Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 16 Jul 2012 [PDF]
• Combined Force Kills Several Insurgents AFPS 16 Jul 2012 -- An Afghan and coalition security force killed several insurgents during an operation to detain a Taliban weapons specialist in the Arghandab district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
• Northern Route a Key Supply Network for NATO Troops in Afghanistan VOA 16 Jul 2012 -- Pakistan has recently re-opened a vital supply line to NATO troops in Afghanistan - the so-called southern route. But, NATO forces also use another major thoroughfare.
• Afghan National Army soldiers soar with Operation Eagle's Flight Army News 16 Jul 2012 -- Afghan field artillery soldiers displayed deployment-ready skill, under the direction of deployment-ready leadership, during Exercise Eagle's Flight at Patrol Base Sorkh Bid in northern Kandahar province, July 11, 2012.
• Afghan police, army find bomb-making lab during clearance operations Army News 16 Jul 2012 -- The Afghan Uniformed Police and Afghan National Army partnered with C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, to conduct clearance operations in the Shah Wali Kot district, Afghanistan, July 7-10.
• Stryker BCTs in Afghanistan now equipped with precision mortars Army News 16 Jul 2012 -- The first-ever Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative, or APMI, round fired from a Stryker vehicle in Afghanistan accomplished what few conventional 120mm high-explosive mortars can achieve: a direct hit on a target with the first round fired.
• USNS Rappahannock Fires After Vessel Ignores Warnings AFPS 16 Jul 2012 -- A security team aboard the USNS Rappahannock today fired on a small motor vessel after it disregarded warnings and rapidly approached the ship near Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, according to a U.S. Naval Forces Central Command news release issued today.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Panetta Accelerates Stennis Carrier Strike Group Deployment AFPS 16 Jul 2012 -- The Navy will deploy the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and its strike group four months early and shift its destination to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, DOD officials said here today.
• New Acquisition Chief Describes Goals, Challenges AFPS 16 Jul 2012 -- Frank Kendall describes his new job as all about supporting the new defense strategy and the budget that puts that strategy in place.
• Crane Army Ammunition Activity participates in Golden Cargo 2012 Army News 16 Jul 2012 -- More than 240 Soldiers arrived at Crane Army Ammunition Activity July 8, to participate in the national military exercise called 'Golden Cargo,' taking place this month at the installation.
• DOD Approves $180 Million for the Federal Highway Administration to Begin U.S. Route 1 Expansion at Fort Belvoir DoD 16 Jul 2012 -- The Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation today announced the approval of $180 million from the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) for the Federal Highway Administration to widen U.S. Route 1 through Fort Belvoir, Va.
• Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Transits Suez, Enters 6th Fleet AOR NNS 16 Jul 2012 -- The Abraham Lincoln Strike Group transited the Suez Canal, July 16, departing the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) and entering the U.S. 6th Fleet AOR en route to the United States to complete an eight-month deployment.
• Carrier Strike Group 3 Commander Relieves HSM-71 XO NNS 16 Jul 2012 -- The executive officer of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, was relieved Sunday, July 15, aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), due to misconduct.
• ANG TACPs hold first maritime exercise AFNS 16 Jul 2012 -- Tactical Air Control Party Members (TACP) and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) from the 274th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) from Syracuse, New York participated in a first-of-its-kind Joint Maritime Operations exercise recently on Lake Ontario.
• Deputy Defense Secretary to Travel to Asia-Pacific Region AFPS 16 Jul 2012 -- Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter begins a 10-day trip tomorrow to countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.
• RIMPAC 2012 Conducts Sink Exercise NNS 16 Jul 2012 -- A live-fire exercise, part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012, sank the deactivated ship USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS-3) in waters 15,480 feet deep, 63 miles southwest of Kauai, Hawaii, about 11:31 a.m., July 14.
• NAVFAC awards $8 million contract to small business in Charleston NNS 16 Jul 2012 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded an $8 million contract July 13 to Ikhana, LLC, a small business out of North Charleston, S.C., for work to be done at Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
• NAVSUP Provides Biofuel for RIMPAC Great Green Fleet Demo NNS 16 Jul 2012 -- Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) issued a biofuel mix to the USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO-187), several U.S. aircraft, and one Australian helicopter for use during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise and the Great Green Fleet demonstration July 18.
• Ri Yong Ho Relieved of All His Posts in DPRK KCNA 16 Jul 2012 -- A meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held on July 15.
• North Korea's Military Chief Relieved of All Duties RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2012 -- North Korea's military chief, a close ally of the country's new leader Kim Jong Un, has been relieved of all his posts because of illness, North Korea's official KCNA news agency said on Monday.
• Top North Korean Military Leader Dismissed VOA 16 Jul 2012 -- North Korea has announced the removal of its military chief, a key advisor to leader Kim Jong Un.
• Indian Aircraft Carrier Heads For Second Sea Trials RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2012 -- The Indian Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the Vikramaditya, has headed into the Barents Sea for second-stage sea trials, as part of its refit by Russia's Sevmash shipyard, Captain Vadim Serga of Russia's Northern Fleet information service said on Monday.
• Russian Military to Form 26 New Brigades by 2020 RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2012 -- Russia' Defense Ministry will form 26 additional brigades by 2020 without increasing the overall number of personnel in the Armed Forces, Commander of Ground Forces Col. Gen. Vladimir Chirkin said on Monday.
• Russian Army to Switch to Wheeled Armored Vehicles RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2012 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has decided to equip the Ground Forces mostly with wheeled rather than tracked armored vehicles, GF commander Col. Gen. Vladimir Chirkin said on Monday.
• Taiwan signs F-16 A/Bs upgrade deal with U.S. CNA 16 Jul 2012 -- Taiwan has recently signed a proposal by the United States to retrofit the country's aging F-16 A/B jet fighters to seal the arms sales deal, Taiwan's Air Force said Monday.
• Ukraine to Create European-like Armed Forces – General Staff RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2012 -- Ukraine will carry out a military reform to make its armed forces 'modern' and 'European-like,' first deputy chief of the country's General Staff of the Armed Forces, Vice Adm. Ihor Kabanenko, said on Monday.
• IRGC Qods Force commander: Enemies helpless in facing Iran's missile power IRNA 16 Jul 2012 -- Commander of the IRGC's Qods Force Major General Qassem Soleimani said on Monday that the enemies are helpless in facing Iran's missile power.
• July 16, 2012 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 16 Jul 2012
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney Aboard Air Force One, 7/16/2012 The White House 16 Jul 2012

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 16, 2012

Other Conflicts

• 16 July 2012 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 16 Jul 2012
• Critical funding shortage threatens humanitarian response for Syria – UN official UN News Centre 16 Jul 2012 -- The humanitarian response for Syria is facing a critical shortage of funds, a top United Nations relief official warned today, calling on the donor community to scale up their contributions to enable aid agencies to help those affected by the escalating crisis.
• Russia Says Push For Syria Sanctions By West Is 'Blackmail' RFE/RL 16 Jul 2012 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused Western countries of trying to "blackmail" Russia to secure a new UN Security Council resolution that would threaten sanctions against Syria.
• Syria Arms Ship En Route to St. Petersburg RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2012 -- A Russian ship purportedly carrying helicopter gunships to Syria will arrive in the port of St. Petersburg by the end of the month, the ship's owner, Femco, said on Monday.
• Russia Sees Blackmail in Western Stance on Syria RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2012 -- Russia sees 'elements of blackmail' in the West's linking of new sanctions against Syria with the extension of the international observer mission there, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday, and said it was unrealistic to expect Moscow to force President Assad to step down.
• Syrian Fighting Reaches Capital VOA 16 Jul 2012 -- Syria moved armored vehicles into the capital Damascus as opposition fighters battled Syrian government forces in what residents described as the fiercest fighting yet inside the capital.
• Clinton Meets Israeli, Palestinian Leaders VOA 16 Jul 2012 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is wrapping up a 12-day, nine-country tour with a stop in Jerusalem, where on Monday she discussed a broad range of issues with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials.
• Clinton, Israeli Leaders Discuss Iran, Syria, Egypt, Palestinians VOA 16 Jul 2012 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is having talks with Israeli leaders on the conflict in Syria, the political transition in Egypt, and the perceived threat from Iran's nuclear program.
• DR Congo, Rwanda Agree on 'Partial Solution' to M23 Rebellion VOA 16 Jul 2012 -- The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have agreed to a proposal for a neutral force to be stationed along their border. The agreement, signed by the presidents of the two countries on Sunday, says the proposed force would help to eradicate the Congolese rebel movement, the M23, and other armed groups in the region.
• DR Congo: Security Council condemns attacks by rebel soldiers in country's east UN News Centre 16 Jul 2012 -- The Security Council today strongly condemned the attacks in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by the group of renegade soldiers known as M23, and demanded that all forms of support to armed groups in the country cease immediately.
• Yemen: Ban welcomes launch of process for national dialogue conference UN News Centre 16 Jul 2012 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the official launch of the preparatory process for the national dialogue conference in Yemen, his spokesperson said today.
• YEMEN: Abyan Governorate emerges from war IRIN 16 Jul 2012 -- Damaged tanks, artillery pieces and other weaponry - some half-covered with sand - lie strewn on either side of the road about 12km west of Zinjibar city, capital of Yemen's southern Abyan governorate.
• Analysis: Carrot or stick? - Nigerians divided over Boko Haram IRIN 16 Jul 2012 -- How to deal with Boko Haram violence splits Nigeria: in the north, the centre of bombings and shootings by the Islamist extremists, there is an almost universal demand for dialogue, while in the south the prevailing attitude is that there can be no negotiation with 'terrorists' until they end the insurrection that has killed more than 1,000 people since 2009.
• MYANMAR: Access to health a worry in Rakhine State IRIN 16 Jul 2012 -- Aid workers are concerned about access to healthcare in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State, more than a month after communal violence left over 50,000 people displaced.

News Reports

• Clinton: Iranian Nuclear Proposals 'Non-Starters' RFE/RL 16 Jul 2012 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the United States will use "all elements of American power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon."
• New UN campaign highlights financial and social costs of transnational organized crime UN News Centre 16 Jul 2012 -- The annual turnover of transnational organized criminal activities such as drug trafficking, counterfeiting, illegal arms trade and the smuggling of immigrants is estimated at around $870 billion, the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said today, as part of a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the issue's financial and social costs.
• Ukraine Opposition Looking to Impeach Yanukovych RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2012 -- The Ukrainian opposition is determined to impeach President Viktor Yanukovych, opposition leader Arseny Yatsenyuk said on Monday.
• Thai Politicians Weigh Options Following Constitution Verdict VOA 16 Jul 2012 -- Thailand's political parties are weighing Friday's key court decision on proposals to amend the country's 2007 constitution. Some political factions are pressing the ruling party to defy the constitutional court, risking more serious political turmoil.