Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 07 Aug 2012 [PDF]
• Light Dragoons destroy huge Afghan insurgent explosives cache UK MOD 07 Aug 2012 -- British soldiers from the Light Dragoons have discovered and destroyed a huge insurgent cache of bomb-making equipment in Helmand province, Afghanistan, saving military and civilian lives.
• Gunmen In Afghan Uniforms Kill NATO Soldier RFE/RL 07 Aug 2012 -- NATO said on August 7 two gunmen wearing Afghan National Army uniforms turned their weapons on NATO troops, killing one U.S. soldier.
• 12 Killed in Attacks Across Afghanistan VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- At least 12 people have been killed in a series of attacks across Afghanistan, on Tuesday, including nine who died in a roadside bombing near the capital.
• Scores Killed, Injured in Two Afghanistan Attacks RIA Novosti 07 Aug 2012 -- At least 17 people were killed and two dozen others were injured in two separate bombings near the Afghan capital, Kabul.
• AFGHANISTAN: Kunar attacks undermine civilian livelihoods IRIN 07 Aug 2012 -- Afghan officials accuse Pakistan's military of firing the rockets across the border to target insurgent havens in the remote area, a claim Pakistan denies.
• Afghan Defense Minister Resigns After Parliamentary Vote VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- Afghanistan's defense minister has resigned after losing a no confidence vote in parliament.
• Afghan Defense Minister Resigns After Parliamentary Censure RFE/RL 07 Aug 2012 -- Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak has resigned. He had lost a no-confidence vote in parliament last week over handling security and being relegated to an acting role by President Hamid Karzai.
• Dutch Diplomat named NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan NATO 07 Aug 2012 -- NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has appointed Ambassador Maurits R. Jochems as the next NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan.
• 19th Military Police Battalion Criminal Investigation Detachment Deployment Ceremony Army News 07 Aug 2012 -- The 19th Military Police Battalion cased its colors and prepared for nine months overseas during a deployment ceremony.

Defense Policy / Programs

• KCNA on US Military and MOP KCNA 07 Aug 2012 -- Some days ago, the U.S. opened to the public its deployment of Bunker-buster targeting the DPRK and Iran.
• Airmen teach aeromedical evacuation principles during MEDLITE 12 AFNS 07 Aug 2012 -- Airmen from the Air National Guard along with members of the Botswana defense force (BDF) worked together to kick-start MEDLITE 12 here Aug. 6.
• Fort Worth (LCS 3) Begins Sailaway NNS 07 Aug 2012 -- The Navy's newest littoral combat ship, the future USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), departed from the Marinette Marine Corp. shipyard in Marinette, Wis., Aug. 6.
• Blue Ridge Departs Fleet Activities Yokosuka NNS 07 Aug 2012 -- U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Aug. 7, to patrol the southeast Asian-Pacific region.
• Navy Reserve Forces Command Changes Command NNS 07 Aug 2012 -- Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command (CNRFC) held a change of command ceremony at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., Aug. 7.
• Abraham Lincoln Completes Deployment, Makes Norfolk New Home NNS 07 Aug 2012 -- The USS Abraham Lincoln and embarked Carrier Air Wing 2 arrived at Naval Station Norfolk, Aug. 7, concluding an eight-month deployment to the U.S. Navy's 5th, 6th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility.
• SERMC Conducts Assessments, Repairs Aboard USS Robert G. Bradley NNS 07 Aug 2012 -- The Navy's Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC) located in Mayport, Fla. performed a Total Ship Readiness Assessment (TSRA) on the USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49) in preparation for the ship's Inspection and Survey (INSURV) scheduled for July 30-Aug. 2.
• Service Leaders Weigh In On BRAC, Renewable Energy AFPS 07 Aug 2012 -- Army, Navy and Air Force officials discussed renewable energy milestones, force structure changes and the impact on military and surrounding communities affected by base realignment and closure.
• 18th Engineer Brigade Headquarters case colors, change responsibility Army News 07 Aug 2012 -- Uncasing its colors in Schweinfurt, the brigade officially marks its new home there, though its headquarters staff have been in the process of relocating over the last few months.
• Training at Southern Accord 2012 demonstrates strong partnership between U.S., BDF Army News 07 Aug 2012 -- Training for Southern Accord 2012 commenced Aug. 2, at Thebephatshwa Air Base.
• Collective training creates partnership between US and Botswana Forces Army News 07 Aug 2012 -- Marines and soldiers conducted infantry training exercises for soldiers of the Botswana Defense Force over a period of six days at Thebephatshwa Air Base, Botswana.
• Nuclear forensics task force helps identify source of terrorist attack during major exercise Army News 07 Aug 2012 -- That is the training scenario for Prominent Hunt 12, a smaller exercise within Vibrant Response 13, a major incident exercise conducted by U.S. Northern Command and led by U.S. Army North.
• Army North, First Army train for worst-case scenario Army News 07 Aug 2012 -- The Soldiers are training and mentoring more than 9,000 other service members and civilian first-responders in locations throughout southern Indiana and northern Kentucky.
• Army North's defense coordinating element shifts into high gear for Vibrant Response 13 Army News 07 Aug 2012 -- Defense coordinating elements serve as the Department of Defense's first responders to a natural or manmade disaster.
• Kavkaz-2012 Drills to Involve Live Firing of Iskander Missiles RIA Novosti 07 Aug 2012 -- The Kavkaz-2012 military exercises will involve the live firing of Iskander ballistic missile complexes.
• Russia, India Start Joint Anti-Terrorism Drills RIA Novosti 07 Aug 2012 -- Russia and India will hold an official opening of joint INDRA-2012 anti-terrorism military exercises in the Siberian republic of Buryatia.
• Military to help beef up Taiping defenses CNA 07 Aug 2012 -- The Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday that it is working with the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to beef up Taiwan's defenses on Taiping Island in the disputed South China Sea.
• Kim Jong Un Guides Flight Training of KPA Unit 1017 KCNA 07 Aug 2012 -- Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, guided flight training at Unit 1017 of the Air and Anti-Air Forces of the KPA honored with the title of O Jung Hup-led Seventh Regiment.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 8/7/12 The White House 07 Aug 2012
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, August 7, 2012 US Dept. of State 07 Aug 2012

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 07, 2012
• Safety Body Warns Maker Over An-148 Engine Snags RIA Novosti 07 Aug 2012 -- The Interstate Aviation Committee, the CIS aviation registration body, has warned Ukrainian aircraft-engine maker Ivchenko-Progress and the Antonov aircraft company about possible serious defects in the D-436-148 turbofan.

Other Conflicts

• 7 August 2012 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 07 Aug 2012
• Syria experiencing critical shortage in medicines – WHO UN News Centre 07 Aug 2012 -- The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today said that, according to reports it has received, Syria is experiencing critical shortages in medicines and pharmaceutical products.
• Iran Sees Syria as Priority Issue VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- WASHINGTON — Syria and Iran strengthened their relations on Tuesday after a top Iranian national security official visited Damascus to pledge Tehran's continued support against Syria's opposition.
• Clinton Urges Planning for Post-Assad Syria VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- PRETORIA — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the defection of the Syrian prime minister and other officials, as well as escalating fighting around Aleppo, make it 'urgent' to plan for what comes once the regime of Bashar al-Assad falls.
• Assad Vows to Rid Syria of 'Terrorists' VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is vowing to purge his country of "terrorists," as security forces continue to fight rebels.
• WHO Warns of Severe Medicine Shortage in Syria VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- The World Health Organization is expressing alarm at the deteriorating health situation in Syria as battles escalate.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Visits Turkey For Syria Talks RFE/RL 07 Aug 2012 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi is traveling to Turkey for previously unscheduled talks that are expected to focus on the conflict in Syria and the abduction of dozens of Iranians there.
• Dpty FM: Iran holds US responsible for lives of 48 kidnapped pilgrims IRNA 07 Aug 2012 -- Deputy IRI Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdolahian said Iran forwarded a letter to USA through its interest section at Swiss Embassy in Tehran on fate of 48 kidnapped Iranian pilgrims in Syria.
• U.S. Says Syrian PM's Escape Shows Regime Crumbling RFE/RL 07 Aug 2012 -- The United States says Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab's carefully planned escape to Jordan with his extended family shows that Syrian President Bashad al-Assad's regime is beginning to crumble.
• Egypt Brands Islamist Gunmen in Border Attack As 'Infidels' RFE/RL 07 Aug 2012 -- Israeli public radio reported on August 7 that Israel has returned to Egypt the bodies of six gunmen killed by Israeli security forces.
• Gunmen in Central Nigeria Attack Church, Kill at Least 19 VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- Late Monday, gunmen killed at least 19 people and wounded several others, including children, in an attack on a church in Kogi State, in south-central Nigeria.
• Japan open to East China Sea cooperation, firm on Tiaoyutais CNA 07 Aug 2012 -- Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said Tuesday that his country is open to promoting cooperation in the East China Sea region, but he reiterated Japan's sovereignty over the Tiaoyutai Islands, known in Japanese as the Senkakus.
• Ban urges Great Lakes group to help resolve security crisis in eastern DR Congo UN News Centre 07 Aug 2012 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today renewed his call for the Great Lakes regional grouping to help resolve the security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• DR Congo: UN official stresses need to boost relief for displaced in North Kivu UN News Centre 07 Aug 2012 -- The United Nations humanitarian chief today discussed ways to boost relief efforts to the more than 270,000 people that have been displaced from their homes by violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) North Kivu province.
• Humanitarian Access for Rohingya in Bangladesh US Dept. of State 07 Aug 2012
• Bangladesh urged by UN to ensure NGO access for people fleeing Rakhine state UN News Centre 07 Aug 2012 -- The United Nations refugee agency today urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can continue to provide assistance to unregistered people who have fled the violence in neighbouring Myanmar's Rakhine state, after reports emerged of Government authorities banning them from carrying out their activities.
• ECOWAS Prepares to Deploy Force to Mali VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- An official of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says the bloc has begun a 'final planning conference' to deploy a standby military force to Mali.
• Malians Fear Results of Government Inaction in North VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- Residents of Gao, in northern Mali, are watching the next moves by the al-Qaida-linked group controlling the region, after a fresh clash over the self-proclaimed jihadist group's bid to enforce strict Islamic law.
• India, Pak discussing ways to avert conflict on high seas IRNA 07 Aug 2012 -- To avert military confrontations on high seas, India and Pakistan are discussing the establishment of a mechanism of direct contact between the navies of the two countries.

News Reports

• Araghchi: China not cutting oil purchase from Iran IRNA 07 Aug 2012 -- Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affaires, Abbas Araghchi says China has not cut its oil purchase from Iran.
• British Bank Value Plunges After Iran Money Laundering Accusations VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- Shares of the British bank Standard Chartered were sharply lower Tuesday, a day after U.S. officials accused it of illegally laundering $250 billion in financial transactions with Iran during the past decade.
• Standard Chartered Rejects U.S. Iran Deals Charges RIA Novosti 07 Aug 2012 -- UK-based Standard Chartered Plc has rejected U.S. regulators’ accusations that it laundered $250 billion from the Iranian authorities.
• U.S. Government Assistance to Yemen US Dept. of State 07 Aug 2012
• Briefing: What is at stake in Egypt’s upcoming constitution? IRIN 07 Aug 2012 -- The drafting of Egypt’s new constitution - like the rest of the country’s politics since former President Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power last year - has been a hotbed of contention.
• Chinese Leaders Discuss Succession Issues VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- Some of China’s top leaders are meeting at a resort near Beijing, reportedly to finalize their selections for the next generation of national leaders to take power later this year.
• Xinjiang Muslims Irked by Government Restrictions VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- Chinese authorities are taking steps in the remote western region of Xinjiang to regulate participation in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
• Talks between Kim Yong Nam and Vietnamese President KCNA 07 Aug 2012 -- Talks were held between Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang at the Presidency.
• Vietnamese President Hosts Banquet for Kim Yong Nam KCNA 07 Aug 2012 -- Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang hosted a banquet in honor of Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on an official goodwill visit to Vietnam.
• KCNA Lauds Kim Jong Il's Journey of Patriotic Devotion KCNA 07 Aug 2012 -- The Korean Central News Agency made public a report on leader Kim Jong Il's great whole life of patriotic devotion on August 6.
• Joint Statement on the 2012 South Africa-United States Strategic Dialogue US Dept. of State 07 Aug 2012
• Secretary Clinton Remarks With South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane After Their Meeting US Dept. of State 07 Aug 2012
• Kenyans Take Precautions Against Potential Election Violence VOA 07 Aug 2012 -- A civil society organization based in Kenya’s Rift Valley says there are signs violence could return to areas worst hit by ethnic violence after the disputed 2007 presidential election.