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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 03 Aug 2011 [PDF]
• NATO and Libya - Operational Media Update: 02 Aug 2011
• Top US Envoy in Talks with Pakistani, Afghan Officials VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- U.S. special envoy Marc Grossman has held further talks with Pakistani leaders to discuss reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan.
• Afghan, Coalition Force Kills 2 Insurgents AFPS 03 Aug 2011 -- A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed two insurgents during a search for an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan facilitator in the Khanabad district of Afghanistan's Kunduz province yesterday, military officials reported.
• Head of Afghan Training Mission speaks of progress UK MOD 03 Aug 2011 -- Lieutenant General William B Caldwell, the Commander of the NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan (NTM-A), has spoken of the progress being made in training the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), and the plans to develop leadership within them.
• EPLOs deploy to Caribbean for hurricane response preparation AFNS 03 Aug 2011 -- With tropical storm activity increasing in the Atlantic region, officials from the Air Forces Northern National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate deployed two emergency preparedness liaison officers to assist in response efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Panetta: DOD Will Help Nation Meet Fiscal Challenges AFPS 03 Aug 2011 -- Though defense spending must and will be part of the solution to the national financial struggle, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told the Defense Department workforce in a message today, budget reductions must take sound strategy and policy into account.
• New Law Identifies No Additional Defense Cuts, Official Says AFPS 03 Aug 2011 -- The legislation President Barack Obama signed into law yesterday to raise the nation's debt ceiling and control long-term spending does not specifically call for more spending cuts than Defense Department officials already were planning, a senior Pentagon official said today.
• Halyburton , Embarked Fire Scout UAVs Complete Deployment NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- USS Halyburton (FFG 40), its two Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicles and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 42, Det. 2, returned to Naval Station Mayport Aug. 3, completing a seven-month deployment.
• Submarine Squadron 16 Changes Command NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- Commander, Submarine Squadron (CSS) 16 held a change-of-command ceremony at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Aug. 3.
• NAVFAC Specialty Center Acquisitions Awards $60M Architect-Engineering Contract NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- Specialty Center Acquisitions Naval (SCAN) Facilities Engineering Command awarded a maximum amount $60 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract to CH2M Hill/Clark Nexsen Energy Partners, J.V., Englewood, Colo., July 27.
• C2F Hold Disaster Preparedness Brief NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- With hurricane season in full swing, the staff of Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet (C2F) conducted a disaster preparedness briefing, July 29, focusing on the importance of having a plan to deal with potential disasters.
• New Generators on Guantanamo Bay Already Saving Money NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- Only 48 hours after two fuel-efficient, 3.5-megawatt electro-motive division (EMD) generators were installed and turned on at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, July 29, Public Works Department recorded a five percent decrease in fuel consumption at the plant.
• USS Germantown Arrives In Brisbane for Port Visit NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- The forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) and embarked Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in Brisbane, Australia for a port visit, Aug 3.
• U.S. Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Complete Underway Training NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) ships moored in Norfolk Aug. 2, completing the at-sea phase of a training exercise.
• Navy Ships Arrive in Seattle for Seafair 2011 NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and USS Sampson (DDG 102) arrived in the Port of Seattle Aug. 2, for Seattle Seafair.
• U.S. and Vietnam Co-host Military Medical Conference NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- U.S. and Vietnamese military officers participated in a bilateral military-medical conference Aug. 2 at Vietnam's Ministry of Defense guest house.
• Trident Warrior 2011 Concludes on Wasp NNS 03 Aug 2011 -- Trident Warrior 2011 (TW 11) came to a conclusion after members completed all 70 of their planned experiments which involved testing new technologies, tactics and procedures August, 1 aboard USS WASP (LHD 1).
• Panetta Praises New Leaders Following Senate Confirmations AFPS 03 Aug 2011 -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta praised six officers yesterday after the Senate confirmed their nominations for key leadership positions, including the military's two top uniformed posts.
• Cartwright Reflects on Four Decades of Service AFPS 03 Aug 2011 -- Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, today bid a ceremonial farewell to the military he has served for nearly 40 years in a ceremony at the Marine Barracks here.
• Panetta Honors Cartwright During Farewell Tribute AFPS 03 Aug 2011 -- Calling him 'one of the military's most original thinkers,' Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today paid tribute to Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright in a farewell tribute at the Marine Barracks here.
• CBRN Challenge 2011 showcases emergency response capabilities AFNS 03 Aug 2011 -- CBRN Challenge 2011 wrapped up July 22 with the team from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., representing Air Mobility Command, taking top honors.
• Exercise Lightning Strike brings together U.S., Singapore armies Army News 03 Aug 2011 -- Humid air dampened the uniforms underneath the Soldiers' combat gear as they darted out the back of a Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle and began their clearing mission.
• 21st TSC helps transport equipment for deploying unit Army News 03 Aug 2011 -- The swoosh of the hydraulics on the K Loaders and the directives being shouted by the movement specialists were the only sounds heard here as containers were loaded onto a Boeing 747 cargo plane headed for Afghanistan, July 18-20.
• Quartermasters Keep Australian/American Exercise Supplied Army News 03 Aug 2011 -- The uniforms are different and there are subtle differences in terminology used, but the results are the same for both Australian and American quartermasters: ensuring Soldiers get what they need.
• COIN--The strategic, operational, and tactical implications of the economic variable in counterinsurgency Army News 03 Aug 2011
• Base mall undergoes changes to save $15M in energy AFNS 03 Aug 2011 -- Officials at the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center here recently started phase II of a cost-saving energy initiative that will save at least $15 million over the course of the building's life.
• Khaan Quest 2011 kicks off with multinational opening ceremony USMC News 03 Aug 2011 -- Exercise Khaan Quest 2011 kicked off after the opening ceremony at Five Hills Training Area near Ulaanbatar, Mongolia, July 31.
• U.S. senators deny plans of $350 billion defense spending cuts RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2011 -- Co-chairmen of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee denied reports that the recently approved debt ceiling deal will cut national defense spending by $350 billion.
• Space systems give Australians, U.S. Soldiers edge in Talisman Sabre Army News 03 Aug 2011 -- For American and Australian Soldiers taking part in Talisman Sabre, satellites can make the difference between winning or losing.
• MPs concerned about military gaps left by defence review IRNA 03 Aug 2011 -- The parliamentary Defence Committee said Wednesday it is not convinced that UK Armed Forces will be able do what is asked of them after 2015, given the current financial climate and the drawdown of capabilities arising from the Strategic Defence and Security Review.
• Military reiterates commitment to buy F-16 C/Ds CNA 03 Aug 2011 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) rejected Wednesday accusations that the government does not really intend to procure advanced F-16 C/D jet fighters and only wants to upgrade the existing F-16 A/Bs.
• August 3, 2011 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 03 Aug 2011
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood The White House 03 Aug 2011

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 03, 2011
• Thales sonars key to Royal Navy minewarfare operations Thales 03 Aug 2011 -- Thales UK's world-class minehunting sonars are playing a vital role in the Royal Navy (RN) humanitarian operation to protect the people of Libya during the continuing civil unrest.
• Russia's MiG starts on new batch of carrier fighters for Indian Navy RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2011 -- Russia's MiG aircraft corporation has launched production of a new batch of MiG29K/KUB carrier fighters for the Indian Navy, a MiG spokesman said on Wednesday.

Other Conflicts

• 3 August 2011 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 03 Aug 2011
• UN declares famine in another three areas of Somalia UN News Centre 03 Aug 2011 -- The United Nations today declared a famine in three more areas in drought-ravaged Somalia, bringing to five the number of regions in the Horn of Africa country where acute malnutrition and starvation have already claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.
• Somalia Famine Spreads to New Areas VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- The United Nations says three more areas of Somalia have now slipped into famine. The famine is expected to spread further unless there is immediate intervention.
• UN envoy calls on all Somalis to pull together to help those suffering UN News Centre 03 Aug 2011 -- A senior United Nations official today appealed to all Somalis, both inside and outside the country, to work together to support the ongoing peace process and alleviate the plight of those suffering from famine, while pledging the world body's continued support in the coming days.
• UNICEF Appeals for Free Air Lift of Emergency Aid to Horn of Africa VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- The U.N. Children's Fund is appealing to the air transport industry for free or heavily discounted cargo space to help transport emergency nutritional supplies to the Horn of Africa. UNICEF says hundreds of thousands of acutely malnourished children urgently need therapeutic treatment to keep them alive.
• UN: Somali Refugees Top 860,000 VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- The United Nations says the number of Somali refugees in the Horn of Africa has topped 860,000, many of them forced out by the ongoing drought and famine.
• SRI LANKA: War report a step forward, say activists IRIN 03 Aug 2011 -- Sri Lankan rights activists say the Defence Ministry report released on 1 August, acknowledging for the first time civilian deaths in the final days of the war, is a step forward, but caution that much depends on the government's next move.
• Interview: Kosovo's President Defends Decision To Control Northern Border RFE/RL 03 Aug 2011
• Security Council voices sadness after deaths of four peacekeepers in Sudan UN News Centre 03 Aug 2011 -- Security Council members today voiced sadness at the deaths of four United Nations peacekeepers who were killed earlier this week after a landmine exploded in Sudan's disputed Abyei area.
• Minor incidents between Israel and Lebanon could spark war, UN envoy warns UN News Centre 03 Aug 2011 -- Incidents such as the exchange of gunfire that took place across the Israeli-Lebanese border earlier this week must be avoided, the United Nations envoy for Lebanon has stressed, warning that they can easily flare up into something more dangerous.

News Reports

• Syria: Security Council condemns rights abuses and use of force against civilians UN News Centre 03 Aug 2011 -- The Security Council today condemned the widespread violation of human rights in Syria and the use of force against civilians by the country's security forces, calling for an end to the violence and urging all sides to act with restraint and refrain from reprisals, including attacks against State institutions.
• UN Security Council Condemns Syrian Violence VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- As Syrian tanks shelled the flashpoint town of Hama Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council overcame months of division and strongly condemned the on-going violence. The U.N.'s most powerful body expressed 'grave concern' at the deteriorating situation in Syria, where some 1,700 people have died and thousands more have been arrested or disappeared since the government began a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in mid-March. It was not easy for the Council to reach consensus.
• U.S. considers tough, unilateral Syria sanctions RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2011 -- The United States is exploring tough new sanctions against Syria in a bid to force it to cease its 'brutality' against protesters, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.
• UN Security Council fails to agree on Syria RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2011 -- Members of the United Nations Security Council failed to come to an agreement on how to end violence against protesters in Syria, Russia's envoy to the UN said.
• Syrian Tanks Storm Hama VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- Syrian tanks have stormed into the city of Hama, where residents have reported hearing loud explosions.
• Egypt's Former President Mubarak Denies All Charges RFE/RL 03 Aug 2011 -- Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has denied all charges against him at the opening of his trial in Cairo.
• Mubarak Trial A Shock To The Egyptian System RFE/RL 03 Aug 2011 -- The sight of the once all-powerful Hosni Mubarak, 83, lying on a gurney, purportedly gravely ill, inside a cage - captured on candid camera at one point picking his nose - must have prompted millions of watching Egyptians to wonder just what had they been afraid of all those years.
• Mubarak Pleads 'Not Guilty' in Historic Egyptian Trial VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak appeared in a courtroom cage Wednesday charged with the murder of anti-government protesters and corruption. The trial, unprecedented in Egyptian history, is riveting the nation.
• France to Extradite the Former Panamanian Dictator Noriega VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- A lawyer for former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega says France has agreed to extradite him to face charges in his home country.
• Norway Terror Shines Spotlight on Right-Wing Online Networks VOA 03 Aug 2011 -- Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian man who admits to killing 77 people last month, allegedly contributed to a range of online neo-Nazi, nationalist and anti-Islam forums. Now the European Union's criminal intelligence agency, Europol, is launching a special investigation into non-Islamist extremism in Scandinavia.
• Two Russian cosmonauts leave ISS for spacewalk RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2011 -- Two Russian cosmonauts left the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-hour spacewalk on Wednesday during which they plan to carry out a manual launch of a mini-satellite and install new stream video equipment on the station's outer surface.