Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 01 Mar 2017[PDF]
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 01 Mar 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Gen. Townsend via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 01 Mar 2017 -- Presenter: Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, commander, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve
• Iraqi Forces Retake Mosul Airport, Inherent Resolve Commander Says AFPS 01 Mar 2017 -- Iraqi security forces have taken back Mosul International Airport in Iraq after a couple days of difficult fighting to liberate western Mosul from control of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the commander of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve said today.
• Taliban Suicide Bombers Kill At Least 16 In Kabul, Wound 40 RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- Afghan police say two suicide bombers have struck Kabul in attacks claimed by the Taliban, killing at least 16 people and wounding about 40.
• Separate Suicide Bombings Hit Kabul VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- Afghan officials say a group of heavily armed Taliban suicide bombers have assaulted a district police headquarters in western Kabul, sparking a fierce gun battle with security forces.
• Landlocked Afghanistan Urges Pakistan to Open Borders VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- Landlocked Afghanistan has used a regional summit to call on Pakistan to reopen formal border crossings between the two countries, saying barriers on trade, transit and the movement of people defy stated objectives of promoting economic cooperation among participating nations.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Trump Vows to 'Extinguish' ISIS, Rebuild U.S. Military AFPS 01 Mar 2017 -- President Donald J. Trump told a joint session of Congress last night that the United States will work with a coalition to "extinguish" the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria from the planet.
• Trump Signals Support For NATO, Huge Defense Spending Increase RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled strong support for NATO, and called for a massive funding increase for the military, as he vowed to oversee the "renewal of the American spirit."
• AF demonstrates rapid deployment of Army helicopters to Latvia AFNS 01 Mar 2017 -- U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, delivered by Air Mobility Command C-5M Super Galaxies, arrived here March 1, 2017 in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.


• 12th Pacific Partnership Mission Prepares to Enhance Cooperation, Strengthen Indo-Asia-Pacific Ties NNS 01 Mar 2017 -- The U.S. Navy will join allied and partner nation forces for the 12th Pacific Partnership mission, scheduled to begin March 1.
• Bataan, Mesa Verde, Carter Hall to Deploy NNS 01 Mar 2017 -- More than 4,000 Sailors and Marines serving in the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (BAT ARG) are scheduled to deploy soon.
• Green Bay Wraps Up Cobra Gold 2017 NNS 01 Mar 2017 -- Amphibious transport dock USS Green Bay (LPD 20) successfully completed Exercise Cobra Gold 2017 (CG17), Feb. 24, after operating in the Gulf of Thailand and various locations throughout the Kingdom of Thailand.
• HSC-25 Rescues Distressed Mariners in Saipan NNS 01 Mar 2017 -- Sailors from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 conducted a search and rescue (SAR) operation and retrieved two distressed mariners off the coast of Saipan, Feb. 25.
• South Carolina National Guard member protects the skies and streets Army News 01 Mar 2017 -- Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen serving in the National Guard are an asset to the military due to the skillsets developed from their civilian careers and how they are applied to their military service. Each South Carolina National Guard Soldier and Airman has a unique story that contributes to making the South Carolina National Guard a ready, relevant, responsible, and resilient force.
• Acquisition community: The Army can't wait for 'perfect solutions' Army News 01 Mar 2017 -- To get Soldiers the latest equipment they need now, say Army acquisition professionals, the Army must accept that it can't have perfection right up front.
• U.S. Man Jailed For Illegally Selling High-Tech Goods To Russian Military RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- A former employee of an electronics export company in the U.S. city of Houston has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for his role in a scheme to illegally export about $50 million of microelectronics to Russia.
• NATO Secretary General stresses value of partnership with Switzerland NATO 01 Mar 2017 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will stress the importance of the partnership between NATO and Switzerland during a two-day visit to Bern and Geneva (1-2 March 2017).
• South Korea, US begin annual drills as North prepares for 'merciless' counterstrike Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- South Korean and US forces have kicked off massive joint military drills, which are held annually, as North Korea alerts its armed forces to prepare for a "merciless" counterstrike against potential enemy aggression.
• Russia, China to intensify opposition to US missile System in South Korea Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- Beijing says China and Russia have agreed to step up their coordinated efforts in opposition to the planned deployment in South Korea of a US missile system, insisting the move will harm regional security.
• S. Korean. U.S. security, defense officials hold phone talks on THAAD, military drills People's Daily 01 Mar 2017 -- Senior security and defense officials of South Korea and the United States held phone talks on Wednesday to talks about the deployment of the U.S. missile shield in South Korean soil and the launch of joint military exercises.
• British, Russian Military Chiefs Confer On Avoiding Potential Incidents RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- Senior Russian and British military officials have held rare talks in Moscow aimed at avoiding clashes and lowering tensions that have spiked to their highest levels since the Cold War.
• Seven Nations Begin Largest Disaster Relief Preparedness Exercise in Pacific Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- The exercise includes civilian and military participants from the United States, United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, which is participating for the first time.
• India Green Lights Commercial Production of Light Steel for Armored Vehicles Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- This will cut down the delays in armament projects as the lightweight steel will be made in the country as opposed to relying on imports earlier.
• India Test-Fires Low Altitude Advanced Air Defense Interceptor Missile Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- India is in the process of inducting two layered Ballistic Missile Defense into its armed forces. Last month it had successfully test-fired the Prithvi Air Defense (PAD) missile for exo-atmospheric ranges and on Wednesday morning its Advanced Air Defense (AAD) missile hits directly to incoming missile at a lower altitude.
• Anemic Indian Navy Plans To Rule Indian Ocean By 2020 Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- As part of the new war doctrine, the Navy has proposed dominating the Ocean by 2020 but with demand for allocations being successively ignored, how will it counter growing Chinese presence in its backyard and that too with limited capability?
• Velayati: Iran's missile program aimed for self-defense IRNA 01 Mar 2017 -- Head of the Center for Strategic Research Center of Iran's Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati said on Wednesday that Iran's missile program is solely aimed at self-defense.
• PAC-3 missiles deployed on east coast: MND CNA 01 Mar 2017 -- A Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile system has been deployed to the Hualien and Taitung area of eastern Taiwan in response to changes in China's military strategy, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said in a report unveiled on Wednesday.
• Rule, Britannia!' Red-Faced Royal Navy Has a Slight Missile Problem Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- The British Royal Navy has not had the best luck over recent months, and now it seems that another nail is about to go into the coffin for the Fleet, which has announced that their Type 26 warships are equipped with missile launchers, however there are no missiles they can use.
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Sean Spicer, 3/1/2017 The White House 01 Mar 2017

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 01, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 1 March 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 01 Mar 2017
• Beijing Planning Construction of Underwater Observatory in South China Sea Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Chinese researchers and academics have embarked on a journey to build the world's first underwater platform to allow observation of underwater activity in real time, according to Chinese media outlets.
• Humanitarian actors need safe, unhindered access to help Yemen avert famine - UN aid chief UN News 01 Mar 2017 -- The people of crisis-torn Yemen urgently need humanitarian assistance and protection, especially in the north of the country where there is a threat of famine, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator warned today.
• Spokesman: UAE, other warmongering coalition members directly responsible for crimes in Yemen IRNA 01 Mar 2017 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi on Wednesday reacted to recent remarks of the United Arab Emirates minister of state for foreign affairs by saying that direct responsibility for committed crimes in Yemen and strengthening terrorism there and in all regions belongs to the UAE and other war-mongering coalition members.
• 45,000 Yemenis displaced due to fighting near militant-held Mukha: UN Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says about 45,000 Yemenis have been forced out of their homes over the past few weeks as a result of fighting around Mukha intensified recently by the Saudi-backed militiamen's seizure of the southwestern port city.
• Turkey seizes Kurdish-held villages in northern Syria Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- Turkish-backed militants have seized two Kurdish-held villages in Syria, inching closer to Manbij, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to capture.
• Turkish Forces Destroy 16 PKK Targets in Northern Iraq Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Turkish military destroyed 16 Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants' targets in the north of Iraq, media reported Wednesday, citing the Turkish General Staff.
• War crimes committed by all parties in battle for Aleppo - UN-mandated inquiry on Syria UN News 01 Mar 2017 -- The battle late last year for control over Syria's war-ravaged Aleppo was a stage of unrelenting violence, with civilians on both sides falling victim to war crimes committed by all parties, read a report issued today by the United Nations-mandated Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria.
• UN: Both Sides in Syrian Conflict Committed War Crimes VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- Opposing sides in the fight for control of Aleppo committed war crimes, according to a new United Nations report.
• Syria talks should focus on unity govt. during transition period: Russia Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has underlined the need for the Syria peace talks underway in the Swiss city of Geneva to focus on warring sides reaching a consensus on how the war-torn country will be governed during the transition period.
• US seeks Turkey's role in liberating Syria's Raqqah Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- A US commander says talks are under way with Turkey on the role Ankara might play in the operation to liberate Syria's Raqqah, a city under the control of the Daesh Takfiri terrorists.
• Syrian forces enter Daesh-controlled Palmyra Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- Syrian army forces have reportedly entered the ancient city of Palmyra, which fell to the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group for a second time a few months ago.
• Russia Ceases Bombing US Allies in Syria After Deconfliction Call - Coalition Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- The commander of the Operation Inherent Resolve said Moscow had stopped accidental bombing of the US-led coalition's allies after a deconfliction call.
• Much to Turkey's Dismay: US Expects Syrian Kurds to Join Raqqa Liberation Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Syrian Kurds are likely to participate in the liberation of Raqqa, according to the chief of the US-led coalition against Daesh. Apparently, Turkey will not be happy.
• Syrian Army Storming Hotel Complex in Daesh-Held Southwestern Palmyra Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Syrian troops are storming the Daesh-held historic city of Palmyra.
• Syrian Government Forces Capture Palmyra Citadel From Daesh - Reports Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Syrian government forces along with their allies have recaptured Palmyra citadel from Daesh on Wednesday, securing complete control of the firing range over the city of Palmyra.
• US Sets Up Military Base in Syrian Manbij to 'Defend It From Turkish Attack' Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- A high-ranking representative of the Syrian Democratic Forces, who wished not to disclose his name, has told Sputnik Turkiye that the US is "taking all necessary measures" to defend the Syrian city of Manbij from an attack by the Turkish military. It has set up a military base in the city and hung up its flag as a "warning sign" to Ankara.
• Syrian Army Destroys Daesh Bomb-Loaded Vehicles, Kills 10 Militants Near Palmyra Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- At least two bomb-loaded armored vehicles with Daesh suicide attackers heading to the Syrian army positions near the southwestern entrance of Palmyra were destroyed, according to a source.
• Iraqi forces regain control over main road out of Mosul Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- Iraqi government forces have managed to establish full control over the last main exit out of the northern city of Mosul amid a new joint operation with allied Popular Mobilization Units to drive the extremists out of their last urban stronghold in the country.
• At least 8,000 civilians displaced by fighting in west Mosul Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- The United Nations says some 8,000 people have fled west Mosul since Iraqi forces launched their operations to rid that part of the city from Daesh terrorists.
• Iraqi Forces Advance to West Mosul Along 3 Axes, Prepare for Tough Fight Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- The Operation Inherent Resolve commander noted that the tactic has proven to be effective because it overwhelms the enemy.
• Terrorists Take Flight! Daesh Chief Al-Baghdadi Allegedly Orders Retreat in Iraq Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has acknowledged the terrorist group's defeat in Iraq, urging his supporters to take refuge in the country's mountainous regions, independent Iraqi news network Alsumaria reported.
• Separatists Seize Ukraine Billionaire's Operations As Tensions Rise Over Blockade RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- A telecom firm and a charity controlled by Ukrainian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov were targeted in a wave of seizures by Russia-backed separatists amid an escalating standoff over a blockade hampering commerce between separatist-controlled territory and the rest of Ukraine.
• DPR Nationalizes Some 40 Ukrainian Jurisdiction Enterprises Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Alexander Zakharchenko stated that external administration has been introduced at almost 40 Ukrainian-jurisdiction enterprises in Donbass because of the transport blockade in the region.
• DR Congo security forces committed rights violations against protestors in December 2016 - UN probe UN News 01 Mar 2017 -- Defence and security forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) used excessive, disproportionate and at times lethal force to prevent and contain demonstrations in December 2016, in violation of international human rights law and standards, a UN report has found.
• Suu Kyi aide dismisses UN pressure over abuse of Rohingya Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- A close aide to Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has dismissed mounting international pressure over the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state despite evidence provided by the UN of murder, rape and torture at the hands of government forces.
• Pashtuns Allege Persecution As Pakistan Wages Antiterrorism Battle RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- With Pakistan's military locked in a nationwide antiterrorism drive after a spate of deadly attacks claimed by Islamist radicals, one ethnic community is accusing authorities of singling them out for persecution.
• UN Mission in Colombia starts verification as FARC-EP begins turning in weapons UN News 01 Mar 2017 -- In a major step for the peace process in Colombia, the United Nations Mission in the country today started the verification of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP)'s laying down of arms.
• Aid Workers Forced to Relocate From Famine-Stricken Area of South Sudan VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- Rising insecurity has forced 28 humanitarian workers to relocate from Mayendit, one of two counties in South Sudan's Unity State that three United Nations aid agencies and the government declared last month as famine-stricken.

News Reports

• US Vice President Says Trump Will Defend Original Travel Ban VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- President Donald Trump will continue to defend his original travel ban even after a revised executive order limiting travel to the United States is finalized in the coming days, Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday.
• Trump's Newest General Being Put to the Test VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- When U.S. President Donald Trump named a new national security adviser just over a week ago, current and former national security officials did more than just breathe a sigh of relief. Many expressed cautious optimism.
• Trump's Choice For Top Intelligence Post Views Russia With 'Grave Concern' RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- President Donald Trump's nominee for the top U.S. intelligence post, the director of national intelligence, says he views Russia's actions on the international stage with "grave concern."
• Macedonia's President Refuses To Give Opposition Leader Mandate For New Government RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- Macedonia's President Gjorge Ivanov says he has decided he will not give a mandate to Social Democratic Union (SDSM) leader Zoran Zaev to try to form a government, despite documents presented by Zaev showing he has formed a coalition that would control a majority of seats in parliament.
• Kyrgyz Party Claims Leader's Arrest Is Linked To Plane Crash Probe RFE/RL 01 Mar 2017 -- The turmoil in Kyrgyzstan over the arrest of opposition party leader Omurbek Tekebaev has taken a new turn after his political party claimed that he was targeted for prosecution to suppress evidence that a cargo plane which crashed outside the capital in January was carrying goods belonging to President Almazbek Atambaev.
• Araqchi: Tehran, Moscow to review JCPOA implementation IRNA 01 Mar 2017 -- Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday that talks between Tehran and Moscow on the prospects of implementing Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) are underway.
• IMF says Iran rebounds after nuclear deal ISNA 01 Mar 2017 -- The International Monetary Fund says Iran's economy has rebounded after the nuclear deal with world powers, Associated Press reported.
• DPRK refutes allegations of connections with "events in Malaysia" People's Daily 01 Mar 2017 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) rejected here Tuesday allegations by the Republic of Korea (ROK) that it was connected with "the events in Malaysia."
• Analysis: Should US Return North Korea to Terrorism List? VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- Amid calls by U.S. lawmakers for North Korea to be relisted as a state sponsor of terrorism following the apparent assassination of the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, there's an apparent lack of consensus among experts on whether his death is a terrorist attack.
• South Korea's Acting President Vows to Get Tough on North Amid Escalation Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- South Korea's Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn pledged on Wednesday to take a hard line on the North, saying it would answer for its provocations, local media reported.
• Malaysia charges two women with Kim's murder Press TV 01 Mar 2017 -- A Malaysian court has formally charged two female suspects with the assassination earlier of the North Korean leader's exiled half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, at the Kuala Lumpur airport.
• Malaysia to Deport N. Korean National Suspected of Kim Jong Nam's Murder Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Malaysian authorities will deport a ssuspect in the murder of Kim Jong Nam, an alleged half-brother of the North Korean leader, according to media reports.
• Malaysia Charges 2 Women with Murder in Kim Jong Nam's Death VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- Malaysia charged two women with murder Wednesday in connection with the death of Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
• Fillon Refuses to Drop Out of French Presidential Race Amid Scandal Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- French presidential candidate from The Republicans party Francois Fillon confirmed that he was summoned to court on March 15. Earlier today, he was questioned by magistrates investigating a 'fake work' scandal involving his wife. Fillon is joined by his former rival in the conservative primaries Alain Juppe.
• Italy Grants Partial Pardon to Ex-CIA Officer on Rendition Charges Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Sabrina de Sousa, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent who faces a four-year sentence in Italy for her role in a 2003 kidnapping of a terror suspect in Milan, has been granted a partial pardon by Italy's president, media reported.
• Germany Poised to Mount More Raids on Turkish Imams Accused of Spying VOA 01 Mar 2017 -- Tensions are increasing between Berlin and Ankara over claims that Turkey has been using Islamic preachers in Germany to spy on supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric who President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses of orchestrating last July's failed coup against him.
• Putin Denies State-Sponsored Doping in Russia, Vows to Boost Anti-Doping Efforts Sputnik 01 Mar 2017 -- Vladimir Putin reaffirmed on Wednesday that there is no state-sponsored system supporting of doping abuse in Russia, vowing instead continued anti-doping efforts.