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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 07 Jan 2016 [PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Pentagon Press Secretary Cook in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 07 Jan 2016 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook
• Strikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 07 Jan 2016 -- 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

• Carter Gets Update on 'Provocative' North Korean Action AFPS 07 Jan 2016 -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter received an update today from the commander of U.S. Pacific Command about recent events on the Korean Peninsula, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters today.
• U.S., Turkey Have 'Common Sight Picture' of ISIL, Dunford Says AFPS 07 Jan 2016 -- Discussions with Turkish officials in Turkey's capital of Ankara today included challenges posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Russia, Iran, refugees and border protection, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
• Pentagon Announces Changes to Military Decorations and Awards Program AFPS 07 Jan 2016 -- The Pentagon has made a number of changes to the military decorations and awards program to ensure service members receive appropriate recognition of their actions, according to a statement released today.
• Defense Department Announces Results of Military Decorations and Awards Review DoD 07 Jan 201 6-- Today, the Department of Defense announced the results of its year-long review of the military decorations and awards program to ensure continued appropriate recognition of the service, sacrifices, and actions of its service members while maintaining the historical legacy of the awards program.
• Defense Department Announces Service Cross and Silver Star Review DoD 07 Jan 2016 -- Today, the secretary of defense directed the military departments to review Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, and Silver Star Medal recommendations from the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan to ensure service members awarded these medals were appropriately recognized for their valorous actions.
• Scared by 'Unpredictable Neighbor': Belgium Starts Defending Estonian Skies Sputnik 07 Jan 2016 -- The Belgian Air Force commenced policing mission to 'defend Baltic skies' in the framework of 'defense organization' NATO's rotating schedule.
• Washington, Seoul Discuss Deployment of Nuke Sub, F-22 and B-52 to S Korea Sputnik 07 Jan 2016 -- Military officials from the United States and South Korea discussed the deployment of a nuclear-powered submarine, a F-22 stealth fighter and a B-52 bomber to the Asian country amid Pyongyang's alleged hydrogen bomb test.
• DPRK's Access to H-bomb Is Right to Self-Defense: Rodong Sinmun KCNA 07 Jan 2016 -- The DPRK's H-bomb test and access to it are an exercise of its legitimate right to self-defense and a just measure which allows no one to slander, says Rodong Sinmun Thursday in an article.
• International community criticizes DPRK nuclear test, doubts remain on H-bomb claim People's Daily 07 Jan 2016 -- The international community continued to criticize a nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday while doubts still remain on the country's claim of a hydrogen bomb.
• UN Secretary General, UNSC condemn DPRK nuclear test People's Daily 07 Jan 2016 -- Wednesday's nuclear test by the DPRK has jolted the international community. The UN Secretary General and the UN Security Council have strongly condemned it.
• New Zealand government condemns DPRK hydrogen bomb test People's Daily 07 Jan 2016 -- The New Zealand government on Thursday strongly condemned the underground nuclear test carried out by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• Park, Obama agree to push strong UN resolutions over DPRK's nuke test People's Daily 07 Jan 2016 -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye and U.S. President Barack Obama have agreed to push for strong United Nations resolutions over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s fourth nuclear test, Park's office said Thursday.
• S. Korea, U.S. defense chiefs reaffirm DPRK unacceptable as nuke state People's Daily 07 Jan 2016 -- South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-Koo and U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Thursday reaffirmed their views that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will not be accepted as a nuclear state.
• US, S Korea and Japan vow 'tough response' to N Korea Press TV 07 Jan 2016 -- The White House says the United States, South Korea and Japan have agreed to launch a 'united and strong' response to North Korea's claim of a successful hydrogen bomb test.
• White House disputes North Korea's hydrogen bomb test Press TV 07 Jan 2016 -- The White House has expressed doubt over claims by Pyongyang in regard to successful testing of a hydrogen bomb, citing inconsistency between the data obtained and North Korea's allegations.
• Japan, S Korea to Seek UNSC Measures Against Pyongyang After H-Bomb Test Sputnik 07 Jan 2016 -- Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korea's President Park Geun-hye agreed on the need for tough measures against North Korea, Japanese media reported Thursday.
• Analysts: North Korea's 'H-Bomb' Gamble Could Backfire VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- North Korea's decision to carry out what it says was its first hydrogen bomb test has already triggered international condemnation, and is likely to lead to tougher sanctions as concern spills across the border into China.
• US, S. Korean Forces on Alert After North's Nuclear Test VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- U.S. and South Korean military forces on the Korean peninsula have been put on high alert following North Korea's fourth nuclear test conducted Wednesday.
• The Government of Iraq - Hellfire Missiles and Captive Air Training Missiles DSCA 07 Jan 2016 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Iraq of Hellfire missiles and Captive Air Training Missiles, related equipment and support. The estimated cost is $800 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on January 6, 2016.
• Government of Oman-TOW 2B Missiles DSCA 07 Jan 2016 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Oman of TOW 2B missiles, related equipment and support. The estimated cost is $51 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on January 6, 2016.
• US Gives Nigeria 24 Armored Vehicles for Boko Haram Fight VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- The U.S. government is giving Nigeria 24 mine-resistant, armor-protected vehicles to assist the country in its fight against Boko Haram militants.
• Remarks before the Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 07 Jan 2016 -- Remarks by John Kerry, Secretary of State
• Kerry: Nuclear Deal Nears; N. Korea Not 'Unattended' VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Secretary of State John Kerry says implementation of the Iran nuclear deal could be just "days away," if "all goes well."
• January 7, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 07 Jan 2016
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 1/7/2016 The White House 07 Jan 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 07, 2016

Other Conflicts

• 7 January 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 07 Jan 2016
• Solutions needed to stem global refugee crisis, says new UN agency chief UN News 07 Jan 2016 -- With record numbers of refugees and displaced people worldwide, the new head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is urging greater diplomatic efforts to find solutions to the conflicts and abuses driving people from their homes.
• MOFA lists facts on Diaoyutai Islands CNA 07 Jan 2016 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday listed 10 facts to emphasize that the Diaoyutai Islands are an inherent part of the Republic of China's territory.
• Philippines Denounces China's Test Flights in Spratlys VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- The Philippines on Thursday denounced China after a pair of Chinese civilian jet airliners landed on a newly created island in a disputed section of the South China Sea.
• Yemen: Ban condemns expulsion of UN rights official; 'extremely concerned' for staff UN News 07 Jan 2016 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today condemned the Government of Yemen's decision to expel the United Nations Human Rights representative in the war-torn country, voicing "extreme concern" for the safety of the remaining national and international staff.
• Yemen War Intensifies Amid Saudi-Iran Diplomatic Standoff VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Men and boys on the streets of Sana'a, Yemen's largest city, sell fuel for cars and generators out of jerry cans, water bottles and barrels.
• Witnesses Discount Iran's Claims of Saudi Airstrike on Embassy in Yemen VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Witnesses in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, discounted Iranian claims Thursday that Saudi Arabia hit Tehran's embassy there in an overnight airstrike.
• Iran censures 'deliberate' Saudi raid on mission in Sana'a Press TV 07 Jan 2016 -- Iran has roundly condemned a "deliberate" air raid by Saudi warplanes on its embassy in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, which injured a number of security forces guarding the diplomatic mission.
• Iran Accuses Saudis Of Striking Near Embassy In Yemen RFE/RL 07 Jan 2016 -- Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite-led Iran -- over Riyadh's execution of prominent Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, which was followed by attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.
• Yemen: UN health agency appeals for immediate access for vital medicines to besieged city UN News 07 Jan 2016 -- With more than 250,000 people living under virtual siege in strife-torn Yemen's central city of Taiz since November and convoys of life-saving medicines blocked, the United Nations health agency today called on all factions to allow immediate unconditional access.
• Flow of Foreign Fighters to Iraq, Syria Unrelenting VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Western efforts to stem the flow of foreign fighters to the conflict in Syria and Iraq are starting to have an impact, but would-be militants are still finding their way to the battlefront.
• Kurdish Forces Battle IS to Keep Control of Strategic Syrian Dam VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Nearly two weeks after regaining control of a strategic dam in northern Syria, Kurdish-led forces are struggling with continued blitzes from Islamic State militants who want to retake the area.
• Russian Bloggers Pinpoint Alleged Russian Cluster-Bomb Use In Syria RFE/RL 07 Jan 2016 -- Russian open-source bloggers say they have documented more evidence that Russia is using cluster bombs in its air campaign supporting Syria's embattled regime.
• UN to Deliver Humanitarian Aid to 3 Besieged Syrian Cities Sputnik 07 Jan 2016 -- The Syrian government on Thursday agreed to allow the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid to three besieged Syrian cities, the UN said in a statement.
• Syrian Army Launches Attack Against Daesh Near Palmyra Sputnik 07 Jan 2016 -- The Syrian Army alongside the National Defense Forces (NDF) launched a counter-offensive near the ancient city of Palmyra in the central province of Homs. They successfully repelled an attempted attack by Daesh militants.
• UN calls for humanitarian access to besieged areas in Syria, welcomes new approvals from Government UN News 07 Jan 2016 -- The United Nations is calling today for unimpeded humanitarian access to reach people in need in hard-to-reach and besieged areas of Syria, while welcoming the recent approval by the Government to access the towns of Madaya, Foah and Kefraya.
• UN: Syria Agrees to Relief Aid for 3 Besieged Towns VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- The United Nations says Syria has agreed to allow deliveries of humanitarian aid to three besieged towns in the war-torn country.
• Iraqi forces inflict 'heavy losses' on Daesh Press TV 07 Jan 2016 -- Iraq says government forces have launched fresh operations against the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group, inflicting heavy losses on the militants.
• Iraq Caught In Crossfire As Saudi-Iran Rift Raises Sectarian Strife RFE/RL 07 Jan 2016 -- The White House is seeking to help Iraq's leadership prevent a diplomatic rift between Saudi Arabia and Iran from aggravating sectarian conflict in Iraq and undermining recent victories against the Islamic State (IS) group.
• Libya Suffers Deadliest Bombing Since Fall of Gadhafi VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- A suicide truck bomb in Libya killed at least 60 police recruits Thursday at a college close to the city of Misrata. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest bombing in Libya since the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.
• Libya oil storage tanks on fire after Daesh attacks Press TV 07 Jan 2016 -- At least five massive oil storage tanks have caught fire in two oil terminals in Libya after attacks by Takfiri Daesh terrorists.
• 'Libya cannot afford to remain divided,' says UN envoy, deploring latest deadly terrorist attack UN News 07 Jan 2016 -- Condemning the "reprehensible" deadly terrorist attack on a security training centre today in Libya's coastal city of Zliten, the top United Nations official in the country said the incident again shows the urgent need for all stakeholders to press ahead with forming a recently-agreed unity government.
• Why can't Myanmar clear its landmines? IRIN 07 Jan 2016 -- The morning that everything changed for three young cousins began like almost every other in this quiet community near Myanmar's border with China. The children were walking down a dirt road in the morning sunshine, chatting as they went, when the tranquility was shattered by a huge blast.
• Russia Suspected in First-ever Cyberattack on Ukraine's Power Grid VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- In the last months of 2015, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine over Crimea's annexation and continuing strife in Ukraine's east appeared largely to be in stalemate. But now, with the new year, it appears the conflict is heating up again, and playing out on the region's electric grids.
• U.S. Suspects Russia Behind Cyberattack On Ukraine Power Grid RFE/RL 07 Jan 2016 -- U.S. security agencies are investigating whether Russian government hackers were behind a cyberattack on the Ukrainian power grid last month.
• UN agency condemns demolition of homes of Palestinian Bedouins in West Bank UN News 07 Jan 2016 -- Condemning the demolition by Israeli authorities of the homes of Palestinian Bedouins in the West Bank, a senior United Nations relief official today called on Israel to end such destruction and halt its plans to forcibly relocate Bedouin families.
• Central African Republic: UN envoy hails first-round election results, urges calm as process continues UN News 07 Jan 2016 -- Welcoming today's announcement of the results of the first round of the presidential elections in the Central African Republic (CAR), the United Nations envoy for the country has invited the two candidates that will participate in an upcoming run-off poll, "to maintain the spirit of peace and restraint that has prevailed" throughout the process thus far.

News Reports

• Killing the Terror Group That Won't Die: Islamic State VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- There is growing concern among the ranks of U.S. officials that it could take more than one war to ultimately defeat and destroy the Islamic State terror group.
• Why Is Islamic State So Hard to Beat? VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Islamic State extremists have been bombed, strafed, derided and pushed back, yet they fight on.
• South Korea Halts Aid, Inter-Korean Exchanges Over Nuclear Test VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- South Korea said Thursday that it would temporarily suspend aid to North Korea and limit inter-Korean exchanges in response to Pyongyang's nuclear test this week.
• S.Korea to resume propaganda broadcast in border areas with DPRK People's Daily 07 Jan 2016 -- South Korea's presidential office said Thursday that the country will resume propaganda broadcasts from Friday noon with loudspeakers in border areas with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• S.Korea to restrict entry into joint factory park with DPRK People's Daily 07 Jan 2016 -- South Korea's unification ministry plans to restrict the entry of workers into the Kaesong industrial complex, an inter-Korean factory park in the namesake city of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), local media reported Thursday.
• S Korea Raises Combat Readiness to Secure Propaganda on Border With North Sputnik 07 Jan 2016 -- South Korea is ready to protect the sites where it placed loudspeakers to send propaganda messages to North Korea.
• Seoul to Resume Propaganda Broadcasts to Retaliate Against North VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- South Korea announced it will resume loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts into North Korea on Friday in response to Pyongyang's nuclear test earlier this week.
• Saudi Arabia to collapse over 'sectarian' policies: Iran cmdr. Press TV 07 Jan 2016 -- A senior Iranian commander says Saudi Arabia will collapse in the near future, unless it ends its sectarian policies in the region.
• Saudi Arabia Seeks No War With Iran Despite Tensions - Deputy Crown Prince Sputnik 07 Jan 2016 -- According to Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince, the country doesn't seek any military confrontation with Iran.
• Venezuela president makes major cabinet reshuffle Press TV 07 Jan 2016 -- Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has announced a major cabinet reshuffle in an attempt to tackle the country's economic woes.
• Venezuela parliament says achieves 'supermajority' to oust Maduro Press TV 07 Jan 2016 -- Venezuela's opposition-controlled parliament says it now has the necessary power to legally oust President Nicolas Maduro after the three barred anti-government lawmakers were sworn in in defiance of the country's president and the Supreme Court.
• Rights Groups: Burundi's Government Not Interested in Talks VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- Peace talks between Burundi's government and opposition groups were postponed Wednesday, without being rescheduled. A senior foreign affairs official said the government will not speak with those it says are "supporting violence."
• Uganda Group Demands Inquiry into Alleged Voter List Tampering VOA 07 Jan 2016 -- The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda has called for an independent investigation into allegations that the voter list to be used for the February 18 general election is not credible, saying it has been tampered with to benefit incumbent President Yoweri Museveni and his ruling National Resistance Movement.
• Indian Kashmir Leader's Death Brings More Political Uncertainty RFE/RL 07 Jan 2016 -- The leader of India's Jammu and Kashmir state has died, bringing political uncertainty to the disputed region at the center of tensions between India and Pakistan.
• New Year, same old problems for Zimbabwe IRIN 07 Jan 2016 -- Over the next three months, 1.5 million Zimbabweans will be short of food until the new harvest comes in – and even then it's expected to be a meagre crop.