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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 19 Jan 2017[PDF]
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 19 Jan 2017 -- 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.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Carter and Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 19 Jan 2017 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Separate U.S. Airstrikes Kill 2 Senior al-Qaida Leaders in Syria AFPS 19 Jan 2017 -- Two senior al-Qaida operatives were killed recently in separate U.S. airstrikes in Syria, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in two statements issued today.
• Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook Statement on Strike Against Al Qaida Leader DoD 19 Jan 2017
• Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on Strike Against Al Qaida Facilitator DoD 19 Jan 2017
• U.S. Airstrikes Kill 80 ISIL Fighters in Libya, Carter Says AFPS 19 Jan 2017 -- The overnight U.S. precision airstrikes on two Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant training camps near Sirte, Libya, are estimated to have killed more than 80 enemy fighters, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today.
• U.S. Strikes Target ISIL Camps in Libya AFPS 19 Jan 2017 -- In conjunction with the Libyan Government of National Accord, the U.S. military conducted precision airstrikes in Libya last night, destroying two Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant camps 28 miles southwest of Sirte, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said.
• Statement By Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on Airstrikes in Libya DoD 19 Jan 2017
• US bombers kill over 80 Daesh terrorists in Libya: Pentagon Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- US B-2 bombers have carried out airstrikes against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group in the North African country of Libya, killing over 80 terrorists, according to Pentagon officials.
• US Military Airstrikes Destroy Two Daesh Camps in Libya - Pentagon Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- US B-2 bombers carried out air strikes destroying two Daesh camps southwest of the Libyan city of Sirte overnight, Department of Defense spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement on Thursday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Detainee Transfers Announced DoD 19 Jan 2017 -- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of three detainees: Ravil Mingazov, Haji Wali Muhammed, and Yassim Qasim Mohammed Ismail Qasim from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the government of the United Arab Emirates.
• Detainee Transfers Announced DoD 19 Jan 2017 -- The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Jabran al Qahtani from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Obama blasts US Congress for blocking Guantanamo closure Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- Outgoing US President Barack Obama has condemned the Republican-dominated Congress for thwarting his plans to close the notorious American military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
• Obama Slashes Guantanamo Bay Population to 41 Detainees - White House Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Outgoing US President Barack Obama has slashed the population of the Guantanamo Bay facility to just 41 detainees, the White House said in a press release on Thursday.
• Obama Condemns Congress for Failure to Close Guantanamo VOA 19 Jan 2017 -- President Barack Obama conceded defeat in his efforts to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but he blamed Congress for his failure.
• USS Carney Visits Villefranche Sur Mer NNS 19 Jan 2017 -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) arrived in Villefranche sur Mer, France, Jan. 19 for a scheduled port visit.
• Carter Hall Trains for Evacuation Operations NNS 19 Jan 2017 -- Sailors and Marines aboard amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) participated in a Non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) exercise Jan. 16, while underway for Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).
• Future USS Sioux City to be Commissioned in Annapolis, Maryland NNS 19 Jan 2017 -- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus today announced that the city of Annapolis, Maryland, will serve as the commissioning site for the future USS Sioux City (LCS 11).
• USFF Announces Approval of Improved Flame Resistant Variant (IFRV) Coverall NNS 19 Jan 2017 -- Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) announced the authorization of the Improved Flame Resistant Variant (IFRV) coverall as an approved fleet organizational clothing item Jan. 19 via ALFLTFORCOM/ALPACFLT 191900Z JAN 17.
• A Day of Firsts for 'First in Asia' Battalion: Special Forces Soldiers Participate in First Jump Cer Army News 19 Jan 2017 -- also known as the Narashino Airborne Brigade (習志野空挺団).
• 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion conducts Air Mission Commander training Army News 19 Jan 2017 -- When multiple aircraft take to the skies, one person in charge makes the decisions that can determine the outcome of the mission. For this reason, it is critical for that pilot to be trained to take command of multiple crews and aircraft.
• GHWB Carrier Strike Group to Depart for Deployment NNS 19 Jan 2017 -- Nearly 6,000 Sailors attached to the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG) will depart Norfolk and Mayport, Florida, Jan. 21, for a regularly-scheduled deployment.
• US 6th Fleet Flagship USS Mount Whitney Celebrates 46th Year of Excellence NNS 19 Jan 2017 -- USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) celebrated its 46th birthday with a cake cutting ceremony while in Rijeka, Croatia for its 2017 shipyard period, Jan. 16.
• USS Hopper Visits Sri Lanka NNS 19 Jan 2017 -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, for brief visit Jan. 19.
• NATO Secretary General: in times of turmoil, we need strong institutions NATO 19 Jan 2017 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the importance of strong institutions and transatlantic cooperation at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday (19 January 2017). Mr. Stoltenberg took part in a plenary session on 'Redefining Europe's Security Agenda', together with EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski, Oxford historian Margaret MacMillan and the Director of Europol, Rob Wainwright.
• Senate Majority Leader breaks with Trump on NATO Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) "the most important military alliance" ever, breaking with Republican President-elect Donald Trump, who says NATO is "obsolete."
• Slovenia Plans To Contribute Troops To Latvia For NATO Force RFE/RL 19 Jan 2017 -- The government of NATO-member Slovenia has proposed sending 50 soldiers to Latvia as part of a NATO effort to boost the alliance's presence in the Baltic states.
• NATO chief warns of sharp rise in cyber attacks against military alliance Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has warned of an increasing number of state-sponsored cyber attacks on the military alliance, saying members need to do more to boost online defense capabilities.
• Azerbaijan in Talks With Russia on New Arms Purchases Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan is interested in purchase of Russian-made helicopter equipment and defense systems.
• Ukrainian Parliament Adopts Law Allowing Admission of Foreign Troops for Drills Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian Parliament, has adopted a law Thursday allowing the admission of foreign troops to conduct exercises on the Ukrainian territory in 2017.
• India Considers Changing Military Doctrine Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- New Delhi is reconsidering its Cold Start war doctrine, which anticipates a brief but intense conflict with neighboring countries Pakistan and China, as nuclear threats and terrorism continue to strain relations among the three nations.
• Defending from Outer Space? Israel Introduces Arrow-3 Missile Interceptor System Sputnik 20 Jan 2017 -- Arrow-3, a missile-defense system capable of destroying targets in space, codeveloped by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing, has officially entered service, according to Jerusalem.
• Pakistan Threatens to Use 'All Weapons' in Case of India's Aggression Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Pakistan, the country which possesses nuclear weapons will use all of its weapons to defend country, according to the statement of Pakistani official.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 12, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 19 January 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 19 Jan 2017
• UN: Syrian Government, Rebels Denying Humanitarian Access to Civilians VOA 19 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations has accused the Syrian government and opposition groups of denying humanitarian access to hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in besieged areas.
• UN Invited to Syrian Peace Talks Next Week VOA 19 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations has been invited to attend Syrian peace talks scheduled to begin Monday in the Kazakh capital of Astana.
• About 400,000 Syrian child refugees in Turkey out of school: UNICEF Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, says nearly 400,000 Syrian child refugees living in Turkey are currently out of school and at risk of becoming a "lost generation."
• Planned peace talks in Kazakh capital to enforce cessation of hostilities: Syrian president Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has stressed that the upcoming peace talks in the Kazakh capital city of Astana next week will focus on enforcing a cessation of hostilities across the Arab country.
• Powerful Syrian Rebel Group Says Won't Attend Peace Talks In Kazakhstan RFE/RL 19 Jan 2017 -- One of Syria's most powerful rebel groups, the Islamist Ahrar al-Sham, said it will not attend peace talks scheduled to be held in Kazakhstan on January 23.
• US Confirms Receiving Invitation From Russia to Participate in Astana Talks Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- The United States has received an official invitation from Moscow to take part in the Astana meeting on Syria, US State Department spokesman John Kirby announced in a briefing on Thursday.
• Syria's Aleppo Heavily Mined, Clearance Requires Joint Int'l Efforts Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Considering importance of the demining task in Syria's Aleppo for implementation of humanitarian programs it is necessary to provide international assistance to Russia both on bilateral and multilateral basis, according to a diplomatic source.
• Daesh Captures Humanitarian Supplies Drop Zone in Syria's Deir ez-Zor Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Senior adviser to the UN special envoy for Syria said that Syria's Deir ez-Zor has lost its only lifeline, as humanitarian supply deliveries were cut to the town due to the air drop zone being surrounded by Daesh militants.
• Syrian Militants to Keep Fighting if Astana Talks Fail - Armed Opposition Head Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Mohammed Alloush said that Syrian militants will fight to the bitter end if the upcoming talks in Astana yield no positive results.
• Syria: Ceasefire a 'disappointment' for aid access; UN envoy invited to Astana peace talks UN News 19 Jan 2017 -- Despite a cessation of hostilities in war-ravaged Syria, aid workers are still unable to reach many people desperately needing assistance, the United Nations reported today, also announcing that Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura will attend upcoming talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana.
• Most Daesh commanders in Mosul killed in battles: Iraqi general Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- A senior Iraqi general says most Daesh commanders in Mosul have been killed in battles with armed forces over the past three months.
• Philippines govt., rebels to resume peace talks Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- The Philippines' government and the country's Maoist rebels have planned to restart Norway-brokered peace talks amid threats by the communist guerrillas to end a months-long ceasefire if an accord on human rights in the Southeast Asian country is violated.
• UN rights expert welcomes US decision to lift most of its unilateral sanctions on Sudan UN News 19 Jan 2017 -- A United Nations human rights expert today welcomed the decision of President Barack Obama to lift most sanctions unilaterally imposed by the United States on Sudan.

News Reports

• UN Security Council approves resolution backing new Gambian president Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously approved a resolution endorsing efforts by some West African countries to ensure the respect of "the will of the people" in The Gambia.
• UN Security Council set to vote on backing ECOWAS intervention in Gambia Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- The UN Security Council (UNSC) is set to vote on a draft resolution endorsing efforts by some West African countries to ensure a transfer of power in The Gambia.
• Nigeria in Air Surveillance Over Gambia in Preparation for ECOWAS Intervention Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Troops deployed by other countries are stationed in different locations, particularly close to the border between Senegal and Gambia for easy advancement in the event of any call for military action, according to a military source cited by local media.
• New Gambian President Sworn in Abroad as Incumbent Leader Refuses to Step Down Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Adama Barrow was sworn in as the Gambian president at the country's embassy in neighboring Senegal on Thursday, media reported.
• Gambia: Security Council backs regional efforts to ensure peaceful transfer of power to Barrow UN News 19 Jan 2017 -- Urging all Gambian parties to respect the outcome of the 1 December election recognizing Adama Barrow as the country's President-elect, the United Nations Security Council today expressed its support for the commitment of West African States to "ensure, by political means first, respect of the will of the people."
• UN Security Council Recognizes Barrow as Gambia's Legitimate President VOA 19 Jan 2017 -- The United Nations Security Council has recognized new Gambian leader Adama Barrow as that country's legitimate president, despite longtime leader Yahya Jammeh's refusal to give up power.
• CIA unveils new rules for collecting information on US citizens Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- The outgoing administration of US President Barack Obama has imposed new privacy guidelines on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that are designed to limit its use of information on American citizens.
• CIA New Rules Allow Operatives to Remain Covert Within US Organizations Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- The CIA released new guidelines that allow operatives to remain undercover within US organizations in certain situations, the agency said in a press release.
• WikiLeaks Founder Assange Says He Stands By Extradition Offer RFE/RL 19 Jan 2017 -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on January 19 that he his standing by his offer to be extradited to the United States as soon as whistle-blower Chelsea Manning is released from a U.S. prison.
• US Declassifies Documents on Bin Laden's Strategy to Fight West Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- The declassified documents reveal bin Laden's strategy for upending global politics through protracted violent conflict directed primarily against the United States and the West, according to the statement of the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, January 19, 2017 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19 Jan 2017
• XI: China seeking new model of relations with US Press TV 18 Jan 2017 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping says his country will strive towards including the United States in its "circle of friends" around the globe.
• Xi says China stays committed to upholding world peace People's Daily 19 Jan 2017 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday that China remains unchanged in its commitment to upholding world peace.
• Zarif: Trump will be surprised if he rejects nuclear deal IRNA 19 Jan 2017 -- If US president-elect Donald Trump annuls the nuclear deal, he will be surprised by Iran, says Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
• Iran, Russia ink two deals on peaceful nuclear cooperation IRNA 19 Jan 2017 -- Iran and Russia signed two documents on promoting peaceful nuclear cooperation in a ceremony on Thursday attended by deputy head of Iran's Atomic Organization for international legal and parliamentary affairs Behrouz Kamalvandi.
• UNSC meeting verified Iran's abidance by commitments under JCPOA: Envoy IRNA 19 Jan 2017 -- Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Gholamali Khosroo said that United Nations Security Council justification meeting verified Iran's compliance with commitments under Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
• Trump to be surprised if ditches Iran nuclear deal: Zarif Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran will have its "own options" in response to any violations of the 2015 nuclear deal, adding that the Islamic Republic will "surprise" US President-elect Donald Trump if he scraps the accord.
• UN confirms Iran's compliance with nuclear deal Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- The UN Security Council has confirmed that Iran has complied with the provisions of the historic nuclear deal with the P5+1 group of countries.
• Iran Plans to Inject UF6 Gas Into New Centrifuge Machine in Near Future Sputnik 19 Jan 2017 -- Iran is preparing to inject uranium hexafluoride (UF6) into a brand new Iran-made centrifuge machine, known as IR8, in the near future, Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Asghar Zarean said.
• First quantum satellite surpasses expectations People's Daily 19 Jan 2017 -- Micius, the world's first quantum satellite, has successfully completed four months of in-orbit tests since China launched it on Aug 16, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has announced.
• Taiwan urges U.S. support in maintaining cross-strait peace CNA 19 Jan 2017 -- The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday urged the incoming U.S. administration of Donald Trump to support Taipei's continued efforts to maintain cross-strait peace and reiterated that Taiwan should not be used as a bargaining chip in the relationship between the United States and China.
• Taiwan should keep hands off Washington's China policy: ex-premier CNA 19 Jan 2017 -- Former Premier Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) said Wednesday that Taiwan should not get involved in U.S. relations with China, and should instead ask Washington to stick to the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act and its "Six Assurances" to Taiwan.
• Experts reiterate Taiwan issue not a bargaining chip for Trump People's Daily 19 Jan 2017 -- Chinese experts reiterated right ahead of the inauguration of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump that Taiwan issue is never a bargaining chip for the new U.S. leader, or it will become the most severe challenge on the bilateral ties that both sides should cherish.
• Turkish MPs approve more articles of new draft constitution Press TV 19 Jan 2017 -- Turkish lawmakers have passed more articles of a contentious constitutional reform package, which would give the president sweeping executive powers.