Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 14 Mar 2012 [PDF]
• Military Flies Shooting Suspect Out of Afghanistan AFPS 14 Mar 2012 -- The military today airlifted out of Afghanistan the U.S. soldier accused of going on a shooting rampage targeting Afghan civilians earlier this week, a Pentagon spokesman said.
• U.S.-U.K. Will Stick With Strategy in Afghanistan AFPS 14 Mar 2012 -- President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron agreed the two nations will continue to follow the strategy for Afghanistan that calls for all combat troops out of the country by the end of 2014.
• US Soldier Who Allegedly Killed Civilians Flown Out of Afghanistan VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- The U.S. military announced Wednesday that it has moved an army soldier suspected of killing 16 Afghan civilians in a rampage out of Afghanistan.
• Panetta: Partnership Tested, Proven After Horrific Events AFPS 14 Mar 2012 -- Coalition forces are achieving their mission of helping Afghanistan transform its future, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told a multinational military throng here today.
• U.S. Defense Chief Panetta Visits Afghanistan Amid Anger, Bombings RFE/RL 14 Mar 2012 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has made a visit to Afghanistan, amid anger among Afghans over the burning of Korans by U.S. personnel and the massacre of 16 Afghan civilians by a U.S. soldier.
• Panetta: US Shooting Will Not Undermine US-Afghan Relations VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says recent violence in Afghanistan, including a deadly shooting spree allegedly by a U.S. soldier, will not deter the United States from carrying out its mission in the country.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Obama, Cameron Reaffirm Alliance, Discuss Afghanistan, Syria, Iran VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- In talks at the White House on Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron reaffirmed plans to shift military operations to a support role in Afghanistan next year, ahead of a planned withdrawal of foreign forces in 2014. The two leaders also discussed Syria, and mounting pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.
• Obama Welcomes 'Rock-solid' Ally to White House AFPS 14 Mar 2012 -- President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron reaffirmed the 'rock-solid' alliance between their two countries at a White House welcome ceremony this morning.
• Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron of the United Kingdom at Arrival Ceremony The White House 14 Mar 2012
• Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron of the United Kingdom in a Joint Press Conference The White House 14 Mar 2012
• Town Hall Meeting with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Camp Leatherneck, Helmand, Afghanistan DoD 14 Mar 2012 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta
• 'Small footprint, high payoff': US Marine team trains Ugandan forces to face al-Shabaab, LRA USMC News 14 Mar 2012 -- A thousand miles from the nearest major American base, about 30 U.S. Marines have been training a company of Ugandan soldiers for the fight against terrorism in East Africa since arriving in country, Feb. 3.
• Kearsarge Hosts Senate Field Hearing on Energy; First Aboard Ship Since 1960 NNS 14 Mar 2012 -- Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) hosted a Senate subcommittee field hearing on energy March 12, the first time since 1960 that a Senate hearing was held aboard a Navy vessel.
• James E. Williams Departs Norfolk for Fourth Deployment NNS 14 Mar 2012 -- Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) departed Norfolk Naval Station March 12 on the ship's fourth deployment with the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group.
• West African, European and US Navies and Coast Guards Plan Exercise Saharan Express 2012 NNS 14 Mar 2012 -- Military and civilian maritime professionals from West Africa, Europe, and the United States finalized a challenging training agenda for exercise Saharan Express 2012, March 14.
• US, Colombian EOD Share Knowledge during Navy Dive-Southern Partnership Station 2012 NNS 14 Mar 2012 -- Sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 2 conducted a three-week subject matter expert exchange with Colombian Marine Recon, Commandos and EOD in support of Navy Dive - Southern Partnership Station 2012 (ND-SPS 12), March 12.
• Total force tanker team sharpens skills at Red Flag AFNS 14 Mar 2012 -- Aerial refuelers sharpen their skills through joint, allied and total force integration during Red Flag 12-3.
• Russia May Allow NATO to Move Troops, Cargo to Afghanistan Through Airport on Volga VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- For the last three years, Moscow has allowed NATO to ship military supplies to Afghanistan through Russia by rail. Now, this Northern Distribution Network may use an airport in Russia.
• Russian Military to Dispose of 4 Mln Guns by 2015 – Paper RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- The Russian Defense Ministry is planning to dispose of four million obsolete guns, mainly Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles, by 2015, the Russian daily Izvestia reported on Wednesday.
• Russia to Deploy Three S-400 Battalions in 2012 RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- Russia will accept into service three battalions of S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems in 2012, Air Force chief of staff Major General Viktor Bondarev said on Wednesday.
• Russia to Get First 57 Italian Armored Vehicles in 2012 RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- The Russian Armed Forces will take delivery of the first 57 Italian Lince (Lynx) light multirole armored vehicles (LMV) before the end of the current year, Defense Ministry press secretary Irina Kovalchuk said on Wednesday.
• Gov't Yet to Decide on Ulyanovsk NATO Transit Base - Lavrov RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- The Russian government has not yet considered whether it will fulfil an agreement to set up a logistics transit hub in the Russian Volga city of Ulyanovsk for NATO operations in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
• Dragon and Defender take to the sea for trials UK MOD 13 Mar 2012 -- Two of Britain's latest state-of-the-art destroyers have taken to the sea to further test their capabilities before initial deployments.
• India to offer warships to African, Middle-East nations IRNA 14 Mar 2012 -- Looking for export markets for its vessels, defence undertaking Goa Shipyard is offering its smaller size naval vessels to countries in Africa and the Middle East.
• Taiwan's annual Han Kuang exercises not to include live-fire drills CNA 14 Mar 2012 -- Live-fire drills will not be included in the annual Han Kuang series of exercises to begin next month, Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu clarified Wednesday, saying that the ministry has a live-fire exercise planned for another time.
• Navy questions CSBC's capability to build submarines CNA 14 Mar 2012 -- A senior Navy officer on Wednesday questioned a local ship builder's capability to build submarines for the Armed Forces, saying the company's briefing material shows it is not ready to take on such a project.
• March 14, 2012 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 14 Mar 2012

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 14, 2012
• Japan’s Ministry of Defense to acquire a Eurocopter EC225 for passenger transportation EADS 14 Mar 2012 -- The Japan Ministry of Defense signed a contract on 8th March 2012 with Eurocopter to acquire an EC225, a heavy twin-engine helicopter from Eurocopter’s Super Puma family.
• Northrop Grumman Wins $120 Million Contract for U.S. Air Force Command and Control Modernization Program Northrop Grumman 14 Mar 2012 -- The U.S. Air Force has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation for the Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) Weapon System (WS) modernization program with an initial award of $120 million.
• Astrium: New private communications services for French troops on overseas operations EADS 14 Mar 2012 -- Astrium Services has signed a new multi-year contract with the Economat des Armées (French MoD’s Joint Logistics and Supply Agency) for the provision of private communications services to French forces deployed on overseas operations.
• Lockheed Martin-Built Trident II D5 Missile Achieves 137th Successful Test Flight Lockheed Martin 14 Mar 2012 -- The U.S. Navy conducted a successful test flight Feb. 22 of a Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) built by Lockheed Martin. The Navy launched the unarmed missile from the submerged submarine USS Tennessee (SSBN 734) in the Atlantic Ocean.

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 14 Mar 2012
• ICC First verdict: Thomas Lubanga guilty of conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15 and using them to participate in hostilities ICC 14 Mar 2012
• Press Conference on International Criminal Court's Guilty Verdict in Lubanga Case United Nations 14 Mar 2012
• ICC Verdict Finds Lubanga Guilty of Using Child Soldiers VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- In its first verdict since it was set up 10 years ago, the International Criminal Court in The Hague has found Thomas Lubanga guilty of recruiting child soldiers during the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• In landmark ruling, ICC finds Congolese warlord guilty of recruiting child soldiers UN News Centre 14 Mar 2012 -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) today found Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dyilo guilty of recruiting child soldiers, in a landmark ruling hailed by United Nations officials as an important step in the fight against impunity.
• DRC: Lubanga verdict 'a first step' IRIN 14 Mar 2012 -- A ruling by the International Criminal Court (ICC) finding former Congolese rebel leader Thomas Lubanga guilty of conscripting child soldiers in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) Ituri region is good news in the fight against impunity but more crimes there should be prosecuted, say analysts.
• UN-Arab League envoy receives response from Syria, seeks clarifications UN News Centre 14 Mar 2012 -- The Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States for Syria has received a response from the Syrian authorities on issues he raised when he visited the country to help find a peaceful solution to the ongoing violence, and is seeking further clarifications, his spokesperson said today.
• Syrian Government Attacks Continue as Diplomacy Stalls VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- With international diplomacy stalled, forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are attacking the southern flashpoint city of Daraa Wednesday. The forces appear to be gaining against rebel fighters. Meanwhile, three prominent members of an opposition council submitted their resignations, further fragmenting the activists.
• Syrian Detainees Subjected To 'Systematic Torture' RFE/RL 14 Mar 2012 -- Amnesty International says Syrians who have been detained during the yearlong uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule have been subjected to "systematic torture" by regime forces that amounts to a crime against humanity.
• No Plans to Send Russian Combat Troops to Syria - Lavrov RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- There are no plans to send Russian combat troops to Syria if there is foreign military intervention, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, answering questions from Russian lawmakers during a 'government hour' meeting at the State Duma.
• Rights Group Details Torture of Syrian Detainees VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- Dozens of Syrians say they were abused or tortured in detention, according to a new report published Wednesday by the rights group Amnesty International.
• Rwandan rebel leader surrenders amid UN-backed offensive in DR Congo UN News Centre 14 Mar 2012 -- A top Rwandan rebel leader has surrendered amid a joint military offensive by the United Nations and the national army of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a spokesperson for the world body has confirmed.
• Côte d'Ivoire: UN envoy lauds new premier and parliament president UN News Centre 14 Mar 2012 -- The head of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Côte d'Ivoire today congratulated the country's new Prime Minister and the newly-elected president of parliament and assured them of the mission's continued support.
• US Officials Warn of Sudanese Humanitarian Crisis VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- Nearly one year after South Sudan achieved independence, creating the world's youngest nation, conflicts and disputes engulfing Sudan and South Sudan have created new humanitarian crises and contributed to high global oil prices. So said U.S. officials and American lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
• UGANDA: Rwandan refugees still reluctant to repatriate IRIN 14 Mar 2012 -- Thousands of Rwandan refugees living in Uganda remain unwilling to return home, citing a fear of persecution, despite the UN Refugee Agency's (UNHCR) invocation of a clause ending their refugee status.
• Al-Shabab Says It Carried Out Mogadishu Attack, 3 Dead VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- The Somali government says a former government worker carried out the suicide attack outside the presidential palace in Mogadishu that killed the bomber and two others.

News Reports

• Chinese premier warns of possible recurrence of Cultural Revolution CNA 14 Mar 2012 -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao warned Wednesday that social problems in China, if left unresolved, could lead to another tragic Cultural Revolution.
• Chinese Premier Calls for Political Reform RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said on Wednesday that China needs structural political reform to tackle income disparity, corruption and lack of credibility, Xinhua reported.
• Chinese Premier Acknowledges Need for Political Reforms VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says political reform is essential if the country is to continue with economic reform. He made his comments Wednesday, the final day of the annual session of China's legislature, the National People's Congress.
• Window Closing for Iran to Act, Obama, Cameron Say AFPS 14 Mar 2012 -- Sanctions and diplomatic pressure against Iran are working and need more time, but the window for Iran to act is closing, British and American leaders said here today.
• Jalili in letter to Ashton calls for setting venue, time of talks IRNA 14 Mar 2012 -- Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili said in a letter forwarded to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday that Iran welcomes political will of Group 5+1 to return to negotiating table.
• Supreme Leader appoints new EC members IRNA 14 Mar 2012 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in a decree on Wednesday appointed the new members of the EC for the next five years.
• Iran's Parliament Grills Ahmadinejad RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appeared before his nation's parliament on Wednesday for an unprecedented inquiry into his economic and political management, the country's state news agency IRNA said.
• April Talks Last Chance for Iran to Avoid U.S. Attack - Hillary Clinton RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- The United States has warned that the six-nation negotiations on Iran's nuclear program in April would be the last chance for Tehran to prevent a U.S. attack, the Kommersant daily said on Wednesday.
• Iran's Ahmadinejad Defends Record in Parliament Query VOA 14 Mar 2012 -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defended his record in office during an interrogation by lawmakers who accuse him of economic mismanagement and defying Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
• Azerbaijan Arrests 22 For Allegedly Plotting U.S., Israeli Attacks RFE/RL 14 Mar 2012 -- Azerbaijan’s Ministry of National Security has announced the arrests of 22 people on suspicion of plotting attacks on the U.S. and Israeli embassies in Baku.
• Azerbaijan Detains 22 'Iran Spies' RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- Azerbaijan's National Security Ministry has detained 22 people accused of spying for Iran and other crimes, the ministry said on Wednesday.
• Ukraine's Tymoshenko May Face High Treason Charges RIA Novosti 14 Mar 2012 -- Ukrainian ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko may see her prison term extended to up to 15 years if an investigation proves that she committed high treason by pushing through a 2009 gas deal with Russia, Ukrainian media reported on Wednesday.
• Taiwan to weigh Chinese premier's wish to visit CNA 14 Mar 2012 -- The Taiwan government will carefully consider whether to issue a permit to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who has expressed an interest in visiting Taiwan after he retires, a senior official said Wednesday.
• India to launch home-built RISAT-1 next month IRNA 14 Mar 2012 -- India is expected to launch next month an indigenously designed and developed satellite that has the unique capability of imaging during day and night and in all weather conditions.