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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S. Air Forces Central Command September Airpower Summary AFNS 31 Oct 2018 -- U.S. Air Forces Central Command published its September Airpower Summary today, highlighting airpower operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
• Suicide attack kills 4, injures 7 east of Afghan capital IRNA 31 Oct 2018 -- A suicide attack in the city of Kabul claimed the lives of 4 people and injured 7 others on Wednesday.
• Taliban appoint former Guantanamo inmates to Qatar office Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- The Taliban militant group has appointed five former detainees, who were held at the US military detention center at the Guantanamo Bay, as members of the political office in Qatar, which recently hosted talks with the United States.
• Army helicopter crashes in Afghanistan, 25 killed Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- A helicopter operated by Afghanistan's army has crashed in the southwest of the country, killing 25 people on board, officials say.
• At Least 32 Killed In Afghan Helicopter Crash, Prison Attack RFE/RL 31 Oct 2018 -- An Afghan National Army helicopter carrying senior officials has crashed in bad weather in the western province of Farah, killing all 25 on board, a local official says.
• Mattis Says Afghan Forces Suffered 1,000 Casualties in August and September VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis provided a rare look into the ground situation for Afghans fighting the Taliban, revealing late Tuesday that Afghan forces had suffered more than 1,000 casualties in August and September of this year.
• Afghan Army Helicopter Crash, Suicide Blast Kill Over 30 VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- An Afghan military helicopter carrying senior officers crashed in the western province of Farah early Wednesday, killing at least 25 people on board.
• Trump: Up to 15,000 US Troops May Go to US-Mexico Border VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- President Donald Trump said Wednesday that as many as 15,000 U.S. troops would go to the Mexican border to stop caravans of Central American migrants from crossing into the United States.

Defense Policy / Programs

• The 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade reactivates Army News 31 Oct 2018 -- On the 100th anniversary of its inception, the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade reactivates on Camp Zama, Japan, October 31, 2018, after 37 years of inactive service.
• Remarks By Secretary Mattis at an Armed Forces Full Honor Arrival Welcoming Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense Jeong to the Pentagon DoD 31 Oct 2018 -- Secretary Of Defense James N. Mattis; Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeongdoo
• Security Meeting Examines Wartime Control of Forces in South Korea AFPS 31 Oct 2018 -- U.S. and South Korean defense leaders have made significant progress in preparation for transfer of wartime control over the combined forces to the South Korean military.
• Mattis Shares Threat Pictures Behind New National Defense Strategy AFPS 31 Oct 2018 -- Defense Secretary James N. Mattis shared the thinking behind the new National Defense Strategy during a discussion at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington yesterday.
• CNO Visits Indonesia, Affirms Commitment to Strategic Partnership NNS 31 Oct 2018 -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson visited Indonesia Oct. 30, reaffirming the U.S. Navy's commitment to the strategic partnership.
• Ronald Reagan Strike Group Conducts ACSA Logistics Exchange during Keen Sword 19 NNS 31 Oct 2018 -- The Ronald Reagan Strike Group participated in an Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) Logistics Exchange with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) on Oct. 31, during Keen Sword 19.
• US Must Prepare to 'Go on Offensive' in Space - Defense Secretary Mattis Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- The US armed forces must utilize the framework of their new Space Command, announced earlier this year by President Donald Trump to go on the offensive to maintain military supremacy in the heavens, Secretary of Defense James Mattis said at the US Institute of Peace (USIP).
• NATO-Russia Council meets in Brussels NATO 31 Oct 2018 -- The NATO-Russia Council, which brings together the 29 Allies and Russia, met in Brussels on Wednesday (31 October 2018). Ambassadors had an open exchange on several topics, including the situation in and around Ukraine; issues related to military activities, reciprocal transparency and risk reduction; Afghanistan; and hybrid challenges.
• NATO and UN conclude updated Joint Declaration on cooperation NATO 31 Oct 2018 -- Following the meeting of Secretaries General Jens Stoltenberg and António Guterres on the margins of the 73rd UN General Assembly in September, the Secretariats of NATO and the United Nations concluded an updated Joint Declaration on Friday 26 October 2018, setting out plans for future cooperation between the two organizations. The document builds on the original Joint Declaration between NATO and the UN, which was signed in September 2008. The updated Declaration sets out priority areas for future cooperation, including, support to UN peace operations, countering terrorism; the protection of civilians; and Women, Peace and Security.
• NATO Urges Russia To Honor INF Treaty Amid U.S. Threat To Withdraw RFE/RL 31 Oct 2018 -- NATO has urged Russia to continue to honor a key nuclear arms treaty amid U.S. threats to pull out of the pact because of alleged violations by Moscow.
• NATO Ready to Continue Dialogue on INF Treaty With Russia Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that he did not rule out the possibility that the issue of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty would be addressed at the upcoming talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump.
• Russian Tu-160 Bombers Perform Planned Flight Over Barents, Norwegian Seas Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- Two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers have conducted scheduled flights over neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian seas, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
• Russia Sets Up Commission to Investigate Admiral Kuznetsov Incident Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- An interdepartmental commission to investigate the causes of the incident involving Russia's only aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has been created, while steps to avoid delays in the ship's overhaul are being considered, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said.
• China Likely Stealing Russian Intellectual Property to Develop Weapons - Bolton Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- China is most likely stealing Russian intellectual property in order to sell copycat weapons systems for a lower price at some point in the future, Bolton said in Washington, DC on Wednesday.
• Top Court Gives Indian Gov't 10 Days to Reveal Rafale Deal Details Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- Petitioners including two former Indian ministers termed the Supreme Court's direction as a substantial step towards revealing the truth of the controversial deal which was signed in 2016. Under the deal, 36 Rafale fighter jets are to be purchased in fly-away condition from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation.
• India to Add More Firepower to Soviet Era M-46 Field Guns Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- A government official told Sputnik that the field guns that were acquired in the 80's from the then Soviet Union will become 300% more lethal than the present form. The upgraded gun will be delivered to the Indian Army by 2022.
• India to Augment Underwater Defense Capability With 4 New Survey Vessels Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- In the last two years, India's arch-rival in the region China has launched several naval survey vessels for gathering oceanographic and geophysical data for defense applications.
• Russian-Indian Deal on S-400 Supplies Signed in Rubles - Deputy Prime Minister Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- The Russian-Indian contract on supply of S-400 air defense systems has been signed in the Russian national currency, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said on Wednesday.
• India Successfully Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable Agni-I Ballistic Missile - Reports Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- India's Strategic Forces Command (SFC) has successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable Agni-I ballistic missile, local media reported on Tuesday, citing defense industry sources.
• Kosar fighter being delivered to Iran's Air Force IRNA 31 Oct 2018 -- Iranian minister of defense announced the delivery of Kosar fighter aircraft in the near future to the Army Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• Just One Third of Germany's New Weapons Hardware Combat Ready – Defense Ministry Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- The German military has been actively lobbying for increased funding amid pressure from Washington to increase NATO defense spending, even as the Federal Republic's military budget is already set to reach over $51 billion in 2019.
• Turkey Starts Development of Long-Range Air Defense System - Erdogan Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that his country had begun developing an indigenous long-range air defense system.
• Russia-Turkey S-400 Missile Deal Envisions Future Purchase Options - Official Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- The Russian-Turkish contract on supplies of S-400 air defense systems allows Ankara to exercise the right of an option after the main deliveries under the deal have been made, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said on Wednesday.
• Albanian President Discusses Security, Euro-Atlantic Integration at Marshall Center AFPS 31 Oct 2018 -- Albanian President Ilir Meta spoke to 98 students from 42 countries about security and Euro-Atlantic integration in the Balkans from the Albanian perspective at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies here, Oct. 25.
• Canada Eyes UK Frigate Purchase to Counter Russia in Arctic - Report Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- Western countries have repeatedly expressed concerns over Russia's alleged increasing military presence and activities in the Arctic region. Moscow vehemently rejects the allegations, noting that it considers the Arctic to be an area for constructive dialogue and equal, conflict-free cooperation in the interest of all nations.
• CAR Defense Minister: Efforts to Rebuild National Army Continue VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- Throughout nearly six years of civil war, the Central African Republic's military has struggled to restore peace. Fighting with rebels and militias has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, while accusations of human rights abuses and ethnic bias have left some civilians in fear of their protectors.
• Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure The White House 31 Oct 2018
• Department Press Briefing - October 31, 2018 US Dept. of State 31 Oct 2018

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 31, 2018
• Israel, Boeing Sign Multibillion Dollar Reciprocal Spending Deal Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- Boeing has agreed to spend billions of dollars over the coming decade in Israel in the event that it is awarded major defense contracts by Tel Aviv.

Other Conflicts

• 31 October 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 31 Oct 2018
• State Department: Now Is Time for Peace Talks in Yemen VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- The United States is urging the warring sides in Yemen to return to peace talks supported by the United Nations, in hopes of ending a conflict that has lasted more than three years.
• US calls for ending war in Yemen IRNA 31 Oct 2018 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement has called for stopping Saudi coalition air strikes on Yemen, a UK-based news outlet reported on Wednesday.
• UN calls for resumption of Yemen peace talks 'within a month' Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- The United Nations says it aims to resume Yemen peace talks "within a month", a day after a similar call made by the United States that was condemned by the Houthi Ansarullah movement.
• Houthi official rejects US mediation in efforts to resolve Yemen conflict Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- The Houthi Ansarullah movement has opposed a US proposal for mediation in efforts to resolve the conflict in Yemen, holding Washington responsible for the Saudi-led aggression against Yemen.
• Yemen is sovereign, won't accept American diktats: Foreign minister Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- Yemeni Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf has censured the latest remarks by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis about the need for the establishment of a semi-autonomous region in the conflict-stricken Arab country, stating that the Yemeni nation welcomes any initiative that does not undermine national principles.
• UN chief appoints Norwegian diplomat as his new envoy for Syria UN News 31 Oct 2018 -- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed veteran Norwegian diplomat Geir O. Pedersen as his next Special Envoy for Syria.
• UN Chief Names Veteran Norwegian Diplomat as His New Syria Envoy VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres announced Wednesday that Norwegian veteran diplomat Geir Pedersen will be his new special envoy for Syria.
• Kurds in Syria: We Have Right to Respond to Turkish Attacks VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in eastern Syria say recent Turkish shelling attacks have stalled their offensive against their mutual enemy, the Islamic State terror group.
• Russia, Western Powers Clash At UN Over Elections In Eastern Ukraine RFE/RL 31 Oct 2018 -- Russia has clashed with the United States and European powers at the United Nations over the legality of elections in areas of eastern Ukraine held by Moscow-backed separatists.
• Armenia Downplays Istanbul Declaration On Karabakh RFE/RL 31 Oct 2018 -- Armenia has downplayed the significance of a declaration referring to Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh adopted by the foreign ministers of Turkey, Iran, and Azerbaijan at a meeting in Istanbul earlier this week.
• Security Council extends mandate of UN peace mission in Western Sahara by six months UN News 31 Oct 2018 -- The United Nations Security Council, on Wednesday, extended the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), until 30 April next year.
• Machar Returns to Juba for Peace Celebrations VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- President Salva Kiir publicly apologized to South Sudanese citizens Wednesday for the devastation the past five years of conflict has caused and announced the release of rebel leader Riek Machar's former spokesman James Gatdet, who had been sentenced to death, along with South African citizen William John Endley, Machar's former security advisor, who was sentenced to death by hanging on spying charges.
• Notice Regarding the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Sudan The White House 31 Oct 2018
• Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate The White House 31 Oct 2018

News Reports

• Suspected assailant killed in blast at Russia's security service building Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- A suspected assailant has been killed and three other people have been wounded in an explosion at the entrance to the local branch of Russia's main intelligence agency in northwestern Russia, officials say.
• Russian Investigators Suspect Terrorism Behind Arkhangelsk Blast RFE/RL 31 Oct 2018 -- Russian investigators say they have launched a probe into suspected terrorism after an explosion at a Federal Security Service (FSB) office in northern Russia that killed one person.
• North Korea preparing sites for int'l inspections: Seoul Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- North Korea has been making preparations at several of its weapons sites ahead of visits by international inspectors, South Korea says.
• North Korea Preparing Nuclear Site for International Inspections - Reports Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- North Korea has started preparing its Punggye-ri nuclear test site for international inspections, local media reported on Wednesday, citing South Korea's Democratic Party secretary.
• US weights Iran oil sanctions waivers for some countries ISNA 31 Oct 2018 -- The U.S. said it is considering sanctions "exemptions" for countries that have majorly cut their dependence on Iranian oil ahead of a key deadline next week.
• US seeking to wage psywar against Iran: FM spokesman ISNA 31 Oct 2018 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi said the US is seeking to wage a psychological war on Iran by slapping the country with illegal sanctions in a bid to hurt its economy and cover up Washington's own crimes against Middle Eastern nations.
• Zanganeh dismisses reports on selling Iranian oil by Russia ISNA 31 Oct 2018 -- Iranian Oil Minister, Bijan Namdar Zangeneh dismissed claims made by some Western media like Reuters that Russia has participated in selling Iranian oil.
• Iran recalls Denmark's ambassador in Tehran ISNA 31 Oct 2018 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi announced the ambassador of Denmark has been recalled to the Iranian Foreign Ministry to receive Tehran's protest over his country's allegations that Iran was plotting an assassination on the Danish soil.
• Iran summons Danish ambassador over alleged assassination plot Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Danish ambassador to Tehran to express the Islamic Republic's strong protest to "rash, politicized" remarks by certain officials of the European country over an alleged thwarted assassination plot.
• China's Sinopec plans 'special arrangements' on Iran oil Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- China's Sinopec, the world's biggest refiner by capacity and throughput, is reportedly discussing "special arrangements" on the flow of Iranian oil ahead of US sanctions which are to go into effect on November 4.
• US seeking to launch psywar against Iran through illegal bans: Official Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- Tehran says the US is seeking to wage a "psychological war" on Iran by slapping the country with illegal sanctions in a bid to hurt its economy and cover up Washington's own crimes against Middle Eastern nations.
• Iran Warns Against 'Hasty' Actions As Tensions Rise Over Danish Murder Plot Allegations RFE/RL 31 Oct 2018 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry has summoned the Danish ambassador to Tehran to issue a "strong protest" over Copenhagen's allegations about an Iranian plot to kill an opposition activist on the Scandinavian country's territory.
• Rohani Tells Iranians To Brace For 'Hard' Months RFE/RL 31 Oct 2018 -- President Hassan Rohani has warned Iranians that they may face more difficulties after the United States imposes new sanctions on the country, state television reports.
• Kepler Space Telescope Retired After 9-Year Mission Discovering 2,600 Planets Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- The US Kepler Space Telescope has run out of fuel and is being retired after a nine and a half year mission during which it discovered more than 2,600 planets outside the Solar System, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said on Wednesday.
• Khashoggi killed by strangulation, cut into pieces after murder: Turkish prosecutor Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- Turkish judicial officials say prominent Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after visiting the kingdom's consulate in Turkey's largest city of Istanbul earlier this month, was "strangled" as soon as he entered the diplomatic mission and his body was then "cut into pieces" under a "premeditated plan."
• Istanbul Prosecutor: Khashoggi Strangled, Dismembered Immediately Upon Entering Saudi Consulate RFE/RL 31 Oct 2018 -- Istanbul's chief prosecutor says Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was strangled and his body "cut in pieces" in a premeditated killing immediately upon entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
• Saudi Prosecutor Refuses to tell Turkey Location of Khashoggi's Body – Reports Sputnik 31 Oct 2018 -- Saudi Arabia's top prosecutor, Saud Al Mojeb, refused to inform the Turkish counterparts of the whereabouts of the body of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Hurriyet newspaper reported Wednesday, citing government sources.
• Turkey: Khashoggi Was Strangled Immediately After Entering Saudi Consulate VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- A Turkish prosecutor says Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi was killed by strangulation immediately after entering Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul, before his body was "cut into pieces."
• Pressure Mounts on Saudi Crown Prince VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- After months of absence in London, senior Saudi royal Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz arrived Tuesday in Riyadh, prompting conjecture among Saudi expatriates that older members of the Gulf kingdom's ruling family are ready to assert themselves in the wake of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
• U.S. official urges Taiwan to transform thinking to counter China CNA 31 Oct 2018 -- A U.S. official said Tuesday that Taiwan should change its military thinking and figure out how to make sure it has the ability to safeguard continued peace and stability both across the Taiwan Strait and within the Indo-Pacific.
• China 'opposes any form of US relation with Taiwan' Press TV 31 Oct 2018 -- China has voiced strong opposition to the official contacts and military relations between the United States and Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory.
• China Picks Philippine Port to Extend Belt & Road Into South Seas VOA 31 Oct 2018 -- China is exploring ways to build new infrastructure in a second-tier Philippine port city as a link in its Belt-and-Road Initiative for expanding Chinese trade in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.