Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 14 Aug 2012 [PDF]
• Remember Progress, Sacrifices in Afghanistan, Panetta Says AFPS 14 Aug 2012 -- Amid a news-filled summer here at home and the nation's attention focused on the just-concluded Olympics, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today urged Americans to remember a war is still going on in Afghanistan, and called on them to honor the sacrifices service members are making there.
• ANSF lead 'Battle' mission to secure Afghanistan's Highway 1 Army News 14 Aug 2012 -- Every day, thousands of cars, buses and highly-decorated trucks travel Afghanistan's Highway 1, the ring road that connects the country's largest and most populated cities. The 300-mile stretch of road between Kabul and Kandahar is the main focus of the area's Afghan National Security Forces and Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd.
• Combined Force Arrests Taliban Weapons Dealer AFPS 14 Aug 2012 -- An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban weapons dealer and detained two suspected insurgents in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
• Suicide Attackers, Motorcycle Bomb Kill More Than 45 in Afghanistan VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- Suicide attackers and remote-controlled bomb have killed at least 45 people in Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD News Briefing with Secretary Panetta and Gen. Dempsey from the Pentagon DoD 14 Aug 2012 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey
• Combat training supports 21st century strategy AFNS 14 Aug 2012 -- As the nation winds down from a decade of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Department of Defense is shifting its focus to the future and recently introduced new strategic guidance describing the projected security environment and key military missions for which the department will prepare.
• U.S., Botswana Forces Build Capability, Partnership AFPS 14 Aug 2012 -- An exercise under way here between the U.S. military and the Botswana Defense Force is building capability in a growing African partner and helping to set conditions for long-term peace, stability and security on the African continent, the exercise director told American Forces Press Service.
• Panetta, Dempsey Reassured By Talks with New Egyptian Leaders AFPS 14 Aug 2012 -- U.S. officials have good relations with the new Egyptian national defense leaders, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.
• Artillery unit qualifies on Paladin Army News 14 Aug 2012 -- A 155mm round is fired from an M109A6 Paladin as Soldiers from A Battery, 1st Battalion, 17th Field Artillery conducted a live-fire, semi-annual qualification exercise at Fort Sill, July 24. The event was the culmination of a two-week section-certification for the artillerymen on the Paladin weapon system.
• Success by Design: Multiscale modeling research seeks atom-to-application understanding of materials Army News 14 Aug 2012 -- At the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), scientists and engineers have been studying how they can make higher performance materials for Soldiers at lighter weights.
• ONR Solicits Bids for Solid-State Laser Weapons for Ships NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- The Office of Naval Research (ONR) continues to seek industry proposals to develop an affordable solid-state laser weapon prototype for Navy ships, part of a broad agency announcement published Aug. 14.
• VCNO Visits Enterprise, Discusses Flexibility of Naval Forces NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- The vice chief of naval operations (VCNO) and Navy Total Force/Manpower, Personnel, Education and Training (MPT&E) fleet master chief visited aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Aug. 14 as the ship continued its historic 25th and final deployment.
• Fleet Forces Visits Theodore Roosevelt in Overhaul NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- The commander of U.S. Fleet Forces visited USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Aug. 13, to tour the ship and visit with Sailors about TR's progress in its multi-year refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) in Newport News, Va.
• USS Carr Conducts an Underway Replenishment with USNS Charles Drew NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- USS Carr (FFG 52) conducted an underway replenishment (UNREP) with USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10) while deployed to the Caribbean Sea in support of Operation Martillo, Aug. 13.
• Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Participates in 'Spartan Challenge' NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- More than 70 instructors and students from the Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD) participated in 'Spartan Challenge' Aug. 7.
• Mount Whitney Makes Port Call in France NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- The U.S. 6th Fleet flagship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Theoule-sur-Mer, France, Aug. 14, to commemorate the 68th anniversary of allied troops landing in Provence during World War II.
• Seabee Techs Set Sail for Operation Citadel Rumble NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- Seabees from the Naval Facilities Expeditionary Logistics Center participated in an emergency training exercise here during Operation Citadel Rumble Aug. 7-9.
• Pacom Works to Advance U.S.-India Strategic Partnership AFPS 14 Aug 2012 -- As U.S. Pacific Command strives to build stronger alliances and partnerships across the Asia-Pacific region, one of its big focuses is on taking the military-to-military relationship with India to the next level.
• Blue Ridge wraps up Fukuoka Port Visit NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- Sailors aboard U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), embarked 7th Fleet staff and Marines assigned to Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Pacific departed Fukuoka, Japan, Aug. 14.
• USS Nimitz Host Live Fire Exercise NNS 14 Aug 2012 -- The USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Weapons Department G-2 Division hosted live fire 9mm pistol exercises during the ship's underway period for fleet replacement squadron carrier qualifications Aug. 12 and 13.
• Defense Has Vital Role in Catastrophe Planning, Official Says AFPS 14 Aug 2012 -- The Defense Department makes valuable contributions in U.S. disaster preparedness planning, a senior defense official said today.
• HMS Blyth heads up Black Sea exercise UK MOD 14 Aug 2012 -- Clyde-based minehunter HMS Blyth recently led NATO operations in the Mediterranean and Black Sea after leaving her home port of Faslane at the end of June.
• New £25m landing craft home takes shape in Devonport UK MOD 14 Aug 2012 -- A £25m new complex for Royal Marines landing craft and assault boats in Devonport is well on the way to completion.
• Russia Will Not Cut Rearmament Spending - Putin RIA Novosti 14 Aug 2012 -- The Russian government will not cut financing for its rearmament program for the armed forces, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
• Russian Steals Gunpowder to Fuel Stove RIA Novosti 14 Aug 2012 -- Police detained a man in the Volga Federal District as he tried to steal a load of gunpowder from a military test site, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.
• Iran Accuses Media of Inflaming S-300 Dispute RIA Novosti 14 Aug 2012 -- Iran accused the international media on Tuesday of exaggerating tensions between Russia and Iran in order 'to damage bilateral relations between the two countries' over a cancelled 2007 contract for Russian-made S-300 air defense missile systems.
• Navy withdraws demerit given to admiral in drill blunder CNA 14 Aug 2012 -- The Navy said Tuesday it has revoked a major demerit given to a fleet commander involved in a blunder during a recent military drill.
• Poland to Replace Su-22 Bombers with UCAV RIA Novosti 14 Aug 2012 -- Poland is planning to replace its obsolete Soviet-built Sukhoi Su-22 strike aircraft with an unmanned strike aircraft (UCAV) system, Deputy Defense Minister Waldemar Skrzypczak told TVN24 television on Tuesday.
• Ukraine Rejects Reports Of Selling Missile Systems To Armenia RFE/RL 14 Aug 2012 -- The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has described as a provocation media reports in Azerbaijan alleging that Ukraine sold multiple rocket launchers and mobile missile systems to Armenia in 2011.
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Oskaloosa, IA, 8/14/2012 The White House 14 Aug 2012
• August 14, 2012 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 14 Aug 2012

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 14, 2012

Other Conflicts

• 14 August 2012 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 14 Aug 2012
• Syrian Opposition Has Many Faces VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- Rebel forces have been fighting the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad for nearly 18 months. But many experts and Western politicians say it is unclear who makes up the Syrian opposition.
• Panetta: Iran Increases Support to Assad Regime AFPS 14 Aug 2012 -- Iran is increasing its presence in Syria, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today, through apparent efforts to bolster the Bashar Assad regime by training a militia and other tactics.
• UN official urges parties in Syria conflict to heed international humanitarian law UN News Centre 14 Aug 2012 -- Arriving in the Syrian capital of Damascus, the United Nations top relief official today called on the parties in the Middle Eastern country's ongoing conflict to respect international humanitarian law and its provisions.
• Syria: UN scales up refugee registration to accelerate access to basic services UN News Centre 14 Aug 2012 -- As hundreds of people continue to flee Syria on a daily basis, the United Nations today announced it is scaling up its capacity to register Syrian refugees in order to facilitate and speed up their access to basic help and services.
• Panetta: No Plans for Syria No-Fly Zone VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday that the United States has no plans for imposing a no-fly zone over Syria as the government of Bashar al-Assad steps up air attacks on the city of Aleppo.
• SYRIA: Palestinians being drawn into the fight IRIN 14 Aug 2012 -- When mortar shells slammed into Yarmouk, Syria's largest Palestinian camp, in early August, killing at least 20 people, many Palestinians in Syria saw it as a wake-up call.
• Ex-PM Says Assad Controls Only 30 Percent Of Syria RFE/RL 14 Aug 2012 -- Former Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab, who defected to Jordan last week, has said that Bashar al-Assad's regime controls only 30 percent of the country.
• Syrian Ex-PM Says Regime on Verge of Collapse RIA Novosti 14 Aug 2012 -- The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has lost control of two-thirds of the country and is on the verge of collapse, the BBC quoted ex-Syrian premier Riyad Hijab as saying.
• Ex-Syrian PM: Assad Government 'Enemy of God' VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- Former Syrian prime minister, Riad Hijab, appeared publicly Tuesday for the first time since his defection, calling President Bashar al-Assad's government an 'enemy of God' and saying it is collapsing.
• UN Says Stream of Syrian Refugees Growing VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says the numbers of those fleeing fighting in Syria continue to escalate. The agency has registered 157,577 Syrian refugees who have fled to Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey and expects those figures to rise sharply.
• Beijing Denies Creating Rifts Over S. China Sea VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- China is denying that it is attempting to create discord within the ASEAN regional bloc in an attempt to exert more influence in disputed areas of the energy-rich South China Sea.
• ROC will not budge on sovereignty over Tiaoyutais: Presidential Office CNA 14 Aug 2012 -- The Republic of China will not budge on its sovereignty over the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands, the Presidential Office said Tuesday.
• Hong Kong activists fail to get supplies in Taichung CNA 14 Aug 2012 -- A group of activists from Hong Kong was making for the port of Keelung in northern Taiwan Tuesday to resupply en route for the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands, after their boat was denied entry at Taichung Port in central Taiwan, the activists said that day.
• UN envoy says spoilers must not disrupt Somalia's peaceful transition to democracy UN News Centre 14 Aug 2012 -- Spoilers hampering Somalia's transition to democracy will face stringent action from the Security Council if they continue their obstruction, the United Nations top political official for Somalia declared today, while also confirming that the selection of Somalia's new Parliament was on track and would usher in a new era of peace, stability and democracy for the East African country.
• UN Warns Civilians About Anticipated Attack on Somali Port VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- A United Nations official has expressed concern about reports of civilian casualties from naval assaults on the Somali city of Kismayo. The port city is one of the last strongholds of the militant group al-Shabab, and securing Kismayo is a key objective for African Union [AU] forces fighting in Somalia.
• Myanmar: UN envoy welcomes mission to area affected by ethnic violence UN News Centre 14 Aug 2012 -- The recent mission of the Turkish Foreign Minister and senior officials of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to Myanmar's state of Rakhine – which recently experienced deadly ethnic clashes that displaced thousands of people – was welcomed today by the top United Nations envoy to the Southeast Asian country.
• BURKINA FASO: Food for refugees will run out in September IRIN 14 Aug 2012 -- Agencies cannot cope with the scale of refugee needs in camps across Mali, as their funding shortfalls are too great: 36 percent at the World Food Programme (WFP) 66 percent in UN refugee agency (UNHCR), and 58 percent for the overall response. If additional funding does not come soon, food will run out in September.
• Karadzic Demands New War Crimes Trial RIA Novosti 14 Aug 2012 -- The former Bosnian Serb president Radovan Karadzic has asked the Hague Tribunal to start a new trial over his alleged war crimes and genocide citing numerous flaws in the work of UN prosecutors, the Serbian media said.
• Israel Appoints New Minister Amid Iran Tensions VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- Israel has made a crucial Cabinet addition as tension grows with Iran over its nuclear program.

News Reports

• Iran Welcomes Foreign Earthquake Aid VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- Iran says it is now prepared to accept foreign aid for the victims of Saturday's two earthquakes in the nation's northwest.
• Mugabe Warns Against Foreign Forces VOA 14 Aug 2012 -- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has told security forces that they must be on the watch for what he called foreigners who want to loot the country's resources.
• Pakistani President Wants Self-Government In Tribal Regions RFE/RL 14 Aug 2012 -- President Asif Ali Zardari has announced the introduction of local self governments in tribal areas of northwestern Pakistan.