Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Statement by the President on Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan The White House 11 Mar 2012
• Readout of the President's Call with President Karzai The White House 11 Mar 2012
• Officials Condemn Afghanistan Shooting, Offer Condolences AFPS 11 Mar 2012 -- President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and International Security Assistance Force leaders all condemned a shooting incident in Southern Afghanistan, and pledged to work with Afghan authorities in fully investigating the incident.
• Statement by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta on the Tragic Incident in Kandahar Province DoD 11 Mar 2012
• President Karzai decries killing of 16 Afghan citizens by US soldier IRNA 11 Mar 2012 -- Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Sunday demanded an explanation from the US after an American soldier shot dead at least 16 civilians, including nine children, in a killing spree Karzai slammed as an 'assassination' that 'cannot be forgiven'.
• U.S. Soldier Kills 16 Civilians In Shooting Spree RFE/RL 11 Mar 2012 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has condemned a shooting spree by a U.S. soldier that resulted in the deaths of 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children and three women.
• US Service Member Kills At Least 16 Afghan Civilians VOA 11 Mar 2012 -- Afghan officials and witnesses say a U.S. service member walked off his base and shot and killed at least 16 Afghan civilians in Kandahar province Sunday.
• US Soldier Held for Shooting Afghan Civilians VOA 11 Mar 2012 -- In Afghanistan, a U.S. soldier has been detained after shooting Afghan civilians Sunday. Afghan officials report at least 16 dead.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Enterprise Departs on Final Deployment NNS 11 Mar 2012 -- The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) departed Norfolk Naval Station March 11 on the ship's 22nd and final deployment.
• Navy Cancels Two Guam Military Realignment Solicitations NNS 11 Mar 2012 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific announced today the cancellation of the Mamizu Multiple Award Construction Contract (MACC) and the Apra Harbor Medical Clinic solicitations funded by the government of Japan (GoJ) in support of the Guam Military Realignment.
• Corps completes MARB firing range project Army News 11 Mar 2012 -- The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District completed construction of a new indoor small-arms firing range. Rep. Ken Calvert, along with Corps, base and local community officials, celebrated the milestone during a ribbon cutting ceremony here March 10.
• Marines conduct evacuation from the sea during CERTEX USMC News 11 Mar 2012 -- Marines of Combat Logistics Battalion 31, and Battery L., Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, conducted a mock noncombatant evacuation operation here, March 11.
• 31st MEU executes mock HADR operation USMC News 11 Mar 2012 -- Mirroring operations conducted exactly one year ago following the tsunami in Japan, Marines and Sailors of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit rehearsed a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief scenario here, March 9 though 11.
• India developing censors to block CBRN threats IRNA 11 Mar 2012 -- To build a strong defence against possible chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear radiation (CBRN), India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing static and moving censors, a top official said.
• Russia to Upgrade, Scale Down Gunpowder Production RIA Novosti 11 Mar 2012 -- Russia will overhaul its gunpowder manufacturing plants and start manufacturing superior gunpowder by 2016, but overall production will decline sharply, the Izvestia daily reported quoting a source in the Industry and Trade Ministry.
• Russian Peacekeepers Pull Out From South Sudan RIA Novosti 11 Mar 2012 -- All personnel and Mi-8 helicopters from the Russian air group in South Sudan have left the country, RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
• Iran ready to help Zimbabwe strengthen defense power: minister IRNA 11 Mar 2012 -- Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi here on Sunday voiced Iran's readiness to help Zimbabwe promote its defense strength.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Saudi Arabia Condemns Russian Statement on Syria RIA Novosti 11 Mar 2012 -- The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that it refutes and condemns a statement released by Russia on March 4, which included allegations that the Kingdon supports terrorism in Syria.
• Joint UN-Arab League envoy urges Syrian President to embrace reforms UN News Centre 11 Mar 2012 -- The Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States for Syria, Kofi Annan, today urged Syria's President Bashar al-Assad to embrace change and reforms that will create the foundation for a democratic society in his country.
• Annan 'Optimistic' After 2nd Meeting With Syria's Assad VOA 11 Mar 2012 -- International peace envoy Kofi Annan says he is 'optimistic' about a resolution of Syria's year-long unrest after a second round of talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus. But, he says securing a deal to end the violence will be 'tough.'
• Fighting Continues on Israel-Gaza Border VOA 11 Mar 2012 -- Fighting along the Israel-Gaza border continued for a third day Sunday. Sixteen Palestinian militants and two civilians have been killed since violence began on Friday, while Israel has been battered by more than 120 rockets.
• Israeli Air Strikes Kill At Least 18 Palestinians VOA 11 Mar 2012 -- Israeli aircraft have killed three Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in the latest round of fighting with militants who fired rockets into Israel for a third day.
• Kenyan Officials Blame al-Shabab for Deadly Attack VOA 11 Mar 2012 -- Kenyan officials say al-Shabab militants are responsible for a grenade attack at a busy bus station in the capital, Nairobi, killing at least six people and wounding scores of others. The explosions Saturday evening came hours after Kenya officially announced it joined African Union Mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM.

News Reports

• Iran Scoffs at 'Western Options' RIA Novosti 11 Mar 2012 -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday rejected Western threats against his country, as well as Washington's statement that 'all options are on the table' to deal with Iran, the state run Press TV reported.
• Iraq: UN official calls for better access to services for the internally displaced UN News Centre 11 Mar 2012 -- The United Nations top envoy in Iraq today called for improved access to basic services for people living in the Al-Manar camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), stressing that children in particular must be able to receive an education while living in the informal settlements.
• 10 die, over 30 injured in Pakistan suicide attack IRNA 11 Mar 2012 -- A bomb blast Sunday killed at least 10 people in a funeral near the northwestern city of Peshawar, police and heath officials said.
• Moscow Criticizes UN Libya Commission Report RIA Novosti 11 Mar 2012 -- Some of the assessments made by the UN commission investigating reports of human rights violations in Libya are 'inadequate,' the Russian Foreign Ministry's ombudsman for human rights, Konstantin Dolgov, said on Sunday.