• 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

• US threatens Iran over attacks on military bases in Iraq Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has threatened Iran with "decisive" action over a series of attacks on American military bases in Iraq.
• Millions of Afghans Displaced After More Than Four Decades of War VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- The UN refugee agency is calling for intensified support for millions of Afghans who remain displaced after more than four decades of war
• Insider Attack Kills 25 Afghan Security Forces VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- Officials in Afghanistan said Saturday Taliban infiltrators have killed at least 25 government security forces in the eastern volatile Ghazni province.
• U.S. To Publish New Central Asia Strategy Amid Russian, Chinese Competition, Afghan Threat RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- The Trump administration plans to publish a new U.S. strategy for Central Asia as China and Russia fight for influence in the energy-rich region and militants from Afghanistan threaten to destabilize it, a senior State Department official has said.
• Roadside bomb blast kills 10 people in Afghanistan's Ghazni: Officials Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- At least ten people, including four women and a child, have lost their lives when a roadside bomb exploded in Afghanistan's eastern province of Ghazni, officials say.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US and Paraguay to Hold Joint Military Drills in 2020-2021 Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- The United States will hold multiple joint military drills in Paraguay over the next two years including a regional crisis response exercise, US President Donald Trump and Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benitez said in a joint statement after their meeting at the White House.
• U.S. missile test proves again its withdrawal from INF treaty premeditated: spokesperson People's Daily 14 Dec 2019 -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday the latest U.S. ballistic missile test proves again that the country's withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was premeditated.
• Russia, China slam US 'malicious' intention' over missile test Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- Two major world powers and strategic partners, Russia and China, say the United States' recent test launch of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile clearly indicates Washington's "malicious intention" for the demise of a landmark arms control treaty with Moscow.
• Russia's Giant Nuclear-Powered Icebreaker Returns From Test Run RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- Russia's nuclear-powered icebreaker Arktika, said to be the world's biggest and most powerful, has returned to St. Petersburg after a two-day test run.
• World's Most Powerful Icebreaker Concludes First Sea Trials - Shipyard Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Russian nuclear icebreaker Arktika, the most powerful ship in the world, has completed its three-day sea trials, the press office of the St. Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard said on Saturday.
• China begins development of new stealth fighter jet: report Global Times 14 Dec 2019 -- China is developing a new type of fighter jet, according to the country's top aircraft design institutes on Thursday. Military observers predict, based on publicly available information, that the aircraft will be stealth-capable and feature the significant use of advanced composite materials.
• Spokesman for Academy of Defence Science of DPRK Issues Statement KCNA 14 Dec 2019 -- Another crucial test was successfully conducted at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground from 22:41 to 22:48 on December 13, 2019.
• Chief of KPA General Staff Issues Statement KCNA 14 Dec 2019 -- Pak Jong Chon, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA), released the following statement on Saturday:
• North Korea conducts another 'crucial test' at satellite launch site Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- North Korea says it conducted yet another "crucial test" intending to use the results to strengthen its "strategic nuclear deterrent", amid heightened tensions between Pyongyang and Washington, just ahead of a year-end deadline for the US to take a "new path" in its policy toward the country.
• North Korea Conducted Another 'Important Test' at Sohae Cosmodrome - Military Academy Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- The North Korean Academy of the National Defence Science said on Saturday that it had conducted yet another "important" test at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station last evening.
• North Korea Conducts 'Crucial Test' as Deadline Nears VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- North Korea said Saturday it had conducted "another crucial test" at a satellite launch and rocket engine facility to bolster its "reliable strategic nuclear deterrent."
• No ban for Iran's missile, even ballistic missile tests: Mousavi ISNA 14 Dec 2019 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said, "We are not concerned about US's meddling remarks and there is no ban for our missile and even ballistic missile tests".
• US missile tests, unilateral exit from INF spread global insecurity: Iran Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- Iran has voiced concerns about and deplored the latest move by the United States to test a medium-range ballistic missile, months after Washington withdrew from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia.
• Turkey Asked US for New Offer of Patriot Missiles – Foreign Minister Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Turkey has again asked the United States to sell its Patriot missile systems and is waiting for a response, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday.
• Finland, Sweden to Deepen Defence Cooperation Amid 'Complex' Security Situation Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen and his Swedish counterpart, Peter Hultqvist, agreed to enhance defence cooperation following the recent trilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper, the ministers said in a joint statement issued on Saturday.

Defense Industry

• Boeing Declines to Participate in Pentagon's Multibillion-Dollar ICBM Program - Reports Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- The Pentagon intends to modernise the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, the programme is estimated to cost $85 billion, according to reports.

Other Conflicts

• Yemeni army warns Saudi-led coalition against further Hudaydah truce violations Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- The spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces has warned against the continued violation of a UN-backed agreement signed between representatives from the Houthi Ansarullah movement and the Riyadh-sponsored government of ex-president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, in Sweden last year, saying such infringements have led to the deaths and injuries of hundreds of civilians.
• Three Saudi soldiers killed near Yemeni border as US pushes for more arms sales Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- Three Saudi soldiers have been killed near border with Yemen in what is believed to be retaliatory attacks launched by Yemeni fighters on the kingdom.
• Russian Military Police Patrol Syria's Aleppo, Hasakah Provinces Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Russian military police continued on Saturday to patrol Syria's provinces of Aleppo and Hasakah, Major General Yuri Borenkov, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's Reconciliation Centre in Syria, said.
• Bosnians Unhappy With Permanence Of Dayton Deal's 'Temporary Solution' RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- It's late November 1995 and the world is waiting for a peace deal to emerge from the American city of Dayton, where Balkan leaders and U.S. officials are toiling to end a horrific war and bring stability to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
• Northern Cyprus Will Allow Turkish Aircraft to Use Its Airport for Gas Drilling – Report Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry has repeatedly underscored Ankara's determination to continue carrying out hydrocarbon exploration in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone despite the EU's threat to sanction Ankara over the move.
• Opposition Forces Advance Around Tripoli VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- Libya's eastern military commander, General Khalifa Hafter, who began a fresh push to try to capture Tripoli during the past several days, was reported Saturday to have advanced in and around the city.
• Peskov Says There Were Attempts to Hold Tense Talks at Normandy Four Summit Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- There were attempts to hold tense conversations at the recent Normandy Four summit but the talks overall took place in a working spirit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
• Insurgents Kill 4 Hostages in Nigeria VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- An international aid agency says insurgents who kidnapped six humanitarian workers in northeast Nigeria in July claim to have killed four of them.
• No Agreement Following Talks on Cross-Border Issues Between Uganda and Rwanda VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- Ugandan and Rwandan officials failed to reach agreement Saturday on most of the contentious issues between them: mutual allegations of destabilizing actions, protection of the rights and freedoms of each other's nationals, and resumption of cross-border activities.
• Cameroon Lawmakers Divided Over President's Proposal for Separatist Crisis VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- Cameroon's Parliament is divided over the so-called special status President Paul Biya ordered for the country's English-speaking regions as a solution to the crisis that has killed more than 3,000 people.
• After 3 Failures, Philippines to Restart Talks With Violent Communist Rebels VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- Analysts say Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's announced plan to restart peace talks with violent communist rebels, aimed at ending a 50-year conflict after three failed efforts, would earn him a place in history if he succeeds and help bring investment to impoverished, strife-torn parts of the country.

News Reports

• White House restricts officials who can listen to Trump's calls with foreign leaders Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- US President Donald Trump's senior aides have further restricted the number of administration officials allowed to listen to his phone calls with foreign leaders following the Ukraine scandal, according to US media reports.
• White House Reportedly Limits Access to Trump's Foreign Leader Calls in Wake of Ukraine Scandal Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- On 13 December the US House Judiciary Committee voted to advance two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, effectively paving the way for a vote among all members of the House of Representatives next week.
• Ex-Sudan Strongman al-Bashir Gets 2 Years for Corruption VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- A Sudanese court convicted former President Omar al-Bashir on Saturday of corruption and money laundering and sentenced him to two years in a correctional facility.
• Sudan's ex-president Bashir gets two years' detention for corruption, hoarding foreign currency Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- A Sudanese court has indicted the country's former president Omar al-Bashir for corruption and illicit possession of sizeable amounts of foreign currency, sentencing him to two years in confinement.
• North Koreans with Disabilities Threatened by International Sanctions, Aid Groups Say VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- North Koreans with disabilities may face disproportionate risk due to efforts to curtail the country's weapons of mass destruction programs.
• Saudi Arabia quietly trying to mend ties with Iran: Wall Street Journal Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- Saudi Arabia is quietly seeking to improve relations with Iran and other players in the region amid economic concerns and doubts about Washington's backing for Riyadh, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.
• Amid Aramco IPO Listing, Riyadh 'Quietly' Negotiating With Tehran to Quell Economic Fears - Report Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Tensions between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia reached their worst level in years in September after Yemen's Houthi militia attacked two Saudi Aramco facilities, temporarily crippling about half of the Kingdom's oil output. US and Saudi officials accused Iran of culpability in the attacks. Tehran forcefully denied the claims.
• Xi holds talks with Micronesian president People's Daily 14 Dec 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday held talks with visiting President of the Federated States of Micronesia David W. Panuelo, calling for joint efforts to advance bilateral ties and better benefit the two peoples.
• China, U.S. agree on text of phase one trade deal People's Daily 14 Dec 2019 -- China and the United States have agreed on the text of a phase one economic and trade agreement based on the principle of equality and mutual respect.
• Hong Kong leader arrives in China to discuss situation with president Xi Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- The Hong Kong leader has left for the Chinese capital, Beijing, to meet President Xi Jinping and discuss the political and economic situation in the Chinese territory, which has plunged into chaos over the past six months.
• Nauru president reaffirms ties with Taiwan CNA 14 Dec 2019 -- Nauru President Lionel Aingimea, who is currently in Taiwan for his first foreign visit after assuming office in August, reaffirmed Nauru-Taiwan relations on Saturday amid ongoing Chinese expansion in the South Pacific region.
• Tajik Children Undergo 'Readjustment' In Closed Schools After Attending Foreign Madrasahs RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- Tajikistan is trumpeting the repatriation of children from Bangladesh who were studying at Islamic madrasahs, as the Muslim-majority country keeps strict tabs on religious education.
• New Orleans Declares State of Emergency Amid Cyberattack Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Emergency services as well as police and fire departments were still up and running amid recent cyberattacks across Louisiana, according to the office of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
• Hashd Sha'abi supporters rally in Baghdad to condemn US interference, sanctions Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- Thousands of supporters of the Iraqi pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) have staged a rally in the capital Baghdad to express their resentment over the United States' interference in Iraq's internal affairs after the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on several leaders of the voluntary forces.
• Johnson declared winner of UK general election Global Times 14 Dec 2019 -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was officially declared winner of Britain's general election on Friday when his Conservatives passed the finishing post for a majority government.
• Belarus To Borrow $500 Million From China As Russia Stalls RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- Belarus plans to borrow $500 million from China to pay down existing debt as talks about a loan from Russia drag on.
• Ukraine, Russia To Continue Gas-Transit Talks RFE/RL 14 Dec 2019 -- Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz say they will continue talks on the extension of a deal on gas transit from Russia to Europe through Ukrainian territory beyond the end of December, when the current 10-year agreement expires.
• Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa vows not to revert to dollarization Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has firmly ruled out the possibility of reusing the US dollar despite the African country's new local currency plunging against the greenback.
• Thousands of anti-govt. protesters flood streets of Chilean capital, clash with police Press TV 14 Dec 2019 -- Thousands of protesters have flooded the streets of Chilean capital Santiago and clashed with anti-riot police, as tensions continue to remain high in the Latin American country.
• Chile Security Forces Accused of Gross Violations in Quelling Protests VOA 14 Dec 2019 -- UN investigators accused Chile's police and army of indiscriminate violence and gross violations, including torture and rape, in crushing recent mass protests over social and economic grievances.
• Hezbollah Leader Says Lebanon Will Face Difficulties in Forming New Government Sputnik 14 Dec 2019 -- Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Lebanese Shia movement of Hezbollah, said that the country would face difficulties while trying to form a new government.