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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 25 Jun 2013 [PDF]
• Readout of President Obama’s Video Teleconference with President Karzai The White House 25 Jun 2013
• SecArmy: Fighting in Afghanistan dangerous, difficult, focus is on completing mission Army News 25 Jun 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of the Army John McHugh met with U.S. and Afghan military leaders at Forward Operating Base Gamberi, June 20.
• Taliban Political Office Raises Alarm Bells In Kabul RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- Why has the opening of a modest political office in Qatar been met with such fierce opposition by the Afghan government?
• ‘Afghan govt. should lead peace talks’ PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has reiterated that any peace talks with Taliban should be led fully by the government of Afghanistan.
• US envoy Dobbins in Islamabad to discuss Qatar peace process IRNA 25 Jun 2013 -- US Special Representative Ambassador James Dobbins arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for talks with Pakistan leaders on Afghan reconciliation process.
• Four Polish soldiers killed, two injured in Afghanistan’s Ghazni Province PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- Four US-led Polish soldiers have been killed and two others wounded in an attack in Afghanistan's central-eastern province of Ghazni.
• Gunmen attack Afghan presidential palace, kill three guards in Kabul PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- Gunmen have attacked the Afghan presidential palace in central Kabul with multiple bombs and gunfire, killing at least three security guards.
• Afghan Forces Thwart Attack In Kabul RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- Afghan security forces have fought off an attack naer the presidential palace in Kabul, reportedly killing all the attackers.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US-Russia Bombs-to-Fuel Program 95% Complete RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- A landmark nuclear nonproliferation program involving the conversion of highly-enriched uranium into nuclear fuel is 95 percent complete.
• Department of Defense Briefing by Gen. Odierno from the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 25 Jun 2013
• Army Announces Force Structure and Stationing Decisions DoD 25 Jun 2013
• Media Roundtable with Gen. Campbell, Lt. Gen. Huggins and Maj. Gen. Murray from the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 25 Jun 2013
• Army to Cut 12 Brigade Combat Teams by 2017, Odierno Says AFPS 25 Jun 2013 -- By the end of FY17 the Army will reduce its number of brigade combat teams from 45 to 33.
• Brigade combat teams cut at 10 posts will help other BCTs grow Army News 25 Jun 2013 -- The Army announced June 25 that 10 brigade combat teams based in the United States are slated to be reorganized by the end of fiscal year 2017.
• Keel Authenticated for Eighth LCS NNS 25 Jun 2013 -- The Navy and Austal USA held a keel laying ceremony for the future USS Montgomery, the Navy's eighth littoral combat ship, June 25, in Mobile, Ala.
• Exercise FRUKUS Kicks Off NNS 25 Jun 2013 -- Maritime forces from four countries began participation in the multinational naval exercise FRUKUS, in port Brest, France, June 25.
• USS Paul Hamilton Returns Home to Pearl Harbor NNS 25 Jun 2013 -- USS Paul Hamilton returned to its homeport of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam June 24 following a nine-month deployment to the Western Pacific and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility.
• USS Bonhomme Richard Embarks the 31st MEU Aviation Combat Element NNS 25 Jun 2013 -- The USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) embarked elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit's Aviation Combat Element, June 24.
• First Sailors Report to PCU Illinois NNS 25 Jun 2013 -- The first group of Sailors reported to the Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Illinois (SSN 786), a fast attack submarine currently under construction in Groton, Conn.
• MK18 Kingfish UUV Deployed to 5th Fleet NNS 25 Jun 2013 -- The U.S. Navy has deployed the MK18 Mod 2 Kingfish underwater unmanned vehicle for operations in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility.
• JPADS to make resupply airdrops more precise, safe for Marines USMC News 25 Jun 2013 -- JPADS systems use GPS, a modular autonomous guidance unit, or MAGU, a parachute, and electric motors to guide supply deliveries within 150 meters of their impact points.
• USAREUR's sole construction management team, Lithuania's only engineer battalion partner Army News 25 Jun 2013 -- The 243rd Engineer Detachment was sent to Saber Strike to utilize the diverse opportunity presented during the exercise to work with the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
• Pacific Partnership 2013 Arrives in New Caledonia NNS 25 Jun 2013 -- USS Pearl Harbor along with embarked Pacific Partnership 2013 personnel arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia, June 25.
• Ammunition plant breaks new ground with state Army News 25 Jun 2013 -- Improving access to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant and safety on the highway leading to the facility for employees and truckers transporting munitions is paving the way for several joint projects.
• Aerial firefighting continues against Rocky Mountain fires AFNS 25 Jun 2013 -- Air Force firefighting aircraft continued dropping thousands of gallons of fire retardant June 24 in an effort to contain growing Rocky Mountain wildland fires.
• Civil engineers recall, reflect 17 years after Khobar Towers bombing AFNS 25 Jun 2013 -- Shortly before 10 p.m. local time, on June 25, 1996, a bomb detonated, killing 19 Airmen and wounding an estimated 400 others.
• Official Shares DOD Brain Injury Trends With Civilian Nurses AFPS 25 Jun 2013 -- When symptoms of traumatic brain injury began to surface, the Defense Department had to ensure the injuries were fully understood and pathways to cures were planned.
• Remarks by Secretary Hagel at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Month Event in the Pentagon Auditorium DoD 25 Jun 2013
• Hagel, Obama Advisor Salute Gay, Lesbian Military Community AFPS 25 Jun 2013 -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called gay and lesbian service members “integral to America’s armed forces” during a Pentagon Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month event.
• Acting Air Force Secretary Recounts Journey to Equality AFPS 25 Jun 2013 -- The highest-ranking openly gay member of the Defense Department described his experiences witnessing the evolution of the law that banned openly gay service members.
• Happy 40th, TRADOC! Army News 25 Jun 2013 -- On July 1, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command will celebrate its 40th year of developing, educating and adapting Soldiers and leaders into the force that we know today.
• Moscow Hails ‘Strategic’ Military Ties with Armenia RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- Russian-Armenian collaboration in the defense industry has reached a new, “strategic” level.
• Russia to Supply Arms to Kyrgyzstan in 2014 RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- Moscow will begin supplying weapons and other military equipment to Kyrgyzstan next year as part of a bilateral armed forces assistance program, Russia’s defense minister said Tuesday.
• Scots U-turn on anti-nukes policy PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- The Scottish government has U-turned on its pledge to remove Trident nuclear weapons from the Scottish soil if Scots vote for independence in the 2014 referendum.
• HMS Echo in Malta UK MOD 25 Jun 2013 -- Survey ship HMS Echo has begun an 18-month mission with a visit to Malta, reaffirming the ship's and the Royal Navy's bonds with its people.
• NATO and Colombia open channel for future cooperation NATO 25 Jun 2013 -- NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow and the Defence Minister of Colombia, Juan Carlos Pinzon Bueno, signed an Agreement on the Security of Information.
• 19 feared killed as IAF chopper crash in tragedy hit Uttarakhand IRNA 25 Jun 2013 -- 19 people, including Air Force and para-military personnel, were feared dead when a sophisticated IAF helicopter crashed.
• Iran needless of foreign aid for repairing copters: Cmdr. PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- The commander of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces says the country’s air force has achieved self-sufficiency in repairing helicopters.
• Tunisia’s chief of staff of armed forces announces resignation PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- Tunisia’s chief of staff of the armed forces has unexpectedly announced his resignation amid growing political criticism of the Tunisian army.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, June 25, 2013 US Dept. of State 25 Jun 2013

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for June 25, 2013

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 25 June 2013 United Nations 25 Jun 2013
• Remarks With Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal After Their Meeting US Dept. of State 25 Jun 2013
• Hezbollah Has Edge on Syrian Battlefield VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- The decision to speed up weapons deliveries to Syria’s anti-government rebels is testimony to the battlefield effectiveness of Lebanon’s Hezbollah fighters.
• Syria peace conference doubtful in July UN News Centre 25 Jun 2013 -- An international conference to find a political solution to the Syria crisis is not likely to be held in July.
• Brahimi: Delay on International Syria Conference VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- It is unlikely that a Syrian peace conference will take place in July as planned, according to United Nations special representative Lakhdar Brahimi.
• Russia, US, UN Fail to Agree on Syrian Conference Date RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- At their preparatory meeting for an international peace conference on Syria, representativesresolved certain issues regarding the format of the future talks.
• Kerry, Saudi FM Discuss Arming Syrian Rebels VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal met in Jeddah to talk about Syria.
• Saudi Arabia Says It 'Cannot Be Silent' At Iran, Hizbullah RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says his country views the involvement of Iran and Lebanese Shi'ite militant group Hizballah in Syria's civil war as dangerous.
• Top Russian Diplomats to Hold Talks with Syrian Opposition RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- Two high-ranking Russian diplomats will hold talks with representatives of Syria's opposition in Geneva.
• UK claims Syrian army obstacle to peace PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- British Foreign Secretary William Hague claims the Syrian army’s successful offensive against foreign-backed militants is the biggest obstacle to peace in the country.
• Erdogan discusses Syria with Obama PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed Syria with US President Barack Obama, highlighting the need to provide further support to foreign-backed militants in the Arab country.
• Displaced Syrians Despair Over Civil War VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- As Syria's civil war grinds into its third deadly year, the number of people displaced inside Syria continues to grow.
• Lebanon continues operations in Sidon PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- The Lebanese army continues operations against the supporters of Takfiri Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir in the southern city of Sidon.
• Vital resources needed as UN prepares to deploy mission in Mali, Security Council told UN News Centre 25 Jun 2013 -- As the United Nations prepares to take over from the African-led mission in Mali, top officials called on Member States to contribute critical resources.
• African Troops in Mali to Become UN 'Blue Helmets' VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- The U.N. Security Council has given the green light for the transition from an African-led support mission in Mali to a full-fledged U.N. peacekeeping force.
• Mali Prepares for Election Amid Fears of Low Voter Turnout VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- Mali plans to begin distributing millions of biometric voter cards on Saturday with just one month to go before a July 28 presidential poll.
• UN envoy condemns attacks in northern Iraq UN News Centre 25 Jun 2013 -- The United Nations envoy in Iraq strongly condemned the attacks that killed and injured dozens of protesters.
• Terrorist bomb attacks kill 14, injure 70 across Iraq PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- At least 14 people have been killed and many more injured in several terrorist attacks in Iraq.
• 11 Dead in Separate Iraqi Bombings VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- Two suicide bombers have killed at least eight Iraqi Turkmen and wounded dozens more in an ethnically disputed northern city.
• Indian PM Visits Kashmir VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- India's prime minister has made a rare visit to Indian Kashmir, a day after militants killed eight soldiers and wounded 13 others.
• All parties must help reverse ‘negative dynamic’ at play in Middle East – UN official UN News Centre 25 Jun 2013 -- A senior United Nations political official urged the Security Council and the wider international community to maintain steadfast in support of peace.
• Tel-Aviv must reoccupy Gaza Strip: Ex-Israeli foreign minister PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- Former Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman says Tel-Aviv must reoccupy the Gaza Strip.
• Unidentified gunmen kill six soldiers near Libyan city of Sirte PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- At least six Libyan soldiers have been killed after unidentified gunmen attacked a military checkpoint near Sirte.
• Russia’s Dagestan Moves to Pardon Rebel Fighters RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- Lawmakers in Dagestan support granting amnesty to rebel insurgents who return to a peaceful way of life.
• Army Officer Jailed For Murdering Daghestani Minister RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- A military court in Russia's North Caucasus region has convicted a former army officer of killing Daghestan's interior minister and sentenced him to a long prison term.
• Court gives FARC leaders jail sentences PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- A Colombian court has given 40-year jail sentences to two top leaders of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, of which one is a negotiator in the peace process with the country’s government.

News Reports

• US-China Rivalry Exemplified in Obama Visit to Tanzania VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- One of the goals of U.S. President Barack Obama’s upcoming tour of Africa is to promote U.S. business interests across a continent now dominated by China.
• Obama Means Business During Africa Trip VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- This is only Obama’s second trip to sub-Saharan Africa, after he made a brief stop in 2009 in the West African nation of Ghana.
• Obama's Africa Trip to Focus on Democracy, Development, Investment VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- President Barack Obama and his family leave Wednesday for Senegal, the first stop on a weeklong African trip that also includes South Africa and Tanzania.
• Spying Revelations Affect US-China Cyber Security Talks VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- Experts in China and Hong Kong are beginning to gauge what impact revelations will have on the ongoing efforts for global cyber security.
• Can Pressure Bring Snowden to US? VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- The U.S. government is accusing Edward Snowden of espionage for leaking classified information about American surveillance programs.
• Kerry: US Not Looking for Confrontation with Russia over Snowden VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is not looking for a confrontation with Moscow over former U.S. intelligence analyst Edward Snowden.
• Putin: Snowden in Transit Zone and Will Not Be Extradited VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says former American intelligence contractor Edward Snowden is in the transit zone of a Moscow airport.
• Russia Can Legally Expel Snowden – White House RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- The White House said that Russia has a “clear legal basis” to expel former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden from a Moscow airport transit zone.
• Russia Denies Involvement in Snowden’s Affairs VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov says the Kremlin has had no role in the affairs of former U.S. National Security Agency contractor, Edward Snowden.
• Putin Says Snowden At Moscow Airport, Rejects Extradition RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has denied that his country has any connection to fugitive former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.
• Snowden Didn’t Cross Russian Border - Foreign Minister RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- Russia said that Edward Snowden, the former CIA employee wanted by the US for leaking state secrets, had not crossed the Russian border.
• Abbasi: Iran to display its nuclear export capacities IRNA 25 Jun 2013 -- Iran is participating in ATOMEXPO 2013 here to introduce its export capacities in nuclear technology areas.
• Websites in North, South Korea Targeted by Hackers VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- Several South Korean and North Korean government websites came under attack.
• South Korea confirms cyber attack against government websites PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- The South Korean Ministry of Science and Technology has confirmed a cyber attack against government websites.
• South Korea Urges North to Take Path of Peaceful Coexistence RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- ROK's PM called on North Korea to come out of isolation and embark on a course of “co-prosperity and permanent peace”.
• Statement by the President on the New Amir of Qatar The White House 25 Jun 2013
• Qatar's Emir Transfers Power to Son VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- Qatar's emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is stepping down and handing power to his son, the country's 33-year-old crown prince.
• Qatari Emir Steps Down, Hands Power To Son RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said he was handing power over to his 33-year-old son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
• Qatari emir abdicates in favor of son Sheikh Tamim PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- Qatari ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has officially abdicated power in favor of his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
• Musharraf accused in Benazir Bhutto’s murder case IRNA 25 Jun 2013 -- Pakistani investigators have formally included former President Pervez Musharraf in the list of main accused in the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto.
• EU Delays Turkey Accession Talks, Disapproves Of Protest Crackdown VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- The EU has decided to postpone talks with Ankara aimed at moving forward on Turkey's membership in the bloc until later this year.
• 20 nabbed by Turkish police PressTV 25 Jun 2013 -- Turkish police raid the houses of anti-government protesters in the capital Ankara, arresting at least 20 people.
• EU Ministers Recommend Launching Accession Talks With Serbia RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- European Union governments have reached a preliminary agreement to open membership talks with Serbia.
• Ivanishvili Does 'Not Exclude' Possibility Of Saakashvili's Arrest RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says he does "not exclude" the possibility that President Mikheil Saakashvili could be arrested after leaving office.
• Draft PACE Report Slams Russia Over Magnitsky Case RFE/RL 25 Jun 2013 -- A draft report from the Council of Europe accuses Russia of allowing corrupt officials to "plunder" the state while "brutally silencing" their critics.
• NGO Law to Protect Russia from Foreign Interference – Putin RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2013 -- A Russian law obliging non-governmental organizations funded from abroad to register as foreign agents is designed to protect the country from foreign influence.
• Mandela Family Holds Urgent Meeting VOA 25 Jun 2013 -- Relatives of former South African president Nelson Mandela gathered at his home Tuesday as the ailing icon remained in critical condition.