• 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

• Betrayed by US Karzai loses trust in West, says Al Qaeda 'a myth' VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- In an emotional interview the departing Afghan president tried to explain why he has been such a harsh critic of the 12-year-old US war effort in his country. He said he's deeply troubled by all the casualties Afghanistan has seen and feels betrayed by what he calls an insufficient American focus on targeting Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan.
• Marines conduct site survey of Afghan landing zone USMC News 03 Mar 2014 -- Afghan National Army soldiers with 2nd Brigade, 215th Corps, and Marines with Security Force Assistance Advisor Team 2-215 conducted a site survey of the landing zone, Feb. 24, aboard Forward Operating Base Robinson in Helmand province.
• 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment Marines patrol Helmand province USMC News 03 Mar 2014 -- Early each morning aboard Patrol Base Boldak, a team of infantry Marines with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, dons their gear and prepares to leave for a daily patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
• Mobile Strike Force advisors guide Afghan 3rd MSF toward success USMC News 03 Mar 2014 -- The Marines of Mobile Strike Force Security Force Assistance Advisor Team brought their Afghan counterparts of the 3rd Mobile Strike Force to Camp Leatherneck, for vehicle recovery training with simulated Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles with catastrophic damage, Feb. 23 and 24.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD Puts Military-to-military Activities With Russia on Hold AFPS 03 Mar 2014 -- The Defense Department has "put on hold" military-to-military activities with Russia, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said this evening.
• USNS Spearhead Departs Rota, Ready to Work with Partners in Africa NNS 03 Mar 2014 -- The U.S. Navy's first-in-class joint high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) departed Rota, Spain March 2, as the ship now sets sail to the waters off Africa to participate with Africa partners in a series of engagements and exercises.
• Naval War College Sharpens Intellectual Swords of Future Force NNS 03 Mar 2014 -- Two-hundred ten U.S. Naval War College (NWC) National Security and Decision Making (NSDM) students completed the 2014 NSDM course and NSDM Final Exercise (FX), Feb. 28, at NWC in Newport, R.I.
• Ashland Departs White Beach, Okinawa with 31st MEU NNS 03 Mar 2014 -- Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) and embarked Marines from 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit departed White Beach, Okinawa, Feb. 26.
• U.S. Military, Japanese Contractors Partner to Complete Barracks Project in Okinawa NNS 03 Mar 2014 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command, the Army Corps of Engineers, Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa, and 30th Naval Construction Regiment (NCR) started a barracks project at Camp Shields, Japan, Feb. 28.
• Russia Conducts Live Fire Exercises in Baltic RIA Novosti 03 Mar 2014 -- Russian naval warships and coastal troops conducted live fire exercises Monday in the country's western Kaliningrad and Leningrad Regions, a Ministry of Defense spokesperson said.
• Taiwan to take delivery of six more Apache choppers on March 17 CNA 03 Mar 2014 -- A shipment of six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from the United States will arrive in Taiwan in mid-March and be flown directly to an airbase in southern Taiwan, a military source said Monday.
• Chinese army will fight back against provocation: advisor People's Daily 03 Mar 2014 -- The Chinese army will not stir up a war but will fight back against any provocation, a political advisor and former defense ministry official said on Monday.
• Uygur general: PLA backs Xinjiang's counter-terrorism efforts People's Daily 03 Mar 2014 -- The counter-terrorism efforts in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have the strong backing from the People's Liberation Army (PLA), said a senior military commander here Monday.
• US, S. Korea Criticize N. Korea Missile Launches VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- The United States and South Korea have criticized another round of North Korean short range missile launches, saying two more missiles were fired Monday.
• North Korea test fires two short-range missiles - Seoul VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- North Korea fired two short-range missiles on Monday into the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula, South Korea's defence ministry said, days after launching similar rockets last week.
• March 3, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 03 Mar 2014
• Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu before Bilateral Meeting The White House 03 Mar 2014

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• 3 March 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 03 Mar 2014
• General Assembly President encourages disarmament meeting to stay focused UN News Centre 03 Mar 2014 -- The world's only multilateral forum for disarmament negotiations today decided to renew an informal working group aimed at reinvigorating discussions which have stalled since the 1990s, a step that the President of the United Nations General Assembly termed "crucial," as he urged members to follow up with real progress.
• UN mission deplores attack against Libya's lawmakers, parliament building UN News Centre 03 Mar 2014 -- The United Nations mission in Libya has strongly condemned the attack that took place on Sunday against the country's parliament and its members, and stressed the need for respecting state institutions and rejecting violence.
• UN proposes deploying 11,820 peacekeepers to CAR Iran Press TV 03 Mar 2014 -- UN chief Ban Ki-moon has recommended deploying 11,820 peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR) to contain the ongoing sectarian violence.
• Ban Ki-moon Recommends Peacekeeping Force for CAR VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- The U.N. secretary-general says the situation has changed 'drastically' in the Central African Republic and he is recommending that the Security Council authorize a U.N. peacekeeping force to protect civilians and restore stability.
• Obama: Tough Choices Ahead for Mideast Peace VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama says tough decisions must be made as the deadline nears for completing a framework for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
• Israel doubles building settler units in West Bank Iran Press TV 03 Mar 2014 -- Israel began building over twice as many settlement units in the occupied West Bank in 2013 than it did the previous year.
• US Lawmaker to Obama: Phone Kiir on South Sudan Crisis VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- U.S. Congressmen and a top rights activist have called for the United States to step up its diplomatic efforts to end the crisis in South Sudan, including by getting President Barack Obama to make a phone call to his counterpart in Juba, President Salva Kiir.
• Worsening food crisis in South Sudan's swamplands IRIN 03 Mar 2014 -- In the vast swamplands of South Sudan's Sudd region, tens of thousands of recently displaced people (IDPs) are living with little food and no sanitation facilities on inaccessible islands, according to local officials. They fled after attackers, allegedly from Rumbek (Lakes State in central South Sudan), swarmed across the county burning houses and raiding cattle on 7 February.
• Somalia: UN envoy closely monitoring state-building efforts in Baidoa UN News Centre 03 Mar 2014 -- The United Nations envoy in Somalia is closely monitoring developments in Baidoa, including the outcome of today's federal state-building conference, and urged maximum restraint by all parties and a commitment to political dialogue.
• Security Gaps Leave Room for al-Shabab Resurgence VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- The al-Qaida linked militant group al-Shabab has struck at the heart of the Somali government with a string of suicide attacks in Mogadishu. The recent strikes and a fresh recruitment drive point to a resurgence of one of Africa's most feared terrorist groups.
• Darfur: UN-African Union mission calls for unhindered access to site of recent violence UN News Centre 03 Mar 2014 -- The joint African Union-United Nations mission in Sudan's Darfur region said today it is deeply concerned over an escalation in violence that has led to the reported burning of villages and the displacement of large numbers of civilians, and called for unhindered access to the affected area.
• Myanmar still talking tough over MSF expulsion from Rakhine IRIN 03 Mar 2014 -- Authorities in Myanmar's western Reakhine State say they are ready to take over the health programmes Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)-Holland has been implementing in the conflict-hit state for the past 20 years, after the government ordered their closure.
• Aid workers adjust to increasing violence in Lebanon IRIN 03 Mar 2014 -- A few weeks ago, the head of security for a charity in Lebanon got the kind of call you never want to get. "One of our staff has been kidnapped," the voice on the other end said. "She was at a checkpoint an hour ago and no one has heard from her since."
• Emerging from crisis, Mali braces for hunger IRIN 03 Mar 2014 -- As Mali slowly emerges from its 2012 political crisis and the Islamist insurgency in the north, the new government and its partners are focusing on long-term development. But aid groups warn that there are humanitarian needs that must be addressed immediately, particularly ensuring more food aid gets to extremely vulnerable communities in the north.
• DR Congo: with attack helicopters deployed, UN envoy urges rebels to lay down arms UN News Centre 03 Mar 2014 -- After the intensification of United Nations support to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in joint operations against an armed group known as the Allied Democratic Forces, the world body's envoy to the vast African nation today called on the rebels to lay down their weapons.

News Reports

• US UN Ambassador: Russian Intervention 'Act of Aggression' VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has strongly condemned Russia, saying there is nothing to justify its military presence in neighboring Ukraine.
• Remarks by Ambassador Samantha Power, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at a UN Security Council Meeting on Ukraine, March 3, 2014 U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations 03 Mar 2014
• Obama: US Examining Steps to 'Isolate Russia' VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- President Obama has condemned Russia saying it is on 'the wrong side of history' for mobilizing forces around Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. His comments came as Russia moved troops into Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula by ferry.
• Yanukovych asked Putin for troops in Ukraine - Russian UN envoy VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- Ukraine's deposed president Viktor Yanukovych has formally asked Moscow to deploy Russian troops to re-establish law and order in his country, Russia told the UN Security Council on Monday.
• Russia Says Yanukovych Asked For Troops RFE/RL 03 Mar 2014 -- Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin has said that Ukraine's ousted President Viktor Yanukovych sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting that he use the Russian military to restore law and order in his country.
• Ban and Russian Foreign Minister discuss need to de-escalate situation in Ukraine UN News Centre 03 Mar 2014 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the ongoing crisis in Ukraine during a meeting in Geneva today, while deputy United Nations chief Jan Eliasson arrived in Kiev to meet with authorities there.
• EU Condemns Russia 'Aggression' in Crimea RIA Novosti 03 Mar 2014 -- The European Union accused Russia of "acts of aggression" and a "clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty" in a strongly-worded statement Monday that condemned the movement of troops into Crimea.
• Russia Slams Kerry's 'Threats' over Ukraine RIA Novosti 03 Mar 2014 -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned as "unacceptable threats" comments made by the US Secretary of State John Kerry over possible Russian military action in Ukraine.
• Russian Parliament Speaker Plays Down Talk of War in Ukraine RIA Novosti 03 Mar 2014 -- The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament suggested Monday that there was no need for his country to use military force in neighboring Ukraine, in an apparent effort to temper anxieties as evidence emerges of substantial Russian troop deployments across Crimea.
• Ukraine's Ousted President Faces Additional Inquiry – Report RIA Novosti 03 Mar 2014 -- Ukrainian officials have begun criminal proceedings against ousted President Viktor Yanukovych for attempting to violate the constitution, the Ukrainian UNIAN news agency reported.
• Kherson, Nikolaev and Odessa declare their desire to join Crimea - official VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- Representatives of Kherson, Nikolaev and Odessa appeal to the leadership of the Crimea, expressing their desire to be part of the autonomous republic if its powers will be enhanced by the results of the referendum, which is expected to be held on March 30, Vice-Speaker of the Supreme Council of Crimea Sergey Tsekov said on Monday.
• Referendum in Crimea not possible - Ukrainian Central Election Commission VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- No referendum in Crimea (autonomy within Ukraine) is possible, the Ukrainian Central Election Commission said on Monday, March 3. "Under effective Ukrainian legislation no local referendum may be called, prepared and conducted," the commission's press service said.
• Ukrainian military unwilling to serve under Crimean gov't 'free to leave' - source VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- The military service members who do not want to serve under command of the Crimean authorities and obey their orders, are free to leave the peninsula, a source in the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has said.
• China FM clarifies stance on Ukraine situation People's Daily 03 Mar 2014 -- China's stance on the current situation in Ukraine is objective, just, fair and peaceful, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Monday.
• US: Russian threat to Ukraine's navy 'dangerous escalation of situation' Iran Press TV 03 Mar 2014 -- The United States has warned Russia that it would hold the Kremlin "directly responsible" if it has threatened use of force against Ukrainian military.
• EU calls on Russia to withdraw from Ukraine Iran Press TV 03 Mar 2014 -- The European Union (EU) has called on Russia to pull its military forces back from Ukraine or risk consequences in its relations with the 28-nation bloc.
• Russia gives ultimatum to Ukraine's Crimea forces Iran Press TV 03 Mar 2014 -- Russia's Black Sea Fleet in the autonomous region of Crimea has reportedly given an ultimatum to Ukrainian forces in the peninsula.
• Regional gov't building seized in Ukraine's Donetsk Iran Press TV 03 Mar 2014 -- Pro-Russia protesters have seized a regional government building in Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk as standoff in the region continues between Moscow and the West.
• Ukrainian gov't eager to intervene - Crimea Parliament VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- The Verkhovna Rada Autonomous Republic of Crimea stated this Monday that Kiev's government was eager to intervene in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
• Interview: In Crimea, Putin Has 'Lost His Mind' RFE/RL 03 Mar 2014 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to deploy troops across the strategic Ukrainian region of Crimea has sparked an international outcry. Many Russians, too, are indignant.
• G7 condemns Russia's intrusion into Ukraine, halts G8 preparations - White House VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- The Group of Seven major industrialized nations on Sunday condemned Russia's intrusion into Ukraine and canceled for now preparations for the G8 summit that includes Russia and had been scheduled to take place in Sochi in June, the White House said.
• Number of high ranking Ukrainian military officials take oath to Crimea VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- A number of high ranking Ukrainian officials in Crimea have sworn their allegiance to the autonomous republic of Crimea, as Simferopol pushes for its autonomy from the self-imposed government in Kiev.
• UN: Iran Cutting Nuclear Stockpile VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- The United Nations nuclear watchdog chief says Iran has cut its stock of higher-enriched uranium that is closest to atomic weapons-grade.
• China's top political advisory body convenes, pledging to help deepen reforms People's Daily 03 Mar 2014 -- China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng Monday pledged to further efforts to contribute to the deepening of the country's reforms in a comprehensive manner.
• Kunming restores order after deadly terror attack People's Daily 03 Mar 2014 -- Order has been restored in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, where a deadly terrorist attack on Saturday night left 29 dead and more than 130 injured.
• International community condemns terrorist attack in China People's Daily 03 Mar 2014 -- The international community has condemned Saturday's terrorist attack at a train station in Kunming City of southwest China's Yunnan Province.
• Bloodshed darkens China's spring city People's Daily 03 Mar 2014 -- When Beijing retiree Zhang Yumin left home at daybreak on Sunday to catch an early morning flight to Kunming, she didn't know the spring city was overcast with terrorism and bloodshed.
• Nuclear safety, Iran and DPR Korea among pressing issues for UN atomic watchdog UN News Centre 03 Mar 2014 -- The United Nations atomic energy chief today highlighted some of the most pressing issues on the agenda of his agency, ranging from nuclear safety to verification of the activities of Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• Ban Ki-moon: Venezuela Should Listen to Protesters VOA 03 Mar 2014 -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday called on the government of Venezuela to listen to protesters, many of them students, who have been demonstrating for weeks over economic stagnation, high crime rates and harsh political harrassment.
• Russia supports Venezuela's attempts to avert further clashes in country – Russian FM VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- Russia supports the Venezuelan government's attempts to avert the spread of the confrontations that have overflowed the country since February as people have been opposing the current government, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said during the meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart.
• DPRK Expels Australian Who Committed Criminal Acts KCNA 03 Mar 2014 -- The DPRK's relevant organ on February 18 arrested Australian John Alexander Short, who committed anti-DPRK religious acts after entering the DPRK as a tourist, and investigated him.
• Japan, North Korea hold first talks since 2012 VoR 03 Mar 2014 -- Japan and North Korean Red Cross and government officials met Monday for the first time since 2012 for what Pyongyang called a 'productive' dialogue. After discussions in the northern Chinese city of Shenyang, the two sides agreed to hold more rounds of talks about the possible repatriation of the remains of Japanese nationals who died in the North during World War II.