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Defense Policy / Programs

• US to Prohibit Retiring B-1B Bombers Until Replaced With New Models, Reports Say Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- The United States will prohibit its Air Force from decommissioning strategic B-1B Lancer bombers until they are replaced by B-21 Raiders, the Defense News website reported, citing the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.
• Cambodia PM orders destruction of US weapons after arms ban Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has instructed the nation's military to destroy all of its American weapons or dump them in warehouses after the US imposed an arms ban on the East Asian country over its close ties with China and alleged human rights issues.
• Kremlin Concerned by Concentration of US Troops in Greece Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- The United States has a major military presence at the Souda Naval Base on the Greek island of Crete. In October, Athens granted the Pentagon access to additional bases in the country as the two countries expanded their bilateral military cooperation agreement. On Friday, the State Department approved a new $9.4 billion naval equipment deal.
• France-Greece frigate deal going ahead despite US offer: Paris Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- France says its mega military deal with Greece to supply the country with three warships has already been done, following a competing offer from the United States to challenge the contract.
• US State Dept. Approves $9.4 Billion in Deals to Sell Greece Littoral Combat Ships, Upgrade Frigates Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- Two potential weapons deals with US ally Greece were given the go-ahead by the US State Department on Friday, which would see four older frigates get extensive upgrades and also supply them with four new warships.
• DRDO & Indian Air Force successfully flight-test indigenous Stand-Off Anti-Tank Missile India PIB 11 Dec 2021 -- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF) flight-tested the indigenously designed and developed Helicopter launched Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) Missile from Pokhran ranges on December 11, 2021
• Successful tests carried out for Pinaka Extended Range System, Area Denial Munitions & New Indigenous Fuzes India PIB 11 Dec 2021 -- Successful tests of Pinaka Extended Range (Pinaka-ER), Area Denial Munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuzes have been carried out at various test ranges
• Iran's IRGC Navy takes delivery of more than 100 homegrown combat speedboats Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has taken delivery of 110 domestically-manufactured combat speedboats for maritime operations in Iran's southern territorial waters.
• US, Japan Agree to Bolster Security Alliance on Sidelines of G-7 VOA 11 Dec 2021 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed Saturday to bolster ties with Japan amid a changing security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region while meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on the sidelines of the G-7 ministerial in Liverpool.
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2021
• Turkey Successfully Tests World's First Laser-Equipped Drone - Photo Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- Turkey has successfully tested the world's first-ever drone that has laser weapons, Turkish politician Aykut Erdogdu said.
• UAE shuts down construction at Chinese port facility near Abu Dhabi under US pressure, officials say Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered construction work at a Chinese port project near the capital Abu Dhabi to be halted under intense US pressure after American officials argued that Beijing intended to use the site for military purposes, a senior Emirati official says.
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Di Maio US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Truss US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2021
• Foreign Secretary's meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken: 11 December 2021 UK FCDO 11 Dec 2021 -- A readout from Foreign Secretary Lis Truss' meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with German Foreign Minister Baerbock US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 11 Dec 2021

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Uzbekistan Urges Other Nations to Help Neighboring Afghanistan VOA 11 Dec 2021 -- As winter grips Central Asia, the Uzbek government is calling on the international community to help neighboring Afghanistan.
• Donors Agree To Transfer $280 Million To Two UN Programs To Aid Afghanistan RFE/RL Gandhara 11 Dec 2021 -- The World Bank on December 10 said donors have approved the transfer of $280 million from a frozen trust fund to two aid agencies to help Afghanistan respond to its humanitarian crisis.
• Police Officer Killed, One Wounded, In Pakistani Taliban Attack On Polio Vaccine Team RFE/RL Gandhara 11 Dec 2021 -- The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the killing of a police officer who had taken part in guarding a polio vaccination team, a frequent target of militants in Pakistan.
• Warring Libyan Armed Forces Agree to Unite Army, Acting Commander of LNA Says Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- Commanders of confronting armed forces in Libya held a meeting on Saturday in the city of Sirte and agreed on uniting militaries, acting Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Abdulrazzak al-Nazuri said.
• G7 Foreign Ministers Seek 'Show Of Unity' On Russian Military Buildup Near Ukraine RFE/RL 11 Dec 2021 -- Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers are meeting in the northern English city of Liverpool to seek a united front against Russian aggression toward Ukraine.
• US reportedly backtracks on $200mn military aid to Ukraine Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- The United States has backtracked on a decision to provide Ukraine with a $200-million package of additional military aid, amid escalation of tensions between Kiev and Russia.
• U.S. Sent 30 Anti-Tank Missile Systems To Ukraine In October, Pentagon Says RFE/RL 11 Dec 2021 -- The United States sent 30 Javelin anti-tank guided missile systems to Ukraine in October as part of its annual military aid to help the country deter Russian aggression, the Pentagon confirmed on December 11.
• Kiev: US to Spend $20Mln on Boosting Defences at Ukraine's Eastern, Northern Borders Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- Ukraine's border service and the US Embassy in Kiev have launched an initiative to strengthen the country's eastern and northern borders, which will receive $20 million in funding from Washington, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said on Saturday.
• Senior U.S. Official To Travel To Ukraine, Russia Amid Effort To Ease Tension RFE/RL 11 Dec 2021 -- A top U.S. official is being dispatched to Ukraine and Russia next week amid an effort to ease tension between the two nations.
• UK Foreign Secretary Warns Russia of 'Severe Consequences' in Event of Ukraine Invasion Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- The Kremlin, the Russian Foreign Ministry and the country's military have reiterated repeatedly that Moscow has no intention of 'invading' anyone amid weeks of increasingly shrill claims by Western media and officials that Russia may be preparing to launch aggression against Ukraine.
• US, UK threaten Russia with 'massive consequences' over Ukraine Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- The United States and the United Kingdom have threatened Russia with "massive consequences" if it launches a military action in neighboring Ukraine, despite the fact that Moscow has rejected Washington's allegations of preparing to invade the country.
• Ukraine's Zelensky hints at holding referendum on Crimea, Donbass Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested holding a referendum on the future status of eastern Ukraine as well as the Crimea peninsula as a way to restore the stalled peace efforts and end hostilities with neighboring Russia.
• Ukraine Says Russia Blocking Most Of Sea Of Azov As Tensions Mount Between Kyiv And Moscow RFE/RL 11 Dec 2021 -- Russia has blocked off nearly 70 percent of the Sea of Azov around the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula, the Ukrainian Navy has announced.
• Ukraine Tensions Remain High After Putin-Biden Talk as Neither Side Likely to Give Ground Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- Talks between the Russian and US presidents have done little to dissipate tensions mounting over Ukraine as neither side wants to blink first by taking steps towards appeasement.

News Reports

• Statement from CISA Director Easterly on "Log4j" Vulnerability CISA 11 Dec 2021 -- As part of its defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is acquiring 88 advanced fighter jets for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) through a competitive process that will ensure the requirements of the RCAF are met while ensuring best value for Canadians.
• Moscow Calls Out US Hypocrisy Amid Reports CIA is Planning Pivot to Focus on Russia, China Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- On Friday, informed sources told CNN that the Central Intelligence Agency was looking to overhaul the training and management of its spy network and operations to pivot away from 'counterterrorism' to focus more on its traditional and complex state adversaries China and Russia.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Statement on the "Summit for Democracy" Held by the United States PRC MofA 11 Dec 2021 -- "Recently, the United States held a so-called "Summit for Democracy", drawing the ideological line and turning democracy into a tool and a weapon. It sought to thwart democracy under the pretext of democracy, incite division and confrontation, and divert attention from its internal problems. It attempted to preserve its hegemony over the world, and undermine the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law."
• China: US using democracy as 'weapon of mass destruction' Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- The United States is using democracy as a "weapon of mass destruction" to interfere in other countries and to sow division and chaos, says a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson.
• China Says US Using Democracy as 'Weapon of Mass Destruction' to Meddle in Others' Affairs Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- US President Joe Biden hosted a two-day virtual 'Summit for Democracy' on Thursday and Friday, sparking consternation from countries not invited to the gathering, and questions from officials in Russia and China about what gives the US the right to define whether a nation is democratic or not.
• Foreign Ministry spokesperson's statement on US 'Summit for Democracy' Global Times 11 Dec 2021 -- Recently, the United States held a so-called "Summit for Democracy", drawing the ideological line and turning democracy into a tool and a weapon. It sought to thwart democracy under the pretext of democracy, incite division and confrontation, and divert attention from its internal problems. It attempted to preserve its hegemony over the world, and undermine the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law. This move by the United States goes against the trend of the times, and has been widely opposed by the international community.
• US uses democracy as weapon to incite confrontations, maintain its hegemony: FM spokesperson on 'democracy summit' Global Times 11 Dec 2021 -- The so-called democracy summit held by the US is using ideology to draw lines globally, using democracy as a tool and weapon to incite separation and confrontations with the purpose to divert attention from its internal problems and maintain its hegemony, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday in response to the US "democracy summit."
• U.S. inciting division, confrontation in name of democracy is undemocratic: FM spokesperson People's Daily 11 Dec 2021 -- The United States is advancing its hegemony in the name of democracy by stoking division and confrontation, and nothing could be more undemocratic, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday.
• KMT chair vows to continue to push for peace across Taiwan Strait CNA 11 Dec 2021 -- Eric Chu (朱立倫), chairman of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), vowed to continue the party's efforts in pursuing peaceful ties across the Taiwan Strait in a message to the Straits Forum on Saturday.
• China will have better chance to solve Taiwan question in 3-5 years: experts Global Times 11 Dec 2021 -- Although the cross-Taiwan Straits situation has become increasingly intense in 2021, the US and the Taiwan secessionist authority are unlikely to challenge the Chinese mainland's red lines and create extreme danger or war, experts said at the Global Times Annual Forum on Saturday. Some participants contended that China will have better chance to solve the Taiwan question in 3-5 years' time when it has developed overwhelming advantages against the US in the region.
• Taiwan question tops issues of concern for China-US ties in 2022, experts say at GT annual forum Global Times 11 Dec 2021 -- The Taiwan question will be the top issue of concern between China and the US for 2022, Chinese experts said at the Global Times Annual Forum on Saturday. Some experts said that the Biden administration lacks confidence in facing the rise of China and does not believe in goodwill from China.
• Foreign Policy of President Raisi admin in last 100 days IRNA 11 Dec 2021 -- President Ebrahim Raisi's administration has achieved remarkable progress in Iran's foreign policy such as repairing ties with neighboring and regional states as well as membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Council, enhancing relations with Latin American states, and powerful return to the Vienna talks.
• Top negotiator says 2015 nuclear deal Iran's red line, anything less unacceptable Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- Iran's lead negotiator says Tehran will not accept anything less than the nuclear agreement it signed with world powers in 2015, stressing that the issue will remain Tehran's red line at the ongoing talks in Vienna.
• Iran's nuclear program has made great progress, now producing 60% enriched uranium: IAEA head Press TV 11 Dec 2021 -- The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran's nuclear program has made significant progress, and the country is currently enriching uranium to the purity level of 60%.
• Iranian President Says Tehran Is 'Serious' In Vienna Talks On Reviving Nuclear Deal RFE/RL 11 Dec 2021 -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says Tehran is serious in its nuclear talks with world powers in Vienna, the official IRNA news agency reported on December 11.
• Israel Consulted US Prior to Covert Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Site, Missile Factory - Report Sputnik 11 Dec 2021 -- Earlier this year, Iran's Karaj nuclear facility and a missile base were targeted in alleged "hostile" attempts to cripple the country's defences and impede Tehran's nuclear research. Though Tel Aviv has not taken responsibility for the strikes, Israel has declared that the IAF is "determined" and will "not hesitate to act when it is needed".
• Foreign Secretary's meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock: 10 December 2021 UK FCDO 11 Dec 2021 -- A readout from Foreign Secretary Lis Truss' meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
• Foreign Secretary's meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian: 11 December 2021 UK FCDO 11 Dec 2021 -- A readout of the Foreign Secretary's meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
• Water Under The Bridge? Kyrgyzstan's Liquid Transfer To Kazakhstan Causes Controversy Amid Major Shortages RFE/RL 11 Dec 2021 -- When Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin thanked Kyrgyz cabinet chief Akylbek Japarov for the extra water Bishkek provided to Kazakhstan this summer, he had no idea how much trouble it would cause.
• Bulgaria's PM Designate Petkov Presents New Government Ahead Of Parliament Vote RFE/RL 11 Dec 2021 -- Bulgarian Prime Minister designate Kiril Petkov presented the composition of his future government to the nation as he seeks to end eight months of political deadlock.