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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Update on withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan August 10, 2021 CENTCOM 10 Aug 2021 -- U.S. Central Command provides the following update on the orderly and responsible withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, as of 10 a.m. on August 9, 2021.
• Taliban Said To Be In Control Of Two-Thirds Of Afghanistan As EU Weighs Migrant Flows And U.S. Pursues Peace Talks RFE/RL Gandhara 10 Aug 2021 -- The United States scrambled to press for an Afghan peace deal and the European Union debated greater help in the region to handle refugee flows on August 10 as Taliban fighters continued to overrun at least two new population centers in the war-ravaged country.
• Pentagon: US Airstrikes in Afghanistan 'Having an Effect' on Taliban VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- U.S. airstrikes are helping to blunt Taliban advances across Afghanistan, although Pentagon officials warn American air power alone will not be enough to push back the insurgent offensive.
• Afghan City in Panic After News of Taliban Advance VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- With seven family members to feed, Abdul Khaliq needed the money. But Monday morning, his small fruit cart in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan remained devoid of customers.
• Red Cross Treats 4,000 Afghans Wounded by War in August VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross said Tuesday its health facilities in Afghanistan have treated more than 4,000 patients wounded by weapons over the past week, an indication of the intensity of the recent Afghan conflict
• Taliban's Capture Of Afghan Cities Boosts 'Narrative Of Inevitable Conquest' RFE/RL Gandhara 10 Aug 2021 -- In the span of just a few days, the Taliban appears to have changed the complexion of the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
• Thousands of civilians flee homes in Afghanistan as Taliban advance Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- Ongoing offensives by the Taliban militants in Afghanistan have forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes across the country.
• Taliban Reportedly Captures Strategic Junction Just 225 km North of Kabul - Video Sputnik 10 Aug 2021 -- Over half-a-dozen provincial capitals have fallen to the Taliban in recent days amid the continued disintegration of resistance by the Afghan army. The militants began their advance against government forces in April, after the US and its NATO allies started to withdraw from the war-torn country after over 19 years of war.
• UN rights chief condemns Afghanistan abuses as Taliban advance continues UN News 10 Aug 2021 -- Disturbing reports of Taliban violence against communities now under their control in Afghanistan have been condemned by UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet, who on Tuesday backed a return to peace negotiations in Doha.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Army Reserve Makes a splash with National Guard Army News 10 Aug 2021 -- The 361st and 310th Multi-Role Bridge Companies (MRBC) under the 926th Engineer Brigade joined the South Carolina National Guard's 125th MRBC at Fort Stewart last month in a breathtaking display of bridge creation so large military vehicles can cross a lake.
• Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds an Off-Camera Press Briefing DoD 10 Aug 2021
• Readout of U.S. - Australia Defense Policy & Strategy Talks DoD 10 Aug 2021
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With Japanese Secretary General of the National Security Secretariat Takeo Akiba DoD 10 Aug 2021
• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 10 Aug 2021
• Defense Official Outlines U.S. Security Assistance, Cooperation in Middle East DoD News 10 Aug 2021 -- A Defense Department official testified about U.S. security assistance in the Middle East before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on the Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, emphasizing five vital points.
• Commander Offers Strategies for Deterring Aggression From China and Russia DoD News 10 Aug 2021 -- The commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command described threats from Russia and China and ways to mitigate those threats.
• Indo-Pacific forces from 21 partner nations kick off SEACAT US Navy 10 Aug 2021 -- Maritime forces from 21 Indo-Pacific partner nations including the U.S. Navy, U.S interagencies, and international organizations began the 20th iteration of Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) in Singapore and virtually, Aug. 10.
• Naval Supply Systems Command Integrated Weapons Support Team Helps P-8A Poseidon Meet FMC goals US Navy 10 Aug 2021 -- In March 2021, Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support's (NAVSUP WSS) P-8A Integrated Weapons Support Team (IWST) targeted Aug. 1 as the deadline to achieve the goal of 56 Fully Mission Capable (FMC) P-8A Poseidon aircraft. With the assistance of government stakeholders and industry partners, the team reached the target ahead of schedule July 23.
• AFRL designated as Quantum Information Science Research Center for Air, Space Force US Air Force 10 Aug 2021 -- The Air Force Research Laboratory is now designated as the Quantum Information Science Research Center for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force.
• New equipment account for 81.6% in Zapad/Interaction-2021: Chinese commander PLA Daily 10 Aug 2021 -- On August 9, the China-Russia joint exercise Zapad/Interaction-2021 officially kicked off. In the next few days, the Chinese and Russian participating troops would conduct mixed grouping, joint planning and implementation of joint field training against the background of jointly safeguarding regional security and stability. Lieutenant General Liu Xiaowu, deputy commander of the PLA Western Theater Command and commanding officer of the Chinese participating troops, introduced the highlights of the exercise in detail in an interview.
• Field Air-defense System in action during China-Russia joint exercise PLA Daily 10 Aug 2021 -- The field air-defense system was seen in action during the ongoing China-Russia joint military exercise code-named ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021 in northwestern China.
• China, Russia kick off joint military drills showing combined combat capability PLA Daily 10 Aug 2021 -- A China and Russia joint exercise code-named ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021 kicked off on Monday in Qingtongxia in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
• Russian, Chinese forces kick off massive joint military drills in Ningxia Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- Russia and China are taking part in massive joint military drills in China's north-central region of Ningxia, in what is widely viewed as the two superpowers' intention to boost their operational capabilities vis-a-vis the United States.
• INS TALWAR EXERCISES WITH A KENYAN NAVAL SHIP India PIB 10 Aug 2021 -- Post conclusion of exercise Cutlass Express INS Talwar undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise with a Kenya Navy Ship Shujaa, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, on 07 Aug 21.
• INS TABAR AT BERGEN, NORWAY India PIB 10 Aug 2021 -- INS Tabar, as part of the ongoing deployment, entered Bergen harbour on 05 Aug 21.
• Anzac Class frigates capability upgrade with new Air Search Radar System Australia DOD 10 Aug 2021 -- The Royal Australian Navy is one step closer to operating one of the most advanced, sovereign air search radar capabilities in the world, with the upgraded Air Search Radar Systems in the Navy's Anzac Class frigates having reached Initial Operating Capability.
• Live-fire war games set for September, to feature jet landing drill CNA 10 Aug 2021 -- The live-fire component of this year's Han Kuang exercises will be held Sept. 13-17 and will include emergency takeoff and landing drills by fighter planes on public highways, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, August 10, 2021 The White House 10 Aug 2021
• Department Press Briefing – August 10, 2021 US Dept. of State 10 Aug 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 10, 2021
• US Seeks Upgrade of Missile Defenses by Linking Multiple Sensors, Northrop Grumman Says Sputnik 10 Aug 2021 -- A contract for the next upgrade of the US Ground-Based Midcourse Missile Defense (GMD) system will attempt to fuse data from disparate sensors into a composite picture to improve the system's reliability, Northrop Grumman said on Tuesday.

Other Conflicts

• 10 August 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 10 Aug 2021
• China's Likely Responses to European and Indian Warships in Sea it Calls its Own VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- A series of voyages by multiple Western allies in mid-2021 through a disputed Asian sea will incite China, the waterway's largest claimant, to shadow the foreign ships, hit back at the countries behind them and possibly hold a live-fire drill, analysts say.
• US 'not qualified' to make remarks on issue of South China Sea: Chinese envoy Global Times 10 Aug 2021 -- The US has become the biggest threat to peace and stability in the South China Sea by arbitrarily sending advanced military vessels and aircraft to the region as provocations. The country itself is not qualified to make any remarks on the issue of the South China Sea, said a Chinese envoy.
• China says U.S. not qualified to make irresponsible remarks on South China Sea issue People's Daily 10 Aug 2021 -- China said on Monday the United States is not qualified to make irresponsible remarks on the issue of South China Sea.
• Chinese envoy says US biggest threat to security in South China Sea after Blinken's 'bully' remarks Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- A UN Security Council meeting on maritime security has turned into a scene of a heated exchange between Chinese and American officials, with the Chinese envoy taking the US to task for threatening peace in the South China Sea, after the US secretary of state accused Beijing of using bullying tactics.
• Beijing Calls US Biggest Threat to South China Sea Security as Blinken Accuses PRC of 'Bullying' Sputnik 10 Aug 2021 -- China and other nations with maritime claims in the South China Sea began negotiations on a code of conduct for the region in the early 2000s. In 2010, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton classified the body of water as a matter of "US national interest" and voiced military and diplomatic support for local nations in their claims against Beijing.
• US military forces have no legal mandate to operate in Syria: Russian Embassy in Washington Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- The Russian Embassy in Washington says US military forces deployed to the oil-rich northeastern part of Syria have no legal mandate to stay in the Arab country under the allegations of fighting the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group.
• Libya's rebel commander makes U-turn on support for interim government Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- The self-styled commander of Libya's rebel forces, Khalifa Haftar, says his armed militia will not be subordinate to the current Libyan government, claiming that they would only submit to a popularly-elected authority.
• UN Libya mission 'deeply concerned' over abduction of top Government staffer UN News 10 Aug 2021 -- The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on Tuesday that it is "deeply concerned" over the abduction of a senior Government staff member, who disappeared last week after being taken away by unidentified armed men.
• Rights Groups Press US to Declare Myanmar Committed Genocide Against Rohingya Radio Free Asia 10 Aug 2021 -- Ninety-five human rights organizations on Tuesday urged U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to declare that Burmese authorities committed genocide against the stateless Rohingya minority, as the fourth anniversary of their exodus from Myanmar into Bangladesh approaches.
• Israel's hue, cry on Mercer Street incident cannot deflect attentions from its other destabilizing activities: Iran ISNA 10 Aug 2021 -- Ambassador and Chargé d'affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, Zahra Ershadi stressed that Israel's hue and cry on the Mercer Street incident cannot deflect attentions from other destabilizing activities and adventurism of the Israeli regime in the region.
• Ethiopia Calls on All 'Capable' Citizens to Join Military Effort in Northern Tigray VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- The Ethiopian government appealed Tuesday for its citizens to join the military to fight the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in the embattled northern Tigray region.
• Ethiopia urges civilians to join armed forces in war against rebels Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- Ethiopia's government has called on "all capable Ethiopians" to join the fight against rebels in Tigray and stop them from pushing beyond the embattled region.
• Access restored to Tigray camps sheltering Eritrean refugees UN News 10 Aug 2021 -- In Ethiopia's wartorn Tigray region, UN aid workers said on Tuesday that they have reached two refugee camps for Eritrean nationals for the first time since being cut off by fighting last month.
• Cameroon Says Hundreds of Boko Haram Militants from Nigeria and Chad Surrender VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- Cameroonian officials say at least 82 former Boko Haram fighters from Nigeria and Chad, along with their families, have surrendered to authorities in the past week. Authorities say they're the latest among hundreds of the militant Islamists who have been defecting since May, when the group's leader was killed. Cameroon plans to deport the former fighters as the influx has overwhelmed rehabilitation centers along the border.
• Mozambique's President Unveils Southern African Troops to Fight Insurgents VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi on a visit to the troubled northern Cabo Delgado province Monday, unveiled the Southern African troops sent to fight the region's insurgents. The Southern African Development Community's Standby Force includes troops from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa and Tanzania. The SADC troops are being deployed as Mozambican and Rwandan troops on Sunday say they retook a key port city that the Islamist militants held for two years.

News Reports

• Memorandum on Continuation of U.S. Drug Interdiction Assistance to the Government of Colombia The White House 10 Aug 2021
• Cyber firm claims China hacked Israeli firms; Beijing reacts with criticism Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- A US-based cybersecurity firm says China's intelligence has most likely been behind a "coordinated" cyberattack against dozens of Israeli organizations, a claim dismissed by Beijing as "baseless" and politically motivated.
• WHO Adviser Says 'Optimistic' Ebola-Like Marburg Virus Outbreak in Guinea Can Be Contained Sputnik 10 Aug 2021 -- There is optimism that medical officials can contain an outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg virus in the African country of Guinea, where a man recently died of the hemorrhagic fever disease, Robert Steffen, an emeritus professor of epidemiology at the University of Zurich and a frequent adviser to the WHO, said.
• US targets anti-terror resistance groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon with new sanctions Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- The US State Department has imposed a new round of sanctions on resistance groups in Iraq Syria and Lebanon, in what appears to be a sign of Washington's anger over the successful role they have been playing in the fight against foreign-sponsored terror outfits in the two Arab countries.
• Moscow Court Rejects Navalny's Lawsuit Against Kremlin Spokesman RFE/RL 10 Aug 2021 -- A court in Moscow has dropped a libel lawsuit filed by Aleksei Navalny against Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov over comments he made linking U.S. spies with the jailed opposition politician.
• Criminal Case Opened Against Navalny Allies For 'Extremist' Fundraising RFE/RL 10 Aug 2021 -- Russia has opened a criminal investigation into two exiled allies of jailed Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny for raising funds for organizations deemed by the authorities as "extremist."
• 'A Dangerous Commission': Russian Historians Alarmed As Putin Creates State Body On 'Historical Education' RFE/RL 10 Aug 2021 -- President Vladimir Putin last month ordered the creation of an interagency commission on historical education, and his reasoning was clear from the preamble to the decree, which said it was "in order to ensure a planned and aggressive approach to the matter of defending the national interests of the Russian Federation.
• Hong Kong leader favors adopting China law to respond to foreign sanctions Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has thrown her weight behind the adoption of a law introduced by Beijing to uphold the territory's sovereignty in the face of foreign interference and sanctions.
• Hong Kong Teachers' Union Disbands After Denunciation in People's Daily Radio Free Asia 10 Aug 2021 -- Hong Kong's largest teachers' union announced it would disband on Tuesday following a growing number of attacks from pro-Beijing newspapers, among dozens of civil society groups to do so since the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) imposed a draconian national security law on the city from July 1, 2020.
• Taiwan lauds Lithuania for standing up to China CNA 10 Aug 2021 -- Taiwan lauded Lithuania for standing up to China on Tuesday after Beijing recalled its ambassador from the country for allowing Taiwan to open a representative office there using the name "Taiwan."
• China recalls ambassador to Lithuania in rare countermeasure on Taiwan question; possible 'diplomatic cut-off' not ruled out: experts Global Times 10 Aug 2021 -- China announced it will recall its ambassador to Lithuania and demanded that the Lithuanian government recall its ambassador to China, as a countermeasure in response to the Eastern European country's act to allow the separatist Taiwan authorities to open a "representative office" under the name of "Taiwan" - a move which severely undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and openly violates the spirit of the communiqué on the establishment of China-Lithuania diplomatic ties.
• China asks Lithuania to recall envoy over decision to allow Taipei to open embassy in Vilnius Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- China has called on Lithuania to withdraw its ambassador from Beijing and said it would recall its own envoy to the Lithuanian capital in protest at the Baltic state's decision to allow Chinese Taipei to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius.
• N. Korea Slams US-South Korea Drills, Promises Own Weapons Buildup VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- North Korea has condemned U.S.-South Korea military exercises that begin this week, saying the drills show the need for Pyongyang to develop more of its own military capabilities.
• North Korea ignores hotline call from South following warning over US-South Korea drills Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- North Korea has ignored a hotline call from South Korea, Seoul says, hours after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister warned the South and the US over annual joint military exercises, and shortly after the two Koreas agreed to reestablish the emergency communication line.
• US-South Korea war games: North says will build up power to confront external threats Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- North Korea has reacted angrily to a decision by the United States and South Korea to push ahead with their joint military drills on the Korean Peninsula, warning the duo will have to face a more serious security threat as Pyongyang would definitely move to boost its defense and pre-emptive strike capabilities.
• Kim Yo-jong Calls US-South Korea Drills 'Rehearsal' of Nuclear War Sputnik 10 Aug 2021 -- The upcoming joint drills of the United States and South Korea are a "rehearsal" of nuclear war, Kim Yo-jong, the deputy department director of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee, said on Tuesday.
• DPRK's Kim Yo-jong Condemns US-South Korean Drills, Pledges to Develop Better First Strike Weapons Sputnik 10 Aug 2021 -- Peace talks in 2018 yielded an end-of-war declaration between the Koreas, but despite several summits between then-US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, no further progress toward ending hostilities was made, and the posturing and threats soon returned.
• State Emergency Measures Taken to Recover from Flood Damage in DPRK KCNA 10 Aug 2021 -- State emergency measures are taken to eradicate the aftermath of flood and heavy rain as soon as possible in the DPRK.
• CIA Director in Israel as Biden Administration Mulls Interim Iran Deal VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- The director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns, is in Israel for talks that officials say will focus primarily on Iran. His arrival Tuesday comes amid rapidly rising tensions in the region and a drone strike on an Israeli-managed oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, which Western governments blame on Tehran.
• Nuclear talks perspective IRNA 10 Aug 2021 -- Iran has made it clear that the framework set by Majlis legislation called 'Strategic Action Plan to Lift Sanctions and Protect Iranian Nation's Interests' is the main component in laying down the agenda for new round of negotiations.
• Raeisi: Collective efforts free from foreign meddling key to regional security Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has stressed the importance of solving issues in the region through dialog, saying neighborly cooperation free from foreign interference is a prerequisite for regional stability and security.
• Trial Of Iranian Charged With War Crimes Begins In Sweden RFE/RL 10 Aug 2021 -- A former Iranian prosecutor accused of involvement in the 1988 execution of thousands of political dissidents has gone on trial in Sweden on August 10 in a landmark case likely to stoke tensions in the Islamic republic.
• Iraqi FM visits Tehran to talk bilateral ties, regional issues with top Iranian officials Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has arrived in Tehran to hold wide-ranging talks on the expansion of bilateral ties, besides regional and international issues, with senior Iranian officials.
• Iran Asks Iraq To Expel Iranian Rebels From Kurdistan Region RFE/RL 10 Aug 2021 -- Iran has asked Iraq to expel Iranian rebels from Iraqi Kurdistan or expect Tehran to take "preventative measures," against the armed groups.
• US Provides $50 Million in Humanitarian Aid to Myanmar VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday it was providing more than $50 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar citizens who are coping with a humanitarian crisis sparked by a February 1 military coup.
• Slim Hope for Progress Seen in Myanmar Talks With ASEAN Envoy Radio Free Asia 10 Aug 2021 -- Political opposition figures and analysts in Myanmar say they see scant hope that progress can be made toward resolving the country's crisis in expected talks between the generals who overthrew the elected government and a representative from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
• Myanmar military leaders attempting to legitimize power: UN Special Envoy UN News 10 Aug 2021 -- Six months after seizing power in a coup, Myanmar's military leaders now appear to be moving to consolidate their rule, the UN Special Envoy for the country said on Tuesday, in her latest briefing to journalists in New York.
• Myanmar denies US allegations of involvement in plot against UN envoy Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- Myanmar's Foreign Ministry has denied US allegations of involvement in a plot against the Asian country's controversial anti-junta UN ambassador.
• Myanmar Says Has Nothing to Do With Assassination Attempt on Country's UN Envoy Sputnik 10 Aug 2021 -- Myanmar is in no way involved in the alleged assassination attempt on the country's ambassador to the United Nations, the country's foreign ministry has said.
• EU Welcomes Suspension Of Iraqi Flights To Belarus Amid Migrant Surge RFE/RL 10 Aug 2021 -- The European Union said on August 10 that it hopes for a stabilization of the migrant situation in Lithuania after Iraq suspended flights from Baghdad to Minsk.
• Supreme Court Fines BJP, Other Parties For Not Complying With Order on Criminal Candidates Sputnik 10 Aug 2021 -- There are numerous parliamentarians in India with criminal records. The BJP's Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, accused of the 2008 Malegaon blast, Congress's Karti P. Chidambaram, charged for corruption and murder framed the Samajwadi Party's Afzal Ansari are just a few names.
• In latest crackdown, Saudi Arabia's bin Salman orders arrest of 207 rivals, dissenters Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- In his latest sweeping crackdown on political dissent, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ordered the arrest of at least 207 employees from different ministries under the guise of fighting corruption.
• Syria's Assad approves new cabinet headed by Arnous, key portfolios unchanged Press TV 10 Aug 2021 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a decree on Tuesday approved a new cabinet headed by Hussein Arnous, less than two weeks after the caretaker-premier was tasked with forming a new government.
• Bulgaria's Winning Party Withdraws Proposed Cabinet, Paving Way For New Vote RFE/RL 10 Aug 2021 -- Bulgaria is heading to new parliamentary elections after the antiestablishment party that narrowly won last month's vote gave up efforts to form a government.
• China and Cambodia Urged to Rethink Dam Compensation Packages VOA 10 Aug 2021 -- A Chinese electricity company and the Cambodian and Chinese governments are being urged to review compensation packages for Indigenous and ethnic minority communities after a Human Rights Watch report found their lives had been undermined by dam construction.