Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Two batches of US troops arrive at Remailan air base in northeastern Syria: Report Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- Two batches of American troops belonging to the US-led military coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group have reportedly arrived at an air base in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah.
• Abdullah Slams EU For Recognizing Afghan Presidential Election Results RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- Afghanistan's outgoing Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah has complained to the European Union about its recognition of final official Afghan presidential election results showing President Ashraf Ghani has been reelected.
• Afghan Taliban's Haqqani Seeks US 'Partnership' in Post-Peace Deal VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- The Taliban's deputy chief, in a rare newspaper opinion piece published Thursday, has said that despite mutual mistrust, the insurgent group is "fully committed" to upholding a peace deal it is about to sign with the United States to end the war in Afghanistan."
• US-Taliban Deal Likely to Include Means to Lessen Risk of Clashes VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- A deal between the United States and the Taliban to de-escalate the war in Afghanistan will likely include a communication mechanism to prevent military miscalculations during that time period, a U.S. official tells VOA.
• Taliban's deputy chief says deal with US to be signed soon Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- The Taliban's deputy leader has said that despite mutual mistrust, the militant group is "fully committed" to upholding a peace deal it is about to sign with the United States to end a nearly two-decade war in Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• White House Releases National Drug Interdiction Plan, Border Strategies The White House 20 Feb 2020 -- Today, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Jim Carroll released the National Interdiction Command and Control Plan (NICCP), which outlines the Trump Administration's interdiction strategy to reduce the availability of illicit drugs in the United States.
• Reserve Soldiers training to save lives from chemical disasters Army News 20 Feb 2020 -- As the sun rises over the CENTCOM area of operations, U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers receive an exercise mission brief from Christian Miles, Area Support Group - Kuwait Fire Department assistant chief of training.
• Esper: Nuclear Triad Must Remain Effective, Reliable, Credible DoD News 20 Feb 2020 -- The fiscal year 2021 defense budget request places a high priority on modernizing the nation's strategic nuclear triad, Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper emphasized during a visit to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.
• USCENTCOM conference targets the hybrid threat CENTCOM 20 Feb 2020 -- The 2020 Central and South Asia (CASA) Directors of Military Intelligence (DMI) Conference, hosted by U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), brought together Directors of Military Intelligence from Central and South Asia and subject matter experts from America's intelligence and academic community, Feb. 10–12, 2020.
• Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade embarks for the first time with America ESG, 31st MEU USMC News 20 Feb 2020 -- The embarked forces conducted boat raid scenarios over a few weeks' time to improve tactics and techniques between Marines of the 31st MEU and the soldiers of ARDB boat platoon, in coordination with the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Germantown.
• IKE Deploys Upon Completion of COMPTUEX NNS 20 Feb 2020 -- The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and the ships and aircraft of Carrier Strike Group TEN (CSG-10), departed for deployment after successfully completing the Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX).
• US Sailors, Marines Train Alongside Japanese Soldiers in Exercise Iron Fist NNS 20 Feb 2020 -- Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) and amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) along with U.S. Marines welcomed aboard Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment soldiers in support of Exercise Iron Fist 2020, Feb. 3 through Feb. 14.
• Navy Leverages Workforce; Delivers C-ISR Capability Rapidly to Surface Fleet NNS 20 Feb 2020 -- The U.S. Navy recently installed the first Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN), a laser weapon system that allows a ship to counter unmanned aerial systems. The first system was installed on the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105), during her recently completed Dry-Docking Selected Restricted Availability.
• US, Japanese, Australian forces train together during Pacific Defender 20-1 US Air Force 20 Feb 2020 -- Approximately 60 U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) and Royal Australian Air Force security forces personnel participated in Pacific Defender 20-1 at the Pacific Regional Training Center near Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 9-14.
• US Military Assures Africa of Continued Support VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- U.S. military commanders say the United States will support African governments in their efforts to secure and stabilize their countries. The eighth Africa Land Forces Summit in Ethiopia ended with a call on African troops to improve their human rights record.
• Intensive missions signal Chinese Air Force's transformation into strategic force Global Times 20 Feb 2020 -- The Chinese Air Force conducted three major missions in February, namely combat readiness patrols around Taiwan, large-scale medical deliveries to Wuhan and flight performances in Singapore, which is an initial indication that the service is on track to become a strategic force this year.
• Iran Army receives 8 domestically-overhauled military aircraft Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- Iran's Army has received eight military aircraft manufactured by foreign countries and overhauled at home by Iranian experts, Press TV reports.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo and Ambassador John Abizaid Remarks to the Traveling Press US Dept. of State 20 Feb 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Feb. 20, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 20 February 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 20 Feb 2020
• Israeli PM plans to build thousands of settler units in East Jerusalem al-Quds Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to construct thousands of new settler units in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds, two weeks prior to a general election due to be held by the Israeli regime.
• Israeli PM: Trump Peace Plan to Go Forth Even if Democrat Elected VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says even if a Democrat is elected president in November, Donald Trump's Mideast peace plan will still go forward.
• U.S. Says Iran Continues To 'Smuggle' Weapons To Huthi In Yemen RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- The U.S. military says Iran is continuing to send "advanced weapons" to Yemen's Huthi rebels as part of their fight against the Saudi-backed government in the war-torn nation.
• Yemeni armed forces to showcase new indigenous air defense systems in days Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- A high-ranking Yemeni military official says the country's armed forces are to unveil new domestically-designed and -developed air defense systems in the near future.
• Russia urges Turkey to halt support of 'terrorists' in Syria's flashpoint Idlib province Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- Russia has called on Turkey to stop "supporting terrorists" in northern Syria, as Russian warplanes conducted airstrikes against targets of Turkey-backed militants and Syrian army troops repelled an attack by terror outfits in flashpoint Idlib province.
• Russian Air Strikes In Syria Kill Two Turkish Troops, Prompting Retaliation RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- Turkey has said two of its soldiers were killed and another five were wounded in Russian air strikes near the northwestern region of Idlib in Syria on February 20, signifying an escalation in the civil war in which Ankara and Moscow support opposing sides.
• End hostilities, 'preserve lives': UN refugee chief makes appeal for people trapped in Syria's Idlib UN News 20 Feb 2020 -- As the already dire situation in north-west Syria dramatically continues to worsen in Idlib province, the head of the United Nations refugee agency called on Thursday for an end to the hostilities and appealed for urgent action to allow the people trapped there to move to places of safety.
• Turkey's Erdogan 'Determined to Transform Idlib Into a Safe Place' VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- Less than a day after Russian warplanes continued their bombing campaign in northwest Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his party's parliamentary group in Ankara Wednesday that he is "is determined to transform Idlib into a safe place at any cost for the sake of both Turkey and the region's people."
• Turkish Soldiers' Deaths Ramp Up Tensions With Moscow VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- Tensions between Turkey and Russia escalated Thursday with the killing of the two Turkish soldiers in a Syrian airstrike. Moscow, which backs the Damascus government, accused Ankara of supporting terrorists in Syria.
• Text of a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Libya The White House 20 Feb 2020
• Text of a Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate The White House 20 Feb 2020
• AA Fire on Helicopter Carrying Myanmar Government Officials in Rakhine Radio Free Asia 19 Feb 2020 -- A helicopter carrying Myanmar government officials was shot at Wednesday in the country's western Rakhine state where fighting between the insurgent Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar's military has been ongoing.
• OSCE Urges Restraint In East Ukraine After Deadly Uptick In Fighting RFE/RL 19 Feb 2020 -- Two high-ranking officials from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) expressed deep concern over the recent upsurge in fighting in eastern Ukraine that killed at least five combatants and wounded at least eight others near a front-line town from which the warring sides withdrew forces in November.
• South Sudan Leaders Say Yes to Unity Government VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar appeared together in Juba on Thursday to say that after several previous failed attempts and missed deadlines to form a unity government, they have agreed to create a new, transitional government by Saturday.
• South Sudan's rivals agree to form unity government on Saturday Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- South Sudan President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader Riek Machar have agreed to form a long-awaited unity government by Saturday's deadline.
• 'Deliberate starvation' tactics used in South Sudan could be a war crime UN News 20 Feb 2020 -- The people of South Sudan have been "deliberately starved" in different parts of the country for ethnic and political reasons, and sexual violence against women and men as a weapon of war is ongoing, UN investigators said on Thursday.
• South Sudan forces, armed groups deliberately starved civilians: UN probe Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- A United Nations rights abuse investigation into the performance of South Sudan's authorities finds them liable for starving millions of civilians intentionally.
• UN: South Sudanese Civilians Deliberately Starved Along Ethnic Lines VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- United Nations investigators are accusing South Sudan's government and opposition forces of deliberately starving and preventing millions of citizens from receiving access to basic life-saving services.
• Boko Haram Raids Displace Thousands More in Cameroon VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- New Boko Haram attacks have displaced more than 3,000 people along Cameroon's northern border with Nigeria in the past three months. Authorities say the Nigerian Islamist militants torched houses, abducted, raped and looted, creating panic among villagers.
• Central African Republic: Security Council reflects on peace deal anniversary UN News 20 Feb 2020 -- One year after the signing of a peace deal in the Central African Republic (CAR), State authority is being extended throughout the country, violence against civilians has decreased, and an inclusive Government remains in place, the UN Security Council heard on Thursday.

News Reports

• Reports: Trump Canned Acting Intel Chief Over Warnings About Russia VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump made the decision to cast out his top intelligence official following a classified briefing to lawmakers about election security, according to reports.
• Trump Names Ambassador To Germany, Serbia-Kosovo Envoy To Intelligence Post RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has named Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany and special envoy to Serbia and Kosovo, to become the acting director of national intelligence, a move immediately blasted by critics.
• Statement from the Press Secretary The White House 20 Feb 2020 -- "Today, the President designated United States Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell as Acting Director of National Intelligence."
• Trump Names US Ambassador to Germany, Robert Grenell, Acting Intelligence Chief VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- President Donald Trump has named ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, a staunch Trump loyalist, as the acting director of national intelligence.
• US Ambassador to Germany Grenell Takes Charge of US Intelligence, for Now VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- The soon-to-be acting chief of the United States' intelligence agencies says he won't be on the job for long.
• Trump Ally Roger Stone Sentenced to More Than 3 Years in Prison VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Roger Stone, a veteran Republican operative and President Donald Trump's longtime confidant, to more than three years in prison for obstructing a congressional inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
• Former DIA Employee Pleads Guilty to Leaking Classified National Defense Information to Journalists US Dept. of Justice 20 Feb 2020 -- An employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) pleaded guilty today to charges related to his disclosure of classified national defense information (NDI) to two journalists in 2018 and 2019.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, February 20, 2020 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 20 Feb 2020
• OSCE Calls For 'New And Full' Investigation Into Nemtsov Murder RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on February 20 called for "a new and full investigation" into the murder of Boris Nemtsov, the former Russian opposition politician who was killed almost five years ago near the Kremlin.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Daily Briefing Online on February 20, 2020 PRC MofA 20 Feb 2020
• China launches 4 new technology experiment satellites PLA Daily 20 Feb 2020 -- China sent four new technology experiment satellites into planned orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan province Thursday.
• China to win battle against epidemic while ensuring economic stability People's Daily 20 Feb 2020 -- China will surely win the battle against the novel coronavirus epidemic while ensuring economic stability, as it has advanced epidemic control capabilities, is making all-out efforts and has adopted multiple measures to resume production.
• European Court Urges Bulgaria to Refrain From Expelling Uyghurs, Citing Rights Violations Radio Free Asia 20 Feb 2020 -- The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday urged Bulgaria to refrain from repatriating ethnic Uyghurs seeking asylum back to China, saying that doing so would put them at risk of persecution and constitute violations of its obligations as a member of the European Union.
• Chinese FM Tries to Assure Southeast Asians on Coronavirus, Mekong Dams Radio Free Asia 20 Feb 2020 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Southeast Asian counterparts on Thursday, calling for solidarity in countering the coronavirus epidemic and urging China's neighbors to reopen borders closed since the outbreak became public.
• Health Education Intensified in DPRK KCNA 20 Feb 2020 -- An anti-virus campaign is getting further intensified in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
• US sanctions five Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Jannati Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on five Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, the secretary of Iran's Guardian Council, which is responsible for supervising the electoral process in the country.
• Every vote cast by people, slap in enemy's face: IRGC chief Press TV 20 Feb 2020 -- The chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says ahead of Friday's parliamentary elections that every vote people cast in ballot boxes is a slap in the enemy's face.
• U.S. Sanctions Iranian Election Officials For Barring Candidates, Denying 'Fair' Poll RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- The United States has imposed restrictive measures on the five unelected members of an Iranian government agency it accuses of fixing national elections that are set for later this week.
• Iranians Voting For Parliamentary Candidates Vetted By Conservative Clerics RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- Iranians are going to the polls on February 21 for parliamentary elections in which all candidacies have been pre-screened by hard-line Islamic clerics and thousands of applications from reformists and moderates have been rejected.
• Treasury Designates Senior Iranian Regime Officials Preventing Free and Fair Elections in Iran US Treasury 20 Feb 2020 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today took action against five members of Iran's Guardian Council and its Elections Supervision Committee, which are appointed by Iran's Supreme Leader or his appointees.
• Tbilisi And Washington Blame Russia For October Cyberattack On Georgian Websites RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- Georgia and the United States have blamed Russia for a massive coordinated cyberattack that took thousands of Georgian websites offline in October.
• The United States Condemns Russian Cyber Attack Against the Country of Georgia US Dept. of State 20 Feb 2020 -- On October 28, 2019, the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) Main Center for Special Technologies (GTsST, also known as Unit 74455 and Sandworm) carried out a widespread disruptive cyber attack against the country of Georgia.
• UK condemns Russia's GRU over Georgia cyber-attacks UK FCO 20 Feb 2020 -- Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab calls out Russia's campaign of unacceptable cyber-attacks against Georgia.
• Iraqi Premier-Designate Allawi Vows Reforms, Calls For Vote Of Confidence RFE/RL 20 Feb 2020 -- Mohammad Allawi, the Iraqi prime minister-designate, says he has formed a politically independent government and has called on parliament to hold a vote of confidence to allow his impending administration to take office.
• DEA Announces Launch of Operation Crystal Shield US Dept. of Justice 20 Feb 2020 -- Efforts will Focus on Main U.S. Methamphetamine Trafficking Transportation Hubs
• Haitian leaders urged to end political impasse UN News 20 Feb 2020 -- Leaders in Haiti must step up and end the political impasse between President Jovenel Moïse and a surging opposition movement that has paralyzed the island nation since July 2018, the top UN official there said on Thursday in a briefing to the UN Security Council in New York.
• Luanda Leaks Corruption Files 'Tip of the Iceberg,' Angolan Campaigners Say VOA 20 Feb 2020 -- Angolan activists say the recent "Luanda Leaks" investigation – which uncovered billions of dollars' worth of unscrupulous business dealings that made the daughter of Angola's longtime president, the richest woman in Africa – is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to corruption in the oil-rich African country.