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News Reports

Current Operations

• Afghans see continued success in Sangin Valley USMC News 04 Mar 2014 -- Marines with Security Force Assistance Advisor Team 2-215 visited Afghan National Army outposts near Forward Operating Base Robinson, Feb. 24.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on the Release of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget and 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review DoD 04 Mar 2014-- Today the president released his Fiscal Year 2015 budget request for the Department of Defense. This defense budget contains the recommendations I announced last week and is responsible, balanced and realistic. It matches our strategy to our resources.
• DoD Releases Fiscal 2015 Budget Proposal and 2014 QDR DoD 04 Mar 2014 -- President Barack Obama today sent Congress a proposed defense budget of $495.6 billion in discretionary budget authority to fund base defense programs in fiscal year 2015.
• Air Force presents FY 15 budget request AFNS 04 Mar 2014 -- The Air Force presented its fiscal year 2015 President's Budget request today, following similar briefings by the Department of Defense and its sister services.
• US, Greek forces complete bilateral flight training, build partnerships AFNS 04 Mar 2014 -- U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and Hellenic air force F-16s flew a combined 270 missions during two weeks of NATO training at Souda Air Base, Greece.
• Official Discusses Sequestration Constraints, Hagel's Priorities AFPS 04 Mar 2014 -- A senior Defense Department official says the Pentagon will not be able to manage some of the changes that will be required should another budget sequester be imposed in 2016, as current law has it.
• DOD Officials: Another Budget Sequester Would Increase Risk AFPS 04 Mar 2014 -- The defense strategic guidance can work under the president's fiscal year 2015 budget request for the Defense Department, but if steep spending cuts associated with a budget sequester return in fiscal 2016, all bets are off, senior defense officials said at a Pentagon news conference today.
• FY15 Army budget, request includes small pay raise, 490K end strength Army News 04 Mar 2014 -- Under the Army's fiscal year 2015 budget request, Soldiers will receive a 1 percent pay increase as well as a basic allowance for housing increase of 1.5 percent and a 3.4 percent increase in basic allowance for subsistence.
• Department of Defense Briefing on the Fiscal Year 2015 Department of Defense Budget and the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 04 Mar 2014 -- Presenters: Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller) Robert F. Hale; Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Christine E. Wormuth; Director, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment, Lieutenant General Mark Ramsay
• Department of Defense Briefing by Rear Adm. Lescher on the Navy's FY 2015 Budget in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 04 Mar 2014 -- Presenters: Rear Adm. Bill Lescher, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Budget
• Department of Defense Briefing by Maj. Gen. Martin on the Air Force's FY 2015 Budget in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 04 Mar 2014 -- Presenter: Air Force Director of Budget Maj. Gen. Jim Martin
• Department of Defense Briefing by Maj. Gen Dyson and Deputy Director Welch on the Army's FY 2015 Budget in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 04 Mar 2014 -- Presenters: Maj. Gen Karen Dyson, director, Army Budget, and Davis Welch, deputy director, Army Budget
• Defense Budget Request Squares Priorities, Resources AFPS 04 Mar 2014 -- The fiscal year 2015 defense budget request works to square priorities with resources, Defense Department officials said today while calling for a 1 percent pay raise for the military.
• Quadrennial Defense Review Charts Strategy Evolution AFPS 04 Mar 2014 -- The 2014 version of the Quadrennial Defense Review takes the defense strategic guidance formulated in 2012 and evolves it through the future, a senior Pentagon official said.
• Department of the Navy Releases Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Proposal NNS 04 Mar 2014 -- The Department of the Navy released its proposed $148 billion budget for fiscal year 2015 (FY15), March 4.
• Pentagon proposes $79.4 bln war budget despite Afghan exit VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- The Pentagon has proposed $79.4 billion in war funding in 2015 even though most or all US troops are due to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of the year, officials said Tuesday.
• Air Force to award new rescue helicopter contract AFNS 04 Mar 2014 -- The Air Force announced its intent to award a competitive contract for a new rescue helicopter to carry out the personnel recovery mission.
• USS George H.W. Bush Arrives in Greece NNS 04 Mar 2014 -- The 10th Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) arrived in Piraeus, Greece, for a scheduled port visit Mar. 4.
• Sailors and Marines Integrate During AIT NNS 04 Mar 2014 -- EAST CHINA SEA (NNS) - Sailors assigned Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), and Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) completed the first evolution of Amphibious Integration Training (AIT) March 1st.
• U.S. suspends military cooperation with Russia People's Daily 04 Mar 2014 -- The U.S. Defense Department on Monday evening said that it is suspending all military-to-military engagements with Russia because of Moscow's military movement in Ukraine.
• Missile Defense Agency Director Discusses Threats, Capabilities AFPS 04 Mar 2014 -- The Defense Department's Missile Defense Agency continues to develop technology and work with its partners amid growing ballistic missile threats around the world, the agency's director said here today.
• Statement by the North Atlantic Council following meeting under article 4 of the Washington Treaty NATO 04 Mar 2014 -- The North Atlantic Council has met at Poland's request to hold consultations within the framework of Article 4 of the Washington Treaty, which states that "the parties will consult whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the parties is threatened."
• Statement to the media by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Ramussen following the meeting of the North Atlantic Council NATO 04 Mar 2014 -- We have just met at Poland's request to hold consultations within the framework of Article 4 of the Washington Treaty.
• Putin Orders Troops Back to Base After Military Drills RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an end Tuesday to combat readiness drills in the west of the country that have been linked to a military incursion into neighboring Ukraine.
• Russia to Overhaul Fleet of Amphibious Assault Ships – Minister RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- Russia's fleet of amphibious assault ships requires extensive modernization because their service life has been largely overextended, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday.
• Russia Test-Fires ICBM to Target in Kazakhstan RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- Russia test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from a test site in southern Russia on Tuesday evening, a Russian defense ministry spokesman said.
• Russia Defense Ministry 'pays attention' to Pentagon's decision to suspend military ties VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov commented to Russian reporters on the Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby's statement on the decision to suspend cooperation with the Russian military over the current situation in Ukraine.
• Taiwan mulling construction of indigenous submarines: MND CNA 04 Mar 2014 -- Taiwan will continue its efforts to purchase submarines from the United States but is also considering the possibility of developing indigenous models, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday.
• DPP urges raising military spending to 3% of GDP CNA 04 Mar 2014 -- The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) urged the government Tuesday to increase its military spending to 3 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in light of China's growing military strength.
• N. Korea Fires More Missiles Into Sea VOA 04 Mar 2014 -- North Korea continued Tuesday launching short-range missiles into the ocean, as part of what Seoul says is a protest against U.S.-South Korean military drills.
• March 4, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 04 Mar 2014
• Press Briefing on the President's Budget, 3/4/2014 The White House 04 Mar 2014

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 04, 2014

Other Conflicts

• 4 March 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 04 Mar 2014
• 4 March 2014 - Press Conference by Security Council President on Work Programme for March United Nations 04 Mar 2014
• Over 350,000 families internally displaced in Syria Iran Press TV 04 Mar 2014 -- Latest official figures show that 350,177 internally displaced families are taking refuge in shelters inside Syria.
• Syrian Army Advances on Strategic Town Near Lebanon VOA 04 Mar 2014 -- Syrian government forces have solidified their grasp on the last major town held by Sunni Muslim rebels near the Lebanese border.
• Fleeing fighting in Mozambique to uncertain future in Malawi IRIN 04 Mar 2014 -- Since mid-January, an estimated 2,000 people have fled fighting between the government and former rebels in Mozambique, spilling into neighbouring Malawi, but they are yet to receive assistance as the Malawian government and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) remain in disagreement about their status as asylum seekers.
• At AIPAC, McCain attacks Obama for his 'feckless foreign policy' Iran Press TV 04 Mar 2014 -- John McCain, the hawkish Republican senator from the US state of Arizona, has sharply criticized US President Barack Obama during his speech at the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
• IGAD mulls troop deployment to South Sudan Iran Press TV 04 Mar 2014 -- East African states have reportedly prepared a plan to send troops into South Sudan to help seal a ceasefire deal between the government and rebel forces, an official says.
• UN increasingly concerned for people fleeing Central African Republic, South Sudan UN News Centre 04 Mar 2014 -- The United Nations refugee agency today appealed for increased support to meet the needs of people fleeing the crises in the Central African Republic (CAR) and South Sudan, especially those who have arrived in Chad, Cameroon and Ethiopia.
• Top UN official in West Africa urges end to 'unprecedented' spate of violence in Nigeria UN News Centre 04 Mar 2014 -- Concerned about the escalation of acts of terrorism in north-eastern Nigeria, including along the border with Cameroon, the head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) today strongly condemned the latest wave of "unspeakable" violence in the region and demanded an end to attacks targeting innocent civilians.

News Reports

• Remarks With British Foreign Secretary William Hague, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia at Top of Tripartite Agreement Ministerial US Dept. of State 04 Mar 2014
• Background Briefing: Preview of Secretary of State John Kerry's Travel to Paris and Rome US Dept. of State 04 Mar 2014
• John Kerry, Secretary of State - Remarks at a Solo Press Availability US Dept. of State 04 Mar 2014
• In Europe, top UN officials press for diplomatic solution to Ukraine crisis UN News Centre 04 Mar 2014 -- As the situation in Ukraine remains in flux, senior United Nations officials in the region and elsewhere in Europe continue to push for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressing the need for calm and international unity in the pursuit of peace.
• FACT SHEET: International Support for Ukraine The White House 04 Mar 2014
• Tense situation in Crimea linked to possible use of Russian troops gone - Putin VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- The tense situation in Crimea, in which the use of the armed forces was possible, is gone, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. "The tense situation in Crimea with the possible use of the armed forces has simply expired. There was no such need," Putin told reporters in Novo-Ogaryovo on Tuesday.
• Hague terms Russia excuses to storm Ukraine 'baseless' Iran Press TV 04 Mar 2014 -- British Foreign Secretary William Hague has described as "baseless" the Russian president's justification and excuses to intervene in Ukraine militarily.
• Ukrainian President Requested Intervention – Russian UN Envoy RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych asked Russia to deploy its troops in Ukraine, Russia's ambassador to the UN said Tuesday.
• Putin Slams Ukrainian Govt, Says Invasion 'Last Resort' RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called the acting authorities in Ukraine illegitimate, but said a military intervention in Russia's western neighbor would be a last resort.
• Russia Not Obliged to Accept Agreements with Ukraine - Putin RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- President Vladimir Putin argued Tuesday that Russia has no legal obligations before Ukraine because it has undergone a revolution.
• Putin Denies Sending Russian Troops to Crimea RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that his country has not deployed any troops in Crimea recently and has no plans to annex the peninsula.
• Ukraine Awaits Russia's Reply on $2 Bln Bailout - PM RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- Ukraine is waiting for a "clear response" from Russia on a $2 billion loan needed to cover its debt for Russian gas supplies, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Tuesday.
• Crimea to Get Its Own Defense Ministry RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- The newly appointed leader of Crimea in southern Ukraine said Tuesday that the region is to form its own defense ministry.
• 5,500 Ukrainian Soldiers Defect to Serve an Independent Crimea RIA Novosti 04 Mar 2014 -- More than 5,500 soldiers have defected from Ukraine's military to serve the autonomous republic of Crimea, the region's newly appointed leader said.
• Kerry Condemns Russian 'Aggression' in Ukraine VOA 04 Mar 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States would prefer to de-escalate tensions with Russia over Ukraine.
• West Faces Tough Choice on Ukraine VOA 04 Mar 2014 -- Russia's military moves in Ukraine have drawn criticism from around the world, particularly from the United States and Europe. Experts say Western nations have few options for influencing the situation, but a political solution might still be possible.
• Ukrainians Answer Call To Enlist Amid Russian Threats RFE/RL 04 Mar 2014 -- The army recruitment office in Cherkasy, central Ukraine, has never been so busy. More than 500 people have already turned up to enroll since Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on March 1 the right to invade Ukraine.
• Putin's Ukraine Strategy: Crazy, Shrewd, A Little Of Both? RFE/RL 04 Mar 2014 -- There has been much speculation about Russian forces deployed in Crimea since February 28. The West says they're Russian combat troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin says they're just local defense folks. So just who are they?
• Russian Forces In Crimea: Who Are They And Where Did They Come From? RFE/RL 04 Mar 2014 -- There has been much speculation about Russian forces deployed in Crimea since February 28. The West says they're Russian combat troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin says they're just local defense folks. So just who are they?
• It's time for Europe to prepare for refugee wave from Ukraine VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- Revolutionary unrest in Ukraine forced tens of thousands of citizens of this country to flee. Most of them went to Russia. However, if the situation in Ukraine will remain volatile, the flow of immigrants to Europe will increase.
• Yanukovych requests Russia to use armed forces to restore order in Ukraine - Russian UN envoy VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- The Russian authorities have received from Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych an appeal with a request to use the RF armed forces for the restoration of the constitutional order in his country, RF Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said at an open meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday.
• Russia urges Ukrainian regime to 'return to legitimacy' VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- Russia will only engage in a dialog with the ruling Ukrainian regime if it 'returns to legitimacy,' Putin's senior advisor Sergei Glazyev has said.
• US and EU trying to dissolve agreement on Ukrainian crisis settlement - Lavrov VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- The US and the EU are trying to dissolve the agreement on the Ukrainian crisis settlement reached between head of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and the opposition on February 21, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a press conference in Tunis following a meeting with his Tunisian counterpart Mongi Hamdi.
• Russia to continue to explain its position on Ukraine to NATO - diplomat VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- Russia has informed its partners at the Russia-NATO Council about dangerous trends in the development of the situation in Ukraine and will continue to explain its position on the matter, Russian Permanent Representative at NATO Alexander Grushko said in Brussels on Friday.
• US condemns Russian politics in Ukraine - Kerry VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday called Russia's politics in Ukraine an 'act of aggression' and reaffirmed Washington's commitment to the former Soviet state's territorial integrity.
• Capital of Crimea coming back to normal VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- The capital of Crimea gradually comes back to normal and its residents resume their habitual way of life. Hardly anything in the streets of the city reminds one of the recent events and political standoff with Kiev.
• US to extend $1 billion loan to Ukraine, wants to defuse tensions - Kerry VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- Washington does not want to be in confrontation with anyone over the events in Ukraine and is calling for tensions to be reduced, the United States' Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday. Kerry says the United States will allot at least a $1 billion loan to Ukraine. Speaking at a press conference in Kiev on Tuesday, Kerry said the US is working on support for Ukraine as much as it can and is trying to determine Kiev's needs.
• Europeans Pull Punches On Russia RFE/RL 04 Mar 2014 -- The Ukrainian crisis has sent European leaders scurrying to find responses to Russia's aggression. But so far, they seem more confused over what to do than they are united.
• Kerry Condemns Russia's 'Act Of Aggression' RFE/RL 04 Mar 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has condemned what he called Russia's 'act of aggression in Ukraine.'
• Russia will have to respond to possible US sanctions - Russian Foreign Ministry VoR 04 Mar 2014 -- Russia will respond in the event of sanctions over the Ukraine situation being imposed against it by the United States, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich.
• Iran will protect nuclear achievements: Araqchi IRNA 04 Mar 2014 -- Iran will protect its nuclear achievements through political negotiations with Group 5+1, Irans top nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday.
• Iran red lines won't be crossed in N-talks: Rouhani Iran Press TV 04 Mar 2014 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has assured that his administration will not overstep the Islamic Republic's "red lines" in the nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 group.
• US to face hell in Mideast if attacks Iran: Cmdr. Iran Press TV 04 Mar 2014 -- A senior Iranian commander says the United States will face hell in the Middle East should it launch an attack on the Islamic Republic.
• Netanyahu: Allowing Iran to Continue Enriching Uranium Would Be 'Grave Error' VOA 04 Mar 2014 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says international efforts to restrict Iran's nuclear program must include a complete end to its enriching uranium. Talks underway appear aimed at allowing Iran to enrich some uranium at lower-grade levels.
• Kunming terrorist attack suspects captured People's Daily 04 Mar 2014 -- Chinese police said Monday three suspects involved in the terrorist attack in the southwestern city of Kunming had been captured.
• China seeks international support to curb Terrorism Iran Press TV 04 Mar 2014 -- Chinese authorities have appealed to the international community for 'more understanding and support' in their fight against the ongoing violence and terrorism.
• UN anti-narcotics panel urges greater stock in prevention, treatment of drug abuse UN News Centre 04 Mar 2014 -- Investment in prevention and treatment of drug abuse can lead to significant savings in health-care and crime-related costs, and alleviate the suffering of drug-dependent users and their families, the independent United Nations body tasked with monitoring the production and consumption of narcotics worldwide said in a report released today.