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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 23 Jul 2015 [PDF]
• Reports Say Turkey to Permit US Attacks from Incirlik Base VOA 23 Jul 2015 -- U.S. and Turkish media reported Thursday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to let U.S. fighter planes use Incirlik Air Base in Turkey to launch attacks on Islamic State militants inside Syria, although Washington declined to publicly discuss details of new cooperation between the two countries.
• Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 23 Jul 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.
• U.S. defense chief makes surprise visit to Iraq People's Daily 23 Jul 2015 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Aston Carter arrived in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Thursday on an unannounced visit to meet with Iraqi leaders over the battles against the Islamic State (IS) militant group, an official television reported.
• Carter Visits Iraq to Assess Fight Against IS VOA 23 Jul 2015 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter made an unannounced visit Thursday to Iraq, saying he wanted a first-hand look at U.S. and Iraqi efforts to thwart the advances of Islamic State militants.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Deputy Secretary Work, Under Secretary Kendall, Dr. Jones, and Dr. Majidi on the DOD Comprehensive Anthrax Lab Review findings in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 23 Jul 2015 -- Presenters: Presenters: Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall, Biological Defense Program's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Franca Jones, and Chairman of the Comprehensive Review Com
• US Report: Live Anthrax Samples Shipped to Dozens of Labs VOA 23 Jul 2015 -- A new report finds that the U.S. military mistakenly has shipped live anthrax samples to dozens of labs in the United States and to seven other nations for more than a decade.
• White House drafting plan to close Guantanamo Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- The US administration is in the final stages of drafting a plan and sending it to Congress to close the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, a long-delayed promise by President Barack Obama.
• Ground testing for F-35 gun conducted at Edwards AFB AFNS 23 Jul 2015 -- The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force is in the process of testing the F-35A Lightning II's newest munitions asset, a four-barrel Gatling gun that fires 25 mm rounds known as the GAU-22/A.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Ash Carter's Meetings with Prime Minister Abadi, Minister of Defense Ubaidi and Iraqi Sunni Leaders DoD 23 Jul 2015
• Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work's Meeting with Niger's Minister of Defense Karidjo Mahamadou DoD 23 Jul 2015
• CBIRF Marines conduct lane, skills training during Exercise Scarlet Response 2015 USMC News 23 Jul 2015 -- The Search and Extraction Platoon, made of Marines and sailors with Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, II Marine Expeditionary Force, put on their gas masks and suits in the sticky heat, July 21, for training to prepare them for disasters around the world.
• EOD Techs Recover Sunken CSS Georgia NNS 23 Jul 2015 -- Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians perform some of the most harrowing, dangerous work in order to keep others from harm's way, and they do so in every environment.
• Carter, Saudi Leaders Discuss Security, New Challenges AFPS 23 Jul 2015 -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter had "exceptionally substantive" meetings with Saudi Arabia's king and defense minister on regional security issues and new challenges, he said yesterday in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia.
• SPS-JHSV 2015 Build a Home Away from Home in Honduras NNS 23 Jul 2015 -- Service Members currently deployed in support of Southern Partnership Station-Joint High Speed Vessel 2015 (SPS-JHSV-15) build base camp on July 13 at Puerto Castilla, Honduras.
• USNS Spearhead, SPS-JHSV 2015 Completes Fleet Experimentation Period Two NNS 23 Jul 2015 -- USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC), completed Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) period two from July 15 - 22.
• Undersea Rescue Command Completes ORE; U.S. Navy Returns to Deep Sea Rescue NNS 23 Jul 2015 -- Crew members from Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and contractors from Phoenix Holdings International (Phoenix) completed an operational readiness evaluation (ORE) July 19, re-certifying the Navy's deep sea submarine rescue capability.
• USS Donald Cook Begins Third Rotational Patrol in U.S. 6th Fleet NNS 23 Jul 2015 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) departed Naval Station Rota, Spain, on July 22 to begin her third forward-deployed patrol in support of ballistic missile defense of Europe and demonstrate the U.S. commitment to collective defense of allies and partners under Operation Atlantic Resolve.
• US, Estonian Paratroopers Hold Joint Drills Using UH60 Black Hawk Choppers Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- US paratroopers and the Estonian Defense League home guard Kaitsellit held joint military drills in central Estonia, the Kaitseliit announced Thursday.
• Russia to reinforce Crimean naval grouping by yearend - fleet commander TASS 23 Jul 2015 -- The Project 11356 lead frigate Admiral Grigorovich is scheduled to join the Russian Black Sea Fleet and reach Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula by the end of this year, Fleet Commander, Admiral Alexander Vitko said on Thursday.
• Russia restoring defense infrastructure on Kuril Islands - PM TASS 23 Jul 2015 -- The Russian authorities are planning to restore both the civilian and defense infrastructure of the Kuril Islands off Russia's Pacific coast as part of the targeted federal program, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday.
• Russian defense official confirms plans to complete Yars missile system rearmament by 2021 TASS 23 Jul 2015 -- Rearmament of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) with the newest Yars mobile missile system is planned to be completed by 2021. Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman for RVSN Dmitry Andreyev told TASS on Thursday that a division of the Yoshkar-Ola RVSN formation will be transferred to the Yars system in 2016.
• Russian lawmaker warns government against cuts in defense budget TASS 23 Jul 2015 -- A Russian lawmaker has warned the government against reduction of the defense budget and asked to ensure access to easy-term loans for defense-sector enterprises.
• Pentagon Wants to Deploy Powerful Radars to Kiev Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- The so-called United States' war party is apparently about to score a victory as the Pentagon readies to send Kiev powerful longer-range radars, allegedly aimed at bolstering the country's defenses against the independence supporters in eastern Ukraine.
• China Deploys Ultra-Modern Destroyer to Base on S. China Sea Island Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- The Chinese navy reportedly has commissioned the second of its Type 052D Luyang III class destroyers earlier this month and deployed the ship to its fleet in the South China Sea.
• Prime Minister announces new jobs and investment for Wales UK MOD 23 Jul 2015 -- David Cameron announces a £390 million contract to support armoured fighting vehicles, bringing 250 highly-skilled jobs to Wales.
• UN rights experts on the use of mercenaries weigh 'increasing activity' of foreign fighters UN News 23 Jul 2015 -- The United Nations expert group on the use of mercenaries today convened a discussion at UN Headquarters in New York to address the issue of the increasing activity of foreign fighters – particularly towards understanding their motivations – and its impact on human rights.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 7/23/2015 The White House 23 Jul 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 23, 2015

Other Conflicts

• 23 July 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 23 Jul 2015
• Will Houthi retreat mean more Yemen aid? IRIN 23 Jul 2015 -- For more than four months, Houthi rebels have vied for control of Yemen's strategic southern port city of Aden. In the past week, they have been all but pushed out.
• Iraq forces closes in on ISIL-seized Ramadi Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- Iraqi government forces and volunteer fighters have made fresh gains in their battle against ISIL militants in the western province of Anbar, purging terrorists near the flashpoint city of Ramadi, Press TV reports.
• UN Warns Desperation May Drive Iraqis To Islamic State RFE/RL 23 Jul 2015 -- The United Nations envoy for Iraq warned that a lack of funds for desperately needed humanitarian aid has already cut food rations and may be forcing Iraqis to look to the Islamic State for life-saving assistance.
• Syria: bread prices up nearly 90 per cent, pushing more people into hunger, UN report warns UN News 23 Jul 2015 -- Syria's food production in 2015 remains at 40 per cent below its pre-crisis levels, impacting the price of bread, which has spiralled by 87 per cent, and shrinking poultry production by half, according to a United Nations agency report released today that warns that "the risk of irreversible damage to the children is real, with tragic future consequences."
• Ankara Grants US Military Go-Ahead for Strikes Against ISIL From Turkey Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- In the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group, the Turkish government has reportedly given the US permission to conduct air strikes from its soil, according to the Wall Street Journal and Turkish media.
• Turkey sends fighter jets to Syria border after soldier death in gunfire Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- Turkey has scrambled fighter jets to the Syrian border after a soldier was killed and a number of others injured in the Kilis region by gunfire which came from the Syrian side of the frontier, Turkish media say.
• Turkey Calls on Fighter Jets as Officer Is Killed in ISIL Gunfight Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- Turkey has scrambled fighter jets to its border with Syria after earlier clashes with five ISIL militants claimed the life of a Turkish officer and left others wounded.
• US, Turkey to 'stem flow' of ISIL militants on Turkish-Syrian border Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- Washington and Ankara have agreed to work jointly in a declared attempt to tighten security along Turkey's border with Syria, aimed at controlling the movement of ISIL militants in the region.
• Syria, Hezbollah close to retaking Zabadani as ISIL Takfiris surrender Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- Syrian troops and fighters of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah have made new gains in their battle to retake the strategic border town of Zabadani as more ISIL militants choose to surrender.
• In Damascus, UN special envoy meets senior Syrian officials on political solution to crisis UN News 23 Jul 2015 -- Wrapping up his tour of the region, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura visited Damascus today, where he met with senior Government officials on ways to maintain momentum towards a political solution to the crisis in the country, which is entering its fifth year.
• Libya: UN mission calls for immediate ceasefire as fresh violence erupts across country's southern region UN News 23 Jul 2015 -- Deeply concerned by escalating violence in southern Libya, the United Nations Support Mission in crisis-torn country, today called for an immediate ceasefire amid fighting that has claimed dozens of lives in recent weeks and is a "further reminder of the chaos engulfing Libya and the need for the main…actors to move quickly to reach a political settlement."
• Boko Haram raid kills eight civilians in northeast Nigeria Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- Suspected Boko Haram Takfiri militants have gunned down at least eight people during a raid on a village in the troubled northeast Nigeria, local residents say.
• South Sudan war taking devastating toll on civilians: UN Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- A senior UN official for humanitarian affairs has warned about the "devastating" burden on the civilians South Sudan as a result of the persisting conflict between army troops and rebel forces in the deeply-divided African state.
• 'Sanctity of life paramount,' UN relief chief says in South Sudan, spotlighting need to protect civilians UN News 23 Jul 2015 -- Mid-way through a four-day visit to assess the humanitarian situation in South Sudan, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator reviewed aid operations in the warn-torn country today, stressing that "everything" should be done to protect civilians from violence.
• A tough homecoming in Central African Republic IRIN 23 Jul 2015 -- Thousands of people have been returning to their homes in the Central African Republic more than a year after fleeing a violent and complex political crisis, in many cases to neighbouring countries.
• Decisive action by Israel and Palestinians can dispel view that peace process is 'on life support,' - UN envoy UN News 23 Jul 2015 -- Welcoming the recent stated commitment by Israeli and Palestinian leaders to a peaceful solution to the region's most enduring crisis, the United Nations special envoy on the Middle East told the Security Council today that such words need to be translated into "concrete and sustained actions on the ground."

News Reports

• US Lawmakers, Obama Officials Spar on Iran Nuclear Deal VOA 23 Jul 2015 -- Secretary of State John Kerry sparred with members of a Senate committee during the first public hearing on the controversial deal to lift economic and other sanctions against Iran in exchange for it scaling back its nuclear program.
• Kerry Warns Of 'Green Light' For Iran Nuclear Program If Congress Rejects Deal RFE/RL 23 Jul 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has warned U.S. lawmakers that rejecting the Iran nuclear deal would give 'a great big green light' to accelerate its ability to obtain an atomic weapon.
• New Congressional Sanctions on Iran May Violate Nuclear Deal - US Senator Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- The Iran nuclear deal may decrease the Congress' ability to introduce new sanctions.
• Kerry: US Congress Rejecting Nuclear Deal to Boost Iran's Weapon Program Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- John Kerry warned that Congress' possible decision to veto the Iran nuclear agreement may backfire and result in Tehran's development of weapons.
• White House says not hiding any parts of Iran accord from Congress Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- US administration officials have denied claims by some Republican lawmakers about hiding parts of a recent nuclear agreement with Iran from Congress.
• Borujerdi: Iran follows peaceful nuclear program with perseverance IRNA 23 Jul 2015 -- Chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Majlis said on Thursday Iran will follow its peaceful nuclear activities with perseverance.
• UNSC Resolution clears Iran from charge of threat to int'l peace IRNA 23 Jul 2015 -- President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that adoption of the Resolution 2231 by the Security Council cleared Iran the charge of threat to the international peace and security.
• Backing away from Iran nuclear accord by US 'historic mistake' Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz have warned Congress not to make a "historic mistake" by rejecting Iran's nuclear program accord.
• Iran, IAEA Have 'No Secret Deals' Amid Iran Nuclear Agreement - State Dep't Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have no secret agreements between them, State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in a press briefing.
• India Hopes to Benefit From Easing of Iran Sanctions VOA 23 Jul 2015 -- India, one of the handful of countries that continued to trade with Iran despite tight sanctions, hopes to reap significant, long term benefits when Tehran's nuclear deal with major powers is implemented. However, its exporters are also bracing for tougher competition from Western companies.
• FBI: Islamic State Bigger Threat Than al-Qaida VOA 23 Jul 2015 -- FBI Director James Comey says the Islamic State group's online attempts to recruit Americans pose a bigger terror threat to the U.S. than al-Qaida.
• ISIL bigger threat to US than al-Qaeda: FBI chief Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- The ISIL terrorist group's ability to inspire Americans through social media has made it a bigger threat to the United States than al-Qaeda, says the FBI director.
• North Korea May Launch Space Sat Before October - Seoul Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- North Korea may orbit a space satellite before October, a South Korean newspaper reported, citing a government source in Seoul.
• Report: Burundi Protest Crackdowns Too Harsh VOA 23 Jul 2015 -- Amnesty International released a report saying Burundian authorities repressed political demonstrations earlier this year as if they were an insurrection, using lethal force to silence anti-government protesters.
• Burundi: after 'broadly peaceful' polls Ban urges parties to resume inclusive political dialogue UN News 23 Jul 2015 -- Taking note of the "broadly peaceful" conduct of polling in the Burundian presidential elections on 21 July, the top United Nations official today called on all parties to continue to remain calm and immediately resume an inclusive political dialogue.