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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• US Scrambles to Salvage Afghan Peace Talks VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- The United States is working to defuse the latest dispute with its allies in Afghanistan over contacts with the Taliban office in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
• US Scrambles to Keep Afghan Taliban Plan on Track RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- The United States scrambled to salvage plans to bring the Taliban into Afghan peace talks while Russia threw its support squarely behind President Hamid Karzai.
• Kerry, Karzai Talk Over Taliban Flap RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has spoken by telephone with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a bid to defuse a dispute that threatens to scuttle peace talks with the Taliban.
• Kerry calls Karzai to ease tension over Taliban office PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry has called Afghan President Hamid Karzai for the second time over the past 24 hours in a bid to defuse tension.
• Afghan Taliban Ready For Prisoner Swap, Peace Talks Appear Delayed RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- Afghanistan's Taliban says it is ready to exchange a U.S. soldier held captive since 2009 for five senior Taliban members imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay.
• US, Afghanistan remain divided over peace talks with Taliban PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- The Afghan government has expressed serious concerns about the ongoing US-led peace process with Taliban militants in Qatar.
• Afghanistan needs sustained international support for transition to succeed – UN envoy UN News Centre 20 Jun 2013 -- Sustained international support is critical as Afghanistan proceeds with three complex and intertwined transition processes.
• UN Urges Smooth Transition; Elections in Afghanistan VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- The United Nations' top diplomat in Afghanistan said that a smooth transition of political power next year largely depends on well-planned, credible and timely elections.
• Afghan Government Key to Transition, Hagel Stresses AFPS 20 Jun 2013 -- Milestone 2013 marked Afghan forces’ assumption of the lead in security responsibility for their country.
• US Base Closure Affirmed by Kyrgyzstan Parliament RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- The parliament of the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan overwhelmingly approved a bill ordering the closure of a US airbase.
• Kyrgyzstan ends US lease of Manas airbase PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- A vast majority of lawmakers in Kyrgyzstan have voted to end the US lease of an airbase used for the transfer of American troops to Afghanistan.
• Kyrgyz Parliament Sets Date For Manas Transit Center Closure RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- The Kyrgyz parliament has set a date for the closure of the NATO Transit Center at Manas International Airport near Bishkek.
• Coalition, Afghan Forces Arrest Extremists in Paktia Province AFPS 20 Jun 2013 -- A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested three extremists during a search for a senior Haqqani network leader in the Zurmat district of Afghanistan’s Paktia province.
• Taliban behead 4 people in northern Afghanistan: Officials PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- Taliban militants have beheaded four people, including two civilians, in Afghanistan’s northern province of Parwan, officials say.
• US-led airstrike kills 15 Taliban militants in Afghanistan: Officials PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- A US-led airstrike has killed at least 15 suspected Taliban militants and injured several others in the troubled central-eastern region of Afghanistan.
• MACS-2 departs for Afghanistan USMC News 20 Jun 2013 -- More than 65 Marines with Marine Air Control Squadron 2 departed Cherry Point for Afghanistan June 16.
• Death toll of Pakistani suicide blast rises to 38 IRNA 20 Jun 2013 -- The death toll from a suicide attack at a funeral in north western Mardan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province rose to 38.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Hagel Vows to Prioritize Cyber, Nuclear Capabilities AFPS 20 Jun 2013 -- Malicious cyberattacks are quickly becoming a defining security challenge “for our time, for all our institutions,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.
• Hagel: Stratcom Will Continue Key Defense Role AFPS 20 Jun 2013 -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told service members at U.S. Strategic Command that nuclear deterrence has kept the peace for nearly 70 years.
• Obama Nuclear Arms Pitch More About Legacy Than Russia RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- US President Barack Obama’s desire to pursue nuclear arms cuts with Russia offers fertile ground for cooperation.
• Moscow Links More Nuclear Cuts to Missile Defense RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- Russia-US strategic nuclear arms cuts cannot be pursued without also addressing missile defense systems.
• Message to Congress -- Continuation of the National Emergency on Russian Fissile Material The White House 20 Jun 2013
• Notice to Congress -- Continuation of the National Emergency on Russian Fissile Material The White House 20 Jun 2013
• Hagel Addresses Middle East Issues in Nebraska Speech AFPS 20 Jun 2013 -- The Middle East holds some of the most serious U.S. security threats, but America can prevail in maintaining global stability if it uses its resources wisely and pursues coalition solutions.
• F-35 is backbone of Air Force's future fighter fleet, Welsh says AFNS 20 Jun 2013 -- The Air Force's most advanced strike aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II, is a vital capability that the nation needs to stay ahead of adversary technological gains.
• Enterprise Makes Final Trip to Newport News Shipyard NNS 20 Jun 2013 -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65) made her final voyage to the Newport News Shipyard June 20.
• LCS Remote Minehunting System Completes Reliability Testing NNS 20 Jun 2013 -- The Navy successfully concluded the second and final phase of reliability testing of the littoral combat ship remote minehunting system.
• ADA integrates Kuwait enlisted in exercise Army News 20 Jun 2013 -- B Battery, 4th Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery recently held a mobility exercise traveling to a Kuwaiti air base.
• USS Guardian Grounding Investigation Results Released NNS 20 Jun 2013 -- The U.S. Navy has released the results of an investigation that assessed circumstances surrounding the ex-USS Guardian grounding that occurred in Philippine waters on January 17.
• Schoolhouse opens to qualify UAS operators USMC News 20 Jun 2013 -- A newly opened schoolhouse aboard Camp Pendleton will qualify Marines as system operators.
• 214th Fires Brigade debuts unmanned aerial vehicle Army News 20 Jun 2013 -- Though it has been used for years in war environments, the 214th Fires Brigade was the first active-duty unit to debut the Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle on Fort Sill, June 10.
• Doctors Press Obama on Guantanamo Hunger Strike VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- More than 150 doctors have called for Guantanamo Bay detainees on a hunger strike to receive independent medical care.
• MCSC Individual Armor Team knows one size does not fit all USMC News 20 Jun 2013 -- Sizing for body armor is based on the “fifth to ninety-fifth” percentile of Marines, which means the current sizes fit about 90 percent of the men and women in the Marine Corps.
• Most Complex Bold Quest Yet Focuses on ‘Friend or Foe’ ID AFPS 20 Jun 2013 -- Representatives from every U.S. military service and 10 other nations are wrapping up the final days of a coalition capability demonstration.
• BALTOPS '13 Moves into Wargame Phase NNS 20 Jun 2013 -- Maritime and aviation forces participating in Baltic Operations 2013, the 41st rendition of the annual exercise, moved into the wargame phase of the multi-national, training event June 18.
• Nations complete multilateral exercise USMC News 20 Jun 2013 -- Senior leaders from multiple Asia-Pacific nations prepared for operation of the Multinational Coordination Center in Muara, Brunei, June 12.
• VP-47 Begins Deployment to Support Counter Smuggling Operations NNS 20 Jun 2013 -- Sailors from Patrol Squadron 47 completed turnover with VP-10 at Cooperative Security Location Comalapa, El Salvador.
• Officials Release Colorado Guard Crews From Fire Lines AFPS 20 Jun 2013 -- As the Black Forest fire reached 85 percent containment June 18, Colorado National Guard firefighters were released from the fire line.
• Hagel: Opening Combat Jobs to Women the Right Thing to Do AFPS 20 Jun 2013 -- Opening more jobs in the military to women is the right thing to do, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.
• Navy Installations Plan Reduction in Force NNS 20 Jun 2013 -- Commander, Navy Installations Command announced today a plan to conduct a Reduction in Force action in fiscal year 2013 that will be completed in 2014.
• Russian Mistral Warship Build ‘on Track’ - Rogozin RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- The Russian Navy's first Mistral-class helicopter carrier will be delivered from a French shipyard on time.
• Ammo Blasts Continue at Blaze-Engulfed Russian Army Facility RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- Ammunition blasts continued at a central Russian military facility where a large fire erupted days earlier amid multiple explosions.
• Joint press point with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Mr Plamen Oresharski - Opening remarks NATO 20 Jun 2013
• NATO contracts major missile defence upgrade NATO 20 Jun 2013 -- NATO Communications and Information Agency signed with ThalesRaytheonSystems a 136 million Euro contract for a significant upgrade to NATO’s current theatre missile defence C2 capability.
• Defence exports largest increase in 5 years UK MOD 20 Jun 2013 -- British defence exports rose by 62% in 2012 – the largest increase for 5 years.
• Royal Navy's new 'eye in the sky' UK MOD 20 Jun 2013 -- UK warships are to benefit from a new surveillance capability as part of a £30 million contract signed by MOD.
• HMS Ledbury in Albania UK MOD 20 Jun 2013 -- The Royal Navy minehunter recently joined NATO allies at the Albanian port of Vlore for a series of exercises and manoeuvres.
• Iran seizes 2 intruding UAE boats in Persian Gulf, arrests 13 PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- Iranian naval forces have seized two intruding fishing boats from the United Arab Emirates in Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf, an Iranian commander says.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, June 20, 2013 US Dept. of State 20 Jun 2013

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for June 20, 2013

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 20 June 2013 United Nations 20 Jun 2013
• Additional Funding for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (Taken Question) US Dept. of State 20 Jun 2013
• UN spotlights plight of refugees as number of globally displaced hits 18-year high UN News Centre 20 Jun 2013 -- United Nations officials highlighted the plight of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe.
• UNHCR: Africa Refugee Crisis Overshadowed by Syria VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says the plight of millions of refugees and displaced people in Africa is being overshadowed by the crisis in Syria.
• Moscow Concerned by US Plans in Syria RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- Moscow has received no explanation from the United States over plans to establish a no-fly zone over Syria.
• Iran Gives Syria an Economic Boost VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- Iran is stepping in to help Syria stabilize the value of its currency, which has been dropping sharply.
• Russia to fulfill S-300 systems contract with Syria: Lavrov PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow will honor its contract to deliver S-300 air defense missile systems to the Syrian government.
• Yak-130 Jets For Syria Awaiting 'Political Decision' - Source RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- Russia has manufactured several Yak-130 combat trainer jets for Syria as part of a deal signed in 2011.
• Saudi Arabia provides heavy weaponry to militants in Syria PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- Saudi Arabia has provided the Takfiri militants operating inside Syria with Russian-made Konkurs anti-tank missiles.
• Victory of Syrian forces only a matter of time: Information minister PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- Syria’s Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi says victory against the foreign-backed militants and terrorists operating inside the Arab country is only a matter of time.
• DRC Rebels Deny Their Leader Has Been Wounded VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- The Democratic Republic of Congo’s M23 rebel movement has denied reports that its military commander, Sultani Makenga, has been badly wounded.
• M23 Kampala talks set to resume IRIN 20 Jun 2013 -- Delegates representing the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the rebel M23 are back in Kampala, Uganda, for a fresh round of peace talks.
• UN Stands by Somalia After al-Shabab Attack VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- The United Nations has vowed to stand by Somalia, following Wednesday's deadly attack on a U.N. compound in the Somali capital.
• Iraqi Militias Make Comeback Amid Surging Sectarian Violence RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- With the rising wave of sectarian violence in Iraq, militias that were thought to have disbanded have reemerged and new armed groups have taken root.
• UN envoy commends Iraqis in Anbar and Ninewa for casting their ballots in local polls UN News Centre 20 Jun 2013 -- The United Nations envoy in Iraq congratulated the men and women of the Anbar and Ninewa governorates on casting their votes on local elections.
• Delayed Voting Under Way In Two Iraqi Provinces RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- Iraqis in two Sunni-majority provinces are casting ballots in provincial elections two months after most of the country held the same polls.
• Iraqis Vote in 2 Sunni-Dominated Provinces VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- Iraqis in two Sunni-majority provinces are voting in provincial elections that officials had delayed by two months because of security concerns.
• China, Vietnam Agree on Hotline to Resolve Maritime Disputes VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- China and Vietnam have agreed to set up an emergency hotline to help quickly resolve territorial disputes that have occasionally strained relations between the two neighbors.
• `One China' not relevant to fishery talks with Philippines: MOFA CNA 20 Jun 2013 -- Fishery talks between Taiwan and the Philippines have nothing to do with Beijing's "one China" policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Anna Kao said.
• Nagorno Karabakh Cleans Up Old Conflict, Fears New One VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- At this week’s G8 summit, the leaders of France, Russia and the United States called for a peaceful resolution to the long running dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
• UN rights chief urges broad cooperation to achieve comprehensive settlement in Kosovo UN News Centre 20 Jun 2013 -- In Kosovo, the top United Nations human rights official hailed progress in normalizing relations with Serbia.
• Serbian, Kosovo PMs Meet To Discuss Implementation Of EU-Brokered Deal RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton is meeting the PMs of Serbia and Kosovo to discuss progress in implementing an EU-brokered agreement on normalizing relations.
• Trusted Ally of Charles Taylor Located in Sierra Leone VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- A man suspected of heavy involvement in the transfer of arms and “blood diamonds” during Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war has been found living in the capital city, Freetown.

News Reports

• Senior State Department Officials Previewing the First Portion of the Secretary's Trip to Qatar, India, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait from June 21-26, 2013 US Dept. of State 20 Jun 2013
• Netanyahu pushes EU to mount pressure on Iran PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- Israel is pressing the European Union to take a more aggressive stance on Iran’s nuclear energy program.
• Iran to launch new space center, more satellites soon PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi says the Islamic Republic will soon inaugurate a new space launch center.
• Former Aide Says Iranian President-Elect 'Is Not Superman' RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- Before leaving Iran some two years ago, well-known journalist Mehdi Mahdavi Azad worked for half a decade as an aide to Hassan Rohani, Iran's new president-elect.
• UN chief stresses importance of resuming Korean dialogue UN News Centre 20 Jun 2013 -- UN Secretary-General Ban stressed the importance of creating the adequate conditions to resume dialogue in the Korean Peninsula.
• Round-table Talks Held with Teenagers Who Came Back to DPRK KCNA 20 Jun 2013 -- Teenagers who came back to the DPRK while being taken away to the south after being kidnapped by south Koreans had round-table talks at the Koryo Hall of Compatriots.
• KCNA Commentary Slams S. Korean Regime for Justifying War Provoked by Outsiders KCNA 20 Jun 2013 -- The south Korean puppet forces are working hard to twist historical facts that the U.S. ignited the war against the DPRK in 1950.
• Luxor in Fury Over New Governor With Terror Ties VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- Opponents and supporters in the tourist city of Luxor remain in a standoff over a newly-appointed governor tied to the group accused of a terror attack there in 1997.
• HRW: 'No Space for Political Dissent' in Bahrain VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- New laws and lengthy jail terms for activists have put freedom of association in Bahrain under severe threat, according to a report from Human Rights Watch.
• Protests in Turkey Peaceful, But Tensions Remain VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- Three weeks after violent clashes between protestors and the Turkish government, calm has been restored.
• Turkish police forces arrest 13 more anti-govt. protesters PressTV 20 Jun 2013 -- Turkish police have arrested 13 more people on charges of instigating protests against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
• ICC Moves Kenyatta Trial to November VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- The International Criminal Court says Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will now go on trial November 12.
• China Sentences Uighurs to Jail VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- Chinese courts in the predominantly Muslim, northwest region of Xinjiang have sentenced 19 ethnic Uighurs to prison for inciting religious extremism and other related charges.
• Report: Chinese Workers Increasingly Use Collective Actions VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- China's economic slowdown, and the rising costs of labor in the country's main industrial hubs, are contributing to a transformation in the way workers negotiate with employers.
• Row Over Water-Sharing as Nile Countries Meet VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- A rift continued between Egypt and Ethiopia over a plan by Addis Ababa to build a huge dam on one of the tributaries of the River Nile.
• Moscow Warns of Retaliation to Possible US Sanctions RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- Moscow is outraged by the possibility of US sanctions over its human trafficking record and warns of strong countermeasures.
• Russian Opposition Figures Charged with Plotting Mass Riots RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2013 -- Russian prosecutors have charged opposition activists Sergei Udaltsov and Leonid Razvozzhayev with plotting mass riots.
• China, Russia Slam US Report on Human Trafficking VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- China and Russia are criticizing a U.S. report that cited both countries among the world's worst in fighting sex trafficking and forced labor.
• Russia, China Reject U.S. Criticism Over Human Trafficking RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- Moscow has expressed "indignation" about the possibility of being hit by U.S. sanctions after Washington gave Russia the lowest possible rating on the fight against human trafficking.
• Russia, China Downgraded in US Trafficking Report VOA 20 Jun 2013 -- The U.S. State Department released its annual Trafficking in Persons report Wednesday, and Russia, Uzbekistan and China were automatically downgraded to the lowest Tier 3 ranking.
• U.S. Says Uzbekistan, Russia, Iran Worst For Human Trafficking RFE/RL 20 Jun 2013 -- Uzbekistan and Russia have received the lowest possible rating from the U.S. State Department in its annual report on human trafficking around the world.