12 February 2013 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 12 Feb 2013 [PDF]

Statement by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta State of The Union Announcement on Afghanistan DoD 12 Feb 2013
Fact Sheet: Afghanistan The White House 12 Feb 2013
Obama Announces 34,000 Cut to U.S. Force in Afghanistan AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- U.S. troops in Afghanistan will decrease by 34,000 over the coming year, President Barack Obama announced tonight in his annual State of the Union address.
Obama Details Afghan Troop Drawdown in State of Union Speech VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- U.S. President Barack Obama says about one-half of American forces still in Afghanistan will leave the country by this time next year.
Reports Say Obama To Announce Large Afghan Pullout RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- Media reports say U.S. President Barack Obama will announce in his State of the Union address that he will bring 34,000 U.S. troops home from Afghanistan in the next 12 months.
Coalition, Afghan Forces Arrest Weapons Distributor AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in the Khanabad district of Afghanistan’s Kunduz province.
Units to deploy as part of Herrick 18 announced UK MOD 12 Feb 2013 -- The units due to deploy to Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick 18 have been announced by the Defence Secretary Philip Hammond.
Afghan Officials Admit Torturing Detainees VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- An Afghan presidential investigative commission has confirmed that Afghan police and security officials are torturing detainees, despite promises of reform.
Afghan-Pakistani Clerics Agree To Hold Conference In Early March RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- Senior Pakistani and Afghan clerics have agreed to hold a peace conference on March 10.

67th Signal Battalion starts nine-month deployment Army News 12 Feb 2013 -- The soldiers will complete a nine-month deployment in various areas throughout the Middle East in order to provide theater-wide communication support operations for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Bin Laden Shooter Gives Interview RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- The U.S. Navy SEAL who claims to have killed Osama bin Laden has given an interview in which he recounts shooting the Al-Qaeda leader in Pakistan in May, 2011.
US Magazine Claims Interview with Bin Laden ‘Shooter’ RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- A popular US magazine published what it billed as a first-hand account from the special forces soldier who killed Osama Bin Laden.

Defense Policy / Programs

Remarks by the President in the State of the Union Address The White House 12 Feb 2013
President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address as Prepared The White House 12 Feb 2012

America Will Reach Out to Allies Around the World, Obama Says AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- The United States will reach out to countries around the world to deal with shared threats, President Barack Obama said during the State of the Union speech tonight.
Options Open for Obama to Slash Nukes RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- As commander-in-chief of the US armed forces, President Barack Obama has the power to act unilaterally to drastically slash Washington’s deployed nuclear arsenal.
Committee Moves Hagel Nomination to Full Senate VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- A key U.S. Senate committee has approved President Barack Obama's nominee for the job of defense secretary, former senator Chuck Hagel.
Dempsey: Budget Factors Place Defense Strategy in Jeopardy AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- Unprecedented budget factors have placed the nation’s defense strategy in jeopardy, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Sequestration Will Force Moral Dilemma, Dempsey Says AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- Looming spending cuts could put the military on the path to a moral dilemma, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Carter Warns of Readiness Crisis, Urges Delay in Cuts AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter urged lawmakers to find a way to avoid billions of dollars in cuts set to take a deep bite out of Pentagon spending in two weeks.
Service Chiefs Detail Sequestration Consequences AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- Top officers from all of the military services predicted dire consequences if looming automatic, across-the-board spending cuts are allowed to take effect.
Fiscal Impacts Could Immediately Erode the Readiness of the Force NNS 12 Feb 2013 -- Defense leaders appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee Feb. 12 to discuss the impacts the respective services are facing.
CSA tells senators sequestration would impact readiness Army News 12 Feb 2013 -- Furloughs, budget cuts and curtailment of training could significantly impact Army readiness if sequestration is allowed to take place.
Bonhomme Richard Participates in Cobra Gold 13 NNS 12 Feb 2013 -- The USS Bonhomme Richard joined its sister ships USS Germantown and USS Tortuga off the coast of Thailand to take part in exercise Cobra Gold 2013, Feb. 10.
SP-MAGTF Africa 13 arrives in Italy, prepares for Africa USMC News 12 Feb 2013 -- Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa 13 hit the ground running when they arrived at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, Jan. 10.
New tracking system improves helicopter gunnery Army News 12 Feb 2013 -- This year the Army will start fielding a new training system that will more accurately track helicopter rocket firing.
Medal of Honor Ceremony – Clint Romesha DoD 12 Feb 2013
Panetta Lauds DOD for Commitment to Protecting Nation AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- As he prepares for retirement, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today addressed the Pentagon workforce, representing the entire Defense Department, thanking them for their contributions to national defense.
Pentagon Community Farewell Event DoD 12 Feb 2013
Operation Homecoming for Vietnam POWs Marks 40 Years AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- Forty years ago today, a C-141A Starlifter transport jet with a distinctive red cross on its tail lifted off from Hanoi, North Vietnam.

Russian Army Chief Visits Missile Academy RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- Russian Ground Forces chief Col. Gen. Vladimir Chirkin visited a military academy that trains Iskander missile crews, among other specialists.
Russian Draftee Training to Be Reduced to 4 Months RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree reducing the duration of combat training programs for conscripts from six to just four months.

North Korea Nuclear Test Sparks Worry VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- After three weeks of belligerent warnings, North Korea conducted its third test in a nuclear weapons program that dates back to the 1960s.
Experts: N. Korea Seeks Nuclear Weapons for Leverage, Legitimacy VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- North Korea, one of Asia’s poorest nations, has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in developing nuclear weapons.
Security Council and UN officials condemn DPR Korea’s nuclear test UN News Centre 12 Feb 2013 -- The Security Council and top United Nations officials have strongly condemned the nuclear test carried out by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
UN Security Council Promises Action Over North Korea Nuke Test VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- The U.N. Security Council has condemned North Korea’s latest nuclear test and said it will begin work immediately on “appropriate measures” in the form of a council resolution.
Security Council holds emergency meeting to discuss DPRK test UN News Centre 12 Feb 2013 -- The United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting to discuss possible collective action after the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea announced it had conducted its third nuclear test.
Readout of the President's Call with Republic of Korea President Lee Myung-bak The White House 12 Feb 2013
S. Korea, Japan Move to Bolster Defenses After North's Nuclear Test VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- North Korea is being sharply criticized for conducting a third nuclear test Tuesday.
Statement by the President on North Korean announcement of nuclear test The White House 12 Feb 2013
Obama Condemns North Korean Nuclear Test AFPS 12 Feb 2013 -- President Barack Obama today strongly condemned the latest North Korean nuclear test, saying it undermines regional stability in an important part of the world.
China Opposes N. Korean Nuclear Test VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- China says it is "firmly opposed" to North Korea's nuclear test Tuesday and is calling for the resumption of six-party nuclear talks.
Wave of Condemnation Follows N. Korea Nuclear Test VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Governments and leaders from around the world are condemning North Korea's latest nuclear test.
Global Community Condemns North Korea Nuclear Test RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- The international community lined up to condemn North Korea after Pyongyang confirmed it had conducted a third nuclear test, in defiance of UN resolutions and appeals from its neighbors.
DPRK's Underground Nuclear Test Is Just Measure for Self-defence KCNA 12 Feb 2013 -- The 3rd underground nuclear test conducted by the DPRK today is part of substantial counter-action against the U.S. hostile policy and arbitrary practices.
Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry Urges U.S. to Choose between Two Options KCNA 12 Feb 2013 -- The DPRK Foreign Ministry released the following statement.
KCNA Report on Successful 3rd Underground Nuclear Test KCNA 12 Feb 2013 -- The Korean Central News Agency released the following report.
North Korea Confirms Nuclear Test - Reports RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- North Korea confirmed it conducted a third controversial nuclear test.
North Korea Reaffirms More Long-Range Rocket Tests RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- The Political Bureau of North Korea’s influential Workers' Party ruled that the country needs to go ahead with launches of “powerful long-range rockets” amid a “grave security situation.”
Earthquake Suggests Nuclear Test in North Korea RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- An earthquake shook North Korea on Tuesday, prompting reports of a possible nuclear test.

NATO and Ireland: working together for peace NATO 12 Feb 2013
Ireland: an important partner in peace and security NATO 12 Feb 2013 -- This week, Anders Fogh Rasmussen became the first NATO Secretary General to visit Ireland.

Rafale, Jaitapur deals not on table during French Prez visit IRNA 12 Feb 2013 -- Enhancing cooperation in the key areas of defence, nuclear energy, counter-terrorism and trade would be focus of French President Francois Hollande's first visit to India.
IAF’s MiG-27 crashes, pilot safe IRNA 12 Feb 2013 -- A MiG-27 aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed within two minutes of taking off in Rajasthan's Barmer district, but the pilot bailed out safely.

Liberia Declares Day of Mourning for Guinean Plane Crash Victims VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declared a national day of mourning following the death of Guinea’s army chief of staff Lt General Souleymane Kelefa Diallo and 10 others in a plane crash.

U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, February 12, 2013 US Dept. of State 12 Feb 2013

Defense Industry

DoD News: Contracts for February 12, 2013
Sukhoi to Compensate Aeroflot for SSJ-100 Downtime RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- Russian aircraft maker Sukhoi will compensate national flagship airline Aeroflot for all losses resulting from periods of unserviceability affecting the airline’s new Sukhoi Superjet 100's.

Other Conflicts

Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 12 February 2013 United Nations 12 Feb 2013
UN envoy urges greater efforts to end use of child soldiers UN News Centre 12 Feb 2013 -- From the besieged cities of Syria to the desert battlefields of Mali, children throughout the world continue to endure the indignities of forced conscription.
Security Council must unite to protect civilians in conflict zones – UN officials UN News Centre 12 Feb 2013 -- Top United Nations officials highlighted the need for the Security Council to act with a unified voice to protect innocent lives.

Activists: Syrian Rebels Seize Military Air Base VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Syrian activists say rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have captured a military air base in northern Syria.
Syrian Rebels Reportedly Capture Air Base RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- Syrian activists say rebels fighting against the regime in Damascus have overrun a military air base in the northern province of Aleppo.
UN Says Syria Death Toll Nearing 70,000 VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- The United Nations says the death toll from nearly two years of fighting in Syria is nearing 70,000.
UN agencies provide food aid to Syrian refugees in Egypt UN News Centre 12 Feb 2013 -- The United Nations World Food Programme is feeding more than 7,000 Syrian refugees in Egypt through a newly-launched food voucher operation that is underway in other parts of the region.

What's the way forward for Mali? IRIN 12 Feb 2013 -- The French military offensive in Mali halted militant Islamists’ drive southwards and dislodged them from parts of the northern region, but the fight is far from over, and the country’s future unsure.

Weapons Flowing to Somali Militants VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- The military offensive against the al Shabab militia in Somalia has made major advances over the past year.

Foreign Minister: Libya Needs Help to Secure Borders VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Libya's Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdelaziz called for Western and Arab allies to help seal his country's borders.

Boko Haram attacks cripple northern Nigeria’s economy IRIN 12 Feb 2013 -- Commercial activities in the northern trade hub of Kano are down by half since 2010 because of the campaign of violence waged by militant group Boko Haram and government efforts to curb it, says the Kano traders’ union.
Journalists Detained Over Nigeria Polio Attacks VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Police in northern Nigeria have arrested three journalists in connection with the killing of nine polio vaccine workers at a clinic last week.

China, Japan Dispute Confronts Obama Second Term Asia Agenda VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- There is increasing hostility between China and Japan over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

Juba Says Sudan Massing Troops on Border VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- South Sudan warned Tuesday that conflict with Sudan could flare again, as a defense official in Juba accused Khartoum of massing troops along the still-disputed border.

UN assessment mission finds widespread looting in Central African Republic UN News Centre 12 Feb 2013 -- The United Nations refugee agency voiced concern over widespread looting and displacement in various parts of the Central African Republic.
UNHCR Reports Looting, Violence in Central African Republic VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Aid agencies are reporting widespread displacement and looting of villages in areas under control of the Seleka rebel coalition in the Central African Republic.

Colombian Rebels Kill Two in South, Blow Up Oil Pipeline VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Colombia's FARC rebels killed a policeman and a child with a grenade in what the defense minister called a "demented, diabolical" attack and police said the guerillas also blew up an oil pipeline.

News Reports

Netanyahu Says Iran Moving Closer To Atomic Weapon RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran continues to move closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon.
Parchin Base Inspection Possible If Iran's Nuclear Rights Acknowledged RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- Iran says an International Atomic Energy Agency request to inspect its Parchin military complex outside Tehran could be part of the next round of talks if the country's right to a nuclear program is acknowledged.
Salehi: Number of visits by IAEA inspectors to Iran's nuclear sites has increased dramatically IRNA 12 Feb 2013 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that the number of visits by IAEA inspectors to Iran's nuclear facilities has dramatically increased.
IRI FM: Russian and EU proposals to be surveyed at Kazakhstan meeting IRNA 12 Feb 2013 -- IRI Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi announced proposals made by Russia and European Union about Iran's nuclear program would be surveyed at Amati, Kazakhstan meeting of Iran-G5+1.
Senior FM official confirms converting 20-pc uranium into fuel IRNA 12 Feb 2013 -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast confirmed reports that Iran was converting some of its 20-percent uranium into fuel for Tehran Research Reactor.
Referring Iran’s case to UNSC by IAEA a mistake IRNA 12 Feb 2013 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that referring Iran’s nuclear case to the UN Security Council by the International Atomic Energy Agency will be an unacceptable and illegal act.
Iran ‘Hopes’ to Build Bushehr Unit 2 with Russia RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- Tehran expects to start work on a second power unit at the Bushehr nuclear power plant together with Russia, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said.
Sanctions Against Iran ‘Counterproductive’ - Moscow RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- Moscow believes that unilateral sanctions against Iran will only make the resolution of the country's nuclear issue more difficult.
Russia calls for continued cooperation with Iran's peaceful nuclear activities IRNA 12 Feb 2013 -- The tenth Iran-Russia Joint Economic Commission meeting wound up in Moscow, calling for continued cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran on nuclear technology.
Iran Wants to Develop Space Ties with Russia – Minister RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- Iran intends to develop space cooperation with Russia, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said.
Springtime For Ahmadinejad RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- Resistance is in the air in Tehran, with calls of "Viva Spring" ushering in the election season and signaling that President Mahmud Ahmadinejad does not intend to go quietly.
Salehi: Iran, Argentina adhere to agreement on AMIA case IRNA 12 Feb 2013 -- Foreign Minister, Ali-Akbar Salehi, says Iran and Argentina adhere to provisions of an agreement on AMIA case.

Egypt's Islamists Say Clerics Must Approve IMF Loan VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Egypt's main hardline Islamist party says an IMF loan agreement requires the approval of a body of Muslim scholars under the new constitution and it is considering legal action to make sure the government sticks to the law.
Rise in Egypt Sex Attacks Prompts Protests VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- Demonstrations are planned outside Egyptian embassies worldwide Tuesday to protest the recent spike in sexual violence against women in Egypt.

Tunisia's Islamist Leader Expects New Government This Week VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- The leader of Tunisia's main Islamist Ennahda party, Rached Ghannouchi, said he expected Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali to form a coalition government this week.

Kenya PM Aims to Win Presidency in First Round VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- With less than three weeks before the Kenyan presidential election, current Prime Minister Raila Odinga is vying for an outright first-round win.
Kenya Electoral Group Moves Ahead on Election Plans VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- The chief executive officer of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission says ballot papers for the presidential vote are ready for the March 4 general election.

Ousted Kyrgyz President And Brother Sentenced In Absentia RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- The Bishkek Garrison Court sentenced former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev to 24 years in prison on February 11.
Kyrgyz Ex-President Sentenced to 24 Years Jail RIA Novosti 12 Feb 2013 -- A Kyrgyzstan military court on Tuesday sentenced ousted former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev in absentia to 24 years in a high-security prison for abuse of office while he was in power.

Castro Tones Down Positive Words on Chavez Health VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- A week after Fidel Castro was quoted in Cuban media as saying Venezuela's cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez was "much better,'' the Communist Party newspaper published a different, toned down version.

Iraq To Resume Flights To Kuwait RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- Iraq's state-run airline will resume commercial flights to neighboring Kuwait for the first time since Saddam Hussein's forces invaded the Gulf state more than 22 years ago.

Analysts: Benedict Departure Will Leave Little Room for Change VOA 12 Feb 2013 -- The announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he will resign on Feb. 28 shocked Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Tymoshenko Tax Evasion Trial Postponed Again RFE/RL 12 Feb 2013 -- A court in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine has again postponed the tax evasion trial of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

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