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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 21 Dec 2017[PDF]
• Update on the D-ISIS Campaign US Dept. of State 21 Dec 2017 -- Special Briefing by Brett McGurk, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition To Counter ISIS, Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition To Counter ISIS/li>

• US vice president makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- US Vice President Mike Pence has made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to meet with American military officers and Afghan leaders, amid escalating violence in the country despite the presence of thousands of US-led NATO troops there.
• UN Report Cites Progress, Challenges in Afghanistan VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- Afghanistan made improvements on a number of fronts this year but still faces major challenges, ranging from the rejuvenated Taliban and other opposition forces to widespread corruption, challenges in putting together elections, a boom in heroin production and ongoing tensions with neighboring Pakistan, an annual U.N. report says.
• Remarks to the Troops by Vice President Pence in Afghanistan The White House 21 Dec 2017
• US military carried out 120 airstrikes in Yemen in 2017: CENTCOM Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- The US military says it has carried out more than 120 airstrikes and "multiple" ground operations in Yemen in 2017.
• US drone strikes double in Somalia, triple in Yemen under Trump admin.: Report Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- There has been a sharp rise in the number of US drone strikes in Yemen and Somalia since US President Donald Trump took office, says a report.
• Al-Qaeda Propaganda Chief Reportedly Killed in US Airstrike in Yemen Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- Al-Qaeda's propaganda chief in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was among those killed in two separate US drone strikes in Yemen, Reuters reported on Thursday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Chinese Defense Ministry Warns US Against Cold War Rhetoric in New Security Plan Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- China's Defense Ministry on Thursday urged the United States to abandon its Cold War mentality and opt for closer military cooperation, in response to a new US national security strategy.
• US commandos simulated stealing North Korean nukes Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- American military forces partaking in a recent joint drill with their South Korean counterparts have simulated capturing North Korea's nuclear weapons at the event of war, according to new reports.
• US Reportedly Planning to Attack North Korea to Stop its Nuclear Program Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- After months of tension between the US and North Korea, a new report states the Trump administration is mulling a strike against North Korea to give Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un a "bloody nose."
• USD(AT&L) Appoints "Highly Qualified Expert" to Lead Reorganization Effort DoD 21 Dec 2017 -- Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD(AT&L)) Ellen Lord today announced the appointment of Ben FitzGerald as director, Office of Strategy and Design.
• Off-Camera, On-The-Record Media Availability with Deputy Secretary Shanahan DoD 21 Dec 2017 -- Presenter: Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan
• U.S., French forces fortify longstanding partnership during Alligator Dagger USMC News 21 Dec 2017 -- The French navy Mistral-class amphibious assault ship LHD Tonnerre, with embarked U.S. Marines and Sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and USS Lewis B. Puller rehearsed amphibious operations and combat sustainment in the vicinity of Djibouti during Alligator Dagger, Dec. 12-21.
• Naval War College Stockton Center Updates, Expands Law of Naval Operations Handbook NNS 21 Dec 2017 -- The U.S. Naval War College Stockton Center for the Study of International Law has announced the release of an updated and revised version of "The Commander's Handbook on the Law of Naval Operations," Dec. 20.
• Russia Activates Early Warning Radar In East Amid North Korean Missile Tests RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- Russia has activated three new early-warning radar stations to detect missile attacks near its southeastern border, including its border with North Korea, after repeated missile tests by Pyongyang have raised fears of a possible conflict.
• State Duma Ratifies Expansion of Russia's Tartus Naval Facility in Syria Deal Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- The Russian State Duma ratified on Thursday the agreement on the expansion of the Russian naval facility in the Syrian port city of Tartus.
• Russia's Duma ratifies deal to expand naval facility in Syria Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- The Russian parliament has approved a deal to expand a Russian naval facility in the Syrian port of Tartus.
• Russian Lower House Ratifies Pact To Extend Syrian Naval Base Lease 49 Years RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- The lower house of the Russian Parliament has ratified an agreement with Syria to extend Russia's lease on a naval base at Tartus for 49 years.
• Seoul to Buy 20 More F-35s Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- The South Korean government has solidified a process to acquire 20 more F-35As for the country's air force, JoonAng Ilbo reported Thursday.
• India Launches $8 Billion Program to Make Its Own Fighter Jet Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- India has officially launched a program aimed at creating its own single-engine combat aircraft that will require no technology from abroad.
• Chinese military activity near Taiwan no longer to be reported CNA 21 Dec 2017 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) will no longer issue reports on movements of Chinese military aircraft or naval vessels near Taiwan unless something unusual occurs, Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) said Thursday.
• China urges US to be rational on Chinese military development People's Daily 21 Dec 2017 -- The Chinese defense ministry has called on the United States to be objective and rational regarding the development of the Chinese military.
• Iran Unveils Powerful New Zolfaghar Missile Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- The Iranian military has displayed its Zolfaghar missile, a new variant that marks a major development in the country's missile technology.
• Russia, Turkey finalize deal on S-400 missile defense system: Putin's aide Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- Russia has finalized an agreement with Turkey on the sale of the S-400 air defense missile system.
• UK test fires new missile system Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- The UK has test-fired a new version of the Sea Ceptor missile system after fitting it on a Royal Navy warship, according to the British Ministry of Defense.
• UK Navy Refutes Allegations of Poor Defense Due to Lack of Deployed Warships Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- The UK Royal Navy (RN) has various capabilities at its disposal other than frigates and destroyers, an RN spokesperson told Sputnik on Thursday, following allegations of the country's defense suffering because no major warships were deployed overseas.
• U.S. Approves License For Ukraine To Buy Light Weapon RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- The U.S. State Department says it has approved an export license for Ukraine to buy certain types of light weapons and small arms from U.S. manufacturers.
• US Approves Sale by US Manufacturers of Lethal Weapons to Ukraine VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- The United States has approved the sale by U.S. manufacturers of lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine.
• Norway Goes Korean With First Artillery Update in 50 Years Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- In the first major upgrade of its artillery since the 1960s, Norway has settled for the Korean K-9 Thunder, which is currently in use in South Korea itself as well as Turkey.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for December 21, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 21 December 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 21 Dec 2017
• Update on Yemen US Dept. of State 21 Dec 2017-- Special Briefing by Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Gulf Affairs Tim Lenderking
• Statement by the Press Secretary on Saudi Arabia and Yemen The White House 21 Dec 2017
• Suspected cholera cases in Yemen reach 1 million: ICRC Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says the number of suspected cholera cases in war-torn Yemen has hit one million amid the ongoing Saudi military campaign against the impoverished nation.
• Saudi Arabia Loosens Grip on Yemen, Opens Port to Aid Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- The humanitarian situation in war-devastated Yemen seems to have started showing signs of improving. Saudi Arabia is leading the coalition of countries supporting the national government against the Houthi movement.
• White House Condemns Yemen Rebel Missile Launch Against Saudi Arabia VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- The White House has condemned "in the strongest terms" the ballistic missile launch this week by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which it said "was aimed at the Saudi royal palace in Riyadh," the official residence of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
• Preventable, Forgotten Diseases Re-emerging in Besieged Yemen VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- The charity, Doctors Without Borders reports preventable, long-forgotten diseases are re-emerging in Yemen due to the catastrophic war that has been going on since March 2015.
• Eighth round of Syria peace talks starts in Kazakh capital Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- The eighth round of Syria peace talks mediated by Iran, Russia and Turkey, has kicked off in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana with the aim of finding a diplomatic solution to the six-year conflict in the Arab country.
• Aid has not reached 'a single soul' in Syria's besieged areas in December, says UN advisor UN News 21 Dec 2017 -- The list of people requiring life-saving medical help in Syria is getting shorter not because they were evacuated, but because they died, a senior United Nations advisor warned Thursday.
• Deaths Mount as Syria Refuses Permit for Medical Evacuation VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- A senior U.N. official says people are dying because the Syrian government will not give the green light for an urgent medical evacuation from eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus.
• US Slaps Sanctions on Myanmar General Over Rohingya Campaign VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- The United States imposed sanctions Thursday on a Myanmar army chief accused of leading an ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims.
• Turkish Security Forces Detain 55 Daesh Suspects in Country's West Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- Turkish security forces have detained 55 people on suspicion of having ties to Daesh (outlawed in Russia) terrorist group during counterterrorism raids in Istanbul, the most populous city of the country, and in the western province of Izmir, the Anadolu news agency reported Thursday.
• General Assembly demands all States comply with UN resolutions regarding status of Jerusalem UN News 21 Dec 2017 -- By an overwhelming majority, Member States in the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday "demanded" that all countries comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the status of Jerusalem, following an earlier decision by the United States to recognize the Holy City as the capital of Israel.
• UN Votes 128-9 To Reject U.S. Recognition Of Jerusalem As Israel Capital RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- The UN General Assembly has voted 128-9 in favor of a draft resolution rejecting Washington's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
• Palestinian unity deal on verge of collapse, says Hamas leader in Gaza Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, says a national reconciliation deal with the rival Fatah party of President Mahmoud Abbas seems to be collapsing.
• UN General Assembly unanimously calls on US to revoke al-Quds decision Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- The United Nations General Assembly has unanimously voted in favor of a resolution that calls on the US to withdraw its controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israeli "capital."
• UN Overwhelmingly Rejects US Recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's Capital VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution rejecting the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move its embassy there.
• International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia to close after nearly 25 years Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is to wrap up its prosecution of crimes committed during the Balkans Wars of the 1990s nearly 25 years after its inception by the United Nations.
• UN tribunal for former Yugoslavia leaves behind culture of accountability, says Guterres UN News 21 Dec 2017 -- The United Nations tribunal dealing with atrocities committed during the Balkans wars of 1990s has been a pioneer in creating the contemporary architecture of international criminal justice, and "gave a voice to victims," Secretary-General António Guterres said Thursday.
• AU Says it Needs Urgent Resources for its Mission in Somalia VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) says it needs urgent and reliable funding in order to defeat al-Shabab militants and transfer security responsibilities to the Somali National Army.
• South Sudan to Implement Cease-fire Saturday VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- South Sudan's government and armed groups signed a cease-fire agreement Thursday during peace talks in Ethiopia, in their latest push to end a four-year civil war.

News Reports

• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, December 21, 2017 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 21 Dec 2017
• U.S. Sanctions 52 People In Abuses Related To Magnitsky Act RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- The United States has sanctioned 52 more international figures as human rights abusers connected to the Global Magnitsky Act, targeting individuals from Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine, Pakistan, and elsewhere.
• Kremlin Says Sanctions Against Kadyrov 'Illegal,' Vows Response RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- Moscow has vehemently criticized the United States for imposing sanctions on Kremlin-backed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and four other Russians accused by the United States of human rights abuses.
• Background Briefing on the Rollout of the Global Magnitsky Sanctions US Dept. of State 21 Dec 2017
• Iran calls for EU's clear stance on JCPOA obstacles IRNA 21 Dec 2017 -- Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi has urged the European Union to take a clear and serious stance toward the obstacles hindering implementation of historic nuclear deal.
• Araqchi: JCPOA merely deals with nuclear issue IRNA 21 Dec 2017 -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for legal and international affairs Abbas Araqchi said that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) merely deals with nuclear-related issues.
• UN Security Council to Vote Friday on Additional North Korea Sanctions VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote Friday on another round of targeted sanctions aimed at further restricting North Korea's crude oil imports, which fuel its illicit weapons programs.
• Burkina Faso Pledges to End North Korea Trade VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- Burkina Faso said it will immediately stop importing goods from North Korea and that it only learned of possible violations of U.N. sanctions through American news reports.
• China's economic guide set for 2018 People's Daily 21 Dec 2017 -- High-quality development and forestalling risks will be the major theme of China's economic policies next year, according to decisions made at the Central Economic Work Conference, which concluded on Wednesday.
• Cuban President Raul Castro to Stay in Power Until April VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- Cuban President Raul Castro plans to stay in office until next April before stepping aside, two months longer than originally anticipated, which then would end nearly six decades of Castro family rule of the communist country.
• U.S. Justice Department Says Intelligence Report Spurred FARA Requirement For RT RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- The U.S. Justice Department says its decision to require RT to register as a foreign agent under a decades-old law was prompted in part by conclusions from the U.S. intelligence community about the state-funded Russian TV network.
• Ukrainian PM's Aide Detained On Suspicion Of Being Russian Spy RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- An aide to Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman has been detained on suspicion of being an agent of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).
• US Intelligence Chiefs Urge Congress to Reauthorize FISA Sputnik 21 Dec 2017 -- Failure by Congress to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) before the law's December 31 expiration would threaten the ability of the United States to guard against future terrorist attacks, the heads of the major US intelligence agencies and the Attorney General warned in a joint statement on Thursday.
• Pakistan Rejects Claims Convicted Indian Spy Will Be Executed VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- Pakistan is rejecting reports authorities plan to execute an Indian death row prisoner soon after arranging a meeting with his relatives next week in Islamabad.
• Protests rock Iraq's Kurdistan region for fourth consecutive day Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- Hundreds of angry protesters have faced off with security forces in Iraq's northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region, demanding the resignation of politicians accused of graft and corruption.
• U.S. Court Sentences Kazakh To 15 Years For Conspiring To Support IS RFE/RL 21 Dec 2017 -- A Kazakh citizen living in the New York City borough of Brooklyn has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiring to provide material support to the extremist group Islamic State (IS).
• Turkey seeks life sentences for 60 ex-military generals over 1997 coup Press TV 21 Dec 2017 -- At least sixty people face demands for life jail terms over their alleged role in toppling the government of Turkey's former prime minister Necmettin Erbakan 20 years ago.
• Poland Remains Defiant as EU Threatens Sanctions VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- Poland's populist government remained defiant Thursday in the face of a European Commission decision to trigger a legal procedure that could lead to Poland losing EU voting rights.
• Turnout Is Large as Catalonia Votes Following Failed Secession Bid VOA 21 Dec 2017 -- Polls have closed in the election that could decide the future of Spain and Catalonia, as residents of the northern Spanish region voted to choose new lawmakers for the regional parliament.