Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Combined Force Arrests Taliban Financier AFPS 03 Aug 2012 -- An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban financier in the Zurmat district of Afghanistan's Paktiya province today, military officials reported.
• Allen Congratulates New U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan AFPS 03 Aug 2012 -- Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, congratulated the new U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, James B. Cunningham.
• Additional Firefighting Aircraft Head to Rocky Mountain Region AFPS 03 Aug 2012 -- The U.S. Forest Service has requested two more Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 aircraft to help with combating wildfires in the Rocky Mountain area.

Defense Policy / Programs

• RIMPAC 2012 Concludes NNS 03 Aug 2012 -- JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- The world's largest international maritime exercise, Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), officially concluded Aug 3.
• Nebraska (Gold) Welcomes New Commander NNS 03 Aug 2012 -- The Gold Crew of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) welcomed a new commanding officer July 27, as Cmdr. Jeffrey Joseph relieved Cmdr. Michael Fisher during a ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor's Deterrent Park.
• Panetta: Ospreys Grounded in Japan Pending Investigation AFPS 03 Aug 2012 -- The Marine Corps will deliver the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to Japan on time, but they will remain grounded for the short term, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told reporters today during a joint Pentagon press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto.
• Panetta Asks Board to Review Military Justice in Deployed Areas AFPS 03 Aug 2012 -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has asked an independent board to review the application of military justice in deployed areas, the Pentagon's General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson announced today.
• U.S., Botswana open MEDLITE 12 AFNS 03 Aug 2012 -- Airmen from units across the U.S. and members of the Botswana defense forces kicked off MEDLITE 12, a two-week aeromedical evacuation exercise, here today.
• Army standardizes PTSD diagnosis, treatment Army News 03 Aug 2012 -- The Army, along with the other military services and the Department of Veterans Affairs, is standardizing the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.
• New Imaging Technique Detects Changes in Veins That May Better Illuminate Brain Injury Army News 03 Aug 2012 -- A new dimension in imaging technology detects minute levels of vascular damage in the form of bleeding, clots and reduced levels of oxygenation that may better illuminate our understanding of brain injury, particularly related to trauma.
• 3rd CAB Lands for 'Falcon Focus' Army News 03 Aug 2012 -- Soldiers from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, Third Infantry Division arrived July 23 at Fort Bliss, Texas, where they are scheduled to remain to conduct readiness exercise 'Falcon Focus' until early September.
• High Speed Vessel Swift Visits Liberia for Africa Partnership Station Visit NNS 03 Aug 2012 -- High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) pulled into Liberia Aug. 3, to begin port visit in support of Africa Partnership Station (APS) West 2012.
• USS Pittsburgh Welcomes New Commander NNS 03 Aug 2012 -- Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) held a change of command ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton Aug. 3.
• COMDESRON 60 Holds Change of Command NNS 03 Aug 2012 -- Commander, Destroyer Squadron (COMDESRON) 60 held a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Naples, Aug. 3.
• Maxwell medics return from Peru AFNS 03 Aug 2012 -- Nine members of the 42nd Medical Group recently returned from New Horizons, an ongoing joint humanitarian training exercise in Peru.
• Airmen train with Polish counterparts AFNS 03 Aug 2012 -- Ramstein Airmen from the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing and 86th Airlift Wing continue to train together along with Polish military members in exercise Screaming Eagle IV, here July 24th through August 3rd.
• Pacom: Asia-Pacific Focus Represents 'Whole of Government' Rebalance AFPS 03 Aug 2012 -- Recognizing that the new focus on the Asia-Pacific region is a national strategy and one not just for the Defense Department alone, U.S. Pacific Command is reaching out to its interagency and non-governmental partners to roll it out in an efficient, well-coordinated manner.
• DOD Officials Detail Defense Posture in Asia-Pacific AFPS 03 Aug 2012 -- The Defense Department remains focused on building and strengthening defense initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region to reach the goals outlined in the U.S. defense strategic guidance, senior DOD officials said here Aug. 1.
• ROK, US Marines rehearse squad tactics in Korea USMC News 03 Aug 2012 -- Republic of Korea and U.S. Marines conducted a fire-and-maneuver exercise July 23 at Nightmare Range, Republic of Korea, during Korean Marine Exchange Program 12-7.
• Recon Marines prepare for MEU exercise USMC News 03 Aug 2012 -- As the wind drives down the valley making trees sway, the Jungle Warfare Training Center's next students prepare to descend. Each has been trained and equipped for the task. Each, in turn, will go over the edge and test their mettle against gravity, rappelling in the Okinawa jungle.
• Records Reveal Enterprise is on 25th Deployment NNS 03 Aug 2012 -- Aug. 3, marks the 50th anniversary of the first deployment of USS Enterprise (CVN 65), and historians recently discovered the actual number of deployments is higher than commonly reported.
• Expeditionary Training Group Leads Navy Expeditionary Force's Integration into RIMPAC NNS 03 Aug 2012 -- Expeditionary Training Group (ETG) wrapped up its participation in the world's largest naval exercise Aug. 2, after spending three weeks conducting maritime security drills as part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012.
• Blue Ridge Achieves Top 3M Score on Waterfront NNS 03 Aug 2012 -- U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) wrapped up a week-long Maintenance and Material Management (3M) assessment Aug. 3 with an overall score of 92.53 percent.
• Port Call in Tartus Possible - Russian Defense Min. RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2012 -- Russian warships engaged in drills in the Mediterranean Sea may enter Russia's naval re-supply and maintenance base in Syria's Tartus, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
• Navy admits to blunder in military drill off eastern Taiwan CNA 03 Aug 2012 -- Taiwan's Navy has admitted that there was a problem with its execution of a recent military exercise off the coast of eastern Taiwan and said it has taken steps to penalize those responsible for the blunder.
• SECURITY: Arms trade treaty failure not all doom and gloom IRIN 03 Aug 2012 -- The failure of a proposed treaty to regulate the multi-billion dollar global conventional weapons trade does not mean disaster, according to some campaigners looking to develop effective international arms controls.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 03, 2012

Other Conflicts

• 3 August 2012 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 03 Aug 2012
• As Syria fighting continues, General Assembly urges immediate halt to violence UN News Centre 03 Aug 2012 -- As the fighting in Syria continues unabated, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution condemning the increasing use of heavy weapons by authorities and urging all sides to immediately cease armed violence.
• UN General Assembly Criticizes Syria, Security Council VOA 03 Aug 2012 -- The United Nations General Assembly has approved a non-binding resolution that both condemns the Syrian government's use of heavy weapons in the fight against rebel forces and criticizes the U.N. Security Council for failing to agree on measures to stem the violence.
• Wounded Syrians Seek Refuge, Treatment in Lebanon VOA 03 Aug 2012 -- TRIPOLI — In Syria, hospitals are a place of danger where President Bashar al-Assad's forces search for protesters and rebels - making it too hazardous for many wounded people to seek treatment. Injured Syrians are instead making a treacherous journey to get medical help in neighboring Lebanon.
• Governments React To Syria Envoy Annan's Resignation RFE/RL 03 Aug 2012 -- In the wake of Kofi Annan's announcement that he was resigning as the UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria, several countries have moved to consolidate their roles in international efforts to resolve to the conflict.
• UN General Assembly To Vote On Syria Resolution RFE/RL 03 Aug 2012 -- The UN General Assembly is due to vote on a resolution that condemns the Syrian government's use of "heavy weapons" and its failure to withdraw forces from civilian areas.
• Washington Blames Russia, China for Annan Mission Failure RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2012 -- The resignation of the UN and Arab League envoy to Syria Kofi Annan highlights the failure of Russia and China to back strong action against Bashar al-Assad's regime, the White House said.
• Russia Caught Off Guard on Syria as Annan Leaves – Analysts RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2012 -- After the resignation of the UN Envoy to Syria Kofi Annan, Moscow’s options are limited to buying time and waiting to see how the situation pans out in Syria, Russian analysts and lawmakers said.
• Despite post-conflict gains, Sri Lanka needs continued donor support – UN official UN News Centre 03 Aug 2012 -- A senior United Nations relief official today praised the progress made by the Sri Lankan Government in resettling over 440,000 people since the end of the civil war three years ago, and called for continued donor support for the country, where many people still lack basic services.
• UNHCR: Mali Conflict Poses Global Threat VOA 03 Aug 2012 -- GENEVA — The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Antonio Guterres, says conflict in northern Mali is aggravating the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel and posing a serious threat to regional and global security.
• UN and partners boost efforts to tackle 'alarming' health situation in South Sudan camps UN News Centre 03 Aug 2012 -- The United Nations refugee agency and its partners are scaling up efforts to reverse the 'alarming' rates of malnutrition, disease and death in two camps hosting Sudanese refugees in South Sudan, even as they struggle to cope with logistical problems amid the rainy season.
• Clinton to Urge Somali Leaders to Complete Transition on Time VOA 03 Aug 2012 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Kenya's capital, Nairobi, Saturday to urge Somali leaders to complete a political transition to a new government on schedule. Clinton has previously threatened that the U.S. will impose sanctions on anyone seeking to sabotage the process.
• Clinton Urges Sudan, South Sudan to Settle Issues VOA 03 Aug 2012 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is urging Sudan and South Sudan to resolve bitter disputes that earlier this year pushed the countries to the brink of war.
• BANGLADESH: Reactions to Rohingya service ban IRIN 03 Aug 2012 -- The government of Bangladesh has ordered three international NGOs to stop providing services to Muslim ethnic Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, fearing such services will encourage an 'influx' of people fleeing recent sectarian violence in the neighbouring country.
• MALI: Pastoralism – between resilience and survival IRIN 03 Aug 2012 -- Hundreds of pastoralists in the Mopti Region of central Mali are stuck between floodplains to the south and armed Islamists and rebels to the north. They are used to the hardship of successive droughts across the Sahel, but with little or no aid for their animals and severely limited access to pasture, many are becoming desperate as their livelihood and way of life becomes increasingly untenable.
• Documents on ROC-Japan peace treaty to be displayed CNA 03 Aug 2012 -- Historical documents and other articles related to a peace agreement signed by the Republic of China (ROC) and Japan 60 years ago will go on display in Taipei next week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

News Reports

• Ashton, Jalili Fail to Set Date for New Iran Nuclear Talks RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2012 -- European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili have postponed setting a date for a fresh round of talks on Iran's controversial nuclear program until the end of August.
• UN agencies mobilize support for flood victims in DPR Korea UN News Centre 03 Aug 2012 -- United Nations agencies have started mobilizing resources, including water, food and other basic goods, to help some 63,000 people who have been left homeless by a cyclone that caused intense flooding in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• NASA Announces Plans to Launch Astronauts From US VOA 03 Aug 2012 -- NASA has announced new agreements with U.S. companies to develop spacecraft so that astronauts once again can launch from the United States. The U.S. has not had that capability since it retired its space shuttle fleet last year. Now it looks like the launches could happen by the end of 2017.
• Pakistan's Supreme Court Strikes Down Contempt Law VOA 03 Aug 2012 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court has struck down a law that would have given the prime minister immunity from contempt charges, as a fight between the judiciary and government heats up.
• Britain Concerned over Litvinenko Case Spending RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2012 -- British Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke voiced concern over the amount of money his country spent on the case of late Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, with the costs estimated to reach four million British pounds ($6.2 million), BBC reported on Friday.
• Egypt's Morsi Keeps Mubarak's Cronies in New Cabinet RIA Novosti 03 Aug 2012