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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 09 May 2013 [PDF]
• Karzai Agrees to US Request for Bases VOA 09 May 2013 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai disclosed Thursday the United States wants to keep nine bases in his country after the 2014 withdrawal of foreign combat troops. The Afghan leader says Kabul is ready to let Washington have those bases, but it wants security and economic guarantees for Afghanistan.
• Combined Force Arrests Haqqani Facilitator in Logar Province AFPS 09 May 2013 -- A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network attack facilitator and another insurgent in the Pul-e Alam district of Afghanistan's Logar province today, military officials reported.
• US wants to keep nine military bases in Afghanistan: Karzai Iran Press TV 09 May 2013 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai says Washington has demanded to keep nine military bases across war-torn Afghanistan, Press TV reports.
• Fire hits home for California Air Guard Airmen AFNS 09 May 2013 -- When hot, dry, gusty winds from the east, known as Santa Ana winds, carried the sparks and embers of the Camarillo Springs wildfire dangerously close to homes and neighborhoods late last week, the California National Guard members who responded alongside fire personnel had a unique opportunity: to protect their own homes and communities.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Stratcom Chief: Minot Case Shows Integrity of Nuclear Enterprise AFPS 09 May 2013 -- The Air Force's aggressive response when missile-launch crews at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., fell short of established standards during an inspection in March underscores the integrity of the nuclear weapons program, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command told Congress today.
• US removes 17 nuclear missile officers in 'unprecedented' move Iran Press TV 08 May 2013 -- The US Air Force has stripped 17 officers of their authority for the control and launch of nuclear missiles after a string of unpublicized failings, a military official says.
• DOD Makes Progress to Meet Nuclear Treaty Requirements AFPS 09 May 2013 -- The Defense Department is on track to meet the requirements of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, as it also modernizing its ballistic missile defense capabilities, a senior defense official told Congress today.
• Remarks by Secretary Hagel at the Annual Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Soref Symposium, Washington, D.C. DoD 09 May 2013 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel
• Officials Call for Continued Ballistic Missile Defense Modernization AFPS 09 May 2013 -- Senior defense officials underscored the importance of ballistic missile defense modernization efforts requested in the fiscal 2014 budget proposal during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee today.
• Hagel Stresses Regional Cooperation on Middle East Issues AFPS 09 May 2013 -- The United States faces "astounding challenges" surrounding its strategic interests in the Middle East, but is working with allies and partners to comprehensively address the political, economic and security uncertainty, and the threats of extremism and proliferation that beset the region, America's defense chief said today.
• Army Under Secretary: Fiscal challenges threaten readiness Army News 09 May 2013 -- Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal, Ph.D., discussed the impacts of the Army's current fiscal situation and highlighted the importance of support from the American public during the state of Washington's annual 9th Congressional District Day at the U.S. Capitol, today.
• Army secretary calls sexual assault 'sickening,' vows continued action Army News 09 May 2013 -- The Army's secretary told lawmakers that leadership across the Army is not pleased with the number of sexual assaults occurring in the ranks, and that any progress made thus far to combat it is simply 'nowhere good enough.'
• New fuse: Benefit for everyone Army News 09 May 2013 -- U.S. Army soldiers from Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division have been training diligently with a new artillery fuse at Forward Operating Base Joyce, Kunar province, Afghanistan.
• Watervliet receives $9.3M mortar contract, increasing workload by more than 21,000 hours Army News 09 May 2013 -- The Arsenal announced today that it received a $9.3 million contract to provide 500 60mm mortar bipods for the U.S. Army's TACOM Life Cycle Management Command.
• Navy's Pacific Partnership 2013 Mission to Assist in Oceania NNS 09 May 2013 -- The eighth iteration of the U.S. Pacific Fleet's annual Pacific Partnership mission will take place in the Oceania region over a four-month period beginning in May.
• F-35 fighter takes another step forward AFNS 09 May 2013 -- The Air Force took another step forward with its newest fighter jet when an advanced F-35 Lightning II landed at the service's lead training base, home to the largest fleet of F-35s worldwide.
• C-5M undergoes 'super' upgrade at Edwards AFB AFNS 09 May 2013 -- In 2006, the C-5 Galaxy underwent a 'super' upgrade to further strengthen the airframe's worldwide airlift capabilities.
• Navy Ships Complete CJLOTS in Republic of Korea NNS 09 May 2013 -- Navy Maritime Prepositioning Force ships USNS 1st LT John P. Bobo (T-AK 3008) and USNS Pililaau (T-AK 304) departed the port of Pohang, Republic of Korea, May 8.
• Security Processes Accelerate Adoption of Commercial Devices AFPS 09 May 2013 -- Approval last week of security technical implementation guides for BlackBerry and Samsung Knox devices means that Defense Department organizations will be able to use those devices in conjunction with a secure enterprise mobility environment.
• Dempsey visits Yokota Air Base, discusses rebalance to Asia-Pacific USMC News 09 May 2013 -- U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with U.S. service members April 25 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, during a town hall meeting.
• Ardent Sentry Preps Northcom, First Responders for Disasters AFPS 09 May 2013 -- A perfect storm of simulated disasters is slowly unfolding across the United States, as thousands of military and Defense Department members join their interagency partners in fine-tuning their disaster-response processes just ahead of the upcoming hurricane and wildfire seasons.
• Estonia Holds Military Drills with NATO Allies RIA Novosti 09 May 2013 -- Estonia will hold annual military exercises involving about 4,500 personnel from several NATO countries on May 9-25, the General Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces said.
• Russia's Military Might for More Than Show VOA 09 May 2013 -- Russian soldiers, tanks and rockets paraded across the cobblestones of Red Square on Thursday in the Kremlin's annual display of the nation's military might.
• Iran, Sudan to improve naval cooperation IRNA 09 May 2013 -- Commander of Iran's Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Thursday that cooperation between Iranian and Sudanese nava; forces will improve in future.
• Sudan's navy commander hails Iran's role in Red Sea security Iran Press TV 09 May 2013 -- Commander of Sudan's Naval Forces Lieutenant General Dalil al-Daw says the presence of the Iranian fleets in the Red Sea insures security in the waters.
• Improved destroyer to join Iranian Navy soon IRNA 09 May 2013 -- Commander of Iran's Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced Thursday that destroyer 'Bayandor' would join the Iranian naval fleet on May 24.
• Iranian Navy to modernize, deploy destroyer: Cmdr. Iran Press TV 09 May 2013 -- Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari says the Navy is set to fully overhaul and launch a destroyer in the coming days.
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney and Assistant to the President and Chief Technology Officer Todd Park en route Austin, TX The White House 09 May 2013

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 09, 2013

Other Conflicts

• 9 May 2013 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 09 May 2013
• 9 May 2013 - PRESS CONFERENCE BY DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL JAN ELIASSON AT UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS United Nations 09 May 2013
• Syrian army advances on Qusayr town near Lebanese border Iran Press TV 09 May 2013 -- Syrian army has made advances on the strategic town of al-Qusayr near the border with Lebanon.
• Syrian troops kill many foreign-backed militants outside Damascus Iran Press TV 09 May 2013 -- Syrian army has killed dozens of foreign-sponsored militants during mop-up operations on the outskirts of the capital Damascus.
• Kerry Says Russian Missiles For Assad Would Be 'Destabilizing' RFE/RL 09 May 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has warned the sale of sophisticated surface-to-air Russian missiles to Syria would be 'potentially destabilizing' for the region.
• Damascus Welcomes Russia-US Rapprochement on Syria Crisis RIA Novosti 09 May 2013 -- Syria's Foreign Ministry welcomed on Thursday rapprochement between the United States and Russia over resolving the crisis in the war-torn country, the Syrian state news agency has reported.
• Kerry Sees Transitional Syrian Government Without Assad VOA 09 May 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has toughened his stance on the fate of Syria's president, saying Bashar al-Assad cannot be part of a transitional government that would try to lead the country out of its civil war.
• Over 40 percent of Taiwanese support peace pact with China CNA 09 May 2013 -- A new poll has found that 44.9 percent of Taiwanese support the idea of signing a peace agreement with mainland China -- for the sake of maintaining current exchanges across the Taiwan Strait and ensuring that peaceful development of bilateral ties will continue.
• Israel approves construction of 296 settler units in West Bank Iran Press TV 09 May 2013 -- The Israeli regime has approved the construction of 296 new illegal settler units in the so-called Beit El settlement in the occupied West Bank, despite international condemnation.
• Japan Protests Chinese Report Questioning Sovereignty of Okinawa VOA 09 May 2013 -- Japan has sent a 'strong protest' to China after a Communist party-run newspaper published a story questioning Tokyo's ownership of the southern prefecture of Okinawa.
• Ban recommends adjustment in UN mission in Guinea-Bissau to help restore order, stability UN News Centre 09 May 2013 -- The mandate of the United Nations political mission in Guinea-Bissau, which last year underwent a military coup, should be adjusted to support a two-phase process for the full restoration of constitutional order and medium-term stability in the country, according to a report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon presented to the Security Council today.
• UN senior official calls for widespread support for Somali Government reform efforts UN News Centre 09 May 2013 -- A senior United Nations official today stressed the need for widespread support from the international community for the new Somali Government to help it succeed in its reform efforts.

News Reports

• State Department Actions Targeting Iran's Nuclear Enrichment and Proliferation Program US Dept. of State 09 May 2013
• Two former ministers register for Iran presidential election Iran Press TV 09 May 2013 -- Former Iranian Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahian and former Telecommunication Minister Mohammad Gharazi have signed up for Iran's upcoming presidential election, Press TV reports.
• Registration of hopefuls for Iran presidential election enters day 3 Iran Press TV 09 May 2013 -- The official registration of hopefuls for Iran's 11th presidential election has entered its 3rd day, with over 140 individuals having signed up for the race so far.
• Who Will Be Iran's Supreme Presidential Candidate? RFE/RL 09 May 2013 -- If Iran's supreme leader were to write a job description for the country's next president, loyalty and obedience to the Islamic establishment would be high on the list of requirements.
• A Guide To Pakistan's General Elections RFE/RL 09 May 2013 -- On May 11, nearly half of Pakistan's population of 180 million will head to the polls to vote in general elections that will play a big part in determining who will shape the country's future - secularists, nationalists, or Islamists.
• State Department Denies Demoting Benghazi Whistleblower VOA 09 May 2013 -- A senior State Department official says he has been demoted following his criticism of the Obama administration's handling of last September's attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya. Four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed. State Department officials say there has been no retaliation against Benghazi whistleblowers.
• US Diplomat Tells Congress of Benghazi Failures RIA Novosti 09 May 2013 -- US military teams were twice ordered to "stand-down" during last year's attacks on a US diplomatic facility and a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) annex in Benghazi, in which Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed, lawmakers were told Wednesday by a senior US diplomat who was in Libya when the attacks took place.
• Russian Satellite to Take Detailed Pictures of Solar Eclipse RIA Novosti 09 May 2013 -- In response to a request posted by bloggers in social networks, Russian space officials have agreed to adjust the work of cameras on a weather satellite to take detailed pictures of the lunar shadow as it moves around the Earth during the May 10 solar eclipse.
• Maldives approaching 'critical juncture' with upcoming elections – UN official UN News Centre 09 May 2013 -- The upcoming elections in the Maldives represent an important opportunity to move forward with its democratic transition, a senior United Nations official stressed today, as he wrapped up a three-day visit to the country.
• Kenya Asks UN to Scrap Kenyatta, Ruto's ICC Trials VOA 09 May 2013 -- Kenya is making a new push to terminate proceedings at the Hague against President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto.
• Former Pakistani PM's Son Kidnapped at Election Rally VOA 09 May 2013 -- The son of former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has been taken hostage by gunmen during a political rally in his home area of Multan. It's the latest incident in what has been a violence-marred election campaign in the run up to the May 11 national assembly elections.