• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Statement on NATO Beginning SOFA Negotiations with Afghanistan DoD 21 Dec 2013 -- Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby provided the following statement on NATO beginning Status of Forces Agreement negotiations with the government of Afghanistan:
• NATO opens post-2014 talks with Afghanistan Iran Press TV 21 Dec 2013 -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization says it has begun negotiations with Afghanistan over NATO’s military presence in the war-torn country beyond the 2014 withdrawal.
• Ground Fire Injures 4 U.S. Troops in South Sudan AFPS 21 Dec 2013 -- Four U.S. service members were injured today when their aircraft came under ground fire in South Sudan during a mission to evacuate American citizens in Bor, according to a statement issued by U.S. Africa Command.
• S Sudan rebels fire at US military aircraft, injure 4 servicemen Iran Press TV 21 Dec 2013 -- South Sudan rebels have opened fire on two US military aircraft, wounding at least four US service members, officials say.
• US Plane Hit in Attempt to Evacuate Americans from South Sudan VOA 21 Dec 2013 -- The U.S. military says unidentified gunmen have opened fire on American planes involved in a rescue mission in South Sudan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Russia to Begin Assembly of An-140 Cargo Planes in 2017 RIA Novosti 21 Dec 2013 -- Russia’s Aviakor aircraft plant on Saturday announced plans to begin assembly of An-140 light cargo planes for the Russian military in 2017.
• Chinese military lashes out at Japanese defense documents People's Daily 21 Dec 2013 -- Chinese military on Friday accused Japan of using the pretext of safeguarding its own national security and regional peace for military expansion.
• Iranian fighters successfully destroy mobile targets in drill ISNA 21 Dec 2013 -- Iranian strategic bombers of Sukhoi Su-24 and Phantom jets annihilated fixed and mobile targets both in air and ground in the second day of main phase of an aerial drill held in Persian Gulf.
• Commander: Iran ready to hold maneuvers with regional countries IRNA 21 Dec 2013 -- Deputy Commander of the Iranian Air Force Brigadier General Ali Reza Barkhor stressed Iran’s preparedness to hold joint military wargames with neighboring and regional countries.

Defense Industry

• UK ambitions suffer blow as UAE rejects jet deal Iran Press TV 21 Dec 2013 -- Britain has missed out on a multi-billion pound deal to sell 60 Eurofighter Typhoon jet fighters to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the Persian Gulf state quit talks to buy the aircraft.

Other Conflicts

• UN mission in South Sudan mourns fallen peacekeepers UN News Centre 21 Dec 2013 -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) held a memorial ceremony in Juba, the capital, today for two Indian battalion peacekeepers who died in the 19 December in a brazen attack on its base in the town of Akobo in restive Jonglei state.

News Reports

• Iran, Sextet resume 3rd day of expert-level talks Iran Press TV 21 Dec 2013 -- Fresh expert-level talks between Iran and six major world powers have entered an unscheduled third day in Geneva aimed at devising mechanisms to implement a landmark interim nuclear deal the two sides reached last month.
• Obama Says 'No Need' For New Iran Sanctions RFE/RL 21 Dec 2013 -- President Barack Obama has again called on U.S. lawmakers not to pass legislation imposing new sanctions on Iran.
• US trying to justify NSA spying effort Iran Press TV 21 Dec 2013 -- Director of US National Intelligence James Clapper on Saturday declassified documents that show how the National Security Agency was first authorized to start collecting bulk phone and Internet records inside the United States and in other countries.
• UK judge rejects Libyan activist case in favor of MI6 Iran Press TV 21 Dec 2013 -- A British High Court judge has thrown out Libyan activist Abdul-Hakim Belhaj’s case in favor of the country’s foreign spying apparatus, MI6, which kidnapped him in a joint operation with CIA in Thailand in 2004.
• Taiwan, U.S. sign agreement on nuclear energy cooperation CNA 21 Dec 2013 -- Taiwan sealed a deal Friday with the United States to ensure supplies of nuclear fuel and facilities for the island's power plants.
• Does Russia Deal Change The Game For Maidan Protesters? RFE/RL 21 Dec 2013 -- It's been a month since Ukrainian protesters first gathered on Kyiv's Independence Square on November 21 to express anger at their government's sudden rejection of European integration.
• In Philippines, Ban pledges solidarity with people of typhoon-hit Tacloban UN News Centre 21 Dec 2013 -- Visiting the storm-ravaged Philippine city of Tacloban, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed the resilience of the people and pledged the commitment of the United Nations to keep working with the Government to “build back better and safer” all the communities devastated by super Typhoon Haiyan, which ripped through the archipelago a little over a month ago.
• Egypt's Morsi to Stand Trial for Prison Breaks, Murder VOA 21 Dec 2013 -- Egyptian prosecutors say ousted president Mohamed Morsi will stand trial on a third set of criminal charges, in an apparent bid to strengthen the legal campaign against the former Islamist leader and his allies.
• US man jailed for ‘helping Iran space program’ Iran Press TV 21 Dec 2013 -- A Maryland citizen has been sentenced to eight years behind bars for allegedly assisting Iran to launch its first research satellite.
• NASA Astronauts Complete Orbital Station Repairs Spacewalk RIA Novosti 21 Dec 2013 -- NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins ventured outside the International Space Station on Saturday and completed a series of tasks to repair a broken equipment cooling system.