Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 11 Aug 2015 [PDF]
• Staff ‘could not risk’ American lives, says US military source Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- US military staff were “outraged” after a Turkish liaison officer stepped in and announced a massive airstrike would be launched in Iraq in 10 minutes.
• Airstrikes Destroy ISIL Infrastructure in Syria, Iraq AFPS 11 Aug 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq.
• Airmen enable Marines in Iraq AFNS 11 Aug 2015 -- Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen work around the clock to sustain and improve the Task Force Al Taqaddum advise and assist site.
• F-16 crashes in Bavaria AFNS 11 Aug 2015 -- A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, crashed Aug. 11.
• US Urges Pakistan, Afghanistan to Cooperate to Defeat Extremism VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- The United States is calling on both Afghanistan and Pakistan to work together to defeat violent extremism.
• Afghan President Demands That Pakistan Rein In Taliban RFE/RL 11 Aug 2015 -- The Afghan president has called on Pakistan to crack down on the Taliban after a wave of attacks in the capital that left dozens dead and hundreds wounded in Kabul's worst spate of violence since 2009.

Defense Policy / Programs

• ACC commander releases new command strategy AFNS 11 Aug 2015 -- Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the Air Combat Command commander, released ACC's 2015 command strategy "Securing the High Ground" Aug. 10.
• Navy Accepts Delivery of LCS 6 NNS 11 Aug 2015 -- The Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Jackson (LCS 6) during a ceremony at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, Aug. 11.
• USNS Spearhead Arrives in Naval Station Guantanamo Bay NNS 11 Aug 2015 -- USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), operated by Military Sealift Command, arrived in Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during Southern Partnership Station-Joint High Speed Vessel 2015 (SPS-JHSV 15), Aug. 11.
• Flying high: Strike Eagle pilot reaches elite milestone AFNS 11 Aug 2015 -- For F-15E Strike Eagle aircrew at the 4th Fighter Wing, flying through the skies is a part of their lifestyle.
• California Army National Guard help bridge gaps and fighting fires Army News 11 Aug 2015 -- Burning on one side of Northern California's Cache Creek is the Rocky Fire, the Golden State's largest wildfire so far this year.
• Airman Missing From World War II Accounted For DoD 11 Aug 2015
• Chinese Motorists Spot Enormous New Missile Transport and Launch Vehicle Sputnik 11 Aug 2015 -- Pictures have surfaced of what is believed to be the largest ever Chinese military vehicle for transporting and launching missiles.
• Conscientious Objectors In Kyrgyzstan Allowed To Avoid Military Service RFE/RL 11 Aug 2015 -- Conscientious objectors - individuals who refuse to serve in the military on the basis of their religious beliefs - will be allowed to avoid conscription in Kyrgyzstan under newly signed legislation.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, August 11, 2015 US Dept. of State 11 Aug 2015
• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 11 August 2015 United Nations 11 Aug 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 11, 2015

Other Conflicts

• Turkey Airstrikes Target Kurdish Militants VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- Turkey's military said Tuesday warplanes had carried out airstrikes against 17 Kurdish rebel targets in southeastern Turkey.
• Turkish fighter jets bomb 17 PKK positions in southeast Turkey Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- Turkish fighter jets have carried out air raids against 17 positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the country’s southeast, the Turkish army says.
• Turkey president pledges to purge PKK fighters Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to press on with a campaign against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Postpones Visit To Turkey RFE/RL 11 Aug 2015 -- Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said on August 11 that Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has postponed a planned visit to Turkey.
• IS Launches Attacks in Planned Syria Buffer Zone VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- Islamic State extremists are intensifying an offensive on a group of towns and villages at the heart of a buffer zone U.S. and Turkish authorities say they want to establish in northern Syria.
• Small Steps Seen Toward Syria Peace Talks VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- Russian and Saudi Arabian diplomats met in Moscow amid a flurry of international diplomacy seen as small steps toward Syria peace talks.
• Saudi Minister Tells Lavrov Riyadh Rejects Any Anti-IS Coalition With Assad RFE/RL 11 Aug 2015 -- Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has told the Kremlin that Riyadh will not join any coalition against Islamic State (IS) militants if the coalition includes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
• Truce Faltering as E. Ukraine Fighting Spikes VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- Intense clashes this week between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russia rebels are jeopardizing a fragile peace agreement and renewing concerns of a possible summer offensive.
• Defence Secretary announces further training for Ukraine UK MOD 11 Aug 2015 -- The Defence Secretary has announced further enhancements of the UK training programme for Ukrainian armed forces while visiting the country.
• Ukraine threatens to use all means to hit pro-Russia forces Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- Ukraine's military has threatened to use its "entire arsenal" against pro-Russia forces in the restive east.
• MH17 Probe Yields Possible Parts of Russian Missile VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- Investigators probing last year's downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine have found fragments that may have come from a Russian surface-to-air missile.
• Evidence Of Possible Russian Missiles In MH17 Tragedy RFE/RL 11 Aug 2015 -- Dutch prosecutors say they have found possible parts of a Russian-made BUK missile system at the site in eastern Ukraine where Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was brought down in 2014, killing all 298 people on board.
• MH17 Crash Team Cannot Confirm Origin of Recovered Parts Yet Sputnik 11 Aug 2015 -- It is too early to hypothesize about the country of origin of possible missile system parts amid the ongoing probe into last year’s downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.
• Landmine Attack Raises Korean Tensions VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- North Korea’s alleged land mine attack on South Korean soldiers is likely to strain inter-Korean relations further, South Korean government officials and experts say.
• Philippines: Chinese Surveillance Ship Parks Near Contested Shoal VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- A Philippine legislator says he has information that a Chinese surveillance vessel “dropped anchor” more than a month ago in the vicinity of a hotly contested shoal in the South China Sea that the Philippines claims.
• Yemen: amid food crisis, UN expert warns of deliberate starvation of civilians UN News 11 Aug 2015 -- As Yemen plunges deeper into conflict, which has left millions in need of humanitarian aid and wrecked healthcare systems, the country now finds itself in the midst of a major food crisis.
• UN: Rebels' Release From Mali Prison Threatens Peace Deal VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- The U.N. Human Rights Office warns the release of dozens of rebels charged with serious crimes in Mali threatens the country’s newly-born peace accord.
• With political will, Libyan parties can reach settlement by month’s end – UN envoy UN News 11 Aug 2015 -- UN special envoy Bernardino León: With political will, the parties could wrap up “this very difficult process” with an agreement by the end of August.
• UN Pushing for Final Libyan Peace Accord by September VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- Chief United Nations mediator says he believes it is possible to hammer out a final agreement on a unity government for conflict-ridden Libya by early September.
• Central African Republic: Ban ‘dismayed’ by allegations of abuse by UN ‘blue helmets’ UN News 11 Aug 2015 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his consternation regarding a number of allegations concerning the conduct of United Nations peacekeepers deployed to the Central African Republic.
• Central African Republic: UN releases funds for humanitarian aid amid ongoing crisis UN News 11 Aug 2015 -- The United Nations has allocated over $13 million dollars for the immediate distribution of life-saving assistance targeting those affected by the ongoing violence in the Central African Republic.
• Mali: UN alarmed at release of human rights abusers; warns de facto amnesty contrary to international law UN News 11 Aug 2015 -- The United Nations human rights office expressed deep concern over the reported release of detainees in Mali suspected of involvement in, or formally charged with, serious abuses.
• Pakistan summons Indian diplomat over ceasefire violations Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- Pakistan has summoned a senior Indian diplomat to protest against the recent death of a woman who was allegedly killed in gunfire by Indian forces along the de facto border dividing the disputed region of Kashmir.

News Reports

• Kerry Says Nixing Iran Nuclear Deal Could Damage U.S. Dollar’s Standing RFE/RL 11 Aug 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says that the dollar could cease to be a world reserve currency if Washington reneges on a nuclear deal with Iran and demands that allies follow suit.
• Iran Prepares for Foreign Investment Onslaught After Sanctions Subside Sputnik 11 Aug 2015 -- At the crossroads of both political and economic influence, Iran is preparing for a surge in foreign investment after sanctions against the country are lifted.
• Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Resigns Amid Anticorruption Sweep RFE/RL 11 Aug 2015 -- One of Iraq's three deputy prime ministers resigned and will be investigated for corruption.
• Court in Egypt sentences 452 members of Muslim Brotherhood to jail Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- An Egyptian military court has sentenced 452 Muslim Brotherhood members to hefty jail terms over their alleged roles in violent anti-government protests in 2013, Press TV reports.
• Japan restarts first nuclear reactor after 2-year hiatus People's Daily 11 Aug 2015 -- Japan restarted a nuclear reactor in the Sendai plant in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu.
• Japan Restarts Sendai Nuclear Reactor VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- A Japanese power company restarted a nuclear reactor on Tuesday, the first one to come back online under new safety regulations put in place following the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
• Abe's statement to include ‘apology’ People's Daily 11 Aug 2015 -- Sources close to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that the Japanese leader's statement on Friday will include key words such as "apology".
• Free voices are vital ‘partners not threats,’ UN rights expert tells government after Myanmar visit UN News 11 Aug 2015 -- A United Nations human rights expert today urged the Government to “reconsider its fear and opposition to critical and independent voices,” which are “partners” not “threats.”
• Britain Dismisses Extradition Bid for Rwandan Spy Chief VOA 10 Aug 2015 -- A court in Britain has dropped a controversial extradition case against Rwanda's intelligence chief, who is wanted in Spain for war crimes.