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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 12 Sep 2013 [PDF]
• US terror drone campaign displaces thousands across Afghanistan Iran Press TV 12 Sep 2013 -- The US terror drone campaign has displaced thousands of civilians in the troubled southern and eastern regions of war-ravaged Afghanistan, Press TV reports.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Defense Department Announces Missile Defense Siting Study AFPS 12 Sep 2013 -- Pursuant to the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, the Defense Department has initiated a study to evaluate five candidate sites in the continental United States for the potential future deployment of additional ground-based interceptors, Pentagon officials announced today.
• Winnefeld: New DOD IT Enterprise Will Bring Transformation AFPS 12 Sep 2013 -- The information technology sector may be the only winner in a defense funding climate that views "flat as the new up" -- but maintaining dominance in the cyber domain is going to take more and faster innovation, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
• Ospreys make longest Pacific flight to date USMC News 12 Sep 2013 -- Two MV-22B Ospreys completed the longest distance Osprey tanking mission to date in the Pacific region Aug. 2-5, beginning from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and ending in Townsville, Australia.
• VMM-262's Phrogs conduct 'sundown' flight USMC News 12 Sep 2013 -- Since before the Vietnam War, the CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter has served the Marine Corps, facilitating combat, training and humanitarian-assistance around the world. The 50-year-old aircraft is set to be retired from squadrons throughout the Marine Corps, after a long and storied career.
• USS Denver Backloads 31st MEU, Departs Darwin, Australia NNS 12 Sep 2013 -- Amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9), with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), departed Darwin, Australia, Sept. 12, following a two-day port visit.
• Charlotte Visits Yokosuka during Western Pacific Deployment NNS 12 Sep 2013 -- The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Charlotte (SSN 766) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka Sept. 12 for a port visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific.
• NMCB 3 Seabees, F-FDTL Engineers Increase Interoperability, Improve Timorese Maternity Clinic NNS 12 Sep 2013 -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 Civic Construction Action Detail (CCAD) Timor-Leste teamed up with the Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) engineers to conduct critical repairs at the Manatuto Maternity Clinic, located 70 miles east of Dili, Timor-Leste's capital city, Sept. 7-9.
• USS Rentz Completes Replenishment at Sea with Canadian Ship NNS 12 Sep 2013 -- The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Rentz (FFG 46), assigned to U.S. 4th Fleet during the annual UNITAS multinational maritime exercise, conducted replenishment at sea Sept. 11 with the Canadian supply ship HMCS Preserver (AOR 510).
• Russian, Iranian Leaders to Discuss S-300 Deliveries Deadlock RIA Novosti 12 Sep 2013 -- Russia is hoping to settle Iran's litigation with Moscow over a failed S-300 air defense system deal during a Friday meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, a Russian presidential aide said Thursday.
• Russia Orbits 3 Telecoms Satellites – Defense Ministry RIA Novosti 12 Sep 2013 -- Russia has orbited three communications satellites, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Thursday.
• Recruitment snag delays launch of all-volunteer military till 2016 CNA 12 Sep 2013 -- The government's goal of establishing an all-volunteer military cannot be realized until 2016 because of snags in manpower recruitment, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Thursday.
• 'Mission Action 2013' trans-MAC campaign exercise kicks off People's Daily 11 Sep 2013-- A trans-MAC campaign exercise codenamed 'Mission Action 2013' kicked off on September 10, 2013 in the 31st Combined Corps under the Nanjing Military Area Command (MAC) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).
• Lightning II jets in vertical night landing tests UK MOD 12 Sep 2013 -- UK military pilots have been involved in the second round of vertical night landings at sea of the new F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 9/12/2013 The White House 12 Sep 2013
• September 12, 2013 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 12 Sep 2013

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for September 12, 2013

Other Conflicts

• 12 September 2013 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 12 Sep 2013
• Press Conference by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations United Nations 12 Sep 2013
• UN missions in Africa making progress on new challenges, says UN peacekeeping chief UN News Centre 12 Sep 2013 -- The head of United Nations peacekeeping operations today highlighted the important progress being made since the beginning of the year on tackling major challenges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Sudan and South Sudan.
• The Syrian Alternative Kremlin - President of Russia 12 Sep 2013 -- The article by Vladimir Putin published in The New York Times.
• UN General Assembly President urges international push for diplomatic solution to Syrian crisis UN News Centre 12 Sep 2013 -- At this "crucial moment" for Syria and the wider Middle East, the President of the United Nations General Assembly today called on Member States to push for a diplomatic solution to the crisis by supporting efforts to bring all parties to the conflict to the negotiating table at a proposed conference in Geneva.
• Ban welcomes Syria's letter on accession to treaty banning chemical weapons UN News Centre 12 Sep 2013 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received a letter from the Government of Syria President Bassar Al-Assad will sign and abide by the 20-year-old international treaty on banning chemical weapons.
• US, Russia in Tough Talks Over Syria's Chemical Weapons VOA 12 Sep 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry opened talks in Geneva Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as international negotiations intensify to get Syria to dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal.
• Syria Takes First Step Toward Joining CW Treaty VOA 12 Sep 2013 -- Syria has taken its first step toward joining an international treaty banning the production and use of chemical weapons.
• Assad Cites Russian Influence In Handover Plan; Kerry, Lavrov Meet RFE/RL 12 Sep 2013 -- President Bashar al-Assad has confirmed that Syria plans to give up its chemical weapons and demanded that the U.S. drop threats of military action against his regime in return.
• Russia, US to Bring Chemical Arms Experts to Syria Talks – Minister RIA Novosti 12 Sep 2013 -- Russian and US chemical weapons experts are set to attend a bilateral diplomatic meeting on the Syrian crisis late today in Switzerland, Russia's foreign minister said Thursday.
• Putin Uses NYT Op-Ed to Warn US Against Syria Strike RIA Novosti 12 Sep 2013 -- A potential US strike on Syria is fraught with dangerous consequences, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned in an op-ed he wrote for the New York Times.
• Russia Syria Plan 'a Lie,' US Arms Reaching Rebels a Myth – Syrian Rebel General RIA Novosti 12 Sep 2013 -- The commander of the opposition Free Syrian Army on Thursday called Russia's proposal to get Syria to surrender its chemical weapons stocks "a lie" and said his troops are still waiting for long-promised US arms, dismissing reports that the United States has begun delivering weapons to the Syrian opposition.
• Assad Ready to Give Up Chemical Weapons If US Stops 'Threats' RIA Novosti 12 Sep 2013 -- Syrian President Bashar Assad said Thursday that his government would put its chemical weapons under international supervision within a month after it signs the UN Chemical Weapons Convention, but only if the United States stops its "policy of threats."
• US Officials Fume Over Putin Op-Ed on Syria RIA Novosti 12 Sep 2013 -- The US political establishment expressed outrage over Russian President Vladimir Putin's op-ed in The New York Times criticizing Washington's push for military action in Syria, with one senior US lawmaker even saying Putin's comments nearly made him retch.
• Kerry, Lavrov Begin Crucial Syria Talks VOA 12 Sep 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov kicked off talks late Thursday in Geneva to get Syria to dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal.
• Analysts: Hardline Assad Backers Likely Dismayed Over International Diplomacy VOA 12 Sep 2013 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's acceptance in principle of a Russian proposal to place his deadly chemical weapons under international supervision is likely facing resistance from his own military, analysts say. But Assad may have had little choice because of Iranian and Russian pressure.
• Al-Shabab Militants Kill American Who Cut Ties with Group VOA 12 Sep 2013 -- An American citizen who broke ties with the Somali militant group al-Shabab is reported to have been killed by the group's fighters.
• Doubts lingers as DRC peace talks resume IRIN 12 Sep 2013 -- After months of delay, peace talks between the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and M23 rebels are back on, at the urging of regional leaders. But analysts remain sceptical that a truce can be achieved after more than a year and a half of intermittent fighting in eastern DRC's North Kivu Province.
• Analysis: After Mali, Niger battles to secure its borders IRIN 12 Sep 2013 -- The takeover of northern Mali by Islamist rebels after a 2012 coup, and the subsequent French-led intervention, have widened fears of a spill-over of insurgency in the region. Niger, which has socio-political problems comparable to those of Mali, is battling to secure its territory from militants still operating in Sahel's remote wilderness.
• Humanitarian agencies call for end to Philippine fighting IRIN 12 Sep 2013 -- International aid agencies led by the UN have called for an end to violence in the southern Philippines after rogue Muslim rebels opposed to peace talks laid siege to a key trading hub, leaving at least 14 dead and forcing thousands to flee.
• Security Council urges Guinea-Bissau elections to be held 'as soon as possible' UN News Centre 12 Sep 2013 -- The United Nations Security Council has called on Bissau Guinean authorities to resolve any outstanding issues and allow the start of the electoral process in the shortest time possible.
• Philippine Muslim Rebels Attack 2nd Province VOA 12 Sep 2013 -- Muslim rebels have attacked a second province in the southern Philippines, not far from where they are engaged in a four day-long standoff with the military.
• UN Envoy: with Somalia on verge of 'great things,' more international assistance needed to secure gains UN News Centre 12 Sep 2013 -- While praising the people and Government of Somalia, along with their international partners, for being "on the brink of achieving truly great things," the top United Nations Envoy in the country warned the Security Council that overall success is not guaranteed and that "in no sense at all is the Somalia 'crisis' over.
• Security Council calls on parties in Africa's Great Lakes region to fulfil commitments for peace UN News Centre 12 Sep 2013 -- The Security Council today voiced concern over the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and called on all parties in the Great Lakes region to fulfil their commitment to achieve lasting peace.
• UN officials call for support to provide food assistance to 10 million Yemenis at risk of hunger UN News Centre 12 Sep 2013 -- Two senior United Nations officials today urged the international community to scale up its financial support for chronically food-insecure Yemen, where 10 million people are in need of assistance.

News Reports

• North Korea 'Probably' Restarted Nuclear Reactor – US Institute RIA Novosti 12 Sep 2013 -- North Korea is "probably restarting" a nuclear reactor capable of making weapons-grade plutonium in a step that may provoke renewed tension in the region, a US institute claimed after analyzing new satellite imagery.
• North Korea Appears to Restart Plutonium Reactor VOA 12 Sep 2013 -- A U.S. institute says North Korea appears to be restarting its Yongbyon nuclear plant, citing satellite imagery last month showing white steam being vented from the newly reconstructed reactor. South Korean defense officials say the apparent resumption demonstrates Pyongyang continues to pursue nuclear weapons and must be stopped.
• Tehran's strong will for N-talks must be reciprocated: Envoy to IAEA Iran Press TV 12 Sep 2013 -- Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Reza Najafi has stressed Tehran's strong will to engage in negotiations over its nuclear energy program but says this determination must be reciprocal.
• Iran to take charge of first Bushehr plant unit in September: Russian official Iran Press TV 12 Sep 2013 -- A high-ranking Russian official says full control of the first phase of Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran will be handed over to Iranian technicians later this month.
• Ayatollah Khamenei appoints new members to Iran's SNSC, EC Iran Press TV 12 Sep 2013 -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has appointed former secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Saeed Jalili, to the country's Expediency Council.
• Rohani To Court Russian, Chinese Support At SCO Summit Over Iran Nuclear Crisis RFE/RL 12 Sep 2013 -- Iran's new president might seem to be taking a humble role on the world stage by debuting at a summit where Tehran only has observer status.
• Iraq: UN announces transfer of remaining Iranian exiles Camp Ashraf to transit location UN News Centre 12 Sep 2013 -- A United Nations official in Iraq today announced the successful relocation of the last group of Camp Ashraf residents to a camp near the Baghdad area, pending their resettlement outside the country.
• Egypt extends state of emergency by two months Iran Press TV 12 Sep 2013 -- Egypt's military-backed interim President Adly Mansour has extended the state of emergency in the North African country by two months amid the deteriorating security condition.
• NASA Confirms Voyager 1 Has Left Solar System VOA 12 Sep 2013 -- The U.S. space agency, NASA, has officially confirmed what others have suspected for some time: The Voyager 1 spacecraft is the "first human-made object to venture into interstellar space."