Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Combined Force Detains Numerous Suspected Insurgents AFPS 10 Aug 2012 -- An Afghan and coalition security force detained numerous suspected insurgents during an operation to arrest a Haqqani leader in Paktiya province.
• Man in Afghan Uniform Kills 3 US Soldiers VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Afghan officials say an Afghan police commander has shot and killed three American special forces soldiers after inviting them to dinner at his checkpost in southern Afghanistan.
• Three U.S. Soldiers Killed By Uniformed Afghan RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- Three U.S. soldiers were killed by a man wearing an Afghan uniform in southern Afghanistan's Helmand Province.
• Gunman in Afghan Uniform Kills 3 U.S. Troops RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- A gunman dressed in Afghan security uniform killed three U.S. soldiers in the southern province of Helmand, Afghan media reported, quoting NATO officials.
• Six Afghan Civilians Killed By Roadside Bomb RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- Six Afghan civilians have been killed and another injured when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan's Helmand Province.
• The Afghan Government's Crisis Of (No) Confidence RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- Afghanistan's parliament has moved to address cracks in the main pillars of national security.
• Mariners Head Home Following Rescue At Sea NNS 10 Aug 2012 -- Ten mariners were transferred Aug. 10 to the Iranian navy for repatriation following a rescue at-sea.
• North Carolina Air Guard Back to Firefighting Mission AFPS 10 Aug 2012 -- The North Carolina Air National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing will return to flying Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System missions on Aug. 14.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US Confirms Plans to Strengthen Missile Defense in Gulf RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- The United States will continue establishing a global missile defense system and strengthening partnership with Persian Gulf countries.
• General: High Readiness Key to Deter North Korean Threats AFPS 10 Aug 2012 -- Maintaining a high state of military readiness is imperative to deterring North Korean threats in the region, the 8th U.S. Army’s deputy commander said.
• New DIA Director Expects Intensified Demands for Intelligence AFPS 10 Aug 2012 -- The new director of the Defense Intelligence Agency is approaching his dream job with eyes wide open, valuing people over technology, and expecting a future that holds more intense demands for intelligence.
• Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta Speech at CSAF Change of Responsibility DoD 10 Aug 2012
• Schwartz, Welsh Pay Tribute to Airmen at Air Force Transition AFPS 10 Aug 2012 -- Both outgoing and incoming Air Force chiefs of staff paid tribute to airmen and their families during the transition of responsibility ceremony.
• Schwartz Honored for Exceptional Service as Air Force Chief AFPS 10 Aug 2012 -- The Defense Department bid farewell to one of its service chiefs as Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz was honored for 39 years of service during a retirement ceremony here which also welcomed his successor.
• Japan Defense Minister flies in Osprey USMC News 10 Aug 2012 -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, in a joint press conference Aug. 3 with Japan Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, said the military has complete confidence in the MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft it recently delivered to Marines in Japan.
• Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta Speech at United States Marine Corps OCS Graduation DoD 10 Aug 2012
• Panetta: New Marine Officers Will Add to Legacy of Excellence AFPS 10 Aug 2012 -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta offered congratulations and a challenge to a group of newly minted Marine Corps officers during a commissioning ceremony.
• Pacom Supports Partnership, Stability Through Health Engagements AFPS 10 Aug 2012 -- U.S. Pacific Command is helping to build stability and security in the Asia-Pacific one inoculation, one cataract surgery and one first-responder training class at a time.
• LRLAP Successfully Completes Guided Flight Tests NNS 10 Aug 2012 -- The Navy successfully completed its latest round of long-range, land-attack projectile guided-flight tests, Aug. 3, at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
• Composite Material Used in Tailcone of Virginia-class Submarine NNS 10 Aug 2012 -- Engineers at Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, in conjunction with the Office of Naval Research, Program Executive Office Submarines and industry, have designed, built, and installed a fiber-reinforced polymer composite tailcone on USS Mississippi, commissioned June 2.
• PHIBRON 11 Deploys for Purposeful Forward Presence NNS 10 Aug 2012 -- Amphibious Squadron 11, which is permanently embarked aboard USS Bonhomme Richard and is forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, commenced a fall deployment of the 7th Fleet area of responsibility Aug. 10.
• Blue Ridge Heads South and Embraces Fukuoka NNS 10 Aug 2012 -- Sailors aboard U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge, embarked 7th Fleet staff and Marines assigned to Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Pacific arrived in Fukuoka, Japan Aug. 10.
• Southern Frontier 2012 kicks off with bang USMC News 10 Aug 2012 -- Marines and sailors with Company F participated in bilateral training with the Australian Defence Force and Marine Fighter-Attack Squadron 232 aircraft as part of Exercise Southern Frontier 2012 July 24-26.
• Army engineers build new training lanes at Fort A.P. Hill Army News 10 Aug 2012 -- From July 22 to August 1, 12 Soldiers from the 15th Engineer Company took on the task of constructing a training platform that allows our Warriors to accomplish the necessary training that will defeat the IED threat.
• Russia’s Air Force to Get 180 New Aircraft by Yearend RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- The Russian Air Force will receive some 180 brand new planes and helicopters by the end of the year.
• Air Defense Forces to Get New Defense Systems by 2020 RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- All the Russian Air Force's air defense missile units will be reequipped with modern S-400, S-300V4 Vityaz, and short-range Pantsyr-S1 gun/missile air defense systems by 2020.
• UK mine warfare force changeover in the Gulf UK MOD 10 Aug 2012 -- It's all change in the Gulf with the arrival of two new ships and two new crews to sustain the Royal Navy's long-term mine warfare force in the region.
• New addition to Air Force's rescue squadron to be displayed at show CNA 10 Aug 2012 -- The latest addition to Taiwan's Air Force rescue squadron, the EC225 search-and-rescue helicopter, will be one of many aircraft on display at an air show in southern Taiwan.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 10, 2012

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 10 August 2012 United Nations 10 Aug 2012
• Turkey, Iran Show Signs of Deep Division Over Syria VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Relations between once close allies Iran and Turkey are rapidly deteriorating over Ankara's strong support for Syrian rebels fighting against Iran's key ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In an unprecedented move, Tehran suspended visa-free travel with Turkey for the first time in nearly 50 years.
• Covert Smuggling Trail Arms Syrian Rebels VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Some Western and Arab Gulf powers say they are increasing humanitarian and support aid to the Syrian opposition. At the Turkey-Syria border, the main conduit for foreign aid to rebel fighters, there are signs the aid trail also may include covert arms smuggling.
• US Cites Hezbollah Support for Assad in New Sanctions Announcement VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- The United States announced new sanctions targeting the Assad government in Syria and detailed how Hezbollah has supported the Syrian government crackdown on opposition forces.
• U.S. Adds Hizballah To Syria Sanctions List RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- The United States has added the Iran-backed militant group Hizballah to its list of organizations sanctioned for ties to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
• Syrian State-Run Oil Company Sanctioned under the Iran Sanctions Act US Dept. of State 10 Aug 2012
• US to Impose New Sanctions on Syria VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- The United States said it plans new sanctions against the Syrian regime and its supporters, including Lebanon's Hezbollah militants.
• Officials Say U.S. To Announce New Sanctions Against Syria's Assad RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- U.S. officials say the United States plans to announce new sanctions targeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and its supporters.
• Syrian Rebels Pushed out of Key Aleppo District - Army RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- Syria’s pro-government troops have pushed opposition forces out of the Salaheddin district in Aleppo.
• Brahimi Expected To Replace Annan As UN-Arab League Envoy RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- United Nations diplomats say Algeria's former foreign minister, Lakhdar Brahimi, is expected to be named as the new UN-Arab League envoy to Syria.
• IRAQ-SYRIA: Iraqi Kurdistan welcomes Syrian brethren, for now IRIN 10 Aug 2012 -- Domiz is already home to more than 2,500 of the 10,000 Syrian refugees who have settled in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
• UN refugee agency reports increase in number of people fleeing violence in Syria UN News Centre 10 Aug 2012 -- The United Nations refugee agency today said that its offices in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq have reported increases this week in the number of refugees from Syria.
• Tehran conference stresses need for settlement of Syria crisis IRNA 10 Aug 2012 -- Countries participating in Tehran consultative meeting on Syria stressed the need for settlement of crisis there.
• FM: Tehran’s meeting on Syria successful IRNA 10 Aug 2012 -- Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that the consultative meeting on Syria held in Tehran was successful.
• Iran’s Behavior in Syria ‘Destructive’ - U.S. State Dept. RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- The U.S. State Department has slammed Iran’s behavior in Syria.
• Turkish Authorities Disprove Plane Shot Down by Syria RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- An investigation by Turkish authorities found no evidence that the Turkish reconnaissance aircraft that crashed on June 22 was shot down by Syrian air defense.
• Egypt's Army Masses In Sinai To Quell Militant Attacks RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- Egyptian Army troops are massing in the Sinai Peninsula as part of a campaign to quell deadly violence by Islamist militants near the border with Israel and Gaza.
• Six 'Terrorists" Reported Arrested In Sinai RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- Reports say the Egyptian armed forces arrested six "terrorists" in the Sinai region, where 16 border guards were killed in an attack earlier this week.
• Egypt Captures Suspected Border Crossing Attackers RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- Egyptian forces have captured six militants suspected of involvement in a deadly border crossing attack earlier this week.
• Indonesia, China Reaffirm Maritime Ties VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi visited Jakarta Friday to meet with his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalalegawa.
• Japan Recalls S. Korean Ambassador Over Island Visit VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Japan has recalled its ambassador to South Korea to protest South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak's visit to a group of islands claimed by both countries.
• South Korean President Visits Islets Disputed with Japan VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has visited a set of disputed islets in the sea between Japan and Korea, causing a diplomatic rift between the two nations.
• Taiwan reiterates sovereignty over Taiping Island CNA 10 Aug 2012 -- Taiwan reiterated its sovereignty over Taiping Island.
• Several Killed In Attacks Across Iraq RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- Iraqi officials say gunmen have killed four anti-Al-Qaeda fighters during an attack on a checkpoint north of Baghdad.
• River Barges Return Thousands of S. Sudanese to Juba VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- The International Organization for Migration says a convoy of river barges began transporting more than 2,500 South Sudanese returnees to Juba.
• CHAD: Darfur’s forgotten refugees IRIN 10 Aug 2012 -- Ten years after fleeing violence in the Sudanese region of Darfur, Abdulla Juma Abubakr has no intention of returning home.
• Medvedev Surprised at Georgia Reaction to Tskhinvali Trip RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev who just returned from South Ossetia on Friday warned Georgia against telling the Russian leadership which sovereign countries it should visit or not.
• Georgia: Medvedev’s Tskhinvali Visit ‘Illegal’ RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- Georgia’s Foreign Ministry has denounced as "illegal" Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia.
• Mali: Security Council requests details of proposed West African stabilization force UN News Centre 10 Aug 2012 -- Condemning violations of human rights and the destruction of ancient sites in Mali, which is gripped by insurgencies in the north and political turmoil in the capital, the Security Council today encouraged countries and organizations in the region to prepare detailed proposals for a stabilization force for the West African country.

News Reports

• US Contradicts Israeli Official on Iranian Weapons VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- The US still believes that Iran is not on the verge of building a nuclear weapon, despite comments by Israel's defense minister that Washington has changed its assessment.
• Chinese Police Take Stand in Chongqing Murder Trial VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Four Chinese police officials went on trial in the eastern city of Hefei for allegedly trying to help the wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai cover up the murder of a British businessman.
• Bo Xilai's Wife Admits to Murder VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Chinese state media say the wife of politician Bo Xilai has confessed to the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood and vowed to accept her sentence.
• Tibetan Nomad Self-Immolates in China VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- The London-based rights group Free Tibet says a Tibetan nomad in central China has become the third person this week to set himself on fire to protest Chinese rule.
• Legal Controversies Continue to Hamper Pakistan VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Pakistan’s coalition government has held together for more than four years, marking a democratic milestone for a country challenged by coups and military rule.
• Libyan Assembly Elects Gadhafi Opponent as President VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Libya's new national assembly has elected former opposition leader Mohammed el-Megarif as its president.
• Chinese Diplomat Hopes Zambian Labor Violence Limited VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- The Chinese ambassador to Zambia said Chinese nationals working for the Collum Coal Mine located south of Lusaka are staying out of the public eye for fear attacks by Zambians.
• Somalia: UN envoy hails presidential decree, Security Council welcomes political progress UN News Centre 10 Aug 2012 -- The United Nations top political official for Somalia welcomed a presidential decree on the Horn of Africa country’s National Security and Stabilization Plan.
• Zimbabwe Government Limits Army in Census Process VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Zimbabwe’s government has announced that the nationwide census - due to begin next week - will take place as planned.
• New Reports Say Meles Will Return to Work by September VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- An Ethiopian official says the country's leader, who has not been seen in public for more than a month, is recovering from an illness and will be back at work by September.
• Does Russia-Georgia-War Film Signal A Rift Between Putin And Medvedev? RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- A slickly produced film featuring some leading Russian military figures who accuse then-President Dmitry Medvedev of indecisiveness on the eve of Russia's brief August 2008 war with Georgia continues to produce shockwaves among the country's political elite.
• Malawi, Tanzania Lock Horns Over Lake VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- Malawi and Tanzania are expected to hold a high level meeting August 20 on their standoff over oil and gas exploration in and ownership of Lake Malawi.
• Background Briefing By a Senior State Department Official, Accra, Ghana US Dept. of State 10 Aug 2012
• Background Briefing By a Senior State Department Official En Route Abuja, Nigeria US Dept. of State 10 Aug 2012
• Clinton Winds Down Africa Tour VOA 10 Aug 2012 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is attending the funeral of late Ghanian President John Atta Mills on Friday before heading to Benin, her last stop of an 11-day tour of the continent.
• Japanese nuclear plant ‘remarkably undamaged’ in earthquake – UN atomic agency UN News Centre 10 Aug 2012 -- The nuclear plant closest to the epicentre of the March 2011 earthquake that struck Japan was “remarkably undamaged,” according to a report delivered by the UN nuclear watchdog.
• EU Prepares 'Clear Message' For Belarus RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- EU officials have met in Brussels to discuss Belarus, hinting at the end of their meeting that more sanctions could be imposed on Minsk soon.
• Belarus Embassy Wraps up in Sweden RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- The Belarusian Embassy in Sweden has stopped accepting most documents and has turned that task over to the Latvian Embassy.
• EU Diplomats In Crisis Talks Over Teddy Bear Incident RFE/RL 10 Aug 2012 -- European Union envoys are holding emergency talks to discuss a response to Belarus's expulsion of Swedish diplomats over what has become known as the "teddy bear" incident.
• EU May Recall All Ambassadors From Belarus RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- In response to Belarus’s expulsion of Swedish Ambassador Stefan Eriksson, the EU’s Political and Security Committee (PCS) may coordinate a withdrawal of all EU ambassadors from Belarus.
• Tymoshenko Says ‘No’ to Video Linkup with U.S. Court RIA Novosti 10 Aug 2012 -- Jailed former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko refused to testify in U.S. court via a video linkup.