Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 06 Mar 2012 [PDF]
• Socom Commander Discusses Progress in Afghanistan AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- Afghan forces now are leading all of the night raids U.S. special operations forces conduct with them in Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command told senators today.
• Combined Force Captures Taliban Insurgents AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- Afghan and coalition security forces captured a Taliban weapons supplier during an operation in the Aliabad district of Afghanistan's Kunduz province today, military officials reported.
• Mattis Defends Afghan Strategy, Warns of Iran, Al-Qaida Threats AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- The commander of U.S. Central Command staunchly defended the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan before Congress today, saying that, despite recent violence over the Quran-burning incident, he believes it is bearing fruit.
• Marine MPs provide security, keep engineering operations safe USMC News 06 Mar 2012 -- Whether the Marines of 9th Engineer Support Battalion are building bridges or roads or constructing new structures on patrol bases throughout Helmand province, the Marines provide tactical logistics support so that other units have what they need to accomplish their mission. However, completing these tasks takes not only the hard work of combat engineers, motor transport operators and heavy equipment operators, but military police Marines to provide security to ensure the mission is accomplished in the safest environment possible.
• 9th ESB Marines defy challenges, complete construction mission USMC News 06 Mar 2012 -- It's 7 o'clock on a Sunday night. The sky is pitch black, and it is starting to rain again. The gunner strains his eyes to look for any moving figures illuminated by the frequent flashes of lightning across the sky.
• Bulk fuel Marines keep Afghanistan operations moving USMC News 06 Mar 2012 -- Fuel is critical for almost all missions Marines conduct. Whether in garrison or forward deployed, fuel keeps operations moving. Without fuel, combat logistics patrols cannot get supplies to units in need, aircraft cannot patrol the skies and generators cannot provide power to electronic equipment.
• Afghan Leader Says Progress Made On Long-Term U.S. Deal RFE/RL 06 Mar 2012 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai says some progress has been made in negotiations with the United States on the terms of a long-term strategic partnership agreement.
• Karzai: US-Afghan Strategic Deal Makes Progress VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai says there has been some progress on a deal that would outline the U.S. role in Afghanistan after international combat troops leave the country in 2014.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Press Conference by President Obama, March 06, 2012 The White House 06 Mar 2012
• Obama Discusses Situations in Iran, Syria, Afghanistan AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- President Barack Obama took questions from reporters at a press conference this afternoon on his administration’s policies and intentions on situations in Iran, Syria and Afghanistan.
• Washington Defends Controversial Targeting Of U.S. Nationals RFE/RL 06 Mar 2012 -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has defended the targeted killing of U.S. nationals living outside the United States who have taken up arms against the United States.
• Special Ops Provide Great Return on Investment, Commander Says AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- U.S. special operations forces remain focused on Afghanistan, but they also are active across the globe, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said today.
• Senior Executive Service Announcements DoD 06 Mar 2012
• Nimitz Completes DPIA, Sets Sail NNS 06 Mar 2012 -- The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) departed Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton March 5, to conduct sea trials and complete its homeport shift to Naval Station Everett, Wash.
• Essex ARG Embarks 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit NNS 06 Mar 2012 -- Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) embarked more than 2,000 Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and departed White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa, Japan for the ARG's amphibious integration training (AIT), and certification exercise (CERTEX) March 4.
• HSC-25 Conducts MEDEVAC At Sea NNS 06 Mar 2012 -- Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 assisted in the medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) of a Philippines national who required advanced medical care Feb. 28.
• USS Bonhomme Richard Makes Brief Stop in Guam NNS 06 Mar 2012 -- The amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) made a brief port call to Guam March 3.
• NAVFAC Washington Completes Administration Facility at Carderock NNS 06 Mar 2012 -- Naval Support Facility (NSF) Carderock, Md. held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the completion of a $13 million administration building March 1.
• Submarine USS Topeka Departs for Six-month Deployment NNS 06 Mar 2012 -- USS Topeka (SSN 754) deployed from Naval Base Point Loma for a scheduled six-month western Pacific deployment March 6.
• VMA 311 joins 31st MEU, conducts carrier landing qualifications USMC News 06 Mar 2012 -- Coming in to land vertically onto the pitching, moving deck of the USS Essex (LHD 2), is no easy task, but the Marines of Marine Attack Squadron 311, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, skillfully completed that very task, March 4.
• First flight launch means first step toward future air dominance AFNS 06 Mar 2012 -- The launch of the first F-35 Lightning II flight here March 6 is a small step into the next half century of air dominance.
• AF officials announce manpower force structure changes AFNS 06 Mar 2012 -- Air Force officials released force structure changes and resulting manpower impacts from the new DoD strategic guidance and fiscal 2013 President's Budget Mar. 6.
• Dempsey: Military Contracting Costs Must Shrink AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- Contracted operational support to the military -- essentially, wartime contracting -- has expanded from a ratio of six troops per contractor during the Revolutionary War to fewer than one service member per contractor in Afghanistan, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
• Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta at AIPAC Policy Conference DoD 06 Mar 2012
• Panetta: U.S.-Israel Partnership Will Become Closer AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- Defense cooperation between the U.S. and Israel is already close, and it will get closer as both countries face the threats of the future, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.
• U.S./ROK forces show off air power AFNS 06 Mar 2012 -- (AFNS) -- Not even the sun had a chance to rise before Airmen here began their work during a combined combat generation exercise, March 2, between United States and Republic of Korea air forces.
• Presidential Memorandum - Treaty Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Concerning Defense Trade Cooperation The White House 06 Mar 2012
• Dempsey Reaffirms U.S.-Japan Alliance at Earthquake Anniversary Event AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- As the first anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Japan’s northeast region approaches, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff yesterday reaffirmed the U.S.-Japan partnership, saying it grew stronger in the face of adversity.
• Turkey, U.S. kick off international weapons training exercise AFNS 06 Mar 2012 -- An international weapons-training deployment involving Turkish and U.S. air forces began here March 5 and lasts until March 15.
• Exercise Promotes U.S.-Guyana Special Ops Capabilities AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- A special operations exercise under way in Guyana is enhancing capabilities of both U.S. and Guyanese special operators and ensuring they have a foundation to respond together in the event of a common threat.
• Russia Close to Sign Su-35 Fighter Deal With China RIA Novosti 06 Mar 2012 -- Russia and China may soon sign a $4-bln contract on the delivery of 48 Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jets to the Chinese air force, Russia's Kommersant business daily said on Tuesday.
• Russian-Azeri Talks on Gabala Radar 'Make Progress' RIA Novosti 06 Mar 2012 -- Russia and Azerbaijan have made 'some progress' in settling their dispute over Moscow's lease of the Gabala missile defense radar, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Tuesday.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 06, 2012
• Boeing Delivers 1st P-8A Poseidon Production Aircraft to US Navy Boeing 06 Mar 2012 -- Boeing on March 4 officially delivered the first production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy in Seattle.
• L-3 to Provide New Smaller, Lighter Night Vision Goggles to U.S. Special Operations Command L-3 Communications 06 Mar 2012 -- L-3 Communications announced today that its Warrior Systems – Insight Technology unit has been awarded a $50 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract for Binocular Night Vision Devices (BNVD) for use by the U.S. Special Operations Command.
• Raytheon to Supply Wind Turbine Mitigation Technology to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence Raytheon 06 Mar 2012 -- Raytheon Company has been chosen by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence to upgrade the air traffic control radar system at the Royal Netherlands Air Force base in the town of Woensdrecht with technology to mitigate the adverse effects on radar performance caused by wind turbines.
• Boeing and Artel to Provide Commercial Satellite Services to US Government Boeing 06 Mar 2012 -- Boeing announced today that Boeing Commercial Satellite Services (BCSS), a unit of Boeing Satellite Systems International, will collaborate with Artel, a global leader in information technology and managed network services, to distribute Inmarsat-3, -4 and -5 bandwidth to potential U.S. government customers.
• Astrium wins Helios through life support contract extension EADS 06 Mar 2012 -- Astrium, Europe’s leading space technology company, has signed a through life support contract with the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA Délégation générale de l’armement) to continue to be responsible for the ground segment maintenance (MCO) of the Helios 2 military optical reconnaissance system.
• Northrop Grumman Awarded $189 Million Contract by Defense Information Systems Agency to Strengthen Cybersecurity Across DoD, Intelligence Community Networks Northrop Grumman 06 Mar 2012 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a cybersecurity task order by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to strengthen cybersecurity protections across all Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community networks by implementing the Host Based Security System (HBSS) as part of the DoD Information Assurance and Computer Network Defense contract.

Other Conflicts

• 6 March 2012 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 06 Mar 2012
• Statement by Senators McCain, Lieberman and Graham on the Situation in Syria Office of US Senator Joe Lieberman 06 Mar 2012
• Obama: Acting Alone Against Syria Would be a 'Mistake' VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- President Barack Obama said Tuesday that unilateral military action by the United States against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would be a mistake.
• Mattis Explains Challenges in Syrian Situation AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- As al-Qaida takes advantage of the unrest in Syria, Iran is working desperately to keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in power to support its own agenda, the U.S. Central Command commander told Congress today.
• Turkey Calls on Syria to Allow Humanitarian Aid VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Turkey's prime minister has called for the immediate establishment of humanitarian aid corridors in Syria.
• Images of alleged torture in Syrian hospitals ‘shocking’ – UN rights office UN News Centre 06 Mar 2012 -- The United Nations human rights office said today that images shown by a British news programme of the alleged torture of patients in Syrian hospitals were “shocking” and similar to those received by UN-mandated investigators.
• UN Rights Office Documents Torture in Syria VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- The United Nations Human Rights Office says video shown on British television Monday night of people being tortured in Syrian hospitals is in line with evidence gathered by U.N. fact-finding missions.
• Russia Retains Stance on Syria After Presidential Elections RIA Novosti 06 Mar 2012 -- Russia's stance on Syria has always been based on the principles of international law and it will be not changed after the recent presidential elections, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
• UN Estimates 9,000 Syrians Fled to Lebanon VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees say at least 9,000 Syrians have fled into Lebanon since the Syrian government began a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests last year.
• CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Hard homecoming for Ndélé returnees IRIN 06 Mar 2012 -- Thousands of people who have returned to their homes in areas close to Ndélé, in northern Central African Republic's (CAR) Bamingui-Bangoran region, after years of displacement, are living in difficult conditions as the security situation is still precarious, say officials.
• NIGERIA-CHAD: Migrants fleeing Boko Haram violence await aid IRIN 06 Mar 2012 -- Some 1,000 Chadian migrants - most of them children separated from their families - are waiting for aid in the village of N'Gbouboua in the Lac region of western Chad having fled Boko Haram-related violence in Nigeria, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
• DR Congo: UN concerned over fresh attacks by Ugandan rebel group UN News Centre 06 Mar 2012 -- The United Nations refugee agency today voiced concern over the recent displacement of several thousand people as a result of fresh attacks by the notorious Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the Orientale province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• Security Council voices concern over renewed clashes along Sudan-South Sudan border UN News Centre 06 Mar 2012 -- The Security Council today expressed grave concern about reports of renewed cross-border violence between Sudan and South Sudan, and called for a ceasefire in the area to end the hostilities that have caused thousands of people to flee the region over the past weeks.
• Sudan, South Sudan Talks in Deadlock VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Talks between Sudan and South Sudan broke down in a shouting match late Tuesday, not long after the U.N. demanded the countries take steps to avoid war.
• Sudan-South Sudan Restart Oil Talks Amid Bitter Rhetoric VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Sudan and South Sudan have opened another round of talks on oil revenues and other contentious issues with harsh words and dampened expectations. Both sides appear to be holding to hard-line positions.
• South Sudan to Implement Jonglei Disarmament Program VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- The South Sudanese Army is being readied to deploy on a small-arms disarmament program in Jonglei state.
• Thousands Flee LRA Attacks in Congo VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- The United Nations refugee agency reported thousands of people have fled from recent attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Orientale province. The UNHCR said these displacements are particularly worrying as they come after a lull in LRA attacks in the second half of last year.
• Eastern Libyans Seek Federalism VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Libyans from the eastern region of Brega held a constituent assembly Tuesday in the oil town close to Benghazi with the avowed goal of establishing a loose form of federalism along the lines of the country's 1951 constitution.

News Reports

• US Defense Chief Calls Iran Military Option Last Resort VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel's security, saying U.S. forces will act against Iran but only when all else fails. Panetta spoke to the top pro-Israel lobby group, AIPAC.
• U.S. Will Act to Prevent Iran from Developing Nuclear Weapons, Panetta Says AFPS 06 Mar 2012 -- Iran is America’s greatest concern in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee today.
• World Powers Offer to Resume Iran Nuclear Talks VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Six world powers have offered to resume long-stalled talks with Iran to address Western suspicions of a military dimension to the Iranian nuclear program.
• IRI scientists should not be deprived of IAEA safety meetings: envoy IRNA 06 Mar 2012 -- Iranian nuclear scientists should not be deprived of IAEA nuclear safety science and IAEA related meetings under the pretext of political resolutions of UN Security Council, Iran's Ambassador to UN atomic watchdog Ali Asghar Soltanieh said on Monday.
• Iranian official: Sanctions will not change fundamental positions ISNA 06 Mar 2012 -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Asghar Khaji said sanctions would not change Iranian nation's fundamental positions.
• Iran Offers To Resume Nuclear Talks, Allow Inspectors Into Military Site RFE/RL 06 Mar 2012 -- The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany have agreed to a proposal from Iran to resume talks on Tehran's nuclear program.
• Russia Seeks Compromise on Iran Sanctions RIA Novosti 06 Mar 2012 -- Russia will push for talks to scrap unilateral sanctions against Iran if it allows the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to control Iranian nuclear activity, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Tuesday.
• US Republican Presidential Candidates Promise Hard Line on Iran VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Republican presidential candidates are lashing out at Iran, promising a pro-Israel group they will not hesitate to use America's military might against Tehran.
• Netanyahu Says All Options Available to Prevent a Nuclear Iran VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country cannot afford to wait much longer for diplomacy and sanctions to deter Iran's nuclear program.
• Secretary Clinton Statement on Fifth Anniversary of Robert Levinson's Disappearance US Dept. of State 06 Mar 2012
• FBI Offers $1 Million in Ex-Agent's Iran Disappearance VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- The United States is offering a rare $1 million reward for information leading to the safe return of a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who vanished in Iran five years ago and is believed to be held hostage in the area.
• US, North Korea Work out Details of Food Aid Deal VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Two U.S. envoys are meeting with North Korean officials in Beijing this week to discuss the delivery of 240,000 metric tons of food aid Washington has pledged to provide the North.
• China Urged to Change Course on N. Korean Defectors VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- China is facing growing calls to stop the repatriation of dozens of North Koreans who recently fled into China and are being held by authorities. China says it has the right to send them back, calling them 'economic migrants.' But human rights activists say the detainees could face torture and execution, if they are returned to North Korea.
• Aung San Suu Kyi Reaches Out to Burmese Military VOA 06 Mar 2012 -- Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi sought Tuesday to assure the country's powerful military that her opposition party seeks no confrontation with it, as she campaigned ahead of April by-elections in the capital city.
• Russia Disputes Election Observer Report RIA Novosti 06 Mar 2012 -- Moscow disputes some of the points contained in international observer reports on Sunday's presidential elections, which Prime Minister Vladimir Putin won in a landslide, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Tuesday.
• Putin Admits Election Violations, Calls for Probe RIA Novosti 06 Mar 2012 -- Vladimir Putin admitted on Tuesday that irregularities had taken place at March 4 polls that secured his election as president and called for a probe.
• Pakistan allows Osama family to leave: daily IRNA 06 Mar 2012 -- Pakistan has allowed family members of slain al-Qaeda chief, Osama bin Laden, to leave the country, a Pakistani daily reported on Tuesday.
• Russia Unveils Android for Space Missions RIA Novosti 06 Mar 2012 -- Russia has built a space android to work in orbit, its first space robot in more than two decades, Izvestia daily said on Tuesday.