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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 23 Aug 2011 [PDF]
• NATO and Libya - Operational Media Update: 22 Aug 2011
• Press briefing on Libya by Oana Lungescu, the NATO Spokesperson and Colonel Roland Lavoie, Operation ‘’Unified Protector’’ military spokesperson NATO 23 Aug 2011
• NATO Partnership in Libya Serves as Model, Panetta Says AFPS 23 Aug 2011 -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today called U.S. support for the NATO mission that's helping opposition forces make progress against Moammar Gadhafi's regime Libya an example of the international cooperation that will be critical in the future.
• Gadhafi Regime is History, NATO Officials Say AFPS 23 Aug 2011 -- NATO forces continue to protect Libyan civilians from pro-Gadhafi violence, but the regime is crumbling, losing ground to fighters who support the fledgling Transitional National Council and to the people of Libya themselves, NATO officials said today.
• HMS Liverpool's 100th day of patrols off Libya UK MOD 23 Aug 2011 -- Type 42 destroyer HMS Liverpool marks 100 days of patrolling the coast of Libya, helping enforce UN Security Council Resolutions.
• RAF ready for further action over Tripoli UK MOD 23 Aug 2011 -- As street fighting continues in Tripoli, British and NATO military aircraft are maintaining a presence in the air.
• Coalition Troops Provide Aid for Injured Afghans AFPS 23 Aug 2011 -- Coalition forces today administered first aid to injured Afghans and then transported them for further medical treatment following a Taliban attack that killed five civilians in the Nadir Shah district of Afghanistan's Khowst province, military officials reported.
• Captured Taliban Commander: 'I Received Iranian Training' RFE/RL 23 Aug 2011 -- A Taliban commander captured in southwestern Afghanistan claims to have received military training in Iran to target a major dam in the region.
• Task Force Guns descends on Afghanistan, takes on mission Army News 23 Aug 2011 -- Arriving at Camp Kunduz in mid May, Soldiers from Task Force Guns, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, had their work cut out for them.
• Base makes room for more rotary wing aircraft in Afghanistan AFNS 23 Aug 2011 -- Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan, increased its capacity recently when officials opened a new rotary wing apron with a goal of increasing capability to stage rotary wing aircraft.
• With poll results now finalized, UN urges Afghan lawmakers to get to work UN News Centre 23 Aug 2011 -- The United Nations today stressed the need for Afghan lawmakers get down to business now that the country's electoral authorities have finalized the results of last year's parliamentary elections.
• 'Day of Mourning' Cripples Karachi VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- A general strike called to protest the ongoing political and ethnic violence in Karachi left Pakistan's largest city mostly deserted.
• Armored vehicle proves itself in roadside bomb attack Army News 23 Aug 2011 -- As the MRAP maneuvered past the parked vehicle, someone triggered a massive bomb buried inside the metal of the sedan.
• National Guard Readies for Hurricane Irene AFPS 23 Aug 2011 -- National Guard adjutants general along the East and Gulf coasts are awaiting the potential landfall of Hurricane Irene, and preparing to act if called upon by their governors, National Guard officials said today.
• Second Fleet Sets Sortie Condition in Preparation for Hurricane Irene NNS 23 Aug 2011 -- Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet ordered all U.S. Navy ships in the Hampton Roads, Va., area to set Sortie Condition Bravo Aug. 23, in order to maintain fleet readiness as a precaution due to the approach of Hurricane Irene.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Remarks by Secretary Panetta at the Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, Calif. DoD 23 Aug 2011
• Remarks by Secretary Panetta at the Defense Language Institute, Monterey, Calif. DoD 23 Aug 2011
• Panetta: Language Training Critical to U.S. Interests, Security AFPS 23 Aug 2011 -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today returned to the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center he championed as a congressman to praise the next generation of military linguists he called critical to the United States' future.
• Mabus Touts Increased Efficiency in Navy Energy AFPS 23 Aug 2011 -- Shortly after Navy Secretary Ray Mabus took office in 2009, he issued a series of daring decrees: the Navy must make serious headway in becoming energy-efficient.
• 'Doomsday Mechanism' Would Devastate Budget, Panetta Says AFPS 23 Aug 2011 -- Citing the myriad threats facing the United States, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today that one of the biggest challenges to U.S. national defense is the so-called 'doomsday mechanism' that will trigger across-the-board budget cuts if Congress doesn't make the decisions necessary to avert it.
• Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Rattles Pentagon AFPS 23 Aug 2011 -- Operations continued at the Pentagon despite the magnitude 5.9 earthquake centered in Mineral, Va., today.
• 16th SPCS breaks ground for new global capability AFNS 23 Aug 2011 -- In a combined effort, the 16th Space Control Squadron and the 380th Space Control Squadron, broke ground for a RAIDRS site in Hawaii.
• F-35C completes jet blast deflector testing NNS 23 Aug 2011 -- The F-35 integrated test force completed jet blast deflector (JBD) testing at the Naval Air Systems Command facility in Lakehurst, N.J. Aug. 13 with a round of two-aircraft testing.
• AEC employees awarded for groundbreaking test event Army News 23 Aug 2011 -- The U.S. Army Evaluation Center awarded 46 Soldiers and civilians for their outstanding performance in support of groundbreaking testing.
• Radio-based combat ID may be available within a year Army News 23 Aug 2011 -- The U.S. Army announced it has completed assessments for radio-based combat identification capabilities that may be used to further leverage pervasive legacy radio systems in theater.
• Senior Executive Service Announcement DoD 23 Aug 2011 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• 200th MPC prepares for wartime mission during Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2011 Army News 23 Aug 2011 -- More than 50 Soldiers assigned to the 200th Military Police Command, including its most senior leaders, deployed to the Republic of Korea to participate in Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2011.
• Military Sealift Command Ship Completes First U.S. Navy Ship Visit to Vietnam port in 38 years NNS 23 Aug 2011 -- USNS Richard E. Byrd left Cam Ranh Bay in southern Vietnam Aug. 23.
• Iran Unveils New Missile VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- Iran has unveiled a series of new weapons and military equipment, including a cruise missile that it says has a range of 200 kilometers.
• Iran unveils indigenous defense projects ISNA 23 Aug 2011 -- Iran unveiled locally-made defense projects including missile, torpedo and sea engine on Tuesday.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, August 23, 2011 US Dept. of State 23 Aug 2011

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 23, 2011
• Lockheed Martin Delivers Third Upgraded P-3 Orion To CBP Lockheed Martin 23 Aug 2011 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently delivered its third P-3 Orion with a new Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) kit to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
• Boeing Delivers 3 More F-15K Slam Eagles to the Republic of Korea Boeing 23 Aug 2011 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] on Aug. 20 delivered three F-15K Slam Eagle aircraft to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) at Daegu Air Base.
• Lockheed Martin Introduces “Network in A Box” That Allows Military Vehicles To Be Used For Multiple Missions Lockheed Martin 23 Aug 2011 -- Answering the need to enable military vehicles to serve multiple mission roles, Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] offers soldiers a mobile network in a carrying case. Lockheed Martin’s Communications-on-the-Move (COTM) kit gives warfighters access to various networks without having to incorporate racks of equipment in their vehicles.
• SAIC Awarded Contract by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers SAIC 23 Aug 2011 -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) (NYSE: SAI) announced today it was awarded a prime contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Southwestern Division (SWD), Engineering and Construction Support Office to provide environmental consulting services in support of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as military, civil works, and international and interagency service customers within the SWD boundaries. The multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract has a one year base period of performance, four one-year options, and a contract value of more than $22 million if all options are exercised.

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 23 August 2011 United Nations 23 Aug 2011
• US Calls on Gadhafi to Officially Give Up Power VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- The United States Tuesday, saying the Libyan regime has 'nearly collapsed,' has called on Muammar Gadhafi to make an 'affirmative statement' that he understands his rule is over. The U.S. is pushing for an early release of $1.5 billion in frozen Libyan assets to assist the Transitional National Council in consolidating control.
• Majlis Speaker congratulates Libyan people on their victory IRNA 23 Aug 2011 -- Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani cabled a message on Tuesday to felicitate the Libyan people on their triumph in ousting the country's dictator.
• Iran congratulates Gadhafi's upcoming fall to Libyans ISNA 23 Aug 2011 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry in a message congratulated upcoming collapse of Libyan dictator's regime to people of the North African country.
• Gaddafi's son says Tripoli under govt. control RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- The son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam, whom the rebels had said they had arrested, appeared on TV screens on Tuesday accompanied by his supporters near the Bab al Aziziyah compound.
• Italy wants Gaddafi, sons to stand trial in Hague RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his sons should go on trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told Radio Anch'io on Tuesday.
• Fighting rages near Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli - media RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Fighting between Muammar Gaddafi loyalists and rebel forces is taking place near the Libyan leader's compound in Tripoli, Al Arabiya TV said on Tuesday.
• Libyan conflict could have been resolved earlier - Lavrov RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Opposition forces are very close to take over the reins of power in Libya, but the conflict could have been resolved much earlier by diplomatic means, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
• Libya: UN chief stresses unity and national reconciliation during transition UN News Centre 23 Aug 2011 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed the need for maintaining national unity and fostering reconciliation in Libya when he spoke with the leader of the North African country's National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil.
• Libyan Rebels Seize Gadhafi Compound VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- Rebel fighters have seized Moammar Gadhafi's compound in the capital, Tripoli, and are celebrating what they consider a major victory over the Libyan leader and his loyalist troops.
• Human Rights Watch Cautions Against Civilian Casualties in Libya VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch is expressing concern about unarmed Libyans caught in the conflict between rebels and supporters of Moammar Gadhafi.
• US, Human Rights Groups Urge No Retribution in Libya VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- The United States on Monday joined major human rights groups in urging Libyan rebel forces to refrain from revenge attacks on Moammar Gadhafi's supporters. The issue was discussed in a just-completed mission to Benghazi by the State Department's chief Middle East diplomat.
• Fight, Run or Hide - What Now for Moammar Gadhafi? VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- With their dramatic assault on the capital Tripoli, opposition forces in Libya claim they are on the verge of defeating Colonel Gadhafi’s regime.
• Libyan Rebels 'Breach' Qaddafi Compound RFE/RL 23 Aug 2011 -- Hundreds of Libyan rebels have reportedly entered Muammar Qaddafi's main military compound in Tripoli.
• Oil Giants Look to Resume Libyan Production VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- Major global oil companies say they are looking to soon reopen their Libyan oil fields if rebel forces complete their takeover of the country, but estimates vary widely on how easily or quickly that could occur.
• Mogadishu Celebrates Al-Shabab Withdrawal But Militants Nearby VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- Thousands of Somalis gathered in Mogadishu Tuesday to celebrate the pullout of al-Shabab militants from the capital, even as the group said it had executed three men nearby.
• African Union Set to Raise Funds For Food Relief VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- An spokesman for the African Union says final preparations are being made for the scheduled August 25 “pledge conference” in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
• Ban calls on South Sudan to restore security after deadly ethnic fighting UN News Centre 23 Aug 2011 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on the Government of South Sudan to restore security in Jonglei state, where recent ethnic clashes have claimed at least 600 deaths.
• Turkish Army Says Up To 100 Kurdish Rebels Killed In Northern Iraq RFE/RL 23 Aug 2011 -- The Turkish Army said military operations against suspected Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq killed up to 100 militants.
• Amnesty Calls for Investigation into Mass Graves in Kashmir VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- Amnesty International is calling for an impartial investigation into mass graves found in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
• MYANMAR: Dire conditions for IDPs in Kachin as tension mounts IRIN 23 Aug 2011 -- A group of villagers travels along a muddy mountain path in northern Myanmar with food, clothing and any belongings they can carry in bamboo baskets on their backs; babies are strapped to young children's chests as they try to keep up with their parents.
• Moscow warns Tbilisi against 'invasion' of S.Ossetia - Russian Foreign Ministry RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Russia warned Georgia on Tuesday against an invasion of South Ossetia under the guise of a so-called Peace March, marking the third anniversary of South Ossetia and Abkhazia's independence, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
• Azerbaijan Protests French Deputies' Visit To Nagorno-Karabakh RFE/RL 23 Aug 2011 -- Baku has lodged a formal protest with the French Foreign Ministry over an ongoing visit to the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh by four French parliament deputies.
• Cyprus, Turkey resume peace talks RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu met on Tuesday to resume direct peace talks, Cyprus Radio reported.
• Blast near Buddhist temple in south Thailand injures 13 RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- A self-made explosive device went off on Tuesday morning near a Buddhist temple in the southern Thai province of Pattani injuring a monk, nine soldiers and three civilians, the country's news website Nation reported.
• Serbia Welcomes Merkel on Threshold of EU Bid VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Serbia for a visit before a European Commission decision later this year on whether Serbia can become an official candidate to join the European Union.
• Kosovo issue key to Serbian EU bid - Tadic RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Serbia will only become a member of the European Union after solving the Kosovo issue, Serbian President Boris Tadic said on Tuesday after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Belgrade.
• Grenada accedes to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court UN News Centre 23 Aug 2011 -- The International Criminal Court today welcomed Grenada as a new State party to the Rome Statute.

News Reports

• Remarks by Vice President Biden in a Meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Kan The White House 23 Aug 2011
• Remarks by Vice President Biden at Sendai Airport The White House 23 Aug 2011
• Biden Promises Continued Help With Japanese Rebuilding Effort VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden praised the courage and resolve of the Japanese people as he visited areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
• Secretary Clinton Statement on The Human Rights Council's Special Session on Syria US Dept. of State 23 Aug 2011
• Moscow urges world community to bolster all-Syrian dialogue RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- The international community should bolster a dialogue between all of the parties of the Syrian conflict, Valery Loshchinin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office in Geneva said on Tuesday.
• Six protesters killed in Syria's Homs - report RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Six people were killed during demonstrations in the Syrian city of Homs, Al Arabiya TV reported on Tuesday.
• Human Rights Council calls for probe into Syrian killings RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution on Tuesday, that calls for a probe into the Syrian authorities' atrocities against civilians during the country's anti-government protests.
• EU Council imposes additional sanctions against Syria RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- The Council of the European Union introduced on Tuesday additional sanctions against Syria, which has seen a bloody crackdown on opposition protests.
• Russian foreign minister rules out military intervention in Syria RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- A military intervention into an ongoing political conflict in Syria is out of the question, Russian Foreign Minster Sergei Lavrov said.
• Top UN human rights body orders inquiry into Syrian violence UN News Centre 23 Aug 2011 -- The top United Nations human rights body today called for an immediate end to all violence in Syria and decided to dispatch an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate alleged abuses committed during the Government's crackdown on protesters.
• UN Human Rights Council Condemns Syria VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- The U.N. Human Rights Council has overwhelmingly adopted a resolution condemning Syria for grave and systematic human-rights violations. The resolution also calls for an international investigation into possible crimes against humanity.
• Syrian Activists Form Opposition Coalition VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- Opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have formed a 'national council' that they say will coordinate efforts to oust the embattled leader.
• N. Korea's Kim Jong-il arrives in Russia's Buryatia RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who is traveling across Russia in his armored train, arrived in the south Siberian republic of Buryatia on Tuesday, the regional government said.
• Intelligence Min: 3 arrested Americans in Iran are definitely spies IRNA 23 Aug 2011 -- Iran's Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi emphasized here Monday three arrested US citizens in Iran had arrived our soil pre-planned, and they are definitely spies.
• Robonaut successfully passes first test on ISS RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- The first human-like robot and permanent resident of the International Space Station, Robonaut 2 or R2, has successfully passed its first test, the official Robonaut`s microblog reported on Tuesday.
• Russian Progress space freighter set to undock from orbital station RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Progress M-11M space freighter will undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday to be buried in the Pacific after conducting a nine-day scientific mission, Russia's Mission Control said.
• Thai PM Sets Priorities For New Government VOA 23 Aug 2011 -- Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has outlined the policy priorities for her new government in a major speech before parliament.
• Thai opposition leader warns of mass protests RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Thai opposition groups may organize mass protests if the government puts constitutional reform procedures on the fast track, former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday, the Thai Rat newspaper reported.
• As starving Somalis flood into Ethiopia, UN sends in emergency aid team UN News Centre 23 Aug 2011 -- The United Nations has deployed an emergency team to south-eastern Ethiopia where 18,000 new refugees fleeing drought, famine and conflict in Somalia have recently poured in, compounding a situation already fraught with high mortality from malnutrition and measles.
• Liberians vote on constitutional changes seen by UN as milestone in peace process UN News Centre 23 Aug 2011 -- Liberians went to the polls to vote in a referendum on constitutional changes.
• Japanese premier plans to resign by August 30 RIA Novosti 23 Aug 2011 -- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced on Tuesday he will step down shortly and expects to see his successor in office by next week, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.
• Belarus On The Brink RFE/RL 23 Aug 2011 -- Upon coming to power in 1994, the country's authoritarian president, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, maintained a Soviet-style economy.