Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Afghan Attack Brings U.S. Troop Death Toll To 2,000 RFE/RL 30 Sep 2012 -- A U.S. official says a suspected insider attack by a member of Afghan security forces killed a U.S. soldier, bringing to 2,000 the number of U.S. military deaths in the 11-year-old conflict.
• German spy service paints bleak picture of Afghan war IRNA 30 Sep 2012 -- Germany's foreign intelligence agency BND painted a bleak scenario of the Afghan war, warning of even more insurgent attacks against western troops deployed in the war-stricken country, the Hamburg-based weekly Spiegel reported Sunday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Last Western Detainee Leaves Guantanamo Prison RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2012 -- A Canadian citizen, who was the last Western prisoner at the U.S. Guantanamo detention facility in Cuba, has been transferred to Canada after a decade in custody on terrorism and murder charges, the U.S. Department of Defense said.
• 908th EARS refuels aircraft in fight AFNS 30 Sep 2012 -- It's 4:30 a.m., and four Airmen have already had breakfast and a pre-flight briefing as they leave their squadron. They grab water and more food before heading to their aircraft.
• Nimitz Sets Sail for COMPTUEX NNS 30 Sep 2012 -- The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) got underway Sept. 29 to participate in a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) with components of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11.

Defense Industry

• Rogozin to Punish Illegal Defense Privatization RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2012 -- Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin promised on Sunday to hand out punishment to those who have been involved in illegally privatizing elements of Russia's military-industrial complex.

Other Conflicts

• Al-Arabiya: New Evidence Links Russia to Turkish Jet Incident RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2012 -- Alleged top-secret Syrian intelligence documents recently obtained by Al Arabiya shed a new light on Russia's role in the downing of a Turkish military jet in June by Syrian air defenses, the Saudi-owned news channel reported.
• Suicide Car Bomb Strikes Syrian Kurdish-Area VOA 30 Sep 2012 -- A suicide car bomb exploded in the northern Syrian city of Qamishli Sunday, in the first such attack in the country's Kurdish region which has been kept out of the conflict between opposition rebels and the government.
• Taiwan's representative to Japan to return to post soon: official CNA 30 Sep 2012 -- Taiwan's representative to Japan, Shen Ssu-tsun, who was recalled in protest over Japan's purchase of some of the disputed Diaoyutai Islands, is expected to return to Japan in a week, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said Sunday.

News Reports

• US Presidential Campaigns Spar on Foreign Policy VOA 30 Sep 2012 -- The U.S. presidential race has had an all-consuming focus on the economy, at least until now. While economic matters continue to dominate, international affairs have forced their way into the nation's political discourse less than six weeks before the election.
• Saakashvili Regime Loses Some Luster, Faces A Tough Challenger RFE/RL 30 Sep 2012 -- It's a contest that will determine the political future of Georgia. But for many, it has come down to one painful issue -- anger over an unfolding prison abuse scandal and what role a still popular government had to play in it.
• Georgia Set for Important Parliamentary Vote VOA 30 Sep 2012 -- On Monday, Georgian voters are to elect a new parliament. In turn, that parliament is to choose a prime minister with new presidential powers.
• President Ahmadinejad: West's presence insecures Persian Gulf IRNA 30 Sep 2012 -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the illegitimate presence of the Western countries is the main cause of insecurity in the Persian Gulf region.
• Harsh penalties likely for disgraced Chinese communist bigwig CNA 30 Sep 2012 -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) expelled fallen politician Bo Xilai from the party Friday and said he will face criminal charges.
• Assange Compares Embassy Hideout to Space Station RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2012 -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange sheltering inside Ecuador's embassy in London demonstrated his living and working conditions to journalists, The Daily Mail reported on Sunday.
• Iran criticizes US dual standard on terrorism IRNA 30 Sep 2012 -- Slamming US for removing MKO from terrorist blacklist, Iran's Foreign Ministry strongly criticized US dual standard on fighting against terrorism.