20 August 2011 Military News

Forward area refueling point at Mustang Ramp is operational Army News 20 Aug 2011 -- Kandahar Airfield is busy. Every day, cargo and people are transported into and out of this major military hub in Southern Afghanistan via fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

Pakistan's Tribal Area Reforms Too Little, Too Late RFE/RL 20 Aug 2011 -- On August 12, the Pakistani government announced that political parties would be allowed to freely campaign in FATA, located along the country's western border with Afghanistan. Also slated for revision are draconian Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR), which will undergo modest improvements to allow for more accountability and some conformity with modern human rights standards.

War Exercises Can Never Help Improve Inter-Korean Relations: Rodong Sinmun KCNA 20 Aug 2011 -- Distrust and confrontation are bound to escalate while war exercises are under way and they can never help improve the inter-Korean relations.
Navy Announces USS Bonhomme Richard to Relieve USS Essex in Forward Deployed Role NNS 20 Aug 2011 -- The Navy announced, Aug. 19 that USS Essex (LHD 2) will be relieved in February by USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) as the Navy's only permanently forward deployed amphibious assault ship in Sasebo, Japan.
Wounded Warriors Move Into New Barracks at Bethesda NNS 20 Aug 2011 -- Wounded warriors began moving into new specialized barracks on board Naval Support Activity, Bethesda (NSAB) Aug. 20 following the official opening of the Tranquility Hall barracks.

Indian Navy's second indigenous stealth frigate commissioned IRNA 20 Aug 2011 -- Indian Navy's second indigenous stealth frigate, INS Satpura, was commissioned at Mumbai today.
Indian Navy unveils second 'stealth-like' frigate RIA Novosti 20 Aug 2011 -- The Indian Navy put into service its second 'stealth-like' frigate on Saturday, IANC news agency reported citing the Navy's press service.

Iranian Armed Forces capable enough to defend country IRNA 20 Aug 2011 -- The Iranian Armed Forces have reached such a high level of military power that they are able to defend the country in any situation, a statement released in commemoration of Defense Industry Day said here on Saturday.
Iran Navy saves local bulk carrier ISNA 20 Aug 2011 -- Iranian Navy Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Seyyed Mahmoud Moussavi said Iranian bulk carrier was rescued by the country's Navy.

Heavy Fighting Reported In Tripoli As Qaddafi Deputy Defects RFE/RL 20 Aug 2011 -- Rebels working to overthrow longtime Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi claim they have wrested parts of the capital Tripoli out of Qaddafi's hands.
Libyan Rebels Advance on Tripoli; Fighting Spills Into Tunisia VOA 20 Aug 2011 -- Western media reports say Libyan rebels battled for towns on both sides of Tripoli Saturday, tightening a siege around Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's stronghold in the capital.
Thousands of Trapped Migrants Desperate to Leave Tripoli VOA 20 Aug 2011 -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports it is working to evacuate a growing number of migrants in need of help in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. IOM says people, trapped in Tripoli because of fighting on the Western fronts, are desperate to leave the city.

Iraqi Politicians Condemn Turkish Bombing Of Iraqi Kurds RFE/RL 20 Aug 2011 -- Iraqi politicians in Baghdad are joining Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials in condemning three days of Turkish air strikes on Kurdish rebel bases that have hit border villages in Iraq, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq reports.
Turkish Planes Strike PKK in Iraq for Third Night VOA 20 Aug 2011 -- Turkey's military says its warplanes have bombed suspected Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq in a third straight night of cross-border strikes.

UN and diplomatic partners condemn recent attacks in southern Israel UN News Centre 20 Aug 2011 -- The United Nations and its diplomatic partners in the search for peace in the Middle East on Saturday strongly condemned the attacks in southern Israel earlier this week, as well as all acts of terrorism in the region, and urged all parties to exercise restraint.
Egypt Angered by Israel's 'Regret' for Border Guard Deaths VOA 20 Aug 2011 -- Egypt says it will withdraw its ambassador from Israel following Israeli military action that killed three members of Egypt's security forces along the two nations' border. Israel says its military action was aimed at Gaza militants who had staged attacks inside Israel, and that it regrets the deaths. But that has done little to calm public anger in Egypt.

Japan First to Recognize Tok Islets as Korean Territory KCNA 20 Aug 2011 -- Tok Islets have remained part of the Korean territory from ancient times.

30 Reported Killed As Syrian Bloodshed Continues RFE/RL 20 Aug 2011 -- Opposition activists in Syria say security forces have killed 30 or more people as the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has continued its crackdown against protesters in the face of international condemnation.

N. Korea's Kim Jong-il 'begins Russia visit' RIA Novosti 20 Aug 2011 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il began his first trip to Russia since 2002 on Saturday, the Kremlin has said.
Kim Jong Il Passes through Khasan Railway Station, Russia KCNA 20 Aug 2011 -- Kim Jong Il passed through Khasan, the border railway station of Russia this morning on his way to pay an unofficial visit to Siberia and the Far East Region of the Russian Federation.
Kim Jong Il to Visit Siberia and Far Eastern Region of Russia KCNA 20 Aug 2011 -- Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will pay an unofficial visit to Siberia and Far Eastern region of the Russian Federation.

Iran's Salehi officially receives Russian 'phased' plan ISNA 20 Aug 2011 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi officially received 'step-by-step approach' put forward by Russia to help settle Iran's nuclear issue.
Iran Sentences U.S. 'Hikers' To Eight Years In Jail For Espionage, Illegal Entry RFE/RL 20 Aug 2011 -- The website for Iranian state television is reporting that an Iranian court has sentenced U.S. citizens Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal to eight years in prison.

Interview: U.S. Special Envoy Marc Grossman On India-Pakistan Relations And Afghanistan's Future RFE/RL 20 Aug 2011 -- Marc Grossman, the U.S. senior representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, recently sat down at the State Department in Washington with Voice of America's Lina Rozbih to discuss a wide range of regional issues, from the future of Al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network to India-Pakistan relations and the recent instability in Afghanistan as the United States begins to draw down its troops.

U.S. 'Disappointed' After Belarus Quits Nuclear Deal RFE/RL 20 Aug 2011 -- The United States has expressed disappointment after Belarus said it was suspending its involvement in a plan to get rid of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium with U.S. assistance.

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