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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 19 Aug 2013 [PDF]
• Insecurity driving illegal Afghan child migration IRIN 19 Aug 2013 -- Liberia is getting back to its feet after a protracted civil war that killed over 200,000 people, displaced over a million, and largely destroyed the country's infrastructure and institutions. After a decade of peace, the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) is pulling out of the country, saying its needs are shifting from humanitarian to developmental.
• US soldiers improve Afghan farming capabilities USMC News 19 Aug 2013 -- Despite sweltering heat, many Afghans in Helmand province can be found working in their fields during the day.
• Violent clashes claim 88 lives in western Afghanistan Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2013 -- A series of violent clashes between Afghan security forces and Taliban militants have claimed the lives of 11 policemen and 77 militants in the country's troubled west.
• Karzai sacks Afghan attorney general over Taliban meeting, report says Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2013 -- Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has fired the country's attorney general for holding a secret meeting with members of the Taliban militant group in the United Arab Emirates, a report says.
• Task Force Helmand HQ leaves Lashkar Gah UK MOD 19 Aug 2013 -- The headquarters of UK military forces in Afghanistan has moved from Lashkar Gah to Camp Bastion in an early morning helicopter operation.
• 'Dragoon' assistance team continues partnership with Afghan army unit Army News 19 Aug 2013 -- U.S. Army Security Force Assistance Teams and Combined Task Force Dragoon have forged relationships with the Afghan National Army.
• New network provides 'digital guardian angel' for Soldiers in Afghanistan Army News 19 Aug 2013 -- The Army's new, mobile tactical communications network has reached Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• B-1 Lancer crashes in Montana AFNS 19 Aug 2013 -- A B-1B Lancer with the 28th Bomb Wing here crashed near Broadus, Mont., during a routine training mission Aug. 19.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing with Secretary Hagel and Gen. Chang from the Pentagon DoD 19 Aug 2013 -- Presenter: : Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and China’s Minister of National Defence General Chang Wanquan
• Hagel, Chang Seek to Bolster Military-to-Military Relations AFPS 19 Aug 2013 -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Chinese Minister of National Defense Gen. Chang Wanquan today announced that their countries will take a series of steps to improve military-to-military relations.
• Hagel: Only Egyptians Can Sort Out Their Country's Issues AFPS 19 Aug 2013 -- What happens in Egypt is up to the Egyptian people, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said here today.
• Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary George Little on Secretary Hagel's Upcoming Travel to Southeast Asia DoD 19 Aug 2013
• MarForPac commander: 'Security, stability, prosperity' key as Khaan Quest 2013 comes to an end USMC News 19 Aug 2013 -- Service members from 13 participating nations and four observer countries – China, Russia, Turkey and Kazakhstan – gathered here for the exercise Khaan Quest 2013 closing ceremony, Aug. 14.
• Militaries from 9 nations exercise peacekeeping scenario during Khaan Quest 2013 USMC News 19 Aug 2013 -- The Peace Support Center here is just a few kilometers from the field training taking place during exercise Khaan Quest 2013.
• Engineering and medical projects in Nalaikh come to a close USMC News 19 Aug 2013 -- The engineering site in Nalaikh district was once cluttered with lumber, bricks and mounds of loose gravel as heavy equipment operators negotiated around the mess to demolish portions of a rundown building.
• TR Starts Fast Cruise, Begins Final Preps to Return to the Fleet NNS 19 Aug 2013 -- With the announcement 'we have now commenced fast cruise,' Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) began simulating an at sea environment Aug. 19 in preparation for their first underway in four years.
• Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group Enters 5th Fleet NNS 19 Aug 2013 -- Ships and embarked squadrons from Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HST CSG) entered U.S. 5th Fleet's Area of Responsibility (AOR) Aug. 18, after completing a routine transit through the Suez Canal.
• Secretary of the Navy Concludes Visits Gabon, Strengthens Maritime Partnership NNS 19 Aug 2013 -- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus concluded a visit to Leon M'ba, Gabon, Aug. 19.
• USS Gettysburg Conducts 1000th Safe Helicopter Landing of 2013 NNS 19 Aug 2013 -- Guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) accomplished its 1,000th helicopter landing of 2013 Aug. 16, while conducting maritime security operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility.
• NMCB 3 Demonstrates Respect Through Quality Construction, Ambassadorship in Yokosuka NNS 19 Aug 2013 -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 officially relieved NMCB 5 of all duties and project activities during a change of charge ceremony Aug. 15 held at the detachment's headquarters in Yokosuka, Japan.
• USS Samuel B. Roberts Welcomes Albanian Dignitaries NNS 19 Aug 2013 -- Guided-missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) hosted the Albanian defense forces' most senior members during the ship's port visit to Durres, Albania Aug. 16.
• USS Germantown Visits Cairns NNS 19 Aug 2013 -- Sailors and Marines assigned to dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) pulled into Cairns, Australia for a routine port visit, Aug. 15.
• 166th AV trains 2-111th on airfield operations Army News 19 Aug 2013 -- Posing demanding and hazardous challenges, an Air Traffic Service Battalion's responsibilities of providing constant watch over aircraft never ceases.
• The Power of Three: The USAMMDA Medical Prototype Development Laboratory Army News 19 Aug 2013 -- As a subcommand of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, USAMMDA shares in the USAMRMC's mission.
• Clyde Conrad arrested for espionage, August 23, 1988 Army News 19 Aug 2013 -- As a hard-working noncommissioned officer in the G3 War Plans Section of the 8th Infantry, Sergeant First Class Clyde Conrad was known simply as "Mr. Plans."
• S.Korea, U.S. launch joint military drill People's Daily 19 Aug 2013 -- South Korea and the United States launched their joint annual military exercise on Monday as planned amid easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
• S.Korea, US to Start Joint War Drills RIA Novosti 19 Aug 2013 -- South Korea and the United States are set to begin annual joint military exercises on Monday, South Korean media have reported citing the Combined Forces Command (CFC).
• Eighth Army trains for task force mission during Ulchi Freedom Guardian Army News 19 Aug 2013 -- Eighth Army will continue its transformation to a combined joint task force headquarters during exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian, Aug. 19-30.
• MOD to sell iconic Whitehall property UK MOD 19 Aug 2013 -- The MOD's Old War Office building in Whitehall is now surplus to requirements and is to be sold in order to invest in Defence priorities.
• Exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 to Test NATO Response Force NATO 19 Aug 2013 -- NATO and partner nations will conduct Exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 in Latvia and in Poland from 2 - 9 November 2013.
• Weapons Ignition Likely Caused Indian Submarine to Sink - Minister RIA Novosti 19 Aug 2013 -- The explosions that sank a Russian-built Indian Navy submarine last week were possibly caused by its weapons igniting, India's defense minister said Monday, while Russian experts said a human error likely caused the sinking.
• IRGC Navy responsible to maintain security of Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz IRNA 19 Aug 2013 -- Deputy Commander of Navy of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Rear-Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said on Monday IRGC Navy is responsible to powerfully protect the security of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
• Estonian, Finnish Military Inspectors to Fly over Russia RIA Novosti 19 Aug 2013 -- Estonian and Finnish military inspectors will fly over the territory of Russia starting from Monday under the international Open Skies Treaty, a Russian Defense Ministry official said.
• August 19, 2013 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2013

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 19, 2013
• Sukhoi Signs $47M Transponder Deal for Su-34 RIA Novosti 19 Aug 2013 -- The Sukhoi aircraft maker has signed a 1.5 billion ruble ($47 million) contract for the delivery of 184 friend-or-foe transponders for its Su-34 fighter-bombers, the equipment supplier said Monday.

Other Conflicts

• Secretary-General's press encounter at UN Headquarters United Nations 19 Aug 2013
• Senior UN officials call on Security Council to boost protection of civilians UN News Centre 19 Aug 2013 -- The international community must step up efforts to protect civilians in armed conflict, and ensure that those responsible for war crimes are prosecuted, United Nations senior officials told the Security Council in a meeting that coincides with World Humanitarian Day.
• UN chief spotlights Egypt, Syria and Pakistan in first press conference since Middle East visit UN News Centre 19 Aug 2013 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters today that has dispatched the top United Nations political official to hold wide-ranging talks in Cairo on how the Organization can best support peace and reconciliation efforts in Egypt.
• UN Chemical Team Begins Investigation in Syria VOA 19 Aug 2013 -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says a U.N. team of experts began work Monday in Syria investigating whether chemical weapons were used in at least three locations during the country's on-going civil war.
• Syrian troops regain full control of Latakia countryside: Army source Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2013 -- The Syrian army has regained full control over three villages in the western province of Latakia, following heavy fighting with foreign-backed Takfiri militants.
• Syrian Kurds Flee War to Neighboring Iraq VOA 19 Aug 2013 -- An estimated 30,000 Syria refugees, most of them Kurds, have fled in the last three days to Kurdistan areas of Iraq or on the border waiting to be allowed access, according to United Nations aid officials.
• UN spotlights plight of more than 1 million displaced Iraqis, calls for durable solutions UN News Centre 19 Aug 2013 -- On the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, the United Nations in Iraq highlighted the plight of 1.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country, stressing the need to address the causes for displacement as well as to implement policies for long-term, durable solutions to this issue.
• Analysis: In Kismayo, fragile peace or a gathering storm? IRIN 19 Aug 2013 -- When bullets tore through the streets of Kismayo in June, leaving over 70 dead as rival militias twice fought for control of the Somali port city, many international aid agencies halted a cautious scale-up of activities.
• Sri Lanka minister promises to prioritize Tamil repatriation in 2014 IRIN 19 Aug 2013 -- Sri Lanka says it will prioritize the repatriation of thousands of Tamil refugees in India next year, more than four years after the 1983-2009 civil war.
• British warships' arrival at Gibraltar adds to already heated tensions Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2013 -- Amid an escalation of diplomatic tensions between the UK and Spain over the disputed territory of Gibraltar, British warship HMS Westminster, accompanied by two smaller support vessels, have docked at a naval base in Gibraltar for what Britain claims as 'navy drills'.

News Reports

• US Reviewing Aid To Egypt VOA 19 Aug 2013 -- The Obama administration is facing questions about whether it is able to influence Egypt's military government to end its bloody crackdown on the opposition. Officials say discussions on the matter are ongoing.
• Police Killed in Sinai Given Hero's Welcome in Cairo VOA 19 Aug 2013 -- The bodies of 24 Egyptian policemen killed by suspected Islamist gunmen in the Sinai dessert were given a hero's welcome Monday night in Cairo, as the government continued its information campaign against opponents of the July 3 military takeover.
• Egypt court orders Mubarak release in graft case Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2013 -- A court in Egypt has ordered former dictator, Hosni Mubarak, be released in one of the remaining corruption cases against him.
• Egyptian Police Killed In Sinai Ambush, EU To Meet RFE/RL 19 Aug 2013 -- At least 24 Egyptian police officers have died in an ambush in the Sinai Peninsula.
• In Egypt, 36 Muslim Brotherhood Supporters Die In Disputed Circumstances RFE/RL 19 Aug 2013 -- Some 36 Muslim Brotherhood supporters have died in disputed circumstances as unrest continues in Egypt.
• 24 Egyptian Police Killed in Sinai Ambush VOA 19 Aug 2013 -- Gunmen have killed at least 24 Egyptian police in an ambush in the country's Sinai Peninsula. It's the latest in a series of violent incidents following the army's crackdown on its opponents last Wednesday.
• Salehi determined to continue AEOI current programs IRNA 19 Aug 2013 -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi has said he is determined to pursue programs set by former AEOI's officials.
• IRGC Navy responsible to maintain security of Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz IRNA 19 Aug 2013 -- Deputy Commander of Navy of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Rear-Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said on Monday IRGC Navy is responsible to powerfully protect the security of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran reaffirms desire for talks with P5+1 Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2013 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has reaffirmed Tehran's intention to resume talks with the P5+1 group of world powers in view of a solution to the Islamic Republic's nuclear issue.
• CIA admits role in 1953 Iran coup against democratically-elected Mosadeq Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2013 -- The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has for the first time published a document that confirms Washington's role in the 1953 coup d'état against the democratically-elected Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosadeq.
• Reports Of Muqtada Al-Sadr's Political Demise May Be Greatly Exaggerated RFE/RL 19 Aug 2013 -- The Iraqi media has been abuzz with reports that powerful Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has left politics. The staunchly anti-Western cleric has not been seen in public for the past two weeks, fueling speculation that he may have quietly left the scene.
• African Leaders Urge West to Lift Zimbabwe Sanctions VOA 19 Aug 2013 -- Southern African leaders are calling for the West to lift all sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe after endorsing President Robert Mugabe's victory in disputed elections last month.