Further Reading

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 03 Dec 2016 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• US Commander Worries About Aid Taliban Receives From Pakistan, Russia, Iran VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- The "malign influence" of Pakistan, Russia and Iran with the Taliban-led insurgency, and concerns about future political stability of the Afghan government threaten international efforts aimed at stabilizing the war-raved country, warns a top U.S. commander.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Detainee Transfer Announced DoD 04 Dec 2016 -- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Shawqi Awad Balzuhair from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Cabo Verde.
• U.S. House of Representatives passes 611 bln USD defense bill People's Daily 03 Dec 2016 -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill that allowed 611 billion U.S. dollars' defense budget for 2017.
• US House passes $619bn military budget Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- The US House of Representatives has easily passed President Barack Obama's requested military budget of $618.7 billion for the next fiscal year, allowing the Pentagon to increase payments as well as the number of active duty forces.
• U.S. Military Capabilities Must Be Changed for Future, Dunford Says AFPS 03 Dec 2016 -- If the United States develops the capabilities needed to confront Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and violent extremism, the military will be well set for the future, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.
• Intel Undersecretary Describes Cyber Threat, Steps to Combat It AFPS 03 Dec 2016 -- Cybersecurity is a political, economic, diplomatic and military challenge, and the undersecretary of defense for intelligence explained its complexities during a panel discussion today at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.
• Will South Korea-Japan Intelligence Deal Change Status Quo? VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- An intelligence-sharing deal between South Korea and Japan allows the two countries to bypass the United States as they work together to combat the growing threat of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
• Japan Finally Acquires First Beleaguered F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Sputnik 03 Dec 2016 -- The Japan Air Self-Defence Force received the first of its Lockheed Martin F-35s this week at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona according to IHS Jane's.
• China deploys female peacekeepers in South Sudan People's Daily 03 Dec 2016 -- China will send an infantry battalion of 700 peacekeepers in South Sudan, including a 13-soldier female squad, the army unit dispatching them said Friday.
• Indian Tejas Fighter Jets Too Heavy for Aircraft Carriers - Navy Chief Sputnik 03 Dec 2016 -- Chief of India's Naval Staff said that India's locally-built Tejas fighters are too heavy to take off from its aircraft carriers.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Yemeni snipers kill 4 Saudi troopers in retaliatory attacks Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Yemeni army soldiers, backed by fighters from allied Popular Committees, have shot dead four Saudi troops in the kingdom's southwestern border regions of Jizan and Asir amid Riyadh's aerial attacks against its beleaguered southern neighbor.
• Saudi warplanes claim seven civilian lives in Yemeni capital Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Saudi Arabia continues to launch airstrikes against its impoverished neighbor, Yemen, killing at least seven civilians in the latest such attacks in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a.
• Terrorists vow to never surrender Aleppo Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Takfiri militant commanders in Syria's divided city of Aleppo have vowed to never leave the city as Russia announces readiness for talks with the US over the terrorists' withdrawal.
• Syria now in control of 60% of east Aleppo: Group Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Syrian forces have retaken another district in the east of the city of Aleppo, now exerting control over 60 percent of the city's militant-held eastern part, according to a monitoring group.
• Formation of 'Army of Aleppo' ploy to shield Nusra terrorists: Lavrov Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Russia says the formation of the so-called Army of Aleppo in the east of the Syrian city is an attempt to disguise and shield the al-Nusra Front terrorist group.
• Russia sends demining team to Syria to clear Aleppo's liberated areas Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Russia has dispatched a bomb disposal unit to Syria to help demine the liberated eastern parts of the flashpoint city of Aleppo, the Russian Defense Ministry says.
• Rebel Commander: Aleppo Fighters Will Not Surrender Eastern Sector VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- Syrian rebel commanders in war-ravaged Aleppo say they will not surrender the city's eastern sector to Russia-backed government forces, despite a government offensive that threatens to drive out opposition fighters after a four-year occupation.
• As Aleppo Burns, Europe Weighs Syria Response With Fears of Renewed Refugee Crisis VOA 02 Dec 2016 -- As Syrian government forces continue to push deeper into the rebel stronghold of eastern Aleppo, analysts say the wider geopolitical ramifications are being felt across the West. In Europe, demands for the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could be tempered by a desire to avoid another refugee crisis.
• Iraqi army troops seize back four villages north of Daesh-held Mosul Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Iraqi army soldiers have managed to liberate four villages north of the strategic city of Mosul as government forces, backed by fighters from Popular Mobilization Units and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, press ahead with an operation to expel Daesh terrorists from the area.
• 20 PKK militants killed as military foils attack on Turkish army base Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Nearly two dozen members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group have been killed after Turkish military forces thwarted their assault on an army base in the country's southeastern province of Hakkari.
• Troops kill 7 Daesh-linked militants in northern Somalia Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Pro-government forces in Somalia have killed seven militants from a faction loyal to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the northern parts of the African country.
• Somalia Security Forces and IS Fighters Directly Clash for First Time VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- Somali regional forces in Puntland have clashed with pro-Islamic State militants in the country's northeast in the first-ever military confrontation between security forces and pro-Islamic State fighters.

News Reports

• Trump, Taiwan Put China on the Defensive With Historic Phone Call VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and the leader of Taiwan put China on the defensive late Friday with a historic, upbeat phone call to discuss Washington's role in possibly helping the diplomatically isolated island gain international status.
• Some Republicans Applaud Trump Call With Taiwan VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- President-elect Donald Trump's telephone call with Taiwan's president on Friday broke decades of U.S. diplomatic policy in the region and brought a quick objection by China, but several Republican members of Congress have applauded Trump's decision to accept the call.
• Tsai, Trump discuss economy, defense over phone CNA 03 Dec 2016 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke over the phone on issues related to developing economy and strengthening national defense, the Presidential Office said Saturday.
• Opposition parties positive about Tsai-Trump call CNA 03 Dec 2016 -- Taiwan's opposition parties on Saturday responded positively to a phone conversation between President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, the first publicly reported call between a U.S. president or president-elect and a Taiwanese leader, since 1979.
• Tsai-Trump phone call not start of new U.S. policy: experts CNA 03 Dec 2016 -- A phone conversation between President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump does not signal a change in Washington's policy toward Taiwan, experts in international and cross-strait relations said on Saturday.
• U.S. House of Representatives backs military exchanges with Taiwan CNA 03 Dec 2016 -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, which included for the first time a section on senior military exchanges with Taiwan.
• Chinese FM: Trump-Tsai phone talk just a trick by Taiwan People's Daily 03 Dec 2016 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said the phone talk between U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen is no more than a trick played by Taiwan authorities and will not bring any changes to the consensus over the One China Policy reached by the members of the international community.
• Trump talks with Taiwan leader anger China Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- China has lodged an official protest with the US over a direct contact by phone between President-elect Donald Trump and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.
• Trump risks angering China by calling Taiwan leader Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- US President-elect Donald Trump has talked over the phone with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, a historic move that is likely to anger China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province.
• China Lodges Protest Over Trump Phone Call With Taiwanese Leader RFE/RL 03 Dec 2016 -- China has lodged an official diplomatic protest after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke by telephone with Taiwan's president, breaking four decades of U.S diplomatic policy.
• President-Elect Trump Speaks to President of Taiwan, Risking Feud With Beijing Sputnik 03 Dec 2016 -- US President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Taiwanese President Tsai Ying-wen on Friday, marking what appears to be the first presidential contact between the nations since 1979 when diplomatic relations were ended.
• China Lodges Protest With US Over Trump's Telephone Call With Taiwan President Sputnik 03 Dec 2016 -- China urges the United States to honor the One China policy and the countries' joint communiques after US President-elect Donald Trump's phone conversation with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.
• China lodges representations to U.S. over Trump's call with Taiwan leader Xinhua 03 Dec 2016 -- China has lodged solemn representations with the United States, urging the latter to honor its commitment to the one-China policy, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Saturday.
• Trump has 'historic' phone conversation with Taiwan president CNA 03 Dec 2016 -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wenon the phone Friday in what is described as "a first since the diplomatic ties between the United States and Taiwan were cut off" nearly 38 years ago.
• With Friendly Phone Call, Trump Wades Into Fraught South Asia Politics VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- On the campaign trail this year, Donald Trump had harsh words for Pakistan.
• Chinese premier eyes more cooperation with Sierra Leone People's Daily 02 Dec 2016 -- Premier Li Keqiang met with Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma on Friday, calling on both countries to enhance cooperation in infrastructure development and production capacity.
• Xi meets Henry Kissinger, discusses China-U.S. ties People's Daily 02 Dec 2016 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in Beijing Friday, saying China will work closely with the United States at a new starting point to maintain the smooth transition of ties and stable growth.
• Single state must not be allowed to jeopardize nuclear deal of seven states IRNA 03 Dec 2016 -- President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that the nuclear deal has been struck by seven states in July 2015 and that a single country must not be allowed to jeopardize the international accord.
• FM: Extension of sanctions discredits US IRNA 03 Dec 2016 -- Extension of Iran's Sanctions Act (ISA) for another decade by US will discredit Washington at the international level, said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday.
• Velayati: Extrension of 20-year old sanctions breach of JCPOA IRNA 03 Dec 2016 -- Head of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati said on Saturday that no doubt that reimposing, confirmation and extension of sanctions under any excuse amounts to breach of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
• Iran will halt JCPOA implementation if sanctions re-imposed: Zarif Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has warned that the Islamic Republic will halt the implementation of last year's landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries if the US sanctions are re-imposed on the country.
• Bans renewal, US revenge for gains by Iran, allies: Leader's aide Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- A senior Iranian official has criticized a US Senate vote to extend the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for 10 years, saying the move is Washington's revenge for the recent achievements made by Iran and its allies in the Middle East.
• No move authorized to undermine JCPOA: Iran president Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says no move is authorized to undermine last year's landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.
• Iran Says Extension Of Sanctions Act Discredits U.S. RFE/RL 03 Dec 2016 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarid says the extension of sanctions legislation by the U.S. Congress for 10 years discredits the United States and shows the world that Washington cannot be relied upon.
• Iran Officials Upset Over Extension of US Sanctions VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- Iran's top diplomat has strongly condemned a bill that passed the U.S. Congress earlier this week to extend sanctions against the country.
• Moscow, Tokyo Pledge to Cooperate on UNSC North Korea Resolution - Tokyo Sputnik 03 Dec 2016 -- Moscow and Tokyo have agreed to jointly work on the effective implementation of the latest UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea following its nuclear test in September, the Japanese Foreign Ministry's deputy press secretary said Saturday.
• US Cybersecurity Panel Presents Anti-Hacking Recommendations in Final Report Sputnik 03 Dec 2016 -- The US Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity, tasked by President Barack Obama with developing ways to strengthen the nation's defense against hackers, issued its final report, with advice for the current and future administrations.
• Presidential Commission Warns of Cyber Threats Facing Next Administration VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- A U.S. presidential commission on Friday called on the incoming administration to immediately take steps to enhance cybersecurity in both the private and public sector.
• Russian Central Bank Denies Losing $31Mln in Single Hacking Attack Sputnik 03 Dec 2016 -- The Bank of Russia refuted media reports it had lost over $31 million in a hacking attack.
• Russian Central Bank Says Hackers Stole $31 Million; FSB Warns Of Plot RFE/RL 03 Dec 2016 -- Russia's Central Bank said hackers stole more than $31 million from correspondent accounts, as Russia's main security agency warned of cyberattacks aimed at destabilizing the country's banking system.
• Fidel Castro's Ashes Arrive in Santiago de Cuba to a Rally VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- At a memorial for former leader Fidel Castro, Cuban President Raul Castro told tens of thousands gathered in Santiago de Cuba Saturday that the government will honor his brother's wish that no statues or public places be named after him.
• Pakistan Opposition Politicians Slam Hard-line Cleric's Provincial Win VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- Pakistani opposition political parties are expressing outrage after a hard-line cleric of a banned terror group with links to the Taliban and al-Qaida won a legislative seat in the country's most populous province.
• Roundup: S. Korean lawmakers propose president impeachment bill, vote heralded on Dec. 9 People's Daily 03 Dec 2016 -- South Korean lawmakers put forward a historic bill to impeach scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye early Saturday, after the opposition bloc heralded a vote on the motion on Dec. 9.
• South Koreans demand arrest of scandal-hit president Press TV 03 Dec 2016 -- Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans have rallied in Seoul for the sixth straight week to demand the resignation and arrest of President Park Geun-hye.
• Protesters Take to Seoul Streets for Sixth Straight Weekend VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Seoul on Saturday to call for the ouster of President Park Geun-hye, marking the sixth straight weekend of demonstrations in the city.
• Putin's presidential address focuses on economy, highlights Russia-China relations People's Daily 03 Dec 2016 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's latest state-of-the-nation address has political circles buzzing, with many noting his comments connected to Russia's ties with China, as well as Russia's relationship with the United States.
• Turkish Opposition Holds Rally Over Gov't Plans to Shift to Presidential System Sputnik 04 Dec 2016 -- Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party held a rally in southern city of Adana against the government's intention to amend the constitution, aimed at replacing the parliamentary republic by the presidential system.
• The United States Commends The Gambia on Peaceful Election US Dept. of State 03 Dec 2016
• Kerry Congratulates Barrow, Gambia on Successful Election VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday congratulated Gambia and its new president-elect, Adama Barrow, on the country's first democratic presidential election, calling it "a new era in The Gambia."
• Ghana Electoral Commission Assures Problem-free Second Round of Special Voting VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- Ghana's electoral commission on Sunday will hold a second special early voting period for citizens who encountered trouble Thursday when they tried to cast ballots in the first one.
• DRC Political Talks Break Down VOA 03 Dec 2016 -- Political talks mediated by the Catholic Church have suffered a major setback with the withdrawal of the president's supporters in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Is A New 'Brexit' Bubbling In Italy? RFE/RL 03 Dec 2016 -- Italians are voting in a referendum on December 4 that could gauge anti-EU sentiment in the country. The vote, which follows Britain's Brexit referendum in June and Donald Trump's election in the United States, again sees rising populist forces challenging an established order in a contest too close to call in advance.