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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S. Setting Up Observation Posts on Syria-Turkey Border AFPS 21 Nov 2018 -- The U.S. military is setting up several observation posts in Syria beside the border with Turkey, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis said.
• Coalition Conducted 19 Airstrikes in Syria's Hajin on November 16-17 - Pentagon Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- The US-led coalition against the Daesh terrorist group conducted 19 airstrikes in the area of the Syrian city of Hajin on late Friday through Saturday, Department of Defense spokesperson Col. Rob Manning said.
• Toll In Afghan Attack Climbs To 55, Taliban Denies Responsibility RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- Afghan authorities are working to identify those responsible for a suicide bombing that killed at least 55 people and wounded scores more who were attending a religious gathering in Kabul.
• Afghan Government to Step up Operations Against Militants VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- An increase in casualties among Afghan military and police forces has prompted the Afghan government to intensify military campaigns against the Taliban and other militant groups, Afghan security officials say.
• Efforts Underway to Aid Civilians in Colombia, Yemen, Mattis Says AFPS 21 Nov 2018 -- Progress is being made to assist civilians in several parts of the world, including in Colombia and Yemen, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis said.
• White House Approves Use of Force by Troops at Border VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- The Trump administration is allowing troops stationed at the U.S.-Mexico border to engage in some law enforcement activities and, if necessary, use lethal force.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US, South Korea 2019 Foal Eagle Exercises Scaled Back For 'Diplomacy' - Mattis Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Washington and Seoul will be scaling back the joint Foal Eagle military exercises scheduled for the spring of 2019 in order to avoid disrupting ongoing denuclearization talks with Pyongyang, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced Wednesday.
• US, South Korea to Scale Back 2019 Military Exercises VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- The U.S. said Wednesday it will scale back military exercises with South Korea next year, so the war games are not a hindrance to diplomacy over ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
• Media Availability with Secretary Mattis DoD 21 Nov 2018 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis
• Central, South American Nations Demonstrate Power of Democracy AFPS 21 Nov 2018 -- The power of democracy is increasingly on display in Central and South America, the commander of U.S. Southern Command said during a recent interview.
• Assumption of Command Marks First Active Duty Air Defense Combined Task Force Commanded by National Army News 21 Nov 2018 -- On November 19, Lt. Col. John D. Wilson became the first officer to take command of the Joint Task Force. Additionally, CTF Defender is the first Combined Task Force commanded by a National Guard Officer.
• USS Ashland Completes Typhoon Recovery Mission in Northern Mariana Islands NNS 21 Nov 2018 -- The amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) departed the waters near Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) after assisting Task Force-West with Department of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local authorities, Nov. 20.
• Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group Ships Visit Hong Kong NNS 21 Nov 2018 -- The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis D. Wilbur (DDG 54) anchored in Hong Kong Harbor, Nov. 21.
• Gulfport Seabees Provide Disaster Relief Support Around the Globe NNS 21 Nov 2018 -- U.S. Navy Seabees assigned to battalions under the command Naval Construction Group (NCG) 2 participated in Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) and service authority response operations to provide disaster relief efforts and essential lifesaving and preserving support to military and civilian personnel affected by recent natural disasters.
• USS Florida Visits Namesake State NNS 21 Nov 2018 -- Sailors assigned to the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728) gold crew participated in a namesake visit to the city of Tallahassee, Nov. 16-17.
• Ashland says farewell to CNMI NNS 21 Nov 2018 -- The amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) departed the waters near Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) after assisting Task Force-West with Department of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local authorities November 20.
• USS Green Bay visits Cairns NNS 21 Nov 2018 -- Sailors and Marines assigned to the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20) pulled into Cairns, Australia for a port visit, November 21.
• US Navy Sinks $1.5 Billion Into Attack Subs That Don't Move Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Logistical delays in US shipyards regarding attack submarine repairs have left the US Navy spending $1.5 billion on idle underwater boats that are incapable of conducting any sort of operation, according to a government watchdog.
• Remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and His Majesty the King of Spain at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council NATO 21 Nov 2018
• Russia calls for change in rules of using nuclear weapons Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- Members of the Russian parliament have called on the country's National Security Council to revise Russia's rules on using nuclear weapons.
• Russian Lawmakers Recommend Review Of Nuclear Doctrine RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- A committee of the Russian parliament's upper house has recommended to the Kremlin to review the nation's rules for the use of nuclear weapons, local news agencies report.
• Pentagon Refuses to Comment on Russia's Possible Nuke Deterrence Policy Revision Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- The US Defense Department declined to comment on the proposal of the upper house of the Russian parliament to revise the rules on nuclear weapons use, Pentagon spokesperson Johnny Michael told Sputnik on Wednesday.
• China Building More Nuclear Attack Subs Than US Knew About - Report Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- US think tanks and the Pentagon have underestimated the number of Chinese nuclear submarines under construction, a new analysis suggests.
• China Gets Hold of 'War Room Software' Used by NATO - Reports Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- A deal with a Belgian software company puts China on an equal organisational footing with some of the West's elite military operations, giving Beijing significant insight into NATO military planning procedures.
• Iran to unveil new destroyer, submarine: Navy commander Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- Iran's Navy commander says the country is set to unveil new defense achievements, including a destroyer and a submarine, next week.
• 'Done Deal': Turkish FM Says Purchase of Russian S-400 Cannot Be Cancelled Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- S-400 is the next-generation mobile missile system which can carry three different types of missiles capable of destroying a variety of aerial targets at a short-to-extremely-long range, from reconnaissance aircraft to ballistic missiles.
• US Suspends $1.66Bln in Security Aid to Pakistan After Trump-Khan Twitter Row Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- The United States has suspended a total of $1.66 billion in security assistance to Pakistan, Department of Defense spokesperson Col. Rob Manning told reporters.
• UK to Send Marines, Warship to Ukraine for Sake of 'Democracy' - Reports Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson will reaffirm Britain's commitment to Ukraine during a visit to Kiev.
• Maritime training deployments to deepen UK-Ukraine defence partnership UK MOD 21 Nov 2018 -- Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson meets Minister of Defence of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak in London
• New Chinook simulators ready for training UK MOD 21 Nov 2018 -- A new, purpose built facility replicating real-life operations for Chinook helicopter crews with the very latest technology has been officially opened today.
• Indian Army Chief to Visit Hanoi Amid Stoic Silence Over Pending Arms Deal Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Diplomatic sources have told Sputnik that Vietnam wants to utilise the $500 million credit offered by India in 2016 for 'developmental purposes' instead of defense purchases - a sharp turn from its earlier commitment.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for November 21, 2018

Other Conflicts

• 21 November 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 21 Nov 2018
• Landmine casualties high for third consecutive year despite record funding, latest monitor reports UN News 21 Nov 2018 -- Despite hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to rid the world of landmines, the number of casualties caused by explosive remnants of war (ERW) remains high, according to the latest UN-backed civil society report on the issue, published on Tuesday.
• China Builds New Unidentified Structure in Disputed S China Sea - Think Tank Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- The Paracel Islands (also known as Xisha) is one of the territories in the South China Sea over which Beijing claims sovereignty, despite protests from other regional powers and attempts by Washington to prevent China from gaining a foothold there.
• Mattis: Yemen Peace Talks Expected in Early December VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths is in war-torn Yemen to prepare for peace talks after fresh fighting erupted in the key port of Hodeida.
• Estimated 85K Children May Have Starved to Death in Yemen Due to Saudi War Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Approximately 85,000 Yemeni children may have starved to death in the past three years, the aid group Save the Children reported on Wednesday.
• Ansarullah fighters ambush, kill pro-Saudi cmdr, aides in Yemen's Ma'rib Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- Fighters from the Houthi Ansarullah movement have reportedly ambushed and killed a Saudi-backed field commander loyal to Yemen's former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur in the country's central province of Ma'rib.
• Almost 85,000 Yemeni kids may have died of malnutrition amid Saudi war: Save the Children Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- A UK-based charity says more than 84,700 children under the age of five may have starved to death in Yemen since the Saudi regime and a coalition of its allies launched a brutal war on the already-impoverished nation over three years ago.
• Defense against invasion, Yemenis' right: Ansarullah leader IRNA 21 Nov 2018 -- The leader of Yemeni Ansarullah Movement renewed the Yemeni People's commitment to defend themselves and their land, saying that defending against the US-Saudi invasion and building independence and freedom is the Yemeni people's undeniable right.
• Scores of Saudi troops killed in northern Yemen IRNA 21 Nov 2018 -- In an attack on Jabal Al-Nar near Jizan, northern Yemen, scores of Saudi military forces were killed or injured, Yemeni media Al-Masirah reported.
• Israeli Operations in Syria Curbed Iran and Hezbollah – IDF Chief of Staff Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- According to the outgoing Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, Iran was unable to give Hezbollah precision missile weapons because of Israeli bombings in Syria.
• Israeli minister Gallant warns Hamas leader against fresh onslaught on Gaza Strip Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- A senior Israeli official has warned the leader of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas against a large-scale operation in the besieged Gaza Strip, asserting that the Tel Aviv regime is prepared for such an onslaught.
• Central African Republic: UN warns that more than six in 10 people now need urgent humanitarian assistance UN News 21 Nov 2018 -- People's needs in Central African Republic (CAR) have increased significantly in recent months, the top United Nations aid official in the country warned on Wednesday, amid worsening localized violence that has included the recent torching of two camps for displaced people.
• Calls for Dialogue with Cameroon's Separatists Increase after Spate of Kidnappings VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- Cameroon's military says it has freed nine students and a teacher who were kidnapped this week from a school in one of the country's restive English-speaking regions. It is the third time this month that students have been abducted from schools in the Anglophone regions.

News Reports

• Lawyers: Trump Provides Written Answers To Special Counsel Russia Probe RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- Lawyers for U.S. President Donald Trump say he has provided the special counsel's office with written answers to questions about Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 election and his knowledge of it.
• Interpol Elects South Korean As President, Passing Over Russian Candidate RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- Interpol has elected a South Korean as its president, defeating a Russian candidate who was strongly opposed by the United States, Britain, and other European states.
• Interpol Elects South Korea's Kim Jong Yang as President VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- Interpol's general assembly voted Wednesday to make South Korea's Kim Jong Yang its new president.
• Military Takeover: Trump to Cede Security Clearance Management to Pentagon Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- The Trump administration is gearing up to introduce a "sweeping" effort to grant management of the US government's security clearance program to the Department of Defense (DoD), a new report claims.
• Ex-US Intelligence Chief Lambasts Trump's Remarks on bin Laden as 'Ignorant' Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- During an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," US President Donald Trump commented on the 2011 mission that resulted in Osama bin Laden's killing. Trump labeled the mission's architect, Adm. William McRaven, a "Hillary Clinton backer and an Obama backer," expressing dissatisfaction about how the mission was carried out.
• Russian Communist All But Barred From Rerun Of An Election He Nearly Won RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- Just a few weeks ago, upstart Communist Party candidate Andrei Ishchenko appeared on the verge of clinching the governor's seat in Primorsky Krai, the most populous region in Russia's Far East.
• One-Fifth Of Russians Live In Poverty, 36 Percent In 'Risk Zone,' Study Finds RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- More than one-fifth of the Russian population now lives in poverty, according to a new study by a research institute with ties to the Kremlin.
• Trump affirms U.S. ties with Saudi Arabia amid Khashoggi investigation People's Daily 21 Nov 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday affirmed Washington's commitment to its partnership with Riyadh citing national interests, remaining an ambiguous attitude toward the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
• Trump under bipartisan fire over backing MbS after Khashoggi killing Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- American lawmakers have blasted US President Donald Trump for siding with Saudi leaders and refusing to blame Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of Virginia-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's diplomatic mission in Turkey's Istanbul early last month.
• Saudi FM Slams Reports of Possible Regime Change Amid Khashoggi Case Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Earlier, Reuters reported that certain members of the Saudi royal family are considering changing the line of succession to prevent Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from becoming the next king amid the Khgashoggi scandal.
• Turkey Accuses US of Trying to Hush Up Alleged Saudi Role in Khashoggi Killing Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Although officially condemning the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Washington is unwilling to antagonise Riyadh, which it sees as an important business partner and a "great ally" in the region.
• Trump Thanks Saudis for Tamping Down World Oil Prices VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday thanked Saudi Arabia for tamping down world oil prices, a day after saying the U.S. would not turn its back on Riyadh despite its responsibility for killing a dissident U.S.-based Saudi journalist.
• Turkish FM Says Ankara Could Seek UN Probe into Khashoggi Murder Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he has discussed with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday the case of the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
• Seoul, Pyongyang to Connect Roads in DMZ - Reports Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun and South Korea Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon conducted a working group meeting to strengthen efforts on denuclearization, the US Department of State said in a press release on Tuesday.
• Iran condemns US Treasury's new sanctions ISNA 21 Nov 2018 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Bahram Qassemi has denounced the latest sanctions imposed by the US Treasury against a number of foreign and Iranian companies and individuals, including the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Iran.
• Iran hails constructive talks with Europe on new initiatives to offset US bans Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- A senior Iranian diplomat says there have been constructive meetings with the Europeans on a trade mechanism known as the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to maintain business despite US sanctions.
• Zarif: Trump calls Iran terrorist to slash nation with sanctions Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has hit out at United States President Donald Trump for calling Iran a "terrorist nation," saying the hackneyed accusation reveals Washington's hostility towards Tehran is the real reason behind the illegal US sanctions against the country.
• Iran official rejects Iraqi gas payment in dinar Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- Iran's Deputy Minister of Petroleum Amir Hossein Zamaninia says Iraq has to pay in euros for the gas imported from Iran, dismissing the use of the Iraqi dinar for the payment.
• US won't achieve desired outcome from senseless sanctions: Iran Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- Tehran has condemned the US for imposing new sanctions on Iranian targets, among others, over alleged oil shipments to Syria, saying Washington will realize such bans are "futile" and "illogical."
• Iran Working With EU on Alternative to SWIFT Amid US Sanctions Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Earlier, the international messaging system SWIFT announced that it had cut off certain Iranian banks for the sake of "global stability." According to the US Treasury Department, which earlier announced sanctions against the Iranian banking sector, the Iranian Central Bank was among those affected.
• China, Philippines agree to upgrade ties, jointly build Belt and Road People's Daily 21 Nov 2018 -- China and the Philippines agreed on Tuesday to upgrade their ties to comprehensive strategic cooperation and jointly advance the Belt and Road construction.
• UK's May Heads to Brussels as Spain Threatens to Veto Brexit Deal VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- British Prime Minister Theresa May appears to have held off a bid to oust her by rebels in her Conservative party who oppose a Brexit deal she is finalizing with the European Union. But her exit plan faces further threats as a group of EU nations demand further concessions from Britain.
• 'Unacceptable': Spanish Prime Minister Rejects Brexit Plan Over Gibraltar Sputnik 22 Nov 2018 -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday his country would veto the Brexit draft over the disputed Gibraltar peninsula.
• Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker Delivers Remarks to the Joint Terrorism Task Force US Dept. of Justice 21 Nov 2018
• Turkish court gives life sentences to dozens over 2016 botched putsch Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- A court in Turkey has handed down aggravated life sentences to dozens of people on charges of involvement in the failed July 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which the Ankara government accuses to have been masterminded by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen.
• Turkey requests extradition of Gulen, 83 other wanted people from US Press TV 21 Nov 2018 -- Turkey has presented the United States with a list of wanted people for extradition, comprising President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's arch-foe, Fetullah Gulen, and 83 members of his movement.
• Turkish Court Jails 74 Officers for Life Over Failed Coup – Reports Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- A court in Ankara has sentenced 74 officers to life in prison for their role in the 2016 coup attempt to depose the Turkish president, the Anadolu news agency said Wednesday.
• Ukraine Marks Euromaidan's Fifth Anniversary, Amid Lack Of Prosecutions RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- President Petro Poroshenko headed a delegation of top Ukrainian officials marking the fifth anniversary of the start of the Euromaidan protests, which began a series of events that tilted Ukraine's geopolitical orientation toward the West.
• EU's Hahn To Hungary: If You Are Granting Gruevski Asylum, Explain Why RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- The European Union has demanded an explanation from EU-member Hungary over reports that Budapest granted political asylum to fugitive former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
• Kosovo Slaps 100 Percent Tariffs On Serbia, Bosnia To 'Defend Vital Interest' RFE/RL 21 Nov 2018 -- Kosovo has imposed a 100 percent tax on products from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in a move the government said is aimed at defending the country's "vital interest" following Belgrade's "aggressive campaign" against the young republic on the international stage.
• Serbian President Warns Kosovo Import Duties Could Lead to Regional Conflict Sputnik 21 Nov 2018 -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has informed the Russian and Chinese ambassadors to the country of Kosovo's authorities' decision to impose 100-percent duties on the Serbian imports and discussed with the diplomats the possible adverse effects of the step, the presidential press service said in a statement on Wednesday.
• U.S. Calls for Credible Elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo US Dept. of State 21 Nov 2018 -- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is at a critical juncture. On December 23, 2018, the DRC has a historic opportunity to carry out a credible election leading to a peaceful, democratic transfer of power.
• US Calls for Credible Elections in DR Congo VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- The United States is calling for peaceful and credible elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where campaigns for next month's polls begin Friday.
• APEC Breakdown Highlights Growing Divide Over Trade VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- Sharp exchanges between US Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at this year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings and the regional body's failure to issue a joint statement was not just a sign of the deep divide between Washington and Beijing on trade, analysts say.
• India-China Rivalry Reflected in Regional Political Developments VOA 21 Nov 2018 -- Political developments in two tiny countries in the Indian Ocean region, Maldives and Sri Lanka, reflect the growing rivalry between India and China in the strategic region. A new government, which is resetting frayed ties with India, has taken over in the Maldives from the previous administration seen as pro-China. But political turmoil has engulfed Sri Lanka following the controversial reemergence of a pro-China leader on the political center stage of the island nation on India's southern tip.