Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 02 Mar 2016 [PDF]
• Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 02 Mar 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.
• US Captures IS Operative in Iraq VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- U.S. Special Operations forces have captured a suspected Islamic State operative in Iraq, U.S. defense officials said Wednesday.
• US says captured 'significant' Daesh member in Iraq Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- A group of US special operations forces deployed to Iraq have reportedly captured a Daesh (ISIL) terrorist operative during a recent raid.
• NATO Command Changes in Afghanistan VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- U.S. Army General John 'Mick' Nicholson has taken charge of American and NATO troops in Afghanistan as security conditions deteriorate across the war-ravaged nation in the wake of a vicious Taliban-led insurgency.
• NATO Secretary General welcomes change of command in Afghanistan NATO 02 Mar 2016 -- Today, General John "Mick" Nicholson assumed command of NATO's Resolute Support mission from General John F. Campbell.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Open Letter on Donald Trump from GOP National Security Leaders War on the Rocks 02 Mar 2016 -- "We the undersigned, members of the Republican national security community, represent a broad spectrum of opinion on America’s role in the world and what is necessary to keep us safe and prosperous. We have disagreed with one another on many issues, including the Iraq war and intervention in Syria. But we are united in our opposition to a Donald Trump presidency."
• Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on DoD's "Hack the Pentagon" Cybersecurity Initiative DoD 02 Mar 2016 -- The Department of Defense announced today that it will invite vetted hackers to test the department's cybersecurity under a unique pilot program. The "Hack the Pentagon" initiative is the first cyber bug bounty program in the history of the federal government.
• DoD Invites Vetted Specialists to 'Hack' the Pentagon AFPS 02 Mar 2016 -- The Defense Department is launching a pilot program in April to allow vetted computer security specialists to do their best to hack DoD public web pages, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said today.
• Pentagon to Law-abiding US Hackers: We Want You VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- The Pentagon issued an invitation Wednesday to hackers - provided they're U.S. citizens and can pass a background check - to attack its websites as a test of its cybersecurity.
• Pentagon Technology Official Aims to Hasten Innovation Processes AFPS 02 Mar 2016 -- As cyber and data security remain among the Pentagon's top priorities, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics underscored the importance of distribution, investment and private industry collaboration at the D3 Innovation Summit here today.
• Remarks by Secretary Carter in a 'Fireside' Chat with Ted Schlein in San Francisco, California DoD 02 Mar 2016 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Breedlove Discusses Challenges to U.S., European Security AFPS 02 Mar 2016 -- An aggressive Russia is a threat to the United States and its European allies and partners, the commander of U.S. forces in Europe told reporters here yesterday.
• Special Operators' Challenges Call for New Priorities, Officials Say AFPS 02 Mar 2016 -- Expanding global conflicts require new priorities for U.S. special operations forces, the principal deputy assistant secretary for special operations and low-intensity conflict told the House Armed Services Committee's emerging threats and capabilities subcommittee here yesterday.
• Pentagon Announces Research Equipment Awards AFPS 02 Mar 2016 -- The Defense Department announced in a news release today that 176 university researchers at 96 academic institutions have been selected to receive research instrumentation awards.
• Navy Sets Course for the Arctic Circle, Kicks Off ICEX 2016 NNS 02 Mar 2016 -- Commander, Submarine Forces (COMSUBFOR) officially kicked off Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2016 in the Arctic Ocean with the construction of U.S. Navy Ice Camp SARGO March 2.
• Operation Tomodachi: Five Years Later NNS 02 Mar 2016 -- At 2:46 p.m. March 11, 2011 a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit the city of Tohoku in the Iwate prefecture of Japan, triggering tsunami waves reaching heights up to 133 feet.
• Proficiency is key when accessing Alaska's remote locations AFNS 02 Mar 2016 -- From the northernmost to the southernmost point, Alaska measures 1,420 miles - the distance from Denver to Mexico City. Alaska has more than 600,000 square miles of land, and some locations are inaccessible, except by air.
• Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on the Establishment of the Defense Innovation Advisory Board DoD 02 Mar 2016 -- Today, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced plans to establish a Defense Innovation Advisory Board. The new board is an effort to enhance DoD's culture, organization and processes by tapping innovators from the private sector, in Silicon Valley and beyond. It represents Secretary Carter's enduring commitment to building lasting partnerships between the public and private sectors.e
• US Forces, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Complete Fleet Synthetic Training NNS 02 Mar 2016 -- Commander, Task Force 70 along with Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, Army and Air Force assets and units from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) participated in Fleet Synthetic Training-Joint (FST-J) exercise 16-71 at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), Japan and other command centers throughout Japan, Feb. 22-26.
• Mount Whitney Participates in SAR Exercise NNS 02 Mar 2016 -- The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) and the Republic of Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Lanarca conducted a combined search and rescue (SAR) exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Feb. 29.
• Solar Ground Breaking Ceremony Held at Mississippi Navy Base NNS 02 Mar 2016 -- The Department of the Navy and Mississippi Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, broke ground March 2 on a large-scale solar facility at Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport.
• Pentagon Seeks Limits on Russian Flights Over US - Defense Official Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- The US Defense Intelligence Agency director thinks that the intelligence data obtained via flights over the country under the Open Skies Treaty gives Russia a significant military advantage.
• NATO and UAE determined to enhance cooperation in addressing common challenges NATO 02 Mar 2016 -- NATO and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) expressed their determination to enhance cooperation in addressing common security challenges, during an official visit by the ?Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to Abu Dhabi on 2 March 2016.
• NATO Deputy Secretary General discusses reform progress and strengthening of cooperation with Georgian Foreign Minister NATO 02 Mar 2016 -- NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow and Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze met on Wednesday (2 March 2016) ahead of a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission. Ambassador Vershbow reiterated NATO's support for Georgia's ambitious reform agenda and welcomed Georgia's commitment to the implementation of NATO's Substantial Package of support to Georgia.
• Merkel's Plan in Acute Danger: Turkey Rejects NATO Ships in Aegean Sea Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- Turkey has put unexpected obstacles in Angela Merkel's way with regard to cooperation with NATO and the recent military campaign in Aegean Sea.
• White Swan: When Will Modernized Russian Tu-160 Bomber Hit the Skies Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- Flights of the modernized strategic Tu-160 bomber are scheduled to begin in 2019, the Commander of Aerospace Forces of Russia, Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev, said Wednesday.
• Russia's Sukhoi Developing Sixth-Generation Fighter Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- Russia has commenced the creation of a 6-generation jet fighter.
• Pentagon approves contract to sell smart bombs to Turkey Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- The Pentagon has signed a deal to sell nearly $700 million worth of smart bombs to Turkey as tensions are escalating between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in northern Iraq.
• China well on track to building modern and strong army People's Daily 02 Mar 2016 -- China is well on its way to establishing a strong, modern army, as it has rolled out measures to restructure the armed forces, increased civil-military integration and taken a zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
• China's 2016 Defense Budget May See 'Sharp' Rise Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- China's 2016 defense budget may see a sharp year-on-year increase consistent with structural army reforms and South China Sea tensions, national media reported Wednesday.
• US Intel: Iran Likely to Develop More Lethal Missiles With Sanctions Easing Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- Iran is expected to accelerate its ballistic missile development with the end of most sanctions, by producing rockets with greater range and accuracy, US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Vincent Stewart told the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.
• Over 5,000 Foreign Military Instructors Work in Iraq Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- The number of foreign military instructors working in Iraq exceeds 5,000 people, Saad Hadithi, a spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister's office said Wednesday.
• Pakistan army chief makes surprise visit to Kabul IRNA 02 Mar 2016 -- Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday made a surprise visit to Kabul and reiterated support for the Afghan reconciliation process, a military statement said.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 3/2/2016 The White House 02 Mar 2016
• March 2, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 02 Mar 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 02, 2016

Other Conflicts

• 2 March 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 02 Mar 2016
• Pentagon chief warns China against 'aggressive' actions in South China Sea Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- The United States has warned China against 'aggressive' actions in the South China Sea, including the installment of surface-to-air missiles on a disputed island.
• Philippines: Chinese Vessels Spotted Near Disputed S. Sea Islands VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- Officials in the Philippines say they spotted several Chinese coast guard ships near a disputed atoll in the South China Sea as recently as two weeks ago, sparking fears that China may try and take control of it.
• Yemen army ballistic missile hits Saudi camp in Ma'rib Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- Yemen's army has carried out a ballistic missile attack against a Saudi military camp in the Yemeni province of Ma'rib, local media say.
• Jittery Islamic State Lashes Out VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- Several mass executions by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq suggest the terror group is encountering more dissent or at least fears losing its grip on the territory it controls.
• Over 200 killed in Kurds-Daesh clashes on Turkey-Syria border Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- Fighters from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have clashed with the Takfiri Daesh terrorists near the Turkish border over the weekend, leaving a total of 206 people dead, among them civilians.
• 18 militants killed in Syria car bomb Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- At least 18 militants, including a commander, have been killed in a car bomb explosion in Syria's southern province of Quneitra.
• Syria truce violated 31 times in three days: Russia Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- Russia has announced that a truce it engineered with the United States for Syria has been violated on numerous occasions after it took effect.
• Seven killed in clashes near Jordan-Syria border Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- At least seven people have been killed as clashes erupted between Jordanian security forces and Takfiri Daesh militants in the northern city of Irbid.
• Russian MoD Accuses Turkey of Attempts to Derail Syrian Ceasefire Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- Russia considers continuing artillery shelling of Syrian territory by Turkey to be a provocative act aimed at derailing reconciliation process in the war-torn country, the commander of the Russian center for reconciliation in Syria said Wednesday.
• Some 200 Civilians Remain Blocked by Turkish Army in Southern Kurdish City Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- About 200 people remain locked in the basement of buildings in the Kurdish town of Sur in southern Turkey fearing Turkish army would open fire on them if they go to the streets, Co-Chair of the Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Kamuran Yuksek told Sputnik Turkey on Wednesday.
• Hasty Retreat: Syrian Army Destroys Daesh Defenses in Raqqa Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- The Syrian Army and allied popular units have inflicted heavy losses on Daesh terrorists in the northern Raqqa province in a series of fierce clashes with the enemy, Iran's Fars news agency reported.
• US Sees Positive Movement Toward Resumption of Syrian Peace Talks VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- A senior U.S. official said the agreements on the cessation of hostilities in Syria and the delivery of humanitarian aid are broadly holding, making him optimistic that the planned resumption of political negotiations will go forward.
• Russia, Syria Said Using Migrant Crisis As 'Weapon' Against West RFE/RL 02 Mar 2016 -- NATO's top commander warned that Russia and Syria have turned the refugee crisis into a 'weapon' against the West at a time when it lacks resources to counter a 'resurgent, aggressive' Russia.
• Kurdish Fighters Allege IS Chemical Attack VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- Kurdish fighters tell VOA that Islamic State (IS) fighters in recent days fired mortars containing chemical materials into northern Iraq. They complain of vomiting and nausea after breathing in the chemicals.
• Retaking Mosul 'Not in Crystal Ball' in Near Term, US Military Says VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- Top U.S. military intelligence officials are playing down expectations that the Iraqi Security Forces will be ready to reclaim the key northern city of Mosul from Islamic State fighters anytime soon.
• Iraq forces flush Daesh from villages Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- Joint Iraqi forces have cleared four villages in the country's north-central Salahuddin Province of the presence of the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh.
• Libya 'needs to move ahead now, or risk division and collapse,' UN envoy tells Security Council UN News 02 Mar 2016 -- Libya needs to move ahead now or risk division and collapse, the top United Nations official in the country warned the UN Security Council today, while presenting the latest report on political and humanitarian developments.
• Taliban claims blast that killed 2 local US employees in Pakistan Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- A faction of Taliban has claimed responsibility for a roadside bombing that killed at least two local employees of a US consulate in the troubled northwestern Pakistan.
• Minsk Deal Legitimizes Ugly Facts on the Ground, Critics Say VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- Western and Russian diplomats are meeting this week to discuss ways to defuse the conflicts in eastern Ukraine, where fighting continues between Russia-backed separatists and government forces despite attempts for a truce. While top U.S. officials are touting the importance of a full implementation of the Minsk agreement, critics say that the peace deal is a way to legitimize ugly facts on the ground.
• Pentagon: Despite Minsk II, More Than 400 Ukraine Troops Killed VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- More than 400 Ukrainian troops have died in fighting since the Minsk II cease-fire agreement was adopted one year ago, with Russia playing a major role in the violence.
• Ukrainian Contact Group Prohibits Military Drills 30 Km From Contact Line Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- The Contact Group for Ukrainian reconciliation prohibited military exercises within a 30-kilometer radius from the line of contact in Donbass.
• For Ukrainians, Minsk Agreements 'Poison' VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- Two years after the start of the Ukraine conflict, Ukrainians are coming under pressure from the West and Russia to comply with the Minsk agreements, and many here doubt the country will be able to enact the overdue constitutional reforms required to implement the peace deal.
• Egyptian warplanes kill 22 militants in Sinai Peninsula: Military Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- Security sources in Egypt say nearly two dozen Takfiri militants have been killed in an airstrike against a militant base in the country's restive Sinai Peninsula.

News Reports

• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, March 2, 2016 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 02 Mar 2016
• N. Korea Launches Projectiles Into Sea After UN Imposes New Sanctions VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- North Korea fired several short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast, Seoul said Thursday, hours after the U.N. Security Council adopted tough new sanctions against Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
• Adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2270 on North Korea US Dept. of State 02 Mar 2016 -- Press Statement by John Kerry, US Secretary of State
• DPR Korea: Ban welcomes Security Council measure tightening and expanding sanctions UN News 02 Mar 2016 -- The United Nations Security Council today unanimously adopted a resolution that imposes new sanctions and tightens some of its existing measures against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), due to the country's ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile-related activities that "threaten international peace and security."
• Strongest Sanctions in Decades Imposed on North Korea VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted tough, new sanctions on North Korea Wednesday, taking aim at its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
• UN approves toughest sanctions on North Korea Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a package of unprecedented sanctions on North Korea in response to Pyongyang's recent nuclear test and rocket launch.
• UNSC Sanctions on N. Korean Do Not Target Kim Jong Un – White House Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- The latest UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Pyongyang do not target North Korean leader Kim Jong-u n personally, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
• White House Welcomes New Sanctions on N Korea With Help of Russia, China Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- The Obama administration welcomes the UN Security Council's expansion of sanctions on North Korea for its recent nuclear activity, which was possible with the help of the international community including Russia and China, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
• UNSC Resolution Allows N Korea to Return to Talks - Russia's Envoy Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- The new UN Security Council resolution on North Korea leaves Pyongyang with an option to return to six-party talks on denuclearization, Russian Envoy to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said Wednesday.
• South Sudan Gains Membership to E. African Community VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- South Sudan President Salva Kiir is excited about the socio-economic and bilateral prospects for his country after the world's newest nation officially became a member of the East African Community (EAC) on Wednesday.
• Suicide Attack Targets India's Consulate In Eastern Afghanistan RFE/RL 02 Mar 2016 -- A suicide attack targeted India's diplomatic compound in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on March 2, with explosions and gunfire rattling the diplomatic district.
• Gulf Nations Label Hezbollah a Terrorist Group VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council announced Wednesday it has labeled the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
• Lebanon's Hariri says will continue talks with Hezbollah Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri says he is prepared to keep domestic dialogue with the Hezbollah resistance movement, after the group was designated a terrorist organization by the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council [(P)GCC].
• HDP lawmakers collaborating with terrorists: Davutoglu Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- Turkey's prime minister has once again lashed out at the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP), accusing its lawmakers of working with 'terrorists.'
• 1,845 cases opened in Turkey over insulting Erdogan Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- About 1,850 cases have been opened in Turkey against those who stand accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the past two years, amid concerns over Ankara's attempt to hush dissidents.
• Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims still in dreadful conditions: UN Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- The United Nations has warned that persecuted Rohingya Muslims continue to live in "dreadful conditions" despite promises by the election-winning opposition party to protect the rights of the minority in the Southeast Asian country.
• China Headlines: China champions 'four consciousnesses,' conforming with Xi Xinhua 02 Mar 2016-- Party officials, lawmakers and media have called for unwavering conformity with top leader Xi Jinping, ahead of the country's major political meetings, known collectively as the 'two sessions.'
• China's second space lab Tiangong-2 in test for launch People's Daily 02 Mar 2016 -- Tiangong-2, China's second space lab, is undergoing tests before the launch, according to the chief designer of the lab.
• China to Launch Over 100 Long March Rockets Within Five Years Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- China in the next five years will launch 110 Long March rockets, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee said Wednesday.
• US, Russian Astronauts Back Home After Year in Space VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- After 340 days in orbit, American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko have returned safely to Earth.
• Bahraini people stage fresh anti-regime protests Press TV 02 Mar 2016 -- Demonstrators have once again taken to the streets in Bahrain to express their solidarity with detained political activists and call for the downfall of ruling Al Khalifah monarchy.
• Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo Wants Extradition to US VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman has asked his lawyers to speed up his extradition to the United States, saying he is being mistreated.