Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Army Corps of Engineers turns over Afghan police district HQ Army News 04 Mar 2012 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Afghanistan Engineer District-South completed its oversight of construction and turned over a new Afghan Uniformed Police District Headquarters in Injil, in Herat province, March 1.
• Kentucky Guard engages in search and rescue operations after tornadoes Army News 04 Mar 2012 -- Kentucky National Guard Soldiers and Airmen converged on the remains of West Liberty, Ky., March 3, to assist local fire and law enforcment in recovery and relief efforts in the wake of the series of tornadic storms that ripped through the state March 3.
• Partnership built during exercises, succeeds during disaster Army News 04 Mar 2012 -- Kentucky's Emergency Operations Center, a situation room and heart of recovery and relief efforts, buzzed with activity March 3 after Gov. Steve Beshear declared a statewide emergency March 2. The declaration allowed local officials immediate access to state resources, including the Kentucky National Guard, to assist with public security and safety.
• Kentucky Guard responds immediately after tornadoes, Lt. Gov. Abramson proud of efforts Army News 04 Mar 2012 -- Before the first winds crossed the Commonwealth of Kentucky March 2, the Kentucky National Guard made preparations to keep its Citizen-Soldiers safe and ready to assist in the event local officials would request assistance.
• U.S. Naval Assets Conduct Search, Rescue Mission for Iranian Mariners NNS 04 Mar 2012 -- Coastal patrol craft USS Firebolt (PC 10) and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Maui (WPB 1304), assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 55, conducted a search and rescue mission for survivors of a capsized Iranian cargo dhow in the north Arabian Gulf, March 3-4.

Defense Policy / Programs

• USS George H.W. Bush Completes Magnetic Treatment NNS 04 Mar 2012 -- The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) successfully completed a magnetic treatment (DEPERM), March 1.
• 31st MEU embarks for AIT, CERTEX USMC News 04 Mar 2012 -- The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit has embarked Navy ships in order to conduct amphibious integration training and a follow on certification exercise before continuing the deployment in the Asia-Pacific region.
• China's defense budget to grow 11.2 pct in 2012: spokesman Xinhua 04 Mar 2012-- China said Sunday it plans to raise its defense budget by 11.2 percent to 670 billion yuan (106.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2012.
• China Boosts 2012 Military Spending VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- China is planning a double-digit rise in military spending this year, an increase authorities say is in line with the country's economic development and defense needs.
• China's military spending justifiable: Beijing academic CNA 04 Mar 2012 -- A Beijing-based academic said Sunday that China's increasing military spending was justifiable, given several factors.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Remarks by the President at AIPAC Policy Conference The White House 04 Mar 2012
• Syrian Forces Pound Rebel-held Town as Some Aid Gets Through VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- Syrian government forces pounded the northern rebel-held town of Rastan Sunday along with several districts of the beleaguered city of Homs. Humanitarian aid reached some areas near Homs but not the battered district of Baba Amr, taken by government forces Thursday.
• IOM: Impossible to Meet April Deadline for Repatriating South Sudanese VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- The International Organization for Migration says it is not able to meet an April deadline to repatriate South Sudanese refugees in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
• Southern Yemen Fighting Kills 35 Soldiers, 20 al-Qaida Militants VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- Yemeni officials and medics say a fierce battle between government troops and al-Qaida fighters in the country's south has killed at least 35 soldiers and 20 militants.

News Reports

• Putin Declares Victory in Russian Presidential Election VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- Vladimir Putin has claimed victory in Russia's presidential election, putting him on track to rule Russia through 2018.
• Putin 'Elected Russian President' RFE/RL 04 Mar 2012 -- Exit polls show that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has won today's presidential election with nearly 60 percent of the vote, Russian polling agencies say.
• Putin Declares Victory In Russian Presidential Vote RFE/RL 04 Mar 2012 -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has claimed victory and shed a tear after polls closed in Russia's presidential election.
• Reports Of Possible Russian Election Violations Vary Wildly RFE/RL 04 Mar 2012 -- Voting is continuing in Russia's presidential election amid sharply contrasting reports on possible violations and irregularities.
• Prokhorov Says Will Run for President Again RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2012 -- Billionaire presidential candidate Mikhail Prokhorov, who came in third place in Russia's presidential race according to preliminary results, said he did not consider the elections fair and vowed to run for the presidency again, 'and not just once.'
• Putin Hails Vote Victory, Opponents Cry Foul RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2012 -- Vladimir Putin secured a third term in the Kremlin on Sunday after recording a resounding victory at Russia's presidential polls amid allegations of electoral violations.
• 'We Won in Fair and Open Fight' – Putin RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2012 -- Vladimir Putin told tens of thousands of supporters at a rally in downtown Moscow that he had won Sunday's presidential elections in a 'fair and open fight.'
• No Serious Violations Registered at Russian Polls – Police RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2012 -- Russian police reported on Sunday they had not registered any violations which could affect the results of the country's presidential elections.
• Putin HQ Applauds Exit Poll Results RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2012 -- A mixed crowd of politicians and media personalities welcomed an expected victory for Vladimir Putin Sunday night in an upbeat event at his campaign headquarters in central Moscow.
• Netanyahu-Obama Summit to Focus on Iran VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- The leaders of Israel and the United States will hold a crucial summit on Monday in Washington to discuss growing tensions over Iran's nuclear program.
• Spokesman: Hague's claim on Iran's elections 'unfounded' IRNA 04 Mar 2012 -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman called British Foreign Secretary William Hague's claim concerning parliamentary elections in Iran 'interfering and unfounded'.
• Ahmadinejad's Supporters Defeated in Parliamentary Election VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- Iranian conservative critics of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have defeated his supporters in most of the parliamentary seats whose winners have been declared in the country's parliamentary election.
• Obama: Diplomacy Top Option on Iran VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- President Barack Obama says the United States will use every element of its power, including military force if necessary, to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Mr. Obama addressed the largest pro-Israel group in the United States on Sunday on the eve of his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• Pakistan Taliban claims responsibility for attack on ex-minister IRNA 04 Mar 2012 -- Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a former interior minister of Pakistan, Aftab Ahmad Khan, who escaped unhurt in the attack in northwest of the country on Saturday.
• At Least 200 Reported Dead in Republic of Congo Blasts VOA 04 Mar 2012 -- Government and hospital officials in the Republic of Congo say a series of explosions at a weapons depot in the capital, Brazzaville, have killed about 200 people and injured about 200 more.