Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 05 Apr 2012 [PDF]
• ISAF Commander Condemns Bomb Attack AFPS 05 Apr 2012 -- The commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan condemned an improvised explosive device attack.
• Afghan unit carries out night operation NATO 05 Apr 2012 -- The Crisis Response Unit, the elite unit of the Afghan National Police, on a major operation to capture a Taliban leader in Surobi, a district north of Kabul.
• Air Force crews deliver critical cargo to outposts AFNS 05 Apr 2012 -- A cold, isolated outpost high in the mountains of Afghanistan was running low on fuel, which provides all the power and heating for forces there.
• 2014 UN Afghan Withdrawal Not Artificial Term RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- The timeline for the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan should not be adjusted to “someone’s election schedule”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
• Russia to Control NATO Ulyanovsk Transit Base RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- The projected Ulyanovsk transit base for NATO supplies to and from Afghanistan will remain under Russian customs control and will have no NATO civil or military personnel.
• Three Americans Among 10 Dead In North Afghan Attack RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- At least 10 people, including at least three U.S. soldiers, were reported killed in an attack by a suicide bomber in northern Afghanistan.
• At Least Eight Killed In Taliban Attack On Afghan Police Outpost RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- At least eight members of the Afghan security forces are reported to have been killed in an attack by Taliban fighters on a police outpost in the western Afghan province of Farah.
• Locals Deny End To Drugs Trade In Afghan Province RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- Health officials weigh in with statistics indicating that the number of drug addicts in Parwan has surged.
• 2nd BCT Soldiers wrap up largest JRTC rotation ever Army News 05 Apr 2012 -- 2/10th Mountain formed the nexus of the largest Joint Readiness Training Center rotation ever.
• First 3d ESC Soldiers deploy to Afghanistan Army News 05 Apr 2012 -- The Soldiers, the 3d ESC's advanced party, departed Fort Knox for Afghanistan just before the unit cased its colors on Brooks Field.
• Det. 21, DCP 2 return from Afghanistan Army News 05 Apr 2012 -- Family members and military and community leaders from Vicksburg and Hattiesburg, Miss., honored Army Reserve Soldiers of Detachment 21, Deployable Command Post 2, 412th Theater Engineer Command, with a welcome home ceremony Apr. 3, 2012.
• Pakistani President: US drone strikes violate national sovereignty IRNA 05 Apr 2012 -- President Asif Ali Zardari has told a visiting top American diplomat that the U.S. drone attacks are counter-productive, violating national sovereignty of Pakistan.
• PSYOP team prepares for expanded HOA mission; 345th PSYOP Company begins pre-deployment training Army News 05 Apr 2012 -- More than 20 Soldiers of the 345th Psychological Operations Company started pre-deployment training March 26, 2012 at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Lewisville, Texas.
• New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force Members Part of Multi-City Drug Arrests Army News 05 Apr 2012 -- Five members of the New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force gave themselves a silent pat on the back for a job well done.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Air Force to Continue Legacy of Innovation, Donley Says AFPS 05 Apr 2012 -- More than any other military service, people have viewed the U.S. Air Force as an innovative and “leap ahead” organization.
• Panetta, Singapore Defense Chief Affirm Deeper Cooperation AFPS 05 Apr 2012 -- The Defense Department’s move to deploy U.S. combat ships to Singapore and raise the level of joint exercises will deepen the bilateral military relationship.
• U.S. to Help Kosovo Join EU, NATO – Clinton RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- The United States will help Kosovo join the European Union and NATO, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said following talks with Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci in Washington.
• Navy's Newest Squadron Prepares for New F-35 Fighters NNS 05 Apr 2012 -- Navy personnel are busy preparing to teach the next generation of Sailors how to work with and fly the newest military aircraft, the F-35C Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter.
• Navy Begins Construction on DDG 1002 NNS 05 Apr 2012 -- U.S. Sen. Susan Collins joined Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works President Jeffrey Geiger to start the fabrication of DDG 1002 during a ceremony at the BIW shipyard in Bath, Maine, April 4.
• LCS 3 Completes Second Round of Builder's Trials NNS 05 Apr 2012 -- The future USS Fort Worth successfully completed the second round of builder's trials, April 4, in preparation for the ship's acceptance trials scheduled for late April.
• Pirates, Beware: Navy's Smart Robocopters Will Spy You in the Crowd NNS 05 Apr 2012 -- Navy unmanned aircraft will be able to distinguish small pirate boats from other vessels.
• Army acquiring 'brown-out' assistance for helos Army News 05 Apr 2012 -- The U.S. Army is in the early stages of responding to an Operational Needs Statement asking for high-tech assistance for pilots to better navigate "brown-out" conditions where terrain becomes obscured.
• Lakota fleet more than 200 strong approaching 100K flight hours Army News 05 Apr 2012 -- The Army's newest aircraft, the UH-72A Lakota, is approaching 100,000 flight hours, and maintains one of the highest mission-capable rates among Army aircraft.
• USARAF ceremony honors Task Force Odyssey Guard participants Army News 05 Apr 2012 -- U.S. Army Africa Commander Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg recognized 127 Soldiers and civilians for their participation in Joint Task Force-Odyssey Guard.
• Airman Missing from Vietnam War Identified DoD 05 Apr 2012
• Russian Military Police to Be Set Up ‘in Two Stages’ RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- Russia’s military police will be instituted in two stages.
• Russia to Upgrade Two Warships for Algerian Navy RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- Russia’s Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg has signed a contract on the overhaul of two warships for the Algerian navy.
• Russia Plans to Spend $44 billion on Arctic Projects Until 2020 RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- Russia intends to spend around 1.3 trillion rubles ($44 billion) on economic and social projects in the Arctic until 2020.
• Indian Navy to operate five nuclear submarines by end of decade IRNA 05 Apr 2012 -- Indian Navy is all set to operate five nuclear submarines by the end of this decade.
• Upgraded PAC-2 missiles delivered to Taiwan: defense minister CNA 05 Apr 2012 -- Defense Minister Kao: Upgrade of Patriot PAC-2 missile defense systems has been completed and the missiles sent back to Taiwan.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 4/5/12 The White House 05 Apr 2012
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, April 5, 2012 US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2012

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 05, 2012

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 5 April 2012 United Nations 05 Apr 2012
• Press Conference by Permanent Representative of Syria, 5 April 2012 United Nations 05 Apr 2012
• Analysts Say Syrian President Unlikely to Stay in Power VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- A U.N.-Arab League peacekeeping team has touched down in Syria.
• Syrian parties should cease all violence in one week UN News Centre 05 Apr 2012 -- The Syrian Government and opposition forces should have ceased all violence by Thursday, 12 April, the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations-League of Arab States, Kofi Annan, said.
• UN Envoy Firm on April 12 Deadline for Syria Cease-fire VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan told U.N. member states that April 12 remains a firm deadline for an end to violence in Syria.
• Fierce Crackdown Ahead Of UN Cease-Fire Deadline In Syria RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- Syrian troops have launched fierce artillery and sniper attacks on opposition-dominated suburbs of Damascus.
• Violence Continues in Syria as Peacekeeping Team Arrives VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- An advance peacekeeping team for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan arrived in Syria to begin laying the groundwork for a potential monitoring mission that could end the government's violent crackdown on dissent.
• Syria Conflict Highlights Saudi-Iran Tensions VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- The unrest in Syria highlights a larger struggle for regional influence between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
• Russian Ship to Hold Drills Off Syria RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- A Russian warship will dock at the Syrian port of Tartus before planned exercises off the country's Mediterranean coast.
• French Foreign Minister Pushes Regional Solution to Mali Crisis VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says West African mediation efforts to solve Mali's crisis are making progress, urging a regional solution to the problem.
• Ban renews calls for immediate cessation of violence in Mali UN News Centre 05 Apr 2012 -- Secretary-General Ban welcomed the Security Council’s condemnation of the seizure of power in Mali by military rebels.
• Mali Rebels Declare End of Military Operations in North VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- Tuareg rebels in northern Mali who seized three towns in a fast-moving offensive have declared an end to military operations.
• Comments by Sudanese official could lead to further violence, warns UN rights chief UN News Centre 05 Apr 2012 -- The top United Nations human rights official warned that comments by the Governor of Sudan’s Southern Kordofan state could amount to a serious crime and lead to an escalation of violence.
• KENYA: Sudanese influx strains Kakuma refugee camp IRIN 05 Apr 2012 -- Over the past few weeks refugees fleeing violence in parts of Sudan and South Sudan have been arriving in Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya in large numbers.
• Press Conference by Prime Minister of Central African Republic, 5 April 2012 United Nations 05 Apr 2012
• UN official urges greater support for peacebuilding efforts in Central African Republic UN News Centre 05 Apr 2012 -- The head of the United Nations peacebuilding office in the Central African Republic urged the international community to support ongoing efforts to restore stability in the country.
• DRC: Former Rebels Loyal to Ntaganda Defect From Army VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- Hundreds of soldiers aligned with a former rebel leader in eastern Congo have defected from the military.
• Fugitive Iraqi Vice President Says PM Targeting Sunnis RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- Fugitive Iraqi VP al-Hashimi has accused PM al-Maliki of waging a systematic campaign against Iraq's minority Sunni Arabs.
• Taiwan maintains sovereignty over Paracel Islands: official CNA 05 Apr 2012 -- The Shisha Islands, or Paracel Islands, are part of the territory of the Republic of China, and that will not change even if Chinese tourism activities are held on the islands.
• China Plans Tourist Visits to Disputed Islands VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- China says it will allow tourists to visit disputed islands in the South China Sea, a move likely to further inflame tensions over the vast maritime region.
• Ukrainians Accused Of Helping Libya's Qaddafi Forces RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- Twenty Ukrainians have gone on trial in Libya, charged with assisting the forces of Muammar Qaddafi.
• Ukrainians Accused of Abetting Gaddafi Troops RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- A military court in Tripoli charged 20 Ukrainian nationals with aiding troops supporting deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
• PAKISTAN: Fresh displacements in Khyber Agency IRIN 05 Apr 2012 -- It is not the first time that Wasim Khan and his family of five from Pakistan’s Khyber Agency near the border with Afghanistan have been displaced.
• Deadly Twin Attacks Target Police in Pakistan's Largest City VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- A suicide bomber and a group of gunmen carried out two deadly attacks targeting police in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi.
• Gunmen kill 3 policemen in Karachi IRNA 05 Apr 2012 -- Gunmen have shot dead three policemen in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, police said.
• Blasts Damage Turkey's Kirkuk-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- Explosions have shut down a pipeline in southeastern Turkey that carries oil from Iraq to a Mediterranean port.
• Khmer Rouge Tribunal at Risk Without Cambodian Support VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- Observers following the troubled Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunal say an escalating dispute with the Cambodian government makes it increasingly unlikely that new charges will ever be brought against remaining suspects.

News Reports

• Iran Can Stop Economic, Diplomatic Sanctions AFPS 05 Apr 2012 -- Iranian government leaders can stop the pain by ending their nuclear weapons program.
• Nuclear-Armed Iran ‘Unacceptable’ – Pentagon RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, the U.S. Department of Defense said.
• Clinton Warns Iran That Diplomatic Efforts Won't Be 'Infinite' RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- The United States has again warned Iran that it must get serious about proving to the international community that its nuclear program isn't hiding weapons development activities.
• Boroujerdi: Baghdad is a suitable venue for Iran-G5+1 talks IRNA 05 Apr 2012 -- Head of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said Baghdad is a suitable venue for holding nuclear talks between Iran and Group 5+1.
• Iran Dismisses Turkey As Site Of Nuclear Talks RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- The head of Iran’s foreign policy committee says Iran does not want Turkey to host talks with world powers over Tehran's nuclear program.
• Turkey supports Iran-G5+1 talks anywhere: Oglo IRNA 05 Apr 2012 -- Turkey supports Iran and G5+1 nuclear talks anywhere, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davoud Oglo said.
• Pentagon: U.S. Takes Prospect of North Korea Launch Seriously AFPS 05 Apr 2012 -- The Defense Department is closely monitoring the prospect of a long-range rocket launch this month by North Korea.
• Former US Diplomat Says If Ignored, North Korea Could be 'Dangerous' VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- The former U.S. envoy to North Korea said the Obama administration must continue to engage with Pyongyang.
• North Korea Threatens to ‘Bury Enemies at Sea’ RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has threatened “to bury enemies at sea” if there are any attempts to hinder Pyongyang’s long-range rocket launch.
• Interception of Satellite Would Be Regarded as Act of War: CPRK Spokesman KCNA 05 Apr 2012 -- A spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea issued the following statement.
• Rodong Sinmun Calls for Greeting WPK Conference with High Political Enthusiasm KCNA 05 Apr 2012 -- Rodong Sinmun editorially calls on all party members, service personnel and other people to significantly greet the forthcoming Fourth Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea.
• Kim Jong Un Inspects KPA Navy Unit 155 KCNA 05 Apr 2012 -- Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army Kim Jong Un, supreme leader of the Workers' Party of Korea and the people of the DPRK, inspected KPA Navy Unit 155.
• Pakistan's PM Criticizes US Bounty on Militant VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- Pakistan is criticizing the U.S. decision to place a $10 million bounty on the founder of a militant group blamed for attacks in India.
• White House Defends Meetings with Muslim Brotherhood VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- The Obama administration is defending its meetings with members of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political party.
• Civil Society Group Opposes US Aid Waiver for Egypt VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- The United States is sending more than $1 billion in military and economic aid to Egypt - despite Cairo's prosecution of civil society groups and its indictment of several American aid workers.
• Egyptian Military Reiterate Pledge to Cede Power After Polls RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- Egypt’s ruling military council has reiterated its pledge to hand over power in the country to a civilian leader following the next month’s presidential vote.
• White House Officials Meet Muslim Brothers in Washington RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- White House and other U.S. officials met with representatives of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood movement in Washington earlier this week.
• Clinton Announces Burma Rapprochement VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- The United States is relaxing some long-standing sanctions on Burma in hopes of encouraging further reforms after landmark elections in the Southeast Asian nation.
• US-China Study Authors Defend Findings VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- China's state media say U.S. press reports overstate differences between the United States and China described in a report by two leading scholars.
• Anonymous Sets Sights on Chinese Websites VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- Message from hacktivist group claims to have brought down, defaced, or leaked information from at least 500 websites over past week.
• China Bars Artist from Surveilling Himself VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- World-renowned artist Ai Weiwei says while authorities in China have no problem monitoring him around the clock, they do have a problem with him aiding their efforts.
• Uganda Political Pressure Group Vows to Defy Government Ban VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- A Ugandan lawmaker has condemned as “illegitimate and autocratic” a government ban on political pressure group, the Activists for Change (A4C).
• Togo Opposition Leader Welcomes Truth Commission Report VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- Togo’s main opposition leader said the time has come for national reconciliation, with peace finally reigning after decades of political violence.
• Ukraine Wants to Close Yushchenko Poisoning Case RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- Ukrainian prosecutors have substantial grounds to close a criminal case on the alleged poisoning of former president Viktor Yushchenko.
• Yushchenko Faces Probe over Role in Tymoshenko Case RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko faces an investigation over his order to close a criminal case against former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
• Tymoshenko to Be Questioned in Murder Case RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- Jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will be questioned over the 1996 murder of a businessman.
• EU Envoys to Belarus to Get ‘Case by Case’ Treatment RIA Novosti 05 Apr 2012 -- The return of EU ambassadors to Belarus will be handled on a case-by-case basis, President Alexander Lukashenko said.
• Serbia's President Boris Tadic Resigns VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- Serbia's pro-Western President Boris Tadic has resigned, paving the way for early presidential elections May 6.
• Serbian President Formally Resigns, Clearing Way For Election RFE/RL 05 Apr 2012 -- Serbian President Boris Tadic has sent his official letter of resignation to the parliament in Belgrade, clearing the way for joint presidential and parliamentary elections.
• Russian Arms Trafficker Bout Sentenced to 25 Years in US Prison VOA 05 Apr 2012 -- A federal judge in New York sentenced Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout to 25 years in prison for conspiring to sell weapons to a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist group based in Colombia.