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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 19 Dec 2017[PDF]
• Coalition Removes ISIS Leaders From Battlefield AFPS 19 Dec 2017 -- In Iraq and Syria, coalition airstrikes killed three senior Islamic State of Iraq and Syria leaders in the past three weeks, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials announced today.
• Syrian Democratic Forces Continue to Drive Out ISIS, OIR Spokesman Says AFPS 19 Dec 2017 -- The Syrian Democratic Forces continue their momentum to drive the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria out of Syria in their advance against the enemy in the Khabur River area of the Middle Euphrates River Valley, Army Col. Ryan S. Dillon, spokesman for the Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, told Pentagon reporters today.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Colonel Dillon via Teleconference From Kuwait DoD 19 Dec 2017 -- Presenter: Colonel Ryan Dillon, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman; Eric J. Pahon, Defense Department Spokesman
• Powerful Afghan Governor Vows To Fight His Disputed Ouster RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- One of Afghanistan's most powerful regional politicians has vowed to fight his ouster as governor of the northern province of Balkh, posing a potential threat to the shaky, Western-backed governing coalition of President Ashraf Ghani.
• Afghan Governor's Dismissal Highlights Rift In Party, Risks To Unity Government RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- Jawid, an ethnic Tajik shopkeeper in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif, has been building up his small business during the past decade within a pocket of relative stability.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Trump signals US may expand use of nuclear weapons Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- The administration of US President Donald Trump has signaled that it could expand the use of nuclear weapons as part of a new security strategy.
• Russia Criticizes Trump's 'Imperial' Security Strategy VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- Russia said Tuesday it sees U.S. President Donald Trump's new national security strategy as "imperial" and showing a lack of willingness to accept a multi-polar world.
• Kremlin: New US Strategy Has 'Imperial Nature' Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The Kremlin has commented on the new US national security strategy, announced by Donald Trump on Monday.
• President Trump announces national security strategy, 1st in term People's Daily 19 Dec 2017 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday announced the national security strategy, the first of its kind since he took office in January and the 17th since the former Reagan administration began to submit the report to the U.S. Congress in 1987.
• Russia Calls U.S. Security Strategy 'Imperial,' China Denounces 'Cold War' Thinking RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- Russia and China have lambasted U.S. President Donald Trump's new national security strategy, which refers to them as rivals of Washington that are seeking to undermine U.S. power and interests.
• What A Difference A Year Makes: Russian Lawmakers Pan Trump's Security Doctrine, Kremlin Sees Silver Lining RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- Just over a year ago, some Russian lawmakers raised a glass of bubbly to celebrate the victory of Donald Trump and his "America first" pledges in the U.S. presidential election.
• China's Response to US National Security Report: Cooperation VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- Beijing has rejected criticisms outlined in President Donald Trump's national security strategy report, a document that lists China as a strategic competitor and challenge to American values.
• Trump: US National Security Strategy Envisions World Energy Dominance Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- On Monday, US President Donald Trump unveiled his first National Security Strategy, outlining the major threats facing the country, as well as his administration's plans to address them.
• Military branches come together for combat training AFNS 19 Dec 2017 -- The 366th Fighter Wing is located in the middle of nowhere in southern Idaho, nearly an hour away from a large city. Not exactly the description of a place one would expect military forces from every U.S. service and foreign allies would be excited to visit.
• End of an era for the 879th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron AFNS 19 Dec 2017 -- It's the end of an era for the U.S. Air Force, as the 879th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Military Working Dog Teams departed Eskan Village Compound, Saudi Arabia, in December 2017.
• New Military Retirement System Effective Jan. 1, 2018: Opt-in Period for Eligible Service members Opens DoD 19 Dec 2017 -- One of the most wide-reaching and significant changes to military pay and benefits of the last 70 years goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2018, with the implementation of the Uniformed Services Blended Retirement System (BRS). The new system blends aspects of the traditional defined benefit retirement pension system, with a defined contribution system of automatic and matching government contributions through the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
• Navy Accepts Delivery of USNS City of Bismarck NNS 19 Dec 2017 -- The Navy accepted delivery of its ninth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, USNS City of Bismarck (EPF 9), Dec 19.
• Navy Launches 2018 Full Speed Ahead 2.0 Training NNS 19 Dec 2017 -- The chief of naval personnel announced via NAVADMIN 299/17 Dec. 19, the next iteration of Full Speed Ahead (FSA) training for 2018 that expands on existing efforts to prevent destructive behaviors across the fleet.
• NATO Secretary General discusses Alliance's continued adaptation with President Macron NATO 19 Dec 2017 -- NATO Secretary General met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today (19 December) to discuss the Alliance's continued adaptation to a challenging security environment, and preparations for next year's NATO Summit in Brussels.
• U.S. Hits Russian Missile Designer With Export Restrictions Over Treaty Dispute RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- The United States has announced new licensing and export restrictions on Russian missile designer Novator and a military research company, charging both with involvement in a missile that Washington says violates a key Cold War arms-control treaty.
• Russia to Equip Husky-Class Sub With Robotics Capable of Operating in Air, Water Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- Russia's fifth-generation Husky-class nuclear submarine will be equipped with robotic systems able to operate in water and air, Oleg Vlasov, head of the robotics sector of the Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau in St. Petersburg, told Sputnik on Tuesday.
• US Blacklists 2 Russian Companies Over Alleged INF Treaty Violations Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The United States has blacklisted two Russian defense companies, Novator and Titan-Barrikady, by placing them onto the Entity List for alleged violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, the US Department of Commerce said in a document on Tuesday.
• Japan approves deployment of new US missile system Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- Japan's cabinet has approved the deployment of the US military's ground-based Aegis missile interceptor system in an attempt to counter perceived threats from North Korea.
• Japan Approves Deployment of US Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Systems - Reports Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The Japanese government has approved the deployment of two land-based US missile defense systems Aegis Ashore systems in order to enhance the country's defense capability amid North Korea's nuclear and missile tests, local media reported.
• Japan to Buy Two US-Built Anti-Missile Systems VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- Japan will purchase a U.S.-built, land-based missile defense system in response to what it considers the rapidly growing threat from North Korea.
• PLA reports interference from foreign warplanes during high-seas drills: spokesperson People's Daily 19 Dec 2017 -- Several Chinese bombers, fighters and surveillance aircraft encountered and dealt with interference from foreign warplanes while conducting a training mission over the Tsushima Strait on Monday, according to a Chinese military spokesperson.
• Seoul Scrambles Jets in Response to Chinese Bombers Entering Its Airspace Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The South Korean Air Force sent fighter jets into the sky Monday in response to an unannounced intrusion of the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) by five People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft from China, the Korea Times reports.
• Modi Government Faces Opposition's Ire on Rafale Deal in Parliament Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The Indian Air Force is to receive 36 Rafale fighter jets from France beginning 2019 as part of an intergovernmental agreement. The opposition has attacked the Narendra Modi-led government for aborting a similar deal that could have fetched transfer of technology apart from saving cost.
• Taiwan able to respond as Chinese military activity rises CNA 19 Dec 2017 -- Taiwan will scramble jets armed with missiles if necessary in response to China's increased military activity near Taiwan, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday.
• Taiwan received prior briefing on U.S. national security strategy CNA 19 Dec 2017 -- The Presidential Office on Tuesday expressed thanks to the United States for briefing Taiwan in advance on its latest national security strategy report and for reiterating its commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act in the document.
• U.S. reaffirms Taiwan Relations Act in national security strategy CNA 19 Dec 2017 -- The United States reaffirmed its commitment to providing defensive weapons to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, in a new national security strategy (NSS) unveiled on Monday by U.S. President Donald Trump.
• Britain's New Aircraft Carrier Reportedly Springs a Leak Two Weeks After Launch Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The Royal Navy's newest and biggest aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth which cost more than £3 billion pounds (over $4 billion) to build, has reportedly been taking on up to 200 liters of seawater every hour due to a problem with one of its propeller shafts, British media reported.
• Poland - F-16 Follow-on Support DSCA 19 Dec 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Poland for follow-on support and sustainment services for its F-16 fleet for an estimated cost of $200 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Planning Gaffe Leaves Norway's New Fighter Jets Without Due Air Defense Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- Although the first F-35 fighters destined to become the backbone of Norway's air force have already arrived in the Nordic country, it will take eight years until they receive proper protection from air defense systems.
• Somalia: Up to 30 Percent of Soldiers Unarmed VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- Since September 2017, al-Shabab militants have overrun four Somali government military bases, killing more than 60 soldiers and seizing large quantities of weapons. Now, a military assessment by the Somali government found some of the troops manning these bases are completely unarmed.
• Locked and Loaded: Global Defense Spending Hits Record $1.62 Trillion - Report Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The unprecedented growth in global military spending is an alarming sign that the dark days of the Cold War may be back, according to the annual Jane's Defense Budgets Report.
• Department Press Briefing - December 19, 2017 US Dept. of State 19 Dec 2017
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders The White House 19 Dec 2017

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for December 19, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 19 December 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 19 Dec 2017
• Saudi airstrikes killed at least 136 in Yemen over 11 days, UN says Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says more than a hundred Yemeni civilians have lost their lives and dozens more sustained injuries after Saudi Arabia intensified its airstrikes in Yemen following the killing of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
• Yemeni forces fire retaliatory ballistic missile at Saudi capital: Report Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement says its forces have fired a ballistic missile towards the official residence of Saudi King Salman in the Saudi capital city, Riyadh, in retaliation for the regime's deadly attacks, al-Masirah TV reported.
• Saudi-Led Coalition Strikes in Yemen Led to Over 110 Civilian Casualties - UN Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- As many as 115 civilians were killed and 83 people were injured after the Saudi-led coalition intensified its airstrikes in Yemen on December 6-16, Rupert Colville, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said Tuesday.
• Saudi Arabia Intercepts Ballistic Missile Fired by Houthis Toward Riyadh Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- Yemeni Houthi rebels have announced the launch of a ballistic missile targeting Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, according to a statement by the movement's spokesman on Twitter.
• Over 130 civilians killed in 11 days in airstrikes in Yemen, reports UN rights office UN News 19 Dec 2017 -- Voicing deep concern over the surge in civilian casualties in Yemen in airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition, following the killing of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh earlier this month, the United Nations rights office has urged all parties to the conflict to ensure that civilians are protected.
• Saudi Air Defenses Shoot Down Missile Fired by Yemen's Houthis VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- Saudi air defenses have shot down a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh by Yemen's Houthi militia group. Saudi Arabia and the United States have accused Iran of supplying ballistic missile technology to the Houthis.
• Security Council renews Syrian cross-border relief convoys amid ongoing challenges for aid workers UN News 19 Dec 2017 -- The Security Council today renewed the authorization for United Nations relief agencies and their partners to use routes across conflict lines and border crossings to deliver lifesaving assistance to millions in north-west and southern Syria through Turkey and Jordan.
• UN Extends Authorization for Cross-border Aid Deliveries in Syria VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- The U.N. Security Council approved cross-border aid deliveries to Syria for another year Tuesday, despite some concerns from Russia.
• U.S. Envoy Says 2017 Deadliest Year In Ukraine Conflict, Warns Of Spiking Violence RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- The U.S. special envoy for the Ukraine conflict has said 2017 was the deadliest year in the region since the outbreak of violence three years ago, and warned that hostilities are again ratcheting up.
• Ukraine: UN agencies stepping up aid to most vulnerable as temperatures plummet UN News 19 Dec 2017 -- As temperatures plummet across Ukraine, the United Nations refugee and migration agencies said Tuesday that they are stepping up assistance to the most vulnerable people affected by the conflict in the country's east.
• Bangladesh indicates Rohingya repatriation could be delayed Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- A deal signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar for the repatriation of Rohingya Muslim refugees into their homeland in Myanmar's state of Rakhine may not be implemented soon, authorities in Bangladesh have suggested.
• UN agencies scale up work in Bangladesh as Rohingya refugee crisis enters fourth month UN News 19 Dec 2017 -- As the Rohingya refugee emergency in Bangladesh enters its fourth month, United Nations agencies are scaling up their relief work to respond to a range of issues, including outbreak of diphtheria, lack of access to sanitation and sexual violence.
• Two anti-India fighters, woman killed in India-controlled Kashmir Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- New Delhi forces have shot dead at least two suspected fighters in Indian-controlled Kashmir in fierce clashes that also killed a young woman.
• Indian Troops Gun Down Two Militants, One Civilian in Anti Insurgency Operation Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The separatist leaders of Jammu and Kashmir have called for a complete shutdown on Wednesday to protest the killing of the civilians. Forty civilians have been killed during protests against security forces in the state since the beginning of 2017.
• Hamas blasts US for vetoing UN resolution on Jerusalem al-Quds Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, has blasted Washington for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution aimed at voiding US President Donald Trump's move on Jerusalem al-Quds, saying the Israeli-occupied city is the "eternal capital" of the state of Palestine.
• Arab League condemns US veto of UNSC resolution on al-Quds Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- The Arab League has lashed out at the US for vetoing a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution which called for annulment of Washington's controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital.
• South Sudan Forum Aims to Restore Peace VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- A high-level forum to revive South Sudan's 2015 peace agreement is underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – and the stakes could not be higher.
• CAR Experiences Alarming Rise in Violence, Criminality VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- The U.N. children's fund reports an alarming rise in violence and criminality in Central African Republic, with children and women most victimized from the lack of security and humanitarian aid.

News Reports

• US Senate Probes Green Party as Part of Russiagate - Reports Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The Senate Intelligence Committee has requested Green Party candidate Jill Stein's campaign to comply with a document search as a part of the ongoing investigation into alleged ties between US President Donald Trump's campaign team and Moscow, US media reported Monday citing a former campaign staffer.
• McMaster Says Russia's 'Destabilizing Behavior' Needs To Be Countered RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster says Western countries need to counter Russia's "destabilizing behavior," saying that Moscow is running "a very sophisticated campaign of subversion" to undermine free and open societies.
• Launching Campaign, Putin Says Russia's 'Stability' Crucial RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- President Vladimir Putin has kicked off his reelection campaign by calling for the protection of Russia's "freedom" and "stability," suggesting the country needs to ward off influence from abroad and attempts by the domestic opposition to shake up politics.
• US publicly blames North Korea for 'WannaCry' cyberattack Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- The Trump administration has blamed North Korea for spreading the so-called "WannaCry" cyberattack that impaired hospitals, banks and other companies worldwide earlier this year.
• North Africa Braces for Impact as Islamic State Fighters Return VOA 19 Dec 2017 -- North African officials say a large number of foreign recruits who joined the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq have returned to their countries and remain loyal to the extremist organization. They fear the returnees are planning to unleash terrorist attacks in the coming months, adding to a jihadist menace that includes well-entrenched al-Qaida affiliates.
• DPRK Will Never Flinch from Road of Bolstering Nuclear Force: Rodong Sinmun KCNA 19 Dec 2017 -- U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson said at a forum co-sponsored by the U.S. Atlantic Council and international exchange foundation on Dec. 12 that the U.S. could be open to peace talks with the DPRK without preconditions. We are only going to talk if the DPRK comes to the table ready to give up its program, and the DPRK needs to earn its way back to the discussion table by refraining from further military provocations, he added.
• North Korea against idea of talks without preconditions with US Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- The North Korean government is absolutely not interested in the idea of talks without preconditions proposed by the US authorities, saying the final aim of any such initiative would be for North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.
• McMaster: U.S. Must Be Prepared To 'Compel' Denuclearization Of North Korea RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster says that the United States "must be prepared, if necessary, to compel the denuclearization of North Korea."
• North Korea Rejects US Proposal to Discuss Nuclear Program - State Media Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- North Korea does not intend to discuss its nuclear program with the United States since it sees Washington's initiative as an attempt to advance a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on new sanctions against Pyongyang, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the North Korean Workers' Party said on Tuesday.
• McMaster on 'Chances of War' With N Korea: 'All Options Are on the Table' Sputnik 19 Dec 2017 -- The chance of a military conflict happening between the United States and North Korea is dependent upon the activities of all sides involved in the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, US National Security Adviser Herbert Raymond McMaster told the BBC broadcaster in an interview released on Tuesday.
• US president can't cause Iran deal to collapse: President Rouhani Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the United States will not be able to kill the 2015 multinational nuclear deal, emphasizing that the landmark pact will remain in place.
• Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad Battling With Powerful Judiciary RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- Iran's chief prosecutor says authorities will soon issue an "appropriate" response to an ultimatum made by former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to the country's powerful judiciary.
• Two years on, Iran nuclear accord at a 'critical crossroads,' UN Security Council told UN News 19 Dec 2017 -- The United Nations political chief told the Security Council Tuesday that the UN Secretariat is not yet in a position to confirm whether the ballistic missiles launched at the Saudi cities of Yanbu and Riyadh were Iranian Qiam-1 missiles, as assessed by Saudi authorities.
• Russia Holding Norwegian Man On Suspicion Of Spying RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- Russia is holding a Norwegian man on suspicion of spying after he allegedly received classified documents from a Russian man who is also under arrest, an official said on December 19.
• Anti-government protesters clash with police in Iraq's Kurdistan Press TV 19 Dec 2017 -- Security forces in Iraq's Kurdistan region have clashed with demonstrators protesting corruption and unpaid salaries for a second day.
• Three New Crew Members Arrive At International Space Station RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- Three new crew members have boarded the International Space Station (ISS) after a two-day trip from Earth.
• Georgian Ruling Party On Defensive In Wake Of Corruption Allegations RFE/RL 19 Dec 2017 -- A public altercation last week between Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and TV personality Gia Gachechiladze (aka Utsnobi) has given rise to widespread speculation that Kvirikashvili may step down, followed by multiple denials from coalition colleagues.