17 January 2013 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 17 Jan 2013 [PDF]

Dempsey: France Requests U.S. Enablers for Forces in Mali AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- The French government has asked for U.S. military assistance for their actions against an al-Qaida-affiliated group in Mali.

Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader, Detains Insurgents AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and detained several suspected insurgents in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.
NATO Planners Look to Enduring Force in Afghanistan AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- With just 23 months until the end of the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan, Afghan forces are poised to move into the lead operationally.
Dempsey Discusses Afghanistan With Defense Leaders AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- Defense leaders from NATO countries and partner nations discussed what capabilities will be needed by an enduring force in Afghanistan after 2014, and what the parameters of that force will be.
U.S. Ambassador Says Taliban Peace Process Stuck RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- The United States ambassador to Kabul has said that the Afghan peace process "hasn't really even begun."
Press Availability Following Annual Bilateral Consultations With Kyrgyzstan US Dept. of State 17 Jan 2013
U.S. Talks On Kyrgyzstan's Manas Continuing RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- U.S. Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake says talks about the future use of the Manas transit center in Kyrgyzstan are continuing.
US, Kyrgyzstan Continue Transit Center Talks RIA Novosti 17 Jan 2013 -- The United States and Kyrgyzstan are continuing talks on the future of a US military transit center at Manas international airport.
Soldiers of 1st, 2nd Brigade Combat Teams conduct combined deployment ceremony Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- Soldiers of 1st Brigade Combat Team and 2nd Brigade Combat Team cased their colors for their upcoming deployment.
214th Fires Soldiers return from Afghanistan Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- 57 Soldiers of the five remaining teams of the 214th Fires Brigade Security Force Assistance Team welcomed home following their nine-month deployment to Afghanistan.
U.S. Marine Pleads Guilty To Urinating On Dead Taliban Fighters RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- A U.S. Marine has pleaded guilty to urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

ADA unit deploys to Middle East Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- In early January, Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery 'Lethal Strike' deployed to Turkey to defend a NATO ally from possible air and missile threats as a result of the ongoing civil war in Syria.

USS Gary Seizes $22 Million of Narcotics During Operation Martillo, Sinks Drug Boat Navy NewsStand 17 Jan 2013 -- The USS Gary and its embarked U.S. Coast Guard team leveraged the capabilities of partner nations and the interagency to intercept a small drug trafficking vessel.

Defense Policy / Programs

Remarks by Secretary Panetta at U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza, Italy DoD 17 Jan 2013
Sequestration Will Hollow Out Force Fast, Dempsey Says AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- The across-the-board spending cuts that would result if a “sequestration” mechanism in budget law kicks in March 1 will hollow out U.S. military forces faster than most Americans imagine.
Morin talks sequestration, near-term budget actions AFNS 17 Jan 2013 -- The acting under secretary of the Air Force described how the nation's fiscal challenges are affecting the service to a group of civic and industry leaders in Arlington, Va., Jan. 15.
Air Force leaders deliver budget guidance to force AFNS 17 Jan 2013 -- Air Force leaders delivered guidance to the force recently, telling them to begin planning for the uncertain budget environment ahead, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley said Jan. 11 in a press briefing.
Army freezes hiring, cuts base ops, reduces training Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- In advance of possible extreme budget cuts that could arrive in March, Army leadership has called for an immediate hiring freeze and spelled out other pre-emptive measures meant to help the service prepare for a fiscal cliff.
Agency brings real intel to aerial combat exercise AFNS 17 Jan 2013 -- For the first time in 38 years, realistic intelligence will be an integral part of the Air Force's signature aerial combat training exercise.
After Long Deployment, Leaders Praise Navy-Marine Team AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- Commanding officers of a team of sailors and Marines sat down with reporters from the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service to discuss the challenges and successes of their extended nine-month deployment.
USS Guardian Runs Aground in the Sulu Sea NNS 17 Jan 2013 -- No one was hurt when the mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian (MCM 5) ran aground on Tubbataha Reef at 2:25 a.m. local time, Jan. 17, while transiting the Sulu Sea.
Joint Navy-Army Cargo Wraps Up First Part of Operation Trident Arch Navy NewsStand 17 Jan 2013 -- Participants completed the first part of Operation Trident Arch Jan. 14 at Naval Weapons Stations Yorktown-Cheatham Annex is complete.
‘Hurricane Hunters’ Weather Storms to Save Lives AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- As the nation rebounds from 19 named storms and 11 major hurricanes in 2012, a small but hardy military organization keeps relentless watch to track and prepare for such disasters.
Sailors, Marines depart for Cambodia MEDEX 13-1 USMC News 17 Jan 2013 -- Marines and sailors with 3rd Medical Battalion departed Okinawa for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Jan. 17 to conduct Cambodia Medical Exercise 13-1.
Army Aviation approaches 'exciting, uncertain future' Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- The current fiscal environment poses significant challenges for Army Aviation, as well as the rest of the Army and the Defense Department, said Lt. Gen. James O. Barclay III, deputy chief of staff, G-8.
Tobyhanna's role in testing new Army network grows Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- Initial findings from the Army's latest Network Integration Evaluation show steady progress toward improved, user-friendly tactical communications systems, as well as new efficiencies from the consolidation of test practices.
Picatinny scientists test body armor integrity, protect Soldiers' lives Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- In early 2005, representatives from Project Manager Soldier Survivability of Fort Belvoir, Va., the organization responsible for the armor plates worn by Soldiers, approached QE&SA personnel in the Radiographic Laboratory to ask if it was feasible to inspect the ceramic armor plates.
New CH-47F simulator 1st of its kind Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Warrior Hall Jan. 10 to introduce a new CH-47F Chinook flight simulator
Joint Chiefs Finishing Study on Ethics Training, Chairman Says AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is preparing to finish a study on ethics training in the military.
White Sands home to Army's largest solar power system Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- The U.S. Army dedicated its largest solar photovoltaic system at White Sands Missile Range, Jan. 16.
USACE completes Army's largest solar array installation Army News 17 Jan 2013 -- The largest solar power system in the U.S. Army is coming online at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and officials gathered Jan. 16 to mark the occasion with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Air Force implements civilian hiring freeze AFNS 17 Jan 2013 -- Air Force senior leaders directed a force-wide hiring freeze among other workforce actions in a memorandum sent to senior commanders Jan. 16.
Suicide Prevention ‘Our Problem,’ Battaglia Says AFPS 17 Jan 2013 -- Suicide prevention is not a new problem, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here yesterday, “but it’s our problem.”

Russian T-50 Fighter Jet Completes First Long-Range Flight RIA Novosti 17 Jan 2013 -- Russia's prototype fifth-generation Sukhoi T-50 fighter jet has carried out its first long-range flight.

Joint press briefing with the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and the President of Hungary, János Áder - Opening statement by the NATO Secretary General NATO 17 Jan 2013
Press conference by the Chairman of the Military Committee, General Knud Bartels at the end of the 168th Chiefs of Defence Meeting NATO 17 Jan 2013

Rodong Sinmun Calls for Bolstering up Nation's Defence Capability KCNA 17 Jan 2013 -- Strength of armed forces means national power and vice versa.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 1/17/2013 The White House 17 Jan 2013
U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, January 17, 2013 US Dept. of State 17 Jan 2013

Defense Industry

DoD News: Contracts for January 17, 2013
Boeing's Dreamliner Woes Disrupt Some Travel; Airlines Upset VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- International airlines have suspended their entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners as regulators investigate a fire risk linked to a recent series of battery problems.
International Carriers Ground Boeing Dreamliner Fleets VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Aviation regulators in Asia and other parts of the world are grounding the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Europe Grounds Dreamliner Over Battery Fires RIA Novosti 17 Jan 2013 -- The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) banned all flights by Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on Thursday due to a spate of safety incidents in the last two weeks involving the airliner, EASA said.

Other Conflicts

Algeria Says 'Several' Killed in Hostage Crisis VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Algeria's state-run news agency says the military operation at the natural gas complex where Islamic militants seized 41 foreign hostages has ended.
Algeria State News Agency Says Hostage Rescue Operation Over RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Algeria's state news agency APS says that the military operation to free hostages at a remote desert gas facility has ended.
Hostage Rescue in Algeria Still Underway – Minister RIA Novosti 17 Jan 2013 -- A military operation to free hostages held by Islamic militants at a natural gas production facility in eastern Algeria is continuing while the final death count is yet to be determined.
Algerian Raid on Gas Facility Results in Hostage Deaths VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Algerian forces have raided a remote desert gas plant where al-Qaida-linked militants seized hostages Wednesday.
Foreign Hostages 'Freed' In Algeria Operation RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Several foreign hostages have been reported freed during an Algerian military operation at a gas facility in eastern Algeria where militants were holding foreign and Algerian hostages.
Algerian Terrorists Demand SUVs and Corridor To Mali RIA Novosti 17 Jan 2013 -- An Islamist terrorist group which seized dozens of hostages on Wednesday is demanding 20 four-wheel-drive vehicles and a safe corridor to the Malian border.
Foreigners Held Hostage by Militants in Algeria RIA Novosti 17 Jan 2013 -- A group of militants have taken dozens of foreigners hostage in the Algerian gas-rich region of In Amenas on Wednesday.
Well-Known al-Qaida Leader Involved in Algeria Attack VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- A relatively new al-Qaida affiliate, calling itself al-Mua'qi'oon Biddam or "Those Who Sign with Blood," attacked a BP natural gas facility in Algeria Wednesday, taking dozens of foreigners hostage, along with an undisclosed number of Algerians.

EU Steps Up Support to Mali Operation VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- European foreign ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to offer training and logistical support to fight militants in Mali.
Regional Leaders to Meet Over Mali Crisis VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- West African Regional leaders plan to meet Saturday and discuss what they can do to help resolve the crisis in Mali.
Mali Residents Flee Rebel-Held Town VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Residents are fleeing a Malian town seized earlier this week by Islamist militants, while others report fighting between French forces and the militants on the outskirts of the area.
US Advocates Political Solution in Mali VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- The United States is advocating a political solution in Mali while backing French military strikes against Islamist militants in the north of the country.
Children involved in Mali fighting IRIN 17 Jan 2013 -- Children are playing a major role in the Islamists’ war effort, say eye-witnesses and human rights groups, who report children are taking an active part in fighting, patrolling, scouting combat zones, and staffing checkpoints.

Somali President: No Notice About French Hostage Raid VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Somalia's president says he was not told in advance about the French rescue operation to save a hostage taken by militant group al-Shabab.

Activists Accuse Pro-Syrian Forces of Killing Scores in Homs VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Syrian activists say forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have killed more than 100 people in an attack on the central city of Homs.
Rights Group: 100 Executed In Syria's Homs RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- More than 100 civilians reportedly were executed near the central Syrian city of Homs during a government military operation earlier this week.
UN: One in Four Syrians Need Aid VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- The United Nations warned that nearly five million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance due to the fighting gripping the country.

At Least 12 Killed By Car Bombs In Iraq RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- At least 12 people have been killed by car bombs in Iraq.
More Bomb Attacks Reported Across Iraq VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Bomb attacks across Iraq have killed at least seven people, one day after the deadliest wave of violence to hit the country this year.

Chinese Official Calls for Dialogue on Island Dispute VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- A senior Chinese leader is calling for talks with Japan to resolve an increasingly bitter dispute over a group of islands in the East China Sea.
Taiwan reaffirms sovereignty over Spratlys CNA 17 Jan 2013 -- Taiwan reiterated its sovereignty over the disputed Spratly Islands after the Philippines recently revealed its plan to repair an airstrip in the area.

Pakistani Police Break Up Protest Over Killings RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Pakistani police fired bullets into the air and used tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting killings they blame on Pakistani security forces.
Police clashes with protestors in NW Pakistan IRNA 17 Jan 2013 -- Protesters and police clashed in north western city of Peshawar as the officials attempted to disperse the crowd staging sit-in against the ongoing operation in the Khyber tribal area.

Myanmar’s Laiza town “tense” after government attacks IRIN 17 Jan 2013 -- A recent escalation in attacks by Burmese government forces in northern Kachin State, including air strikes, has left internally displaced persons and residents in and around Laiza town.
Following visit to Myanmar, UN envoy calls on all parties to resume dialogue UN News Centre 17 Jan 2013 -- The United Nations envoy to Myanmar called on all parties in the country to work to ease tensions, resume dialogue, and ensure that there is humanitarian access.

Notice - Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Terrorists Who Threaten to Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process The White House 17 Jan 2013
Letter - Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Terrorists Who Threaten to Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process The White House 17 Jan 2013

UN appeals for $30.5 million to support humanitarian response in eastern DR Congo UN News Centre 17 Jan 2013 -- The United Nations and its partners are appealing for $30.5 million to assist people who have been affected by the recent fighting in North Kivu.

In volatile region, support for Côte d’Ivoire’s stability more critical than ever – UN official UN News Centre 17 Jan 2013 -- Despite “remarkable progress” in recovering from multiple crises, international support to consolidate stability in Côte d’Ivoire is ever more important.

Serb, Kosovar Prime Ministers To Meet RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- The prime ministers of Kosovo and Serbia are due to meet on January 17 in Brussels in talks mediated by the European Union.

Fences Being Installed Around Troubled Uzbek Exclave RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Kyrgyz officials have started installing barbed-wire fences around Uzbekistan's Sokh district.

Sea Piracy Drops to Five-Year Low in 2012 - Report RIA Novosti 17 Jan 2013 -- The activity of sea pirates in international waters has subsided to the lowest level since 2008.

News Reports

Arab Spring Challenges, Two Years In VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- The wave of popular uprisings that started in Tunisia two years ago and subsequently swept through much of the Middle East has largely subsided.

No Sign of Breakthrough After Iran-IAEA Nuclear Talks VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Senior U.N. nuclear inspectors and Iran ended two days of talks in Tehran with no sign of a breakthroug.
Tehran, IAEA End Talks With No Sign Of Breakthrough RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Senior inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iranian officials have ended two days of talks in Tehran with no sign of a breakthrough.
Iran, IAEA choose February for next round of talks IRNA 17 Jan 2013 -- Iran and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreed to meet again in February.
Iran's Supreme Leader Unintentionally Triggers Online Interest In 'Free Elections' RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shot himself in the foot last week when he called for an end to public demands for free elections.
Jailed Iranian Lawyer Temporarily Released RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Jailed Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh has been temporarily freed by the authorities.

Pakistan's Anti-Corruption Bureau Refuses to Arrest Prime Minister VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- The head of Pakistan's anti-corruption bureau says it has decided not to arrest PM Ashraf, despite orders to do so by the supreme court.
Pakistani Official Rejects Court Order To Arrest PM RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Pakistan's top anticorruption official has refused an order by the country's Supreme Court to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Pakistan's anti-corruption body refuses to arrest Prime Minister IRNA 17 Jan 2013 -- The anti-corruption body in Pakistan refused to arrest the country’s Prime Minister, Raja Pervez Ashraf, in a corruption case, saying that the evidences are not enough to arrest him.
Pakistan Protest Ends After Talks VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Pakistan's coalition government negotiated an end to a four-day protest in the nation's capital led by firebrand cleric Tahir-ul Qadri against the country's political leadership.
Pakistani Cleric Qadri Says Deal Reached With Government RFE/RL 17 Jan 2013 -- Islamic cleric Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the organizer of this week's antigovernment demonstrations in Islamabad, says he has reached an agreement with the government.
Parliamentarian among four shot dead in Karachi IRNA 17 Jan 2013 -- Gunmen on Thursday shot dead at least four people, including a provincial lawmaker of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, in port city of Karachi.

Campaigning in High Gear for Israeli Elections VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- As Israel prepares for national elections, public opinion surveys indicate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's center-right Likud Party and its partner, the right-wing Israel Our Home party, are likely to win enough votes to form the next government.

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia to the White House The White House 17 Jan 2013
Remarks With President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud After Their Meeting US Dept. of State 17 Jan 2013
Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's Visit to Washington, DC US Dept. of State 17 Jan 2013
US, Somalia Launch New Era of Diplomatic Relations VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- The United States has opened a new era in diplomatic relations after officially recognizing the government in Somalia for the first time in two decades.

Analysis: Aid money unspent as Yemen’s transition process drags on IRIN 17 Jan 2013 -- The transitional peace process in Yemen is struggling to move forward and billions of dollars of aid assistance is going untapped, according to UK Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan.

Burma Renews Red Cross Access to Prisoners VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Burma has promised the International Committee of the Red Cross access to its prisons for the first time in seven years.

Zimbabwe Parties Agree on Draft Constitution VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Leaders of Zimbabwe's main political parties said they have agreed on the contents of a new constitution, though it is not yet clear when a referendum on the document, whose passage would pave the way for elections to end the country's fragile, four-year-old coalition government, will be held.

Delays, Disorder Plague Kenyan Primaries VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- Long lines and missing ballot papers caused mass frustration across Kenya during national primaries to elect local candidates for the March general elections.

Madagascar: Ban welcomes decision by Transition President not to run in upcoming elections UN News Centre 17 Jan 2013 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban welcomes the decision by the President of the Transition in Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, not to run in the forthcoming presidential elections.

Debate Roils in Turkey Over Responsibility for Paris Triple-Homicide VOA 17 Jan 2013 -- As the French investigation into the killing of the three Kurdish activists in Paris continues, debate is roiling in Turkey over who was responsible.

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