Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 10 Dec 2012 [PDF]
• Background Briefing on Section 1230 Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 10 Dec 2012 -- Presenter: Senior Defense Official and Senior State Department Official
• Official: Safer Afghanistan Moves Away From Taliban AFPS 10 Dec 2012 -- Two years before U.S. and coalition forces withdraw, Afghans are now safer and the country is moving away from the Taliban, said a senior defense official who briefed reporters on the just-released Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan.
• Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader in Helmand Province AFPS 10 Dec 2012 -- A combined coalition and Afghan security force arrested a Taliban leader in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported.
• Pakistan, Corruption Remain Stumbling Blocks in Afghanistan AFPS 10 Dec 2012 -- Safe havens in Pakistan, corruption and limited Afghan government capabilities are the greatest obstacles to stability in Afghanistan, according to a Pentagon report delivered to Congress and made public today.
• Police Chief, Women's Official Killed In Afghan Attacks RFE/RL 10 Dec 2012 -- An Afghan provincial police chief and an official in charge of women's affairs have been killed in separate attacks.
• Gunmen Kill Afghan Women's Affairs Official VOA 10 Dec 2012 -- Gunmen on Monday shot and killed an Afghan women's affairs official, just months after her predecessor was assassinated in a car bombing. As the United Nations marks Human Rights Day women still face challenges in Afghanistan.
• 1 LANCS are first of 500 homecoming troops UK MOD 10 Dec 2012 -- The first tranche of British troops to be sent home from Afghanistan, as announced by the Prime Minister last year, returned to the UK at the weekend.
• Prince of Wales welcomes home Welsh Guards from Afghanistan UK MOD 10 Dec 2012 -- His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has welcomed home members of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards from their recent tour of Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD prepares for potential sequestration AFNS 10 Dec 2012 -- The Office of Management and Budget has instructed the Department of Defense to pursue internal planning to meet required budget cuts if sequestration goes into effect Jan. 3.
• 'Ugly Angels' deactivate after 60 years of service USMC News 10 Dec 2012 -- The Marines and sailors of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 flew their squadron's colors one last time during their deactivation ceremony between Hangars 101 and 102, Nov. 30.
• US and China focus on disaster management Army News 10 Dec 2012 -- The People's Liberation Army and United States Army Pacific participated in a Disaster Management Exchange Nov. 26 -- Dec. 2. The 2012 DME was hosted by the PLA in: Beijing, Kunming, and Chengdu, China.
• Eurasia Partnership Capstone 2012 Kicks Off NNS 10 Dec 2012 -- Multinational naval and coast guard representatives attended an opening ceremony to kick off the week-long training collaboration, Eurasia Partnership Capstone (EPC) 2012, in Souda Bay, Greece, Dec. 9.
• Truman Hosts First Flight Deck Taxiing of X-47B UCAS-D NNS 10 Dec 2012 -- Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and personnel from the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System program office (PMA-268) integrated test team made history Dec. 9 as they taxied an X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator aircraft for the first time aboard a carrier.
• Past, present SOWTs shape elite career field AFNS 10 Dec 2012 -- The Special Operations Weather Team is one of the newest career fields in the Air Force, officially created just three years ago. However, this grey beret-wearing unit has been around since 1963, originally known as the Commando Combat Weather Team stationed here at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
• Pilot Calls F-35 'Big Leap' in Fighter Capability AFPS 10 Dec 2012 -- The F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter jet will be a strategic deterrent for the nation because of its 'huge leap in capability,' a Marine Corps pilot said.
• New Process Improves Household Goods Shipments AFPS 10 Dec 2012 -- A system being implemented at U.S. Transportation Command is making permanent-change-of-station moves more convenient, while reducing lost and damaged shipments and saving the government money.
• Georgia: No Trading NATO Ambitions for Better Russia Ties RIA Novosti 10 Dec 2012 -- Georgia will not trade away future membership of NATO in order to secure improved relations with Russia, Zviad Dzidziguri, a representative of the Georgian Dream coalition which won the country's parliamentary elections in October, said on Monday.
• India looses 54 defence aircraft in last three years IRNA 10 Dec 2012 -- Fifty-four defence aircraft, including combat planes and helicopters, have been lost in crashes in the last three years in which 66 defence personnel and six civilians were killed, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.
• £1.2 billion contract awarded for new attack submarine UK MOD 10 Dec 2012 -- The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £1.2 billion contract for Audacious, the latest Astute Class attack submarine to be built for the Royal Navy.
• Iran completes decoding US RQ-170 Sentinel data IRNA 10 Dec 2012 -- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace unit Brigadier-General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said on Monday Iran has completed decoding data from the US advanced RQ-170 Sentinel stealth aircraft captured last year.
• Iranian defensive power has embarrassed US IRNA 10 Dec 2012 -- Deputy Commander of Armed Forces Brigadier-General Masoud Jazayeri said on Monday that Iranian defensive power has embarrassed the US.
• Russian Military Inspectors to Fly Over Portugal, Spain RIA Novosti 10 Dec 2012 -- Russian military inspectors will carry out surveillance flights over Portugal and Spain starting on Monday under the international Open Skies Treaty, Russia's Defense Ministry has said.
• Russia to Abandon Key Missile Defense Station – Baku RIA Novosti 10 Dec 2012 -- The Russian army is giving up the Gabala radar it leased in Azerbaijan because of a disagreement over rental price, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
• December 10, 2012 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 10 Dec 2012
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Detroit, Michigan, 12/10/2012 The White House 10 Dec 2012

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for December 10, 2012

Other Conflicts

• 10 December 2012 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 10 Dec 2012
• Lebanon Tries To Contain Spillover of Syria's Civil War VOA 10 Dec 2012 -- The Lebanese Army tried Monday to impose martial law in Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city, after a spillover of Syria's sectarian violence claimed 17 lives.
• EU Urges More Pressure on Syria VOA 10 Dec 2012 -- European Union foreign ministers met Monday with new Syrian opposition leader Mouaz al-Khatib in Brussels.
• In Brief: Gaza operation over, but emergency remains IRIN 10 Dec 2012 -- Despite the end of an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation there remains dire, says the representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) in the occupied Palestinian territory.
• UN official condemns violations of 2008 peace agreement for Central African Republic UN News Centre 10 Dec 2012 -- A United Nations senior official today condemned all violations of a 2008 peace agreement which helped bring a degree of stability to the Central African Republic (CAR), and urged the peaceful resolution of any disputes there.
• UN Security Council Has Growing Concerns Over Sahel VOA 10 Dec 2012 -- The U.N. Security Council has expressed concern that the instability in northern Mali is threatening peace and security in the rest of the Sahel.
• UN officials urge support for integrated strategy to tackle crisis in Africa's Sahel region UN News Centre 10 Dec 2012 -- Top United Nations officials today called on the Security Council and the wider international community to support efforts to develop an integrated strategy to tackle the complex and multifaceted crisis facing the Sahel region of West Africa.
• UN official and expert call on States to ensure right to justice for victims of war-time sexual violence UN News Centre 10 Dec 2012 -- A United Nations senior official and an independent human rights expert today joined their voices in calling for States to ensure the right to truth and justice for victims of war-time sexual violence, as well as accountability for perpetrators.

News Reports

• Egyptian Army Ordered To Maintain Security For Referendum RFE/RL 10 Dec 2012 -- Egypt's main opposition group, has suggested a possible boycott of the constitutional vote.
• Egypt Gives Military Arrest Powers to Protect Referendum VOA 10 Dec 2012 -- Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has given the military authority to arrest civilians as part of a decree to help maintain security for a Saturday constitutional referendum.
• North Korea Extends Rocket Launch Window RIA Novosti 10 Dec 2012 -- North Korea has extended the launch window for its latest rocket test to December 29, according to a report in North Korean state media.
• North Korea Extends Rocket Launch Window to December 29 VOA 10 Dec 2012 -- North Korea said Monday that engineers have found a technical problem in the controversial rocket and have extended the window until the end of December. The rocket would put a satellite in orbit, and had been set to launch as early as this week.
• DPRK to Extend Satellite Launch Period KCNA 10 Dec 2012 -- The spokesman for the Korean Committee of Space Technology Monday released the following statement:
• Putin Disavows 'Soviet Ambitions' RIA Novosti 10 Dec 2012 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday dismissed the view that Russia's integration with post-Soviet states is part of a "re-Sovietization" program.
• Russia Hits at US 'Rights Abusers' Over Magnitsky Act RIA Novosti 10 Dec 2012 -- A draft bill targeting Americans alleged to have violated Russians' human rights was introduced in the Russian parliament on Monday, the law being an emotional but not necessarily efficient response to the US Magnitsky Act.
• Foreign Firms May Enter Light Aviation Market - Putin RIA Novosti 10 Dec 2012 -- The rejuvenation of general (light utility) aircraft production in Russia should include foreign companies, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, but must include widespread localization.
• Kazakhstan Wants Russia to Hand Over Space Town RIA Novosti 10 Dec 2012 -- Kazakhstan and Russia are in talks over returning the city of Baikonur in Kazakhstan - home to Russia's main rocket launch center - from Russian to local jurisdiction, the head of Kazakhstan's space agency (Kazkosmos) said on Monday.
• WEST AFRICA: Defining piracy in the Gulf of Guinea IRIN 10 Dec 2012 -- In July last year President Boni Yayi of Benin sent a worried letter to the UN secretary-general. His country was being threatened by the activities of pirates, who were scaring shipping away from the ports on which his country's revenues depend. He wanted international help of the kind which had been deployed against piracy off the coast of Somalia.
• EU Receives 2012 Nobel Peace Prize VOA 10 Dec 2012 -- The European Union has received this year's Nobel Peace Prize for turning Europe 'from a continent of war to a continent of peace' in the wake of two world wars.
• EU Leaders Receive 2012 Nobel Peace Prize RFE/RL 10 Dec 2012 -- European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and European Parliament President Martin Schulz -- received the prize on behalf of the 27-member union at a ceremony in Oslo on December 10
• Chavez To Have Cancer Operation RFE/RL 10 Dec 2012 -- Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is traveling to Cuba for more cancer surgery.
• UN official calls for Bangladesh's next elections to be 'peaceful, inclusive and credible' UN News Centre 10 Dec 2012 -- A senior United Nations political official has called for Bangladesh's next parliamentary elections to be "peaceful, inclusive and credible," and has encouraged those taking part to work together and to engage in constructive dialogue towards these ends.