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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 30 Sep 2014 [PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Rear Adm. Kirby in the Pentagon Briefing Room DOD 30 Sep 2014 -- Presenters: Rear Admiral John Kirby, Press Secretary
• U.S., Partners' Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 30 Sep 2014 -- U.S. military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria yesterday and today using a mix of attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct 11 airstrikes.
• British Combat Planes No Match for Islamic State Ground Attacks: Reports RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- Outdated and outnumbered British Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado GR4 warplanes prove to have little to no effect on Islamic State (IS) militants fighting some 15,000 feet below in Iraq and Syria, the Telegraph reported Tuesday.
• RAF conducts first air strikes of Iraq mission UK MOD 30 Sep 2014 -- Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 aircraft have been in action over Iraq today in the fight against ISIL.
• Airstrikes Against ISIL Require Patience, Precision, Official Says AFPS 30 Sep 2014 -- In ongoing efforts to degrade and destroy terrorist forces from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the United States and partner nations have conducted another round of airstrikes against fixed and mobile targets in Iraq and Syria, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Adm. John Kirby said today.
• Mabus: Airstrikes Illustrate Unique Navy Capabilities AFPS 30 Sep 2014 -- Recent military airstrikes against terrorists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant demonstrate the unique capabilities of the U.S. Navy, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said at the Defense Writers' Group breakfast today.
• Statement by the President on the Signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement in Afghanistan The White House 30 Sep 2014
• Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on the Signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement DoD 30 Sep 2014
• Background Briefing on the U.S.-Afghanistan Security and Defense Cooperation Agreement US Dept. of State 30 Sep 2014
• Signing of Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement US Dept. of State 30 Sep 2014
• Obama, Hagel, Austin Hail Signing of U.S.-Afghan Agreement AFPS 30 Sep 2014 -- Newly sworn-in Afghan President Ashraf Ghani today signed the bilateral security agreement between his government and the United States, as well as a status of forces agreement with NATO.
• NATO Secretary General welcomes signing of security agreements with Afghanistan NATO 30 Sep 2014 -- I welcome the signature of the Bilateral Security Agreement between the United States and Afghanistan and of the Status of Forces Agreement between NATO and Afghanistan. The conclusion of these agreements opens a new chapter for cooperation between NATO, our partners, and the Afghan National Security Forces.
• Afghanistan Signs Security Pacts With US, NATO VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- Afghanistan has signed long-delayed security pacts with the United States and NATO to authorize deployment of a small international military force in the country after the end of the year. The Taliban has rejected the deal as "shameful and shocking."
• U.S., Afghanistan Sign Security Pact RFE/RL 30 Sep 2014 -- Officials from Afghanistan and the United States have signed a long-delayed security treaty that will allow U.S. troops to stay in the country after the end of the year.
• Afghanistan, US sign long-delayed security agreement Iran Press TV 30 Sep 2014 -- The new Afghan government and the United States have inked a long-delayed security agreement for the presence of the US soldiers in the country beyond 2014.
• Army's eye-in-the-sky takes flight in Afghanistan UK MOD 30 Sep 2014 -- The British Army's next generation of unmanned air system (UAS), Watchkeeper, is now fully operational in Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Guantanamo Closure Delayed Due to Pentagon's Slow Review Process RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- Guantanamo Bay prison will remain open as long as detainees kept in the detention center await approval to be transferred or released from US Department of Defense custody, a task proving to be a lengthy process, AP reports.
• Deputy Secretary of Defense Work Delivers Remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations DOD 30 Sep 2014 -- Presenters: Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work and CNN Chief National Security Correspondent James E. Sciutto
• Work: DoD Transforms Global Posture for Future Needs AFPS 30 Sep 2014 -- In a time of constrained budgets and unprecedented geopolitical challenges, defense leaders are taking longer-term approaches to the defense strategy and changing the way they use forces overseas to respond to the dynamic security environment, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work said here today.
• USS Avenger Decommissions After 27 Years of Service NNS 30 Sep 2014 -- The mine countermeasure ship USS Avenger (MCM 1), was decommissioned after more than 27 years of naval service during a ceremony on board Naval Base San Diego, Sept. 30.
• Future USS Paul Ignatius Begins Fabrication NNS 30 Sep 2014 -- A ceremony marking the official start of future USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) fabrication was held at the Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) shipyard Sept. 30.
• Germantown Participates in PHIBLEX 15 NNS 30 Sep 2014 -- The amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) and the embarked Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) commenced Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 15 in Subic Bay, Sept. 29.
• Future USNS Trenton Launches NNS 30 Sep 2014 -- Austal USA launched the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) the future USNS Trenton from its shipyard Sept. 30.
• Altus AFB produces mission capable boom operators AFNS 30 Sep 2014 -- For the past 16 years, the 97th Air Mobility Wing has been the only schoolhouse for training initial KC-135 Stratotanker boom operator students, which trains around 265 Airmen and international students a year.
• Marine Expeditionary Force Stands Up in Centcom Region AFPS 30 Sep 2014 -- A newly established Marine Corps task force is intended to improve the Defense Department's response to crises in the Middle East and South and Central Asia, Pentagon Spokesman Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby announced today.
• TR Rescues Fishermen at Sea NNS 30 Sep 2014 -- Sailors and Marines aboard aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) (TR) sprang into action to assist a fishing vessel engulfed in flames off the east coast of Florida, Sept. 29.
• CTF 51 Leadership Visits Makin Island NNS 30 Sep 2014 -- The commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 51 visited Sailors and Marines aboard amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) to tour the ship and pass along a few words of encouragement, Sept. 28 and 29.
• NATO Air Forces Begin Exercises in Baltic Region RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- Air forces of NATO and the alliance partners will conduct exercises on Tuesday and Wednesday, practicing techniques of airspace protection in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with the headquarters of the drills located at Amari Air Base near Tallinn, the General Staff of Estonian Defense Forces stated.
• Turkish MPs to Vote on Military Action Against IS VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- Turkey has deployed tanks and armored vehicles to reinforce its border with Syria as the Turkish parliament prepares to authorize military action against Islamic State (IS) jihadists. But analysts warn these moves are being met with resistance as questions remain over what form military action would take.
• S-400 Air Defense Regiment Takes up Duty in Russia's South RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- The S-400 Triumf air defense missile system regiment that was deployed in the Southern Military District, has taken up combat duty near the Russian city of Krasnodar, the press service of the district reported Tuesday.
• September 30, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 30 Sep 2014
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 9/30/2014 The White House 30 Sep 2014

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for September 30, 2014
• China Suspends Arms Sales to South Sudan: Reports RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- Beijing has halted weapons sales to South Sudan amid allegations that the Chinese government could have sold millions of dollars worth of arms to the war-torn country in an attempt to undermine the peace process, Bloomberg reported Monday.
• Russia's Largest Arms Manufacturer Relies Primarily on Domestic Technology: CEO RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- Some 90 percent of equipment and materials used by Russia's largest arms manufacturer, Machine Engineering Technologies, is domestically produced, the company's CEO Sergei Rusakov said on Tuesday.

Other Conflicts

• 30 September 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 30 Sep 2014
• As global crises multiply, UN official urges rethink for overstretched humanitarian system UN News Centre 30 Sep 2014 -- The global humanitarian system has become dangerously overburdened as it faces a widening front of crises and conflicts, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees warned today, as he urged a rethink of how the international community will confront the growing challenges of the 21st century.
• Kurdish Forces in Iraq Advance Against IS Fighters VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- Kurdish fighters launched a series of attacks against Islamic State positions Tuesday in Iraq, supported by the Iraqi military and the U.S.-led coalition.
• Kurdish forces attack ISIL on 3 fronts in Iraq: Reports Iran Press TV 30 Sep 2014 -- Kurdish Peshmerga forces have carried out military operations against ISIL Takfiri militants on three fronts in northern Iraq, military sources say.
• UN: ISIL Advances Could Displace Thousands More in Syria VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- The U.N.'s humanitarian chief warned Tuesday that tens of thousands more people could be forced to flee Syria if Islamic State militants continue to make territorial gains.
• Syria army makes more gains against militants near Damascus Iran Press TV 30 Sep 2014 -- The Syrian army has made more gains in its campaign against foreign-backed militants in the countryside of the capital Damascus.
• Syrian Ambassador: Bashar Assad Backs International Strikes Against IS Militants RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- Syrian President Bashar Assad has publicly announced his country's position on its readiness to work with any international efforts within the UN to eradicate Islamic State (IS) militants operating in the region and supports airstrikes against them, Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad told RIA Novosti in an interview Tuesday.
• Syrian Ambassador: Airstrikes Alone Insufficient in Destroying IS Militants in Syria RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- Syrian ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad on Tuesday told RIA Novosti that international airstrikes alone are not enough to destroy Islamic State (IS) militants operating in the Middle East and that Syrian ground troops would need to be used in order to completely eradicate them.
• UN official urges sustained pressure on parties to Syria conflict to ensure aid access UN News Centre 30 Sep 2014 -- With winter fast approaching and the conflict in Syria showing no signs of abating, the United Nations humanitarian chief today called for sustained pressure on the parties to ensure access to those in need of assistance as well as financial support to maintain vital aid operations.
• Deadly Attacks In Donetsk Test Ukraine Peace Deal VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- After a series of attacks by pro-Moscow militia, Ukraine's prime minister has accused Russia of failing to honor the cease-fire agreement signed on September 5. At least nine Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the last two days. Tentative peace deal appears to be holding despite the violence.
• South Sudan: UN agencies reach more than half a million people with life-saving aid UN News Centre 30 Sep 2014 -- Two United Nations agencies have reached more than half a million people, including 100,000 children under the age of five, in the most remote and conflict-hit areas of South Sudan with life-saving supplies and services.

News Reports

• U.S.-India Joint Statement The White House 30 Sep 2014
• Obama, India's Modi Pledge to Expand Cooperation VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama and India's new prime minister, Narendra Modi, are pledging to work together to expand cooperation in trade, investment, technology and security.
• Hong Kong chief calls for end to protests Iran Press TV 30 Sep 2014 -- Hong Kong's chief executive Leung Chun-ying has called on the leaders of pro-democracy protesters to "immediately" end the current demonstrations in the region.
• Tense Standoff Continues in Hong Kong VOA 30 Sep 2014 --Official Hong Kong marked the 65th anniversary Wednesday of the founding of communist China, as city leaders remained locked in a tense standoff with tens of thousands of protesters demanding greater democratic reforms.
• China is willing to shoulder its responsibility to safeguard peace and justice People's Daily 30 Sep 2014 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a speech at the 69th United Nations General Assembly on September 27, 2014. The words 'peace' and 'justice' featured extensively among his words.
• China is not to blame for gloom in global stock market People's Daily 30 Sep 2014 -- Prospects for the global stock market are gloomy this week. Foreign media have blamed the slowdown in China's economy for the sluggish world economy. As experts point out, the global bear market is mainly due to the lack of progress in balancing the world economy. China will remain committed to a loose monetary policy and restructuring, enabling it to outperform its rivals in the world economy.
• Iran: US needs to stop flow of ISIL funds instead of air strikes ISNA 30 Sep 2014 -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Arab countries Hossein Amir-Abdollahian called on the US to block flow of funds for the terrorist group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) instead of launching air strikes on Syria.
• Military Action Not Enough to Defeat IS: Syrian Opposition Leader RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- Using military force against the Islamic State (IS) is not enough to destroy the extremist organization, Hadi Bahra, leader of a Syrian opposition group, told CNN on Tuesday.
• Analyst: West Cannot Win Prolonged Fight With Islamic State VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- European officials are expected to meet next month to try to tackle an almost impossible question: As aerial bombardments rain down on Islamic State targets, how do we prevent Islamic State fighters with European passports from going back to Europe and retaliating?
• Malaysia Struggles to Stop People Joining Jihad VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- Malaysian police have arrested three men at Kuala Lumpur International Airport they believe were headed to the Middle East to join Islamist militants in Syria. Authorities say militant groups like the so-called Islamic State have used social media to entice at least three dozen Malaysian Muslims to fight in what they call 'jihad' in Syria and Iraq. Counterterrorism police say they are deeply worried about what could happen when these militants return home.
• First US Case of Ebola Diagnosed in Dallas VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- Doctors in Dallas, Texas say they have diagnosed the first case of Ebola in the United States. The patient, whose identity has not been revealed, arrived on a flight from Liberia earlier this month, but showed no signs of illness until a few days later.
• UN Ebola Mission Kicks Off Amid Questions About Safety VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- As the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has worsened over the past months, countries from Cuba to Denmark to Britain have helped fight the disease. Now, it's the United Nations' turn.
• In West Africa, UN launches strengthened response as Ebola shatters lives, orphans children UN News Centre 30 Sep 2014 -- Amid a climbing death toll and widespread panic, the Ebola outbreak continues to ravage West Africa leaving thousands of orphaned children in its wake, an official for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today, as a fortified UN mission arrived in the region to confront and contain the growing crisis.
• Ebola and the media - Nigeria's good news story IRIN 30 Sep 2014 -- When an Internet message announcing a salt water solution for Ebola went viral in July, many Nigerians were quick to take heed. Twenty people were hospitalized and two died, reportedly from an excessive intake of salt.
• Rouhani says Iran, P5+1 can reach final deal by deadline ISNA 30 Sep 2014 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said if the P5+1 group shows real determination, a final nuclear agreement between Tehran and the six powers is possible before the November 24 deadline.
• Iran rejects reports on cooperation against ISIL in return for nuclear case ISNA 30 Sep 2014 -- Secretary of Iranian Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani rejected reports that the country is ready to battle the terrorist group of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in return for its nuclear case.
• Iran,P5+1 can reach final deal by deadline: Rouhani Iran Press TV 30 Sep 2014 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says if the P5+1 group shows real determination, a final nuclear agreement between Tehran and the six powers is possible before the November 24 deadline.
• North Korean Leader Resting in Hospital After Surgery: Reports RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has undergone an ankle fracture surgery in Pyongyang and currently remains in hospital, South Korea's The Chosun Ilbo reported Tuesday.
• Political Instability Worsened in North Korea: World Bank RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- The political situation in North Korea has worsened more in 2013 than the previous year, the World Bank reported on Tuesday.
• S. Korean Leader Responds to North's Attacks on Human Rights Policy VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye has responded to North Korean criticism by saying the North's human rights record is "the crux" of Seoul's policy toward the communist country.
• Ukrainian Energy Ministry Says Russia Made No Acceptable Proposals on Gas at Talks RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2014 -- The Ukrainian Energy Ministry said Tuesday it had received no "acceptable proposals" from Russia during last week's gas talks with Moscow and the European Commission.
• Iran to launch another bio-capsule into space in coming months ISNA 30 Sep 2014 -- Deputy Head of Iranian Space Agency (ISA) Hamid Fazeli said the country plans to launch another bio-capsule into space by the end of the Iranian calendar year, started on March 21.
• EU Keeps Russia Sanctions in Place VOA 30 Sep 2014 -- European Union envoys decided to keep in place several rounds of sanctions the bloc imposed on Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and what the West says is Moscow's direct support of separatists in the country's east.
• At UN meeting, tolerance and education highlighted as critical allies against terrorism UN News Centre 30 Sep 2014 -- The international community must act swiftly and concretely to confront the root causes of violent extremism, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, underlining the need to address terrorism through more comprehensive and holistic efforts.