Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Coalition Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 21 Mar 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.

Defense Policy / Programs

• San Diego Receives Second Straight Battle 'E' NNS 21 Mar 2015 -- The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22) was awarded the Battle Effectiveness (Battle 'E') Award for Naval Surface Forces March 17, marking the second consecutive year San Diego has earned the award.
• Warsaw Hopes For Expansion of NATO Military Presence in Poland Sputnik 21 Mar 2015 -- Authorities in Warsaw hope that NATO will expand its military presence in Poland, Polish Minister of Defense Tomasz Siemoniak said Saturday.
• Russian Envoy Warns Denmark Not to Join NATO Missile Shield Sputnik 21 Mar 2015 -- The Russian Ambassador to Denmark has warned that Copenhagen will face grave consequences if it joins the NATO missile defense shield.
• Russian Military Urges to Rebuild Trust With Neighbors Amid Ukraine Crisis Sputnik 21 Mar 2015 -- The Russian Defense Ministry urges neighboring nations to return to the pre-crisis level of transparency, in an attempt to ease mistrust that has caused a rift with Europe after the start of the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russian General Staff official said Saturday.
• S-400 Air Defense Regiment Takes Up Duty in Russia's Northwest Sputnik 21 Mar 2015 -- The advanced S-400 Triumph air defense missile system division of the Russian Northern Fleet took up combat duty in country's northwest Murmansk region, the Russian Defense Ministry's press service said on Saturday.
• Russia Issues Contradicting Statements on NATO VOA 21 Mar 2015 -- A Russian senior official said that Moscow is not seeking confrontation with NATO.
• US Training of Ukrainian Forces in April to Focus on Territorial Defense Sputnik 21 Mar 2015 -- The United States will begin training Ukraine's military forces in April and the training will concentrate on improving Kiev's defense capabilities, according to a US Department of Defense press release.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Fighting Rages Outside Mariupol Despite Cease-Fire VOA 21 Mar 2015 -- The cease-fire in eastern Ukraine has been in place just over a month, but on the front line outside Mariupol, between the Russian border and Crimea, the fighting has never stopped.
• Obama Not Buying Netanyahu's Two-State Avowal VOA 21 Mar 2015 -- President Barack Obama is taking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his word when the Israeli leader said on the eve of Israeli elections last week that he did not support Palestinian statehood.
• Cameroon Blames CAR for Fresh Attack VOA 21 Mar 2015 -- Cameroon says suspected rebels from the Central African Republic have kidnapped 16 people from its territory, including influential local politicians, clergy and businessmen. Although the government says no group has claimed responsibility, it is widely speculated that supporters of rebel leader Abdoulaye Meskine are pressing for his release and that of his fighters who have been arrested and detained in Cameroon.
• Turkey's Kurdish Leader Ocalan Calls on Rebels to End Fighting VOA 21 Mar 2015 -- In Turkey, imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan has called for an end to decades of fighting by his Kurdish rebel group, the PKK. The call was made in a letter to Kurds celebrating Nowruz, or new year, in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast.

News Reports

• Britain, France, Germany, U.S. Affirm Unity In Iran Nuclear Talks RFE/RL 21 Mar 2015 -- Britain, France, Germany, and the United States have affirmed their 'unity of purpose' in the Iran nuclear talks, saying the Islamic Republic had to take 'difficult decisions.'
• EU, US Say Time for Iran to Take 'Difficult Decisions' on Nuclear Program Sputnik 21 Mar 2015 -- British, German, French and US foreign ministers on Saturday agreed that a 'substantial' progress was made during this week's nuclear talks with Iran, but stressed that now was the time for Tehran to take 'difficult decisions,' a joint statement said.
• Tehran, Six World Powers Resolve Major Issues in Iran Nuclear Talks – Zarif Sputnik 21 Mar 2015 -- According to Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif, Tehran and the six international mediators have resolved some of the major issues that have been blocking a deal on the Iranian nuclear program.
• Tens Of Thousands March Against Government In Georgia RFE/RL 21 Mar 2015 -- Tens of thousands of people have rallied in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, demanding the government step down.