Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 07 Feb 2012 [PDF]
• Combined Force Captures Taliban Leader AFPS 07 Feb 2012 -- An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
• British and Afghan troops take on insurgency in Gereshk UK MOD 07 Feb 2012 -- Nearly 1,000 British and Afghan soldiers have taken part in a major operation to increase security around a vital town in Helmand province.
• Afghan Security Guard Kills Five In Shooting Incident RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- An employee of a private security firm has reportedly killed three of his colleagues and two Afghan police officers in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar.
• Air Force advisers, Afghan aircrew drop medical supplies to rural villages AFNS 07 Feb 2012 -- Advisors from the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group and Afghan air force helicopter aircrew delivered critical medical supplies to inhabitants of two remote villages struck by a measles epidemic.
• 12th Mechanized Brigade to replace 20th Armoured Brigade in Helmand UK MOD 07 Feb 2012 -- 12th Mechanized Brigade will replace 20th Armoured Brigade in April 2012 as the lead formation of British troops in Helmand province.
• Female Soldiers help bridge Afghanistan culture gap Army News 07 Feb 2012 -- Twenty-five female Soldiers from the Alaska-based brigade are assigned to Female Engagement Teams, whose mission is to interact with women and children.
• Joint partnership brings equipment home AFNS 07 Feb 2012 -- Twenty-six Airmen from the 435th Contingency Response Group traveled to Romania in partnership with the 21st Theater Sustainment Command to re-deploy the 170 th Brigade Combat team's equipment from Afghanistan.
• Showin’ up in style: VMGR-252 Marines return after 7-month deployment to Afghanistan USMC News 07 Feb 2012 -- Returning home from Kandahar, Afghanistan, it was a day 50 Marines and Sailors from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 had anticipated.
• U.S. General's Pakistan Visit Aimed At Repairing Ties RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- U.S. officials say General James Mattis, commander of U.S. Central Command, will visit Pakistan this month in an effort to heal the rift between the two nations.
• PAKISTAN: Quetta's Hazara community living in fear IRIN 07 Feb 2012 -- Widespread fear of harassment, discrimination and killings has prompted some Hazara community members living in Quetta to consider leaving the country.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Strategy to Break Okinawa Impasse Sparks Controversy VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- Japanese and U.S. officials are discussing a possible compromise on a long-stalled plan to move thousands of American Marines off the southern Japanese island of Okinawa.
• U.S., Japanese Officials Discuss Military Realignment AFPS 07 Feb 2012 -- U.S. and Japanese representatives met at the State Department yesterday to discuss changes under consideration to agreements on realignment of U.S. forces in the Pacific.
• Special Ops, Conventional Forces Work Together, Admiral Says AFPS 07 Feb 2012 -- The demands of 10 years of war have driven special operations and general-purpose forces closer together.
• OSI investigation leads to conviction in contract fraud case AFNS 07 Feb 2012 -- A recent investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations resulted in a guilty plea by a man suspected of contract fraud.
• DOD Needs Cost-conscious Acquisitions Employees, Official Says AFPS 07 Feb 2012 -- The Defense Department acquisitions, technology and logistics office will need some of the brightest, most cost-conscious workers asking tough, introspective questions to meet the strategic and budgetary demands of the future.
• 101st Airborne Soldiers help prepare for fielding of upgraded howitzer Army News 07 Feb 2012 -- Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division helped Picatinny Arsenal employees complete phases required before the digitized M119A2 howitzer can be fielded to troops.
• Exercise Cobra Gold 2012 has officially begun USMC News 07 Feb 2012 -- The exercise is an annual multi-national combined joint training exercise held throughout the Kingdom of Thailand.
• Bold Alligator Exercise Takes Fight to the Shore NNS 07 Feb 2012 -- Four months to the day before the 68th anniversary of the landing at Normandy, the Navy and Marine Corps team conducted another historic amphibious operation.
• Wasp, ESG-2 Begin Bold Alligator "D-Day" Operations NNS 07 Feb 2012 -- Amphibious assault ship USS Wasp started "D-Day" operations Feb. 6 as Exercise Bold Alligator switches from its initial stages into full exercise combat operations.
• Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command Supports Exercise Bold Alligator 2012 NNS 07 Feb 2012 -- The Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command conducted a synthetic underwater mine-clearing exercise in support of exercise Bold Alligator 2012.
• Minju Joson on US-Japan Joint Military Exercise KCNA 07 Feb 2012 -- The U.S.-Japan joint military exercise codenamed "Yamasakura" took place in Japan from January 24 to February 5.
• Rodong Sinmun on US-S. Korea War Maneuvers KCNA 07 Feb 2012 -- The U.S. authorities describing joint military exercises Key Resolve and Foal Eagle as regular and defensive ones.
• African Lion 12 ready to roar: Marine Forces Africa conducts final planning conference USMC News 07 Feb 2012 -- Marine Forces Africa conducted the final planning conference for African Lion 12 at several locations in Agadir, Morocco.
• Navy Establishes MESG-1 Det. Guam NNS 07 Feb 2012 -- Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 7 was officially disestablished and Maritime Expeditionary Security Group (MESG) 1 Det. Guam was established during a ceremony on U.S. Naval Base Guam, Feb. 3.
• USS Louisville Commences Western Pacific Deployment NNS 07 Feb 2012 -- Friends and families of the crew from USS Louisville (SSN 724) gathered at the submarine piers at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to say goodbye as the Los Angeles-class submarine departed for a scheduled Western Pacific deployment, Feb. 7.
• USS Mustin Arrives in Ishikari NNS 07 Feb 2012 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) arrived in Ishikari for a port visit Feb. 6.
• Cherry Point aerial refueling Marines celebrate 50 years USMC News 07 Feb 2012 -- Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 Marines gathered in the squadron’s hangar Feb. 1 to celebrate the unit’s 50th year anniversary.
• Officials: Women Can Suffer Same Deployment Ills as Men AFPS 07 Feb 2012 -- It once was thought that servicewomen neither were exposed to the same combat situations as men nor developed the same psychological injuries.
• New International Course Provides Public Affairs Instruction AFPS 07 Feb 2012 -- A new international program at the Defense Information School is helping partner nations develop public affairs expertise to address challenges not only at home, but also as they participate in coalition operations around the world.
• Breeding Program Turns Puppies Into Troops AFPS 07 Feb 2012 -- Bernadine Green stands tall amid a group of young military recruits in training, assessing their behavior for signs of future excellence.
• HMS Liverpool shadows Russian carrier UK MOD 07 Feb 2012 -- Royal Navy destroyer HMS Liverpool has sailed alongside the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov as she made her way north around British waters.
• Russian Navy to Get 10 Borey Class Nuclear Subs RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- The Russian Navy will receive at least 10 new Borey submarines in line with a revised state armament procurement program until 2020.
• Russia to Upgrade Over 10 Tu-160 Bombers by 2020 RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- The Russian Air Force will receive more than 10 modernized Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers by 2020.
• Medvedev Tells FSB to Secure Russia’s Arctic Interests RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- Extra measures are needed to protect Russian interests and reinforce its borders in the Arctic, President Dmitry Medvedev told the Federal Security Service.
• Airstrip Stolen in Bryansk RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- Taking corruption to uncharted heights, a military official in central Russia has sold an airfield for a bribe.
• Taiwan still in talks with U.S. on F-16 upgrade details: MND CNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Taiwan's Air Force is still negotiating details of a retrofit package for the country's F-16 A/B fighter jets with the United States.
• Defense ministry identifies cause of September air crash CNA 07 Feb 2012 -- The failure of pilots to remain alert to the terrain they were flying over was behind the crashes of two military aircraft in northeastern Taiwan last September.
• IAF's biggest ever wargame ‘Operation Livewire’ deferred IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- The Indian Air Force has deferred its biggest ever wargame codenamed 'Operation Livewire' .
• Russia Completes Final Trials of Indian Frigate RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- The Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad has completed the final tests of a missile frigate for the Indian navy.
• South Korea keen on partnership with India in defence sector IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- South Korea is keen to forge a partnership with India's defence sector in shipbuilding, electronics and aeronautics.
• Iran-Pakistan cooperation in aviation sector stressed IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Head of Iran’s Aviation Industries Organization has said that there is enormous scope of Iran-Pakistan cooperation in aviation sector and both countries can benefit from each other’s experiences.
• Kim Jong Un Inspects Command of Large Combined Unit of KPA KCNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army Kim Jong Un inspected the Command of Large Combined Unit 324 of the KPA and its unit.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 2/7/2012 The White House 07 Feb 2012
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, February 7, 2012 US Dept. of State 07 Feb 2012

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for February 07, 2012
• L-3 Completes Acquisition of Kollmorgen Electro-Optical L-3 Communications 07 Feb 2012 -- L-3 Communications announced today that it completed the acquisition of the Kollmorgen Electro-Optical unit of Danaher Corporation on February 6, 2012.
• Lockheed Martin Awarded JIEDDO OPS Services Contract Lockheed Martin 07 Feb 2012 -- Lockheed Martin has been competitively awarded one of five Operations Support (OPS) Services Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (FEDSIM) in support of the Department of Defense’s Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO).
• Northrop Grumman Delivers Next Generation Automatic Test System to the U.S. Army Northrop Grumman 07 Feb 2012 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation, together with DRS Technologies, today announced the delivery of the first Next Generation Automatic Test System (NGATS) to the U.S. Army.
• Thales enhances its maritime border surveillance offer Thales 07 Feb 2012 -- Thales has reinforced its coastal and maritime border surveillance offer thanks to the FULMAR maritime surveillance and identification UAV system from the Spanish firm Aerovisión.

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 7 February 2012 United Nations 07 Feb 2012
• UN officials underline religions’ role in promoting global harmony UN News Centre 07 Feb 2012 -- The President of the General Assembly Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser stressed the potential of all of the world’s religions to promote global peace and stability.
• Press Conference by Permanent Representative of Russian Federation, 7 February 2012 United Nations 07 Feb 2012
• Turkey Debates Role in Possible Syria Intervention VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- Turkey is hardening its stance against the Syrian leadership and its Western allies are increasingly looking to Ankara for efforts to help unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
• White House Underscores Displeasure with China, Russia Votes on Syria VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- The White House is underscoring U.S. displeasure with China and Russia for blocking a United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria.
• US Skeptical of Assad Constitutional Offer to End Violence, Uprising VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- Syria says it is drawing up a new constitution as government forces continue to bombard opponents of President Bashar al-Assad.
• Gulf , EU States Recall Syria Envoys As Lavrov Meets With Assad RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- Major European states and members of the GCC have announced they are withdrawing their ambassadors from Syria.
• Russia's Lavrov Says Assad Ready For Talks RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- Russian FM Lavrov says Syrian President al-Assad has offered assurances that he is committed to ending the violence between Syrian forces and government opponents.
• Russian FM Meets Syria's Assad as Violence Continues VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- Russian FM Lavrov met in Damascus with Syrian President al-Assad, and said afterward that Syria's government wants to resolve ongoing violence and work toward political reforms.
• Syrian President to Send Delegation to Russia RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad confirmed his readiness to send an official government delegation to Moscow to hold talks with the Syrian opposition.
• Assad Ready For Constitutional Referendum Says Lavrov RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- Syrian President al-Assad will declare a date in the near future for a referendum on a new constitution for his country, Russian FM Lavrov said.
• Lavrov Tells Assad to Ensure Peace RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- Russia’s FM Lavrov told President al-Assad of Syria he had to do what it takes to ensure peace in the country, during talks in Damascus.
• U.S. Hopes Russia Will Rein in Assad RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- The US hopes Russian FM Lavrov will advise Syrian President al-Assad to resign from his post, U.S. Department of State spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
• U.S. to Maintain Relations with Russia, China, Despite Syria RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- The Russian and Chinese veto on the UN Security Council draft resolution on Syria will not hamper Washington’s relations with Moscow and Beijing, said Jay Carney, a spokesman for the U.S. White House.
• Saudis trying to fuel Syrian crisis through Lebanon IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Dissident Syrian groups supported by Saudi and Qatar governments’ financial support encourage Lebanon-based Syrian factory workers giving them US $800 monthly to participate in sabotage operations against their country.
• Germany Arrests Alleged Syrian Spies RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- German police have arrested two men on suspicion they were spying on Syrian opposition groups in Germany.
• 11 kidnapped Iranians in Syria, released: Foreign Ministry IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Eleven Iranians kidnapped in Syria were released, Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
• Lebanese intelligence officials consulted on fate kidnapped Iranians IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Iran’s ambassador held talks with Lebanon’s internal intelligence commander and interior minister on release from captivity of Iranian kidnapped engineers in Syria and their transfer to northern Lebanon.
• As Syrian violence rages on, UNICEF voices alarm over plight of children UN News Centre 07 Feb 2012 -- The United Nations Children’s Fund sounded the alarm about the plight of children caught up in the bloodshed in Syria.
• Hundreds of Children Killed in Syrian Violence VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- The U.N. Children’s Fund reports hundreds of children have been killed and hundreds more detained since anti-government unrest broke out in Syria nearly 11 months ago.
• US Urges Iranian Dissidents in Iraq to Move to Transit Center VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- The Obama administration is urging a group of Iranian dissidents to make a decision about moving to a new transit center near Baghdad.
• UN's Ban Urges Abbas Not To Abandon Israel Talks RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas not to abandon talks with Israel.
• Sudan Oil Dispute Raises War Rhetoric VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- A deepening oil dispute between South Sudan and Sudan has raised hostility to a point where leaders of both countries have suggested there is the strong possibility of a conflict.
• Sudan Rebels Free Kidnapped Chinese Workers VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- Twenty-nine Chinese workers kidnapped in Sudan have been freed, 11 days after they were taken hostage by rebels in Southern Kordofan state.
• Congolese Civilians Suffer Atrocities at IDP camps in North Kivu VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- The UN Refugee Agenc says it is alarmed by recent reports that Congolese civilians are being tortured and killed by armed groups entering camps of IDPs in North Kivu province.
• UN agency steps up help as renewed fighting in Mali uproots 20,000 people UN News Centre 07 Feb 2012 -- The United Nations refugee agency has deployed staff to assist some 20,000 people who have been forced to flee fighting between Government troops and rebel Tuareg groups in Mali.
• UN: 20,000 Who Fled Violence in Mali Need Help VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- The United Nations refugee agency reports more than 20,000 people who have fled violence in Mali over the past three weeks are in urgent need of help.
• Russia Slams Japan for Northern Territories Day RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- Japan’s observation of Northern Territories Day is not the best way to strengthen relations with Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
• Japan Seeks Further Talks on Kurils RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said he is resolved to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Russia.
• UN tribunal sentences member of Bosnian Serb’s legal team for contempt of court UN News Centre 07 Feb 2012 -- The United Nations war crimes tribunal for the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s sentenced a member of a legal team defending a Bosnian Serb to 12 months’ imprisonment for contempt of the court.

News Reports

• Iran Says New U.S. Sanctions 'Will Not Have Any Impact' RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry has denounced as "psychological war" new U.S. sanctions against the Islamic republic.
• Iran Poised to Halt Oil Exports to EU RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- The Iranian parliament said it could pass legislation to stop oil exports to some EU states in response to their efforts to enforce sanctions against Iran.
• Moscow supports negotiations with Tehran: Lavrov IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Russia supports negotiations with Islamic Republic of Iran on its nuclear activities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
• Spain concerned about EU sanctions, calling for dialogue: Envoy IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Spanish Ambassador to Iran Pedro Biena said that Spain is concerned about EU sanctions, calling for dialogue to remove misunderstanding between Iran and the European Union.
• India, Iran Reportedly Reach Deal On Oil Payments RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- Iran's envoy in New Delhi says India will make 45 percent of payments for Iranian crude oil in rupees, as Western sanctions hinder international bank transactions.
• Mehmanparast: Ranking IAEA delegation to return to Iran soon IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said a ranking delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit Iran again on February 21-22.
• IAEA team to visit Tehran late Feb ISNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Iran said Tuesday that the IAEA delegation would visit the country late February.
• Bushehr Nuclear Plant to resist 9 richter quakes: Rosatom IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant can resist an earthquake measuring 9 on Richter scale, plant's constructor, Rosatom Corporation’s programs director Sergei Boyarkin said.
• October Trial For Man Accused Of Plotting To Kill Saudi Envoy To U.S. RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- Manssor Arbabsiar, the Iranian-American car salesman accused of plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States, will go on trial October 22.
• Iran's Parliament Summons Ahmadinejad To Explain Economic Policies RFE/RL 07 Feb 2012 -- Lawmakers in Iran have summoned President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to respond to a long list of complaints.
• Iran's Parliament Summons Ahmadinejad RIA Novosti 07 Feb 2012 -- Iran’s parliament summoned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to answer questions about his alleged mismanagement of the country’s economy.
• IRGC commander: US seeks to involve Arabs in its ME dangerous game IRNA 07 Feb 2012 -- Commander of the IRGC Naval Forces Brigadier General Ali Fadavi warned that America is trying to involve some Arabian countries in its dangerous game in Middle East.
• KCNA Blasts S. Korean Misinformation about DPRK KCNA 07 Feb 2012 -- South Korea lied that the DPRK produced drugs and trafficked them with south Korea and China.
• Beijing Accents the Positive Ahead of High Level Visit to US VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit Washington next week.
• US Announces Limited Easing of Sanctions Against Burma VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- The United States has eased one of its many sanctions against Burma in response to democratic reforms made by the country's military-backed government.
• Burmese Pro-Democracy Leader Takes Campaign to Irrawaddy VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has traveled to the Irrawaddy delta for the first time since 1989.
• After President resigns in Maldives, Ban voices hope crisis will end UN News Centre 07 Feb 2012 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced hope that the resignation of the President of the Maldives and the appointment of his deputy as the new leader will help to peacefully end the ongoing political crisis in the Indian Ocean country.
• Maldives President Resigns After Police Mutiny VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- The president of the Maldives has resigned after members of the nation's police forces joined with opposition protesters.
• SOMALIA: London conference "an opportunity" for Somaliland IRIN 07 Feb 2012 -- Somaliland plans to lobby hard at a major conference in London in February for something it has sorely lacked since its inception: international recognition of its sovereignty.
• UN agency implements strategy to conclude three refugee crises is Africa UN News Centre 07 Feb 2012 -- The UN refugee agency reported that it has embarked on the implementation of a set of strategies to conclude three of Africa’s long-standing refugee crises.
• In wake of elections in DR Congo, UN urges all sides to pursue dialogue UN News Centre 07 Feb 2012 -- The top UN envoy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo stressed the need for all parties to use legal means and dialogue to settle differences in the aftermath of recent elections.
• Cameroon to Open Voters List Ahead of July Vote VOA 07 Feb 2012 -- Cameroon’s electoral board has announced it will open the recently compiled voters list Wednesday to enable citizens to correct any discrepancies ahead of the July legislative vote.