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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 23 Oct 2013 [PDF]
• NATO Allies and partners stress support for Afghan Security Forces NATO 23 Oct 2013 -- NATO Allies and ISAF partners on Wednesday (23 October 2013) discussed with their Afghan counterpart progress in Afghanistan and planning for the post-2014 mission to train, advise and assist Afghan Security Forces. "We have moved closer to putting that mission in place. Our military commanders have reviewed planning and identified in broad terms the key elements we require to set up the mission," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.
• Hagel Says NATO's Afghanistan Planning On Track AFPS 23 Oct 2013 -- While a bilateral security agreement between the United States and Afghanistan should be completed "the sooner the better," NATO and U.S. planning has continued to focus on a follow-on mission to train, advise and Afghan forces, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a news conference at NATO headquarters here today.
• NATO Officials Meet on Afghanistan VOA 23 Oct 2013 -- NATO defense ministers gathered in Brussels Wednesday for the second of a two-day meeting to discuss plans for Afghanistan after 2014.
• Retrograde of equipment from Afghanistan on track Army News 23 Oct 2013 -- About 40,000 containers and 30,000 vehicles have been shipped back from Afghanistan over the past year, but a strategic transportation planner said the system 'has not yet been taxed' to its fullest potential.
• Lifeline of the Kabul Base Cluster Army News 23 Oct 2013 -- Task Force Lifeliner, Task Force Rottweiler, 1438th Transportation Company and other units work cohesively as one to render sustainment and retrograde support successfully within the Kabul Base Cluster, all in support of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Obama Administration Says Le Monde Reports on Spy Activities 'Inaccurate' VOA 23 Oct 2013 -- The Obama administration is denying some allegations by a French newspaper about U.S. intelligence activities in that country as Washington faces a firestorm of criticism over new revelations that it has spied on its allies.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Hagel at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium DoD 23 Oct 2013 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel
• RPAs reach 2 million hours AFNS 23 Oct 2013 -- The U.S. Air Force's MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft accumulated 2 million flight hours Oct. 22, not only marking a significant milestone, but also demonstrating the evolution of the program.
• Readout of Secretary Hagel's Meeting with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu DoD 23 Oct 2013
• Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on the 30th Anniversary of the U.S. Marine Barracks Bombing in Beirut, Wednesday, October 23, 2013 DoD 23 Oct 2013
• Africom Helps Partners Stand Up to Violent Extremism AFPS 23 Oct 2013 -- Citing progress in helping African partners countering violent extremist organizations, the commander of U.S. Africa Command said the terrorist attack last month at a mall in Nairobi, Kenya, actually shows that U.S. efforts and policies are working.
• Pentagon secretly sells spyship after huge spending Iran Press TV 23 Oct 2013 -- The US Department of Defense has secretly sold a seven-story spy aircraft to its British maker after spending $297 million to develop it.
• The Corps' new pistol qual program USMC News 23 Oct 2013 -- The Marine Corps will be phasing in a new pistol qualification program that will fully take effect in fiscal year 2015.
• Logistics, terminal velocity collide during Air Delivery exercise USMC News 23 Oct 2013 -- Marines with Air Delivery Platoon, 2nd Marine Logistics Group waited anxiously in the cool weather for an MV-22B Osprey to arrive at Tactical Landing Zone Pheasant, here, Oct. 21.
• 'Gator Bn.' stays flexible in training USMC News 23 Oct 2013 -- 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, conducted a battalion-level field exercise from Oct. 17-22 aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
• USS Samuel B. Roberts Home After Deployment to Med NNS 23 Oct 2013 -- Guided-missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) returned to Naval Station Mayport Oct. 23, marking the successful completion of a six-month deployment to the central Mediterranean working for U.S. Africa Command.
• Nimitz Strike Group Begins Operations in Central Mediterranean NNS 23 Oct 2013 -- The Nimitz Strike Group commenced flight operations in the central Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 20.
• USS Tortuga Returns Home NNS 23 Oct 2013 -- Amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Va., following a seven-year assignment in support of Forward Deployed Naval Forces, Oct. 22.
• Santa Fe Visits Singapore during Western Pacific Deployment NNS 23 Oct 2013 -- The Los Angeles-class, fast attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) arrived at Changi Naval Base, Singapore, Oct. 23, for a visit as part of her deployment to the Western Pacific.
• MWSS-274 Marines take off to ITX USMC News 23 Oct 2013 -- Approximately 250 Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 274 departed Cherry Point Oct. 15-17 for Integrated Training Exercise in Twentynine Palms, Calif.
• Odierno: Those who doubt relevance of ground forces naïve Army News 23 Oct 2013 -- Ground forces, including Soldiers, Marines and special operations troops, will continue to play a critical role in supporting America's defense and joint fight, despite the opinions of 'intellectuals' who might believe otherwise, said the Army's chief of staff.
• Equipment modernization navigating through budgetary minefield Army News 23 Oct 2013 -- Continuing resolutions, sequestration and furloughs are putting equipment modernization, readiness and force structure at risk, said a top leader responsible for equipping Soldiers.
• Army leaders: Developing effective NCOs essential in complex world Army News 23 Oct 2013 -- As the Army looks toward the future, the most important aspect for the force is having non-commissioned officers who understand global challenges and can effectively lead, said Army leaders.
• Honolulu District Awards $196.3 Million in FY13 Contracts in Hawaii, Pacific Region Army News 23 Oct 2013 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District recently completed a very successful Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) during which 513 contract actions were awarded totaling $196,347,764.00.
• Army looks to blend cyber, electronic warfare capabilities on the battlefield Army News 23 Oct 2013 -- As new technologies emerge and new cyber and electronic warfare threats plague Soldiers in the field, U.S. Army scientists and engineers continue to define next-generation protocols and system architectures to help develop technology capabilities to combat these threats in an integrated and expedited fashion.
• McQuistion takes questions during equipment modernization forum Army News 23 Oct 2013 -- Lt. Gen. Patricia McQuistion, deputy commanding general of Army Materiel Command, took questions from Army personnel, industry and academia during a panel discussion at the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army Oct. 22.
• NATO-Russia Council discusses widening cooperation NATO 23 Oct 2013 -- NATO Defence Ministers together with their Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoygu, discussed ways to widen their practical cooperation and exchanged views on pressing events on the international agenda, including Syria, during a NATO-Russia Council (NRC) meeting on Wednesday (23 October 2013). "We are doing more together an ever before and counter-terrorism is a centre-piece of our cooperation," said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
• Russia Plans to Dispose of 3.5Bln Ammo Rounds, 140,000 Missiles by 2020 RIA Novosti 23 Oct 2013 -- Russia plans to dismantle about 140,000 old missiles and 3.5 billion rounds of obsolete ammunition by 2020, but the country may have trouble meeting that deadline, an Industry and Trade Ministry official said Wednesday.
• Russian Missile Forces to Field All-New Arsenal by 2021 RIA Novosti 23 Oct 2013 -- Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) will be fully equipped with fifth-generation missile systems by 2021, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Wednesday.
• Taiwan military increases counter intelligence staff CNA 23 Oct 2013 -- Taiwan has increased its military staff assigned to counter intelligence against China, since China has not promised to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, Minister of National Defense Yen Ming said Wednesday.
• October 23, 2013 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 23 Oct 2013
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 10/23/2013 The White House 23 Oct 2013

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 23, 2013

Other Conflicts

• 23 October 2013 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 23 Oct 2013
• UN rights body adopts landmark text on women and conflict UN News Centre 23 Oct 2013 -- A key United Nations human rights body has provided authoritative guidance to countries that have ratified the women's rights convention on measures they need to take to ensure women's rights are protected before, during and after conflict.
• Syria: joint OPCW-UN chemical weapons team reports visits to nearly all declared sites UN News Centre 23 Oct 2013 -- The Joint Mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations dealing with Syria's chemical weapons programme reports that it has now visited 18 of the sites disclosed by Damascus, a spokesperson for the chemical watchdog said today.
• Syria Peace Push Continues as Complications Linger VOA 23 Oct 2013 -- United Nations and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is pushing forward with a regional tour aimed at building support for a Syrian peace conference, amid lingering questions about who would take part and under what conditions
• Syria to submit chem. disarmament plan before deadline: OPCW Iran Press TV 23 Oct 2013 -- The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) says the Syrian government will submit a plan on the elimination of its chemical arsenal within the following hours, days before deadlines set by the organization.
• Syria forces in full control of southwest Muqaddimah Iran Press TV 23 Oct 2013 -- Syrian forces have regained the full control of the southwest of al-Muqaddimah, a suburb of Damascus, as they continue to inflict heavy losses on Takfiri militants, Press TV reports.
• Iraq: launching new trust fund, UN chief urges relocation of Champ Hurriya residents UN News Centre 23 Oct 2013 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on Member States to offer safe relocation for residents of Camp Hurriya, located near the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and to contribute to a trust fund launched today to cover costs related to the relocation process.
• Wave of violence kills 28 in Iraq Iran Press TV 23 Oct 2013 -- A wave of terrorist activities has killed at least 28 people in Iraq's western province of al-Anbar, officials say.
• DRC's Kabila Pledges to Create Unity Government VOA 23 Oct 2013 -- Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has pledged to create a unity government to help stabilize the volatile country.
• India accuses Pakistan of fresh cross-border attack Iran Press TV 23 Oct 2013 -- Indian government has accused Pakistani troops of attacking military posts along the de facto border which divides the disputed region of Kashmir.
• Mali conflict inflames ethnic tensions IRIN 23 Oct 2013 -- Mali's recent conflict has degraded social relations, leading to fears of reprisals among some of the displaced and posing major hurdles to reconciliation, observers say.
• Durable solution needed for people displaced by Kosovo conflict, UN rights expert urges UN News Centre 23 Oct 2013 -- A United Nations independent expert today urged the Government of Serbia and the authorities in Kosovo to cooperate and discharge their primary responsibility for implementing lasting solutions for internally displaced persons, particularly as Serbia is in the process of being admitted into the framework of the European Union.
• Darfur situation marked by insecurity, limited progress on peace front, Security Council told UN News Centre 23 Oct 2013 -- The situation in Sudan's Darfur region is marked by limited progress in the peace process, a troubling security situation and the continued need for substantial humanitarian assistance, officials representing the United Nations and the African Union told the Security Council today.
• Bakassi transfer good example of preventive diplomacy, says UN envoy for West Africa UN News Centre 23 Oct 2013 -- The United Nations envoy for West Africa has praised Nigeria and Cameroon for their commitment that led to the transfer of sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula from the former to the latter, and cited the process as a good example of preventive diplomacy.

News Reports

• Mexico orders probe into US spying on its top officials Iran Press TV 23 Oct 2013 -- Mexican interior minister has ordered a major probe into reports of US electronic spying on its current President Enrique Pena Nieto as well as his predecessor Felipe Calderon.
• Italy confirms having been spied on by US NSA Iran Press TV 23 Oct 2013 -- Italian telephone and computer communications have been under surveillance by the US National Security Agency (NSA), Italy's parliamentary intelligence committee has confirmed.
• DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesman Blames U.S. for Posing Nuclear Threat to DPRK KCNA 23 Oct 2013 -- The DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman gave a statement on Wednesday in connection with the fact that the U.S. is pushing the situation on the Korean Peninsula, which entered the phase of detente, back to the state of tensions and confrontation.
• Kerry: Iran Must Show Nuclear Program is Peaceful VOA 23 Oct 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says it is critical that Iran show to the world it is 'undeniably clear' that its nuclear program is peaceful.
• Zarif to brief MPs on Geneva nuclear talks Iran Press TV 23 Oct 2013 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will appear before Majlis next week to present a report on the latest talks between the Islamic Republic and six major world powers in Geneva on Tehran's nuclear energy program.
• Pakistan's Sharif, Obama Talk of Improved Ties VOA 23 Oct 2013 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked U.S. President Barack Obama to end drone strikes on his country, strikes that are widely unpopular in Pakistan.