Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 03 Jun 2014 [PDF]
• 1/7 continues to disrupt Taliban insurgents in Larr Village, Afghanistan USMC News 03 Jun 2014 -- Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, continued force protection operations in the nearby village of Larr, May 15 to 17.
• U.S. Base In Kyrgyzstan Officially Closes RFE/RL 03 Jun 2014 -- The United States has officially closed the Manas air base it has used in Kyrgyzstan, more than one month before the lease on the base was due to expire.
• Obama: 'Sacred Rule' Required Securing Bergdahl's Freedom AFPS 03 Jun 2014 -- Regardless of the circumstances that led to Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's five years of captivity, President Barack Obama said today, the United States needed to get him back.
• Statement by Secretary of the Army John McHugh on Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl DoD 03 Jun 2014
• US Army Promises 'Comprehensive' Review of Bergdahl's Disappearance VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- The U.S. Army is responding to the growing wave of criticism over the deal to free Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. He was released Saturday in Afghanistan, after almost five years as a Taliban prisoner, in exchange for five high-risk Taliban detainees held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The deal has sparked outrage from those who call Bergdahl a deserter.
• Obama: We Don't Leave Soldiers Behind VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- President Barack Obama on Tuesday defended the deal to get U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl out of Taliban captivity, saying questions that have emerged about the circumstances of the soldier's capture did not negate the need to bring him home.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Obama Says U.S. To Bolster Military Presence In Europe RFE/RL 03 Jun 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama says the United States plans to bolster its military presence in Europe by sending in more troops and equipment.
• Warsaw, In The Spotlight, Looks To The U.S. To Come Out Of The Shadows RFE/RL 03 Jun 2014 -- It's unlikely that Polish officials will greet Barack Obama by saying 'I told you so.' But you couldn't blame them for thinking it.
• Remarks by President Obama and President Komorowski of Poland in a Joint Press Conference The White House 03 Jun 2014
• Remarks by President Obama Before a Meeting with Central and Eastern European Leaders The White House 03 Jun 2014
• Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Tusk of Poland The White House 03 Jun 2014
• Remarks by President Obama and President Komorowski to U.S. and Polish Armed Forces The White House 03 Jun 2014
• Obama Calls Protection of Eastern Europe 'Sacrosanct' Obligation of US RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2014 -- US President Barack Obama said Tuesday in Warsaw that Washington has a sacrosanct obligation to ensure security of Eastern Europe, reported the New York Times.
• Amid Shift From War, Obama Embraces Sanctions As Tool Of Foreign Policy RFE/RL 03 Jun 2014 -- Top Obama administration officials used the 10th anniversary of the Treasury Department's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence to tout sanctions as a tool of foreign policy amid the president's stated shift away from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• Obama to Request $1Bln to Boost Military Presence in Eastern Europe RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2014 -- US President Barack Obama will request the Congress to approve a $1 billion plan to boost US military presence in Eastern Europe, Reuters said Tuesday citing a White House statement.
• Obama: EU allies' security 'sacrosanct' Iran Press TV 03 Jun 2014 -- US President Barack Obama says Washington's commitment to the security of its allies in Eastern Europe is "sacrosanct."
• Obama Reassures Eastern European Allies of US Commitment VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama assured Poland and its eastern European neighbors on Tuesday that the U.S. commitment to their security was sacrosanct at the start of a four-day trip meant to show U.S. resolve after the Russian intervention in Ukraine.
• Obama pledges $1 bln to step up US military presence in Eastern Europe VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- President Obama is preparing to invest $1 billion in boosting US military presence in Eastern Europe as tensions are running high in Ukraine.
• Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work's meeting with Philip Dunne, UK Ministry of Defense, Minister for Equipment, Support, & Technology DoD 03 Jun 2014
• USS Ronald Reagan Departs Santa Barbara NNS 03 Jun 2014 -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) departed Santa Barbara, Calif., on June 2 after a three-day port visit.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's Meeting with Ukraine's Acting Minister of Defense Gen. Col. Mykhaylo Koval DoD 03 Jun 2014
• United States' Role as Global Policeman Questioned VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- In recent months, U.S. President Barack Obama has faced criticism that his approach to foreign policy has been too cautious, emboldening adversaries such as Syria, China and Russia. The White House argues the projection of power involves more than military might. Whether or not the United States still plays the role of the world's policeman is in question.
• 'Final frontier' now complex domain for space safety culture AFNS 03 Jun 2014 -- Space, long thought to be America's final frontier, has transformed over the past several decades into a complex domain the Air Force must operate in safely. Recent Hollywood productions depicting dangerous space events - hurtling space debris blowing satellites to bits; disconnected astronauts flying off into infinity - help show the risk, albeit exaggerated, of operating safely in space.
• Cyber Chief Says Businesses Must 'Own' Cybersecurity Threats AFPS 03 Jun 2014 -- Cybersecurity threats are a vital issue for the nation, and like the Defense Department, businesses must own the problem to successfully carry out their missions, DOD's top cybersecurity expert told a forum of businesspeople today.
• U.S., Polish Airmen support largest combined training AFNS 03 Jun 2014 -- U.S. and Polish airmen started training together at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 2, during the largest theater security cooperation event ever hosted by the U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment in Poland, according to Av-Det officials.
• Pentagon Official Encourages Ongoing Turkish Partnership AFPS 03 Jun 2014 -- Ongoing ties with Turkey are vital to the Defense Department's productivity and efficiency, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics said here yesterday.
• Commission Seeks Service Members' Compensation Preferences AFPS 03 Jun 2014 -- The commission tasked by President Barack Obama and Congress to modernize military compensation and benefits programs is seeking input from service members on their preferences.
• Chairman's Travels Illustrate U.S. Global Interests AFPS 03 Jun 2014 -- The past month illustrates the tremendous agility, capability and reach of the U.S. military, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today during an interview on his way home from Saudi Arabia.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's Meeting with Ministers of Defense from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia DoD 03 Jun 2014
• Gunston Hall Joins Saudis in Damage Control Training NNS 03 Jun 2014 -- The damage control training team (DCTT) aboard amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) conducted joint training in damage control and firefighting techniques with Saudi Arabian sailors May 27 during Exercise Eager Lion 2014.
• Gunston Hall Shares VBSS Knowledge NNS 03 Jun 2014 -- Sailors assigned to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) visited the Royal Jordanian Naval Base in Aqaba, Jordan to exercise visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) procedures with Jordanian and Saudi Arabian sailors, May 23-27 in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 2014.
• Blue Ridge Performs CUES Training with Japanese Vessel Kunasaki NNS 03 Jun 2014 -- U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) practiced Codes for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) with Japanese vessel JDS Kunasaki (LST-4003), June 2.
• USS Vella Gulf Arrives in Romania NNS 03 Jun 2014 -- The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) arrived in Constanta, Romania for a scheduled port visit, June 3.
• DOD Announces Charges Referred Against Detainee Abd al Hadi al Iraqi DoD 03 Jun 2014 -- The Defense Department announced today that the convening authority, Office of Military Commissions, referred charges to a military commission in the case of "United States v. Abd al Hadi al Iraqi."
• Changes Coming to Intelligence Communities, Official Says AFPS 03 Jun 2014 -- A tremendous change has taken place in U.S. intelligence capabilities over the past decade, and even bigger changes are underway, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael G. Vickers said today.
• Another NATO Vessel to Enter Black Sea Next Week – Military Source RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2014 -- An Italian reconnaissance vessel, the Elettra, is expected to arrive in the Black Sea by June 15, a military-diplomatic source said Tuesday.
• NATO Defence Ministers discuss collective defence, Summit priorities NATO 03 Jun 2014 -- NATO Defence Ministers will review collective defence measures in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis and discuss preparations for the NATO Summit in Wales, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said at the start of the two-day Ministerial on Tuesday (3 June 2014). "We are facing a new security landscape because of Russia's aggression against Ukraine", the NATO Secretary General said. "We have already taken immediate steps. In a strong show of solidarity, every single Ally, from both sides of the Atlantic, contributes to bolstering our collective defence, including deployment of ships, aircraft and troops. It really is all for one and one for all", Mr Fogh Rasmussen added.
• NATO To Finalize Military Aid Package For Ukraine RFE/RL 03 Jun 2014 -- NATO's top official says the alliance will finalize a package to reform and modernize Ukraine's armed forces following Russia's annexation of the ex-Soviet republic's Crimea territory.
• June 3, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 03 Jun 2014

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for June 03, 2014

Other Conflicts

• 3 June 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 03 Jun 2014
• 3 June 2014 - Press Conference by Security Council President on Work Programme for June United Nations 03 Jun 2014
• US Calls Syria Election a 'Disgrace' VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf described Syria's presidential election Tuesday as 'a disgrace,' saying President Bashar al-Assad 'has no more credibility today that he did yesterday.'
• NATO's Rasmussen Says Allies Never Recognize Outcome of Syria Vote RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2014 -- All the allies of the NATO do not recognize the results of the presidential election in Syria, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Tuesday.
• Syrian Opposition Says No Voting in Rebel-Controlled Areas VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- Syrians in parts of the country under government control are voting Tuesday in an election expected to give President Bashar al Assad a third seven-year term. Opposition leaders have denounced the vote, calling it a "farce", and no voting will take place in those regions of the country under rebel control.
• Syrians Vote With Little Contest Expected for Assad VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- Syria is holding presidential elections Tuesday, despite a deadly civil war that has left millions of Syrians unable or unwilling to vote.
• CAR refugees stretch Cameroon villages IRIN 03 Jun 2014 -- New open-air butcheries and stalls now flank the unsealed road running through Lolo village in the east of Cameroon. The settlement of some 10,000 Central African Republic refugees in the 2,000-strong hamlet is firing up the local economy, but has also triggered disputes between the peasant farming community and its cattle-keeping new residents.
• UN chief welcomes formation of Palestinian unity government UN News Centre 03 Jun 2014 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the announcement of the formation of a Palestinian unity government headed by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, and hoped that new opportunities for progress towards a two-State solution with Israel will emerge soon.
• Bogota, FARC appeal for support for peace process VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- Colombia's government and the FARC rebel group called on the public Tuesday to support a peace process that is under challenge in the country's closely contested presidential elections. The government's chief negotiator and his rebel counterpart made the appeals at the start of a brief round of talks here overshadowed by the race between President Juan Manuel Santos and Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, a vehement opponent of the Havana negotiations.
• Insecurity, funding shortfall leaves millions hungry in DR Congo – UN UN News Centre 03 Jun 2014 -- Senior United Nations officials for the Great Lakes region of Africa are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to draw attention to continuing insecurity there, while the world body reported today that the fighting and a decrease in financial resources is causing millions of people to go hungry.

News Reports

• Erdogan accuses int'l media of spying, stirring unrest in Turkey VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- Turkey's embattled prime minister lashed out at international media on Tuesday, accusing news outlets of stirring unrest during the one-year anniversary of mass anti-government protests, AFP news agency reports. Recep Tayyip Erdogan singled out CNN International, whose reporter was arrested live on air last Saturday while covering street clashes, accusing the network of spying.
• Ukraine Uniting Militias to Bolster Forces in the East VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- With the conflict in eastern Ukraine intensifying, the country's military needs new recruits more than ever. A drive to integrate guerrilla fighters into national security forces to add muscle to the escalating campaign against pro-Russian separatists.
• Ukraine must not be 'muscle-flexing' exercise for US - Russian envoy to UN VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- The situation in Ukraine must not be used by the United States to build up its global military presence, said Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations. 'If politics consists of taking advantage of the situation in Ukraine in order to flex muscles, this will only hurt the common international cooperation,' Churkin told reporters on Tuesday.
• Russia has all arguments against Ukraine at European Court VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Ukraine had filed a suit against Russia with the European Court of Human Rights over Crimea's accession to Russia, according to Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency. Russia has all the arguments and possibilities to defend its positions at the European Court of Human Right in a possible litigation over Ukraine's lawsuit, chairman of the committee on civil, criminal and arbitration legislation of the Russian State Duma lower parliament house Pavel Krasheninnikov told the agency on Tuesday.
• OSCE mission in Ukraine confirms Lugansk administration building was hit by rockets VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has confirmed on Tuesday that the deadly attack on the administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk was an airstrike. 'On 2 June, shortly after 15:00, rockets hit the occupied regional administration building,' OSCE Special Monitoring Mission said in a statement. 'Based on the SMM's limited observation these strikes were the result of non-guided rockets shot from an aircraft,' OSCE specified. The assault left eight people dead and 28 injured.
• Putin to instruct his office, gov't to provide assistance to refugees from Ukraine VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to issue instructions to his secretariat and the government on providing assistance to refugees from the southeastern regions of Ukraine and residents of Crimea experiencing difficulties with acquiring Russian citizenship due to problems with residency registration.
• 181 killed in east Ukraine military operation - acting prosecutor general VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- A total of 181 people, including 59 Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen, have died as a result of armed clashes in the eastern regions of Ukraine, the country's acting Prosecutor General Oleg Magnitsky said at a press conference on Tuesday. 'On the whole, 181 people were killed, including 59 servicemen, and another 293 were injured in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions,' he said.
• Slavyansk self-defense activists claim to have shot down Ukraine army plane VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- Slavyansk self-defense activists claim they have shot down a Sukhoi Su-25 combat airplane.
• Russia submits draft resolution on Ukraine Iran Press TV 03 Jun 2014 -- Russia has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), calling for an immediate ceasefire and a humanitarian corridor in Ukraine.
• Most Russia troops withdraw from Ukraine border: NATO Iran Press TV 03 Jun 2014 -- NATO says Russia has withdrawn most of the approximately 40,000 troops amassed along the Ukraine border, calling on Moscow to pull out the rest.
• A Guide To The Separatists Of Eastern Ukraine RFE/RL 03 Jun 2014 -- Keeping a handle on who's who in the chaotic separatist insurgency gripping Ukraine's frontier with Russia can get a little confusing. Here is a quick guide to the main players in Ukraine's increasingly wild east.
• NATO Not Discussing 'Military Options' in Ukraine - Rasmussen RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2014 -- NATO does not see military action as a right way to solve the crisis in Ukraine and favors political and diplomatic settlement, the alliance's chief said Tuesday.
• Russia Reinstates Readiness to Send Ukraine Humanitarian Aid - Emergency Ministry RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2014 -- Russia's Emergency Ministry is ready to assist Ukraine with humanitarian aid but has not had a request from the Ukrainian authorities, Russian Emergency Minister Vladimir Puchkov said Tuesday.
• At Least 5 Independence Supporters Killed, 10 Injured in Slaviansk Fighting RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2014 -- Five independence supporters were reported killed, and 10 injured in fighting in the Eastern city of Slaviansk, a spokesman for the headquarters of the independence suporters said Tuesday.
• Gazprom Says Ukraine Still Has to Pay for Almost 10 Billion Cubic Meters of Gas RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2014 -- As of today, Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz still has not paid for 9.839 billion cubic meters of Russian gas supplies, Sergei Kuprianov, a spokesman for Gazprom, said Tuesday.
• Security Crackdown Takes Place in Beijing on Tiananmen Anniversary VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- Chinese police filled Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Wednesday, the 25th anniversary of the deadly crackdown of student-led demonstrations there.
• China: UN rights chief urges release of detained activists ahead of Tiananmen anniversary UN News Centre 03 Jun 2014 -- The United Nations human rights chief today voiced concern about the detention of civil society activists, lawyers and journalists in China ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, while also stressing the need to establish the facts surrounding what transpired between 3 and 4 June 1989.
• China Defends Crackdown Ahead of Tiananmen Anniversary VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- China on Tuesday defended as 'lawful' its detention of government critics ahead of this week's 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
• WFP Food Distribution in N. Korea Hit High in May VOA 03 Jun 2014 -- The World Food Program says it distributed more than 2,500 tons of food in North Korea last month, the largest amount so far this year.
• With Egypt's election results in, Ban voices hopes for democracy, stability UN News Centre 03 Jun 2014 -- Taking note of the official release of the results of the recent election in Egypt, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his hope that President-elect Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will support the people's aspirations for a stable and democratic country.
• MERS death toll in Saudi Arabia jumps to 282 VoR 03 Jun 2014 -- Saudi Arabia announced a jump of nearly 50 percent in deaths from a new virus on Tuesday after re-examining old data that also showed the number of infections since 2012 was a fifth higher than previously reported.