• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S., Taliban Confirm Peace Talks Resumed In Qatar RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- The United States and Taliban officials have announced a resumption of official negotiations for the first time since U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly halted talks three months ago to end the 18-year war.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon chief says plans to shift US military focus to Russia, China Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has said he plans to shift the US military's focus away from the Middle East and toward countering what he characterized as "revisionist powers" of Russia and China.
• Time to Move Forward With Space Force, Air Force Secretary Says DoD News 08 Dec 2019 -- A lack of understanding by Americans of the importance of space is hurting the effort to establish the Space Force, the secretary of the Air Force said yesterday.
• Russian Defense Minister Says Relations With NATO 'Degrading Every Day' RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has suggested that relations between Moscow and NATO are "not just halted but...degrading every day," citing a falloff that began "about five years ago."
• Moscow Ready to Cooperate With NATO but Every Year Relations Deteriorate - Russian Defence Minister Sputnik 08 Dec 2019 -- Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated after he 26th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava that NATO wants to dominate not only the Euroatlantic region but the Middle East as well.
• China mass-produces special mission aircraft Global Times 08 Dec 2019 -- China is mass-producing special mission aircraft, including anti-submarine aircraft, early warning aircraft, surveillance aircraft and electronic warfare aircraft, a genre of warplanes that Chinese experts said on Sunday will help create a full information system that allows the Chinese military to recognize every hostile movement and even sabotage enemy communications.
• China, India stage counter-terrorist drills Global Times 08 Dec 2019 -- China and India launched a joint counter-terrorism exercise on Saturday not far from the Chinese-Indian border, a move which Chinese experts said will boost the strategic mutual trust of the two countries' militaries.
• Libyan National Army Confirms Saturday Jet Crash, Says Caused by Technical Malfunction Sputnik 08 Dec 2019 -- The Libyan National Army (LNA) has confirmed that its fighter jet crashed within the Government of National Accord's (GNA) territory after completing its combat mission and that the reason behind the crash was a technical malfunction, according to a statement by the LNA general headquarters obtained by Sputnik.
• Remarks by President Trump at the Israeli American Council National Summit 2019 The White House 08 Dec 2019

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Saudi-led war on Yemen killed over 3,600 Yemeni children, paralyzed 800 Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- After 1,700 days of a Saudi-led war on impoverished Yemen, more than 3,600 children have been killed, 800 paralyzed and 400,000 others hit with malnutrition.
• Sudan's new premier stresses negotiated settlement of Yemen conflict Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- Sudan's new Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, says he believes there is no military solution to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, which has been under Saudi-led aggression since March 2015.
• In retaliatory action, Yemeni fighters kill 2 Saudi soldiers in Jizan Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- In line with retaliatory attacks on positions of Saudi forces in the kingdom, Yemeni army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Committees have killed two Saudi soldiers in the southern border region of Jizan.
• Russian, Syrian Regime Forces Step Up Attacks on Rebel Stronghold Idlib VOA 08 Dec 2019 -- A recent military escalation by Russian and Syrian government forces in the rebel-held northwestern Syrian province of Idlib is likely to continue in the coming weeks, experts say.
• Hundreds of displaced Syrians leave the al-Hol camp Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- Hundreds of displaced Syrian citizens are heading towards their hometowns and villages from an overcrowded desert camp in the northeast of the conflict-hit country.
• Hamas warns Israel of 'upcoming outburst of rage' over violations against al-Aqsa Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- The Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has warned of an "upcoming outburst of rage" against the Israeli occupying regime over its persistent violations against the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of Jerusalem, al-Quds, and Muslim worshipers in the complex.
• Netanyahu Threatens Possible Operation in Gaza Strip After Rocket Attacks on Israel Sputnik 08 Dec 2019 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered preparations for a possible military operation against Islamist militants in the Gaza Strip after rockets had been fired at Israel on 7 December.
• In Kyiv, Crowd Lays Out 'Red Lines' For Zelenskiy Ahead Of Peace Talks RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- Thousands of Ukrainians gathered in downtown Kyiv on December 8 under the banner "Red Lines For Ze" and calling for a tough stance from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy when he joins the leaders of France, Germany, and Russia for peace talks in Paris on December 9.
• Analysts: Risks Are High for Paris Summit on Ukraine VOA 08 Dec 2019 -- Five years after Kremlin-backed separatists seized power in Ukraine's Donbas region, leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine will meet in Paris December 9 in a bid to revive efforts for a peaceful resolution to a conflict that's left more than 13,000 civilians and combatants dead and 30,000 wounded.

News Reports

• Nadler: 'Rock Solid Case' for Trump's Impeachment VOA 08 Dec 2019 -- The leader of the House of Representatives committee weighing articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump contended Sunday that there is a "rock solid case" against the U.S. leader.
• Russia Faces New Olympics Ban In Doping Saga RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- Russia is facing sweeping sanctions in connection with another doping-linked scandal when the executive committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) meets on December 9.
• Recommendations to WADA Against Russia Infringe on ROC Rights, Autonomy - ROC Head Sputnik 08 Dec 2019 -- Head of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Stanislav Pozdnyakov said that the Compliance Review Committee's (CRC) recommendations to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in relation to Russia are a direct intervention in the autonomy of the Olympic movement.
• N. Korea claims "important" test conducted at Sohae satellite site ARIRANG 08 Dec 2019 -- North Korea claims it conducted a (quote) "very important test" on Saturday at its Sohae Satellite Launching Ground.
• N. Korea Says it Conducted 'Very Significant' Test at Satellite Launch Site KBS World Radio 08 Dec 2019 -- North Korea said on Sunday that it has carried out a crucial test at its key space launch facility amid renewed tensions with the United States.
• North Korea conducts 'very important test' amid tensions with US Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- North Korea has carried out a "successful test of great significance" at its space launch center, state media say, as tensions ramp up between Washington and Pyongyang over stalled denuclearization talks.
• Trump Warns North Korea's Kim on Hostile Actions VOA 08 Dec 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday warned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un against hostile military actions, even as Pyongyang announced it had conducted "a very important test" at a satellite launching site.
• DPRK Says 'Very Serious Test' Conducted at Space Satellite Site Sputnik 08 Dec 2019 -- The state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that late on Saturday Pyongyang conducted at a satellite site a test that will be used to upgrade the nation's "strategic status". The news agency did not elaborate on the details of the test.
• Statement of Spokesman for Academy of National Defence Science Issued KCNA 08 Dec 2019 -- A spokesman for the Academy of the National Defence Science of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea made public the following statement:
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Has Photo Session with Commanding Officers of KPA Units and Sub-units Involved in Construction of Yangdok Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center KCNA 08 Dec 2019 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, had a photo session with the commanding officers of the units and sub-units of the Korean People's Army that took part in the building of the Yangdok Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center on Saturday.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Attends Ceremony for Completion of Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center KCNA 08 Dec 2019 -- A ceremony for the completion of the Yangdok County Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center took place with splendor.
• KCNA Report on Completion of Yangdok Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center KCNA 08 Dec 2019 -- Thanks to the steadfast idea of the Workers' Party of Korea of believing in the people as in Heaven and its energetic leadership, the remote mountainous area in Yangdok, which remained intact for thousands of years, has turned into a splendid hot spring cultural recreation center.
• Preserving Iran nuclear deal collective responsibility: Borrell Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- The newly-appointed head of European Union foreign policy Josep Borrell says preserving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, is a "collective responsibility."
• Iran presidnet unveils draft 'budget of resistance' to counter sanctions Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has submitted a draft state budget to the parliament, saying it has the least possible dependence on oil and is meant to resist and counter US sanctions.
• Iranian President Presents 'Budget Of Resistance And Perseverance' RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- Iranian President Hassan Rohani presented what he called a "budget to resist sanctions" to parliament on December 8 and suggested a possible multibillion-dollar loan from Russia would be a key source of revenues.
• Iran Vows to Unveil '50 Nuclear Achievements' - Official Sputnik 08 Dec 2019 -- After the Trump administration in 2018 unilaterally exited the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as Iran nuclear deal, Tehran began to roll back its commitments under the landmark 2015 accord, in a bid to persuade European signatories of the deal to assist the Islamic republic to withstand reimposed US sanctions.
• HKSAR plans higher expenditures to ease economic woes amid unrest Global Times 08 Dec 2019 -- The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will expand fiscal expenditure within its means to ease economic burden on individuals and companies. But restoring social order is the essential premise to recover economic growth, experts said on Sunday.
• Hundreds of Thousands of Protesters Pack Hong Kong Streets VOA 08 Dec 2019 -- Hundreds of thousands of protesters packed the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday to mark six months of an unprecedented, sweeping anti-government movement in this Chinese-ruled, semi-autonomous city.
• Hong Kong Police Recover Weapons Ahead of Rally VOA 08 Dec 2019 -- Hong Kong police have conducted raids ahead of Sunday afternoon's protest rally, uncovering several weapons, including a pistol with more than 100 bullets.
• Upholding "one country, two systems" to maintain Macao's long-term prosperity, stability: incoming Macao SAR chief executive Global Times 08 Dec 2019 -- Since its return to the motherland 20 years ago, Macao has made great strides in economic development and achieved prosperity and stability, which should be attributed to the region's comprehensive and accurate understanding and implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle, incoming chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region Ho Iat Seng said.
• China airs Xinjiang truths Global Times 08 Dec 2019 -- China's state broadcasters consecutively aired three documentaries from Thursday illustrating the anti-terrorism efforts in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a terrorist organization East Turkistan Islamic Movement's (ETIM) role in plotting terrorist attacks in China and US hypocrisy on human rights issues. The documentaries sparked wide discussions on domestic and overseas media.
• Why does World Bank still extend loans to China? Global Times 08 Dec 2019 -- After the World Bank adopted a plan of a reduced loan plan to China, US officials, including President Donald Trump, rushed to blast the move and went as far as calling the bank to stop all loans to China. Their single argument is that China is now "rich" and does not need the low-interest loans anymore.
• Lebanese businessman Khatib withdraws name from premiership Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- Lebanese businessman Samir al-Khatib, one of the leading candidates for the position of prime minister, has withdrawn his candidacy to lead the next government, paving the way for caretaker Prime Minister Sa'ad al-Hariri to re-emerge for the job.
• Lebanon's new government must immediately carry out reforms: Hezbollah MP Press TV 08 Dec 2019 -- Lebanon's new government must have a plan to immediately carry out reforms in the cash-strapped country, says a lawmaker from the Hezbollah resistance movement, stressing that "chances of a solution to the crisis have not been eliminated."
• Hundreds Protest In Minsk For Second Day Against Deeper 'Integration' With Russia RFE/RL 08 Dec 2019 -- Hundreds of protesters have gathered in the Belarusian capital on December 8 for a second day to oppose "deepening integration" with Russia, despite warnings from police that they risked possible arrest.
• Corruption thwarts attempts to build a better world and 'must be fought by all, for all' UN News 08 Dec 2019 -- As we enter a decade of ambitious action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stepping up efforts to eradicate corruption and promote good governance is "essential…to deliver on our global pledge to leave no one behind", the UN anti-crime chief has said.
• FBI Investigating Shooting at US Naval Base as Terrorism VOA 08 Dec 2019 -- The FBI is investigating the fatal shooting at a Naval base in Florida as an act of terrorism, a special agent said Sunday.