Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 04 Feb 2015 [PDF]
• Operation Inherent Resolve Airstrikes Continue in Syria, Iraq AFPS 04 Feb 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Weather flight Airmen continue to support Bagram operations AFNS 04 Feb 2015 -- It's possible that for many, the predictions of weather forecasters are taken lightly; viewed as information to be considered, but easily written off with scarce consequences.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Greenert: Science, Technology Put Navy on Bow Wave of Innovation AFPS 04 Feb 2015 -- It wasn't long ago that unmanned vehicles such as aerial drones were the stuff of science fiction, and now they're turning up under the Christmas tree, Navy Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert said here today.
• Romanians, U.S. Marines share time-forged tactics USMC News 04 Feb 2015 -- Romanian and U.S. Marines wrapped up a week-long training exercise on Jan. 30, which focused on naval infantry squad-offensive tactics and procedures in Babadag, Romania.
• SECNAV Focuses on Enhancing DoN Partnership With Colombia NNS 04 Feb 2015 -- Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus completed a visit to Colombia Feb. 4 after meeting with the nation's minister of defense, chief of defense and chief of naval operations.
• Carter Pledges to Help Resolve DoD Budget Issues AFPS 04 Feb 2015 -- President Barack Obama's defense secretary nominee this morning pledged to protect the nation and its allies in a turbulent world and to work with Congress to find a way through defense budget turmoil and the looming spending cuts of sequestration.
• 2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faces harsh weather, enemy forces during field exercise USMC News 04 Feb 2015 -- Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibious Battalion faced rain, mud and enemy attacks during a week-long battalion field exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., January 22 to 28, 2015.
• Fort Worth Departs Singapore After Scheduled Maintenance NNS 04 Feb 2015 -- The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) got underway from Singapore Feb. 2 after completing her first six-day scheduled preventive maintenance period during a maiden 16-month rotational deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
• USS San Diego Departs US 5th Fleet, Reunites with Makin Island ARG in US 7th Fleet NNS 04 Feb 2015 -- The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22), with the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), departed the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO) and transitioned into the 7th Fleet AOO Jan. 25, 2015.
• Nuclear Issues, Russia-Ukraine on NATO Ministers' Agenda VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- NATO defense ministers will meet Thursday in Brussels to discuss nuclear issues, the conflict in Ukraine and the threat of Russian aggression near NATO's eastern border.
• NATO Report Sets Stage for Defense Ministers Meeting AFPS 04 Feb 2015 -- Last year was not a good year for European security, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last week.
• New Russian Tor Missile System Preparing to Blast Off Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Air defense units of Russia's Eastern Military District stationed in Khabarovsky Territory started getting acquainted with the all-new Tor-M2U missile system which came into service late 2014, the district reported in a statement.
• Tornado Rocket System to Replace Grad in Russia's Eastern Military District Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Around 20 new Tornado-G multiple rocket launcher systems were delivered to the motor rifle unit of Russia's Eastern Military District to replace the Grad launchers, the district reports in a statement.
• Social Media Frontline: UK Military to Recruit for Propaganda War Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Lay down your guns and pick up your iPhones - that's the new message from the British Defence Force, with the British Army setting up a specialised unit focusing on psychological operations and social media to help fight the information war.
• Chinese troops warned on espionage People's Daily 04 Feb 2015 -- Chinese military authorities have ordered servicemen to be on guard against infiltration and espionage by 'hostile forces'.
• Bush-Blair Notes Key Reason for Delaying Report Into UK Role in Iraq War Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Sir John Chilcot, who chairs an inquiry into Britain's role in the Iraq War, said Wednesday the publication of the report was significantly delayed over the declassification of conversations between then UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and former US President George W. Bush.
• Japan Divided Over Future Role Following IS Executions VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- Japan's role on the world stage has been brought into sharp focus by the executions of two Japanese nationals by the Islamic State terror group in Syria. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to change the country's pacifist stance and take a more proactive role in global security. But many Japanese disagree.
• Poroshenko Calls for NATO Weapons Ahead of Kerry Meeting VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets in Kyiv Thursday with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who is making a fresh appeal for Western weapons to help fight pro Russian rebels.
• Nominee to Head Pentagon Backs 'Lethal Aid' to Ukraine VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- President Barack Obama's choice to become U.S. defense secretary said Wednesday that he is inclined to support supplying Ukraine with 'lethal arms' to fight Russia-backed insurgents.
• Defense Secretary Nominee Urges US to Supply Lethal Arms to Ukraine Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- US Defense Secretary nominee Ashton Carter favors sending lethal weapons to Ukraine, according to his Wednesday speech to the US Senate Armed Services Committee.
• France Says No Plans to Supply Lethal Weapons to Ukraine at Present Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- France has no plans to deliver lethal weapons to Ukraine despite sharp deterioration of the situation in the crisis-hit country, Reuters reported Wednesday citing Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
• France says not after sending lethal weapons to Ukraine at present Iran Press TV 04 Feb 2015 -- French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian says Paris is not after providing the Ukrainian government with "lethal weapons."
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 2/4/2015 The White House 04 Feb 2015
• February 4, 2015 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 04 Feb 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for February 04, 2015

Other Conflicts

• 4 February 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 04 Feb 2015
• Islamic State's Extreme Violence: Analysts Say to Expect More VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- The fight between the extremist group Islamic State, and the Western/Arab coalition battling to defeat it has become a public showdown of horror. And analysts warn, there could be more to come.
• Jordan's King Vows 'Relentless' War Against IS VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- Jordan's King Abdullah has vowed to take tough action against Islamic State militants following the group's gruesome killing of a Jordanian pilot captured after his plane went down during a mission targeting the militants in Syria.
• Middle East Rejects 'Barbaric' Immolation Of Jordanian Pilot RFE/RL 04 Feb 2015 -- A video that appears to show a captured Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage by Islamic State (IS) militants has drawn outrage across the Middle East, with religious and political leaders condemning the immolation as 'barbaric' and 'satanic.'
• IS Brutality in Burning Death Raises Arab Ire VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- The gruesome killing of captive Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh at the hands of Islamic State militants appears to be galvanizing Arab public opinion against the group.
• Iraq forces attack ISIL in Salahuddin Province Iran Press TV 04 Feb 2015 -- Units of Iraqi government forces have engaged the ISIL Takfiri terrorists in the northern province of Salahuddin.
• Libya: UN mission condemns attack on oilfield, calls for immediate ceasefire UN News Centre 04 Feb 2015 -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has strongly condemned the attack carried out by armed groups operating under the Alshuruq Operation in the 'oil crescent' area, causing many deaths and undermining the recent efforts of Libyan leaders to reach a peace pact.
• Armed militants attack Libya's al-Mabrook oil field Iran Press TV 04 Feb 2015 -- Unidentified gunmen in Libya have waged an attack on the Al-Mabrook oil field in the central part of the North African country, the state-run National Oil Corp (NOC) says.
• Background Briefing En Route Kyiv, Ukraine US Dept. of State 04 Feb 2015
• EU Says 'Spiral Of Violence' in Ukraine Must Stop, Blames Rebels RFE/RL 04 Feb 2015 -- EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini has said that the 'spiral of ever-increasing violence in eastern Ukraine needs to stop' and blamed pro-Russian rebels for a recent escalation that she said was causing 'great human suffering.'
• Fighting For Debaltseve Persists Despite Ukraine Truce Call RFE/RL 04 Feb 2015 -- Fighting for control of the eastern Ukrainian town of Debaltseve continued despite a call by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for a cease-fire to allow for the evacuation of civilians facing a 'catastrophic' situation in the besieged transport hub.
• DPR: Kiev Plots Shelling Refugees Bus, Shift Bloodshed on Donetsk Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Donetsk authorities have evidence pointing out at Kiev's plans to attack a bus with refugees from Debaltseve and use this provocative act to discredit pro-independence forces ahead of the Munich security conference, an official from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) said Wednesday.
• Luhansk Carries Out First Air Attack Against Kiev-Led Forces Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Forces of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic in southeastern Ukraine have carried out its first airstrike against Kiev-led forces, a spokesperson for the militia headquarters said Wednesday.
• Boko Haram facing mounting regional military pressure IRIN 04 Feb 2015 -- Nigeria and its neighbours have launched a major military offensive that has retaken a string of border towns from Boko Haram. The move comes just ahead of talks in Cameroon to agree details of the 7,500-strong taskforce proposed by the African Union to tackle the militant Islamist group.
• Chad says soldiers kill 200 Boko Haram militants Iran Press TV 04 Feb 2015 -- Chad says its troops have inflicted heavy losses on the Boko Haram Takfiri militants in Nigeria, killing more than 200 of its members in a border town.
• Mali rebels, pro-government fighters clash Iran Press TV 04 Feb 2015 -- Malian rebels and pro-government fighters have clashed in the north of the country near a town controlled by pro-government militias.
• Report: Boko Haram Kills Dozens in Cameroon Attack VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- The Nigerian militant group Boko Haram is reported to have killed dozens of people in a cross-border raid into Cameroon.
• Putin Signs Law Ratifying Russia-Abkhazia Strategic Partnership Treaty RFE/RL 04 Feb 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law ratifying a 'strategic partnership' treaty with separatists in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia.
• UN Somalia envoy 'excited and worried' about political progress in year ahead UN News Centre 04 Feb 2015 -- Underlining the importance of the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations in Somalia, which he called "unique, strong and essential for success," the top UN official there briefed the Security Council today on the challenges lying ahead for the country in 2015.
• Somalia: al-Shabab Leader Killed in US Drone Strike VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- Somalia says a U.S. drone strike on Saturday killed its target, senior al-Shabab militant leader Yusuf Dheeg.
• No Major Breakthrough in South Sudan Peace Deal VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- The leaders of South Sudan's warring factions signed a peace deal on February 1, in the latest attempt to end a conflict that has raged for more than a year. Analysts say, while not perfect, this deal could be more promising than previous peace agreements.
• Armed groups to be 'neutralised' says UN DR Congo envoy after massacre near Beni UN News Centre 04 Feb 2015 -- The head of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has today strongly condemned massacre of civilians that took place in the area of Beni town in the vast country's restive northeast.
• 'It's now or never' for Central African Republic, UN warns urging more support to end crisis UN News Centre 04 Feb 2015 -- The Head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Africa, Abdoulaye Dieye, began today a week-long visit to the Central African Republic (CAR), calling on international partners to intensify their support for the country's ongoing transition process.
• Myanmar Condemns UN Official for Using Term 'Rohingya' VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- Myanmar has slammed a visiting United Nations official for using the term 'Rohingya' to refer to a beleaguered ethnic minority group that the government does not officially recognize.

News Reports

• Tehran Denies Iranian Missile Program is Part of Nuclear Talks Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Iran's missile program is not part of negotiations with the 5+1 group, comprising US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, on Tehran's controversial nuclear program, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi said, according to state media.
• Obama Sets Limitations on NSA Spying After Snowden Leaks Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- The US administration set new changes on the National Security Agency's collection of data on Americans and foreigners, bringing reform to the controversial NSA spying administration.
• CIA Torture Whistleblower Released From Prison, Subject to House Arrest Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, sentenced to 30 months in prison for disclosing the agency's torture practices, has been released from jail, he said in a post on Twitter.
• 9/11 Plotter Says Saudi Royal Family Funded al-Qaida VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- A former al-Qaida member who helped plot the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States has testified that the Saudi royal family gave money and other help to the terrorist group.
• North Korea Rejects Negotiations With US, Warns of 'Final Doom' Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- Pyongyang is no longer willing to engage in talks with Washington, North Korea's top military body said in a statement Wednesday, saying that "final doom" awaits the United States.
• U.S. Imperialists Will Face Final Doom: DPRK NDC KCNA 04 Feb 2015 -- Obama announced new 'additional sanctions' on the DPRK through a 'presidential executive order' at the outset of the year and slandered it as 'the most isolated, severed and cruel dictatorial state' on Jan. 22.
• DPRK FM Sends Letters to UN Secretary-General and UNGA Session President KCNA 04 Feb 2015 -- DPRK Foreign Minster Ri Su Yong on Jan. 2 sent a letter separately to the secretary-general of the UN and the president of the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly in connection with the fact that Sin Tong Hyok, a 'defector from the north', recently confessed that his 'testimony' was a fabrication.
• DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesman Blasts Remarks of 'Special Rapporteur' of UN Human Rights Council KCNA 04 Feb 2015 -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry on Feb. 4 gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA as regards the fact that the 'special rapporteur' on human rights issue in the DPRK recently slung mud at the dignity of its supreme leadership:
• Ukrainian Parliament Strips Yanukovych of Presidential Title Sputnik 04 Feb 2015 -- The Ukrainian parliament has stripped former President Viktor Yanukovych of his presidential title.
• International community 'will not tolerate' obstacles to Burkina Faso transition, says UN political chief UN News Centre 04 Feb 2015 -- The United Nations' top political official said today that Burkina Faso's transitional institutions must continue to respect the aspirations of the Burkinabe people and ensure full respect for human rights and the physical integrity of all citizens.
• Turkey's Bank Seizure Highlights Erdogan's Growing Ambition VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- Turkey's banking watchdog has transferred control of Bank Asya to a state-run fund, purging its executives with a decision that effectively hands over the Islamic lender to the government.