Billions of Dollars VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor says he has evidence Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has stolen billions of dollars from his country.

News Reports

• Gary Chapman, Computer Pioneer, Dies at 58 18 Dec 2010 -- Gary Chapman, Senior Lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, Associate Director of the Telecommunications and Information Policy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin and internationally recognized expert on Internet policy, telecommunications and technology policy, died of an apparent heart attack Tuesday, December 14, in Guatemala, according to his family.
• China: Korean six-party talks to help avoid new conflict RIA Novosti 18 Dec 2010 -- China on Saturday urged the traditional participants of the Korean six-party talks to hold urgent consultations to help abate tensions between North and South Koreas and avoid yet another armed conflict.
• China Steps Up Pressure on Koreas VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- China stepped up pressure on North and South Korea Saturday to exercise self-restraint to ease what it says are "extremely precarious" tensions on the Korean peninsula.
• Salehi outlines his ministry’s new plans to promote foreign ties IRNA 18 Dec 2010 -- Caretaker of the Foreign Ministry Ali-Akbar Salehi outlined new plans to promote ties with different foreign countries.
• New Iranian FM: Improving Ties to Islamic Countries a Priority VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- Iran's new interim foreign minister says one of his top priorities will be improving ties with Tehran's Islamic neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia.
• Iraqi PM to Name New Cabinet Monday VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- The Iraqi parliament has voted to reinstate three top Sunni lawmakers from a list of politicians banned for ties with the Baath party of former leader Saddam Hussein. Iraqi officials are reporting that outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will formally present his new government on Monday.
• Sentence for Iraqi Saddam-era deputy PM to be commuted - source RIA Novosti 18 Dec 2010 -- The sentence for Iraqi former deputy prime minister and incumbent foreign minister to be commuted, a source in Iraqi Supreme Criminal Court said.
• Final probe results blame Russia's Glonass satellites loss on manufacturer RIA Novosti 18 Dec 2010 -- Investigators have blamed the recent loss of three Glonass-M satellites in space on a series of mistakes made by the Russian Energia rocket corporation, final results of a probe into the incident have showed.
• Lukashenko Dominates Belarus Election Day VOA 18 Dec 2010 -- Belarus votes for president on Sunday. The suspense is largely over the margin of victory for Alexander Lukashenko, hailed by some as Europe's longest serving president, reviled by others as Europe's "last dictator."