Small Wars Journal

14 December SWJ Roundup

Wed, 12/14/2011 - 3:07am

US Naval Institute Daily - USNI

Real Clear World - RCP

Afghanistan

Afghanistan Plan Would Reduce NATO Combat Role - NYT

US Troops to Shift to Advisory Role in Afghanistan - LAT

Panetta Arrives in Afghanistan to Assess Progress - AFPS

Panetta in Afghanistan, Calls 2011 a 'Turning Point' - VOA

Panetta in Kabul as US Ties with Pakistan Erode - AP

Allen Cites Time of Optimism in Afghanistan - AFPS

Allen: Politics Won't Determine Afghan Drawdown - Reuters

ISAF Operations Summary - AFPS

 

Pakistan

US Looks to Mend Ties with Pakistan - WP

US Freezes $700m in Pakistan Aid - BBC

US and Pakistan Move to Impose Financial Penalties on One Another - TT

US Move to Hold Aid Strains Ties With Pakistan - Reuters

Panetta: Stable Pakistan Relationship Critical to Afghanistan Success - AFPS

Strained Ties with Pakistan Hinder Panetta - AP

NATO: Pakistan Talking Again to US-led Coalition - AP

Pakistan Says Trust in US Evaporating - UPI

New Laws Protect Women from Abuse in Pakistan - AP

Associate: Pakistan President Had 'Mini-Stroke' - AP

Pakistan Police Rescue 54 Chained Students from Madrassa - LAT

Police Rescue Students from 'Torture Dungeon' in Karachi - TT

Pakistani Police Rescue 54 Chained Students From Madrassa - Reuters

Pakistani Democracy Headed for Life Support - UPI opinion

 

Iraq

US Troops Scramble to Hand Off Last-Minute 'Details' to Iraqis - CSM

US Leaving Iraqi Comrades-in-Arms in Limbo - NYT

Invasion, Fallout Changed US and Iraq - WP

What Iraqis Think of American Withdrawal in Baghdad - NYT

Iraqi PM Urges US Firms to Help Rebuild Country - VOA

Iraq PM Calls for US Investment - BBC

Iraq's Oil Police Gear Up for Attacks as US Withdraws - Reuters

Iraqi Air Force Moves Ahead with Fighter Squadron as US Exits - S&S

NATO to End Iraqi Training Mission Dec. 31 - UPI

Iraqi’s US Visit Stirs ‘Grave Concern’ - WT

Iraq after US Pullout: Not a Doomsday Scenario - CSM opinion

 

Iran

Leaders Defiant, But Iranians Fear War - WP

Expert: Preventing Iran’s Nuclear Goals Still Possible - WP

Iran Says It Will Not Return US Drone - VOA

Iran Rejects U.S. Request for Return of Drone - NYT

Iran Refuses to Return US Drone - BBC

Iran Wants US Apology Over Drone - WP

Iran Intelligence Chief on Rare Visit to Saudi Arabia - AP

Close the Strait of Hormuz - WT editorial

 

Syria

Syrian Defectors Kill 7 Security Force Members in Revenge Attack - VOA

Deadly Clashes Hit Northern Syria - BBC

UN Divisions Deepen as Death Toll Rises by 1,000 in Just 10 Days - TT

More Than 30 Are Killed as Sectarian Tensions Grow - NYT

The Free Syrian Army Mounts Force Against Assad - WP

Syria Death Toll Hits 5,000 as Insurgency Spreads - Reuters

Diplomats Distressed About Syrian Unrest - VOA

UN Human Rights Chief: Syria Should be Referred to ICC - FP

Assad's Days are Numbered, Rice Says - UPI

Syrian Blogger Faces Criminal Charges - AP

Syrian Alawite Figure Speaks Out Against Violence - Reuters

 

Middle East / North Africa

Beirut Bank Seen as a Hub of Hezbollah’s Financing - NYT

Palestinian Flag Raised over UNESCO HQ - VOA

Palestinian Flag Raised at UNESCO HQ - BBC

Israel Govt Adviser Doubts Hamas Control Over Gaza - Reuters

Radical Jewish Settlers Clash With Israeli Troops - NYT

Settlers Attack Israeli Soldiers - NYT

Arsonists Torch Jerusalem Mosque - AP

Yemen 'Set to Release Protesters' - BBC

Yemeni Police Arrest 6 Al-Qaida Militants - AP

Yemen Holds Six Al Qaeda Suspects - Reuters

Egypt Elections Enter Second Round - BBC

Egypt Set for Next Round of Elections - TT

Islamist Vision of 'Sin-Free' Tourism Raises Alarm in Egypt - LAT

Tribal Elders Broker End to Fighting in Libya Region - Reuters

'Beware The Arab Spring' - UPI opinion

Hezbollah’s Hypocritical Resistance - NYT opinion

Egypt’s Liberals Adrift - NYT opinion

 

International Criminal Court

Next ICC Prosecutor Warns Against Sex Crimes - AP

 

International Court of Justice

UN Elects 5th Member to International Court - AP

 

US Department of Defense

Congress Agrees on Pentagon Cuts - WP

Lawmakers Poised to Pass Bill Authorizing 1.6 Percent Pay Hike - S&S

Pentagon Report: Major Problems with F-35 Performance, Components - FWST

Quantico Training Boom Brings in More Marines - MCT

22nd Navy Commander Fired This Year - S&S

 

United States

US Probing Alleged Cyber-Attack Plot by Venezuela, Iran - WT

Federal Hiring of Veterans Reaches 20-Year High - AFPS

Homelessness Down Among US Veterans - S&S

Immigration Crackdown Also Snares Americans - NYT

With Port Actions, Occupy Oakland Tests Labor Leaders - NYT

Meddling with Terror Detainees - WP editorial

Don't let Voice of America Broadcasts Go Static - CSM opinion

 

Africa

US Defense Chief Says Djibouti is Key Counterterror Ally - VOA

Panetta Visits US Base in Djibouti - WP

Panetta Thanks Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa - AFPS

Kenyan Forces Pledge Further Push Into Somalia - AP

UN Commander Outlines Challenges in South Sudan - S&S

US Drone Crashes at Seychelles Airport - AP

Why Congo's Elections Matter So Much to Neighbors - CSM

East Congo Protesters Arrested - VOA

Congo President Rejects British MP Accusations of Mining Fraud - VOA

UN Chief Visits a Safer Somali Capital - CSM

ICC Judges Refer Malawi to UN - BBC

Mali Arrests French 'Kidnappers' - BBC

 

Americas

Mexico Says Captured Cartel Leader Had Arsenal - AP

Mexican Police: Weapons Found at Protest Site - AP

2 Students Dead in Clash with Mexico Police - LAT

Mexican Worshippers Underwhelmed by Papal Visit - AP

Why Venezuela is Key to Quashing the FARC - CSM

Venezuela: Gearing Up for Campaign, Chavez Boosts Spending - AP

Venezuela: 2 More Years of House Arrest for Anti-Chavez Judge - AP

Eight Charged in Siemens Argentina Case - BBC

18 Cubans Arrive to Honduras After 10 Days at Sea - AP

In Cuba, Old Clunkers and Soviet Cars Now for Sale - Reuters

One Village at a Time in Haiti - CSM

 

Asia Pacific

Japan to Pick Lockheed’s F-35 as New Stealth Fighter - WP

China Dispatches Largest Patrol Ship to East China Sea - TT

US Envoy: Better Ties With Burma No Threat to China - VOA

China 'Regrets' S. Korean Coast Guard Death - VOA

China Sets Prudent, Pro-Active Policies for 2012 - Reuters

China Dangles More Incentives Ahead of Taiwan Election - Reuters

China Executes About 4,000 People a Year - LAT

Philippines Arrests Former Official Accused of Election Fraud - NYT

Burma’s Lifeless Capital Stands Aloof, Surrounded by Poverty - NYT

Heir-Apparent's Hair's Apparent in North Korea Capital - Reuters

Political Impasse Leaves Papua New Guinea with 2 Governments - NYT

Papua New Guinea in Crisis Over Rival Leaders - AP

China’s Human Rights Regression - WT opinion

 

Europe

European Commission Chief Assails Britain Over Treaty Veto - NYT

Europe Tense Over British Veto at Summit - WP

UK Conservatives Take Poll Lead After EU Veto - Reuters

Thousands of Poles Protest Against New EU Treaty - Reuters

Medvedev Announces First Session of Russia's New Duma - VOA

Russian Journalists Axed After Tough Election Coverage - NYT

Russia: Anti-Putin Photo Not Tolerated - WP

US Senate Panel to Debate Bill on Russia Protests - WP

Russia’s Putin a Hero of Kosovo Serb Defiance - AP

France: De Villepin Plans to Challenge Sarkozy - NYT

4 Killed in Attack in Belgium - VOA

Deadly Attack Rocks Belgian City - BBC

Attack in Belgian City Leaves 5 Dead, 122 Wounded - AP

Grenade Attack on Belgian Bus Shelter Kills 4 - NYT

Man Throws Grenades and Fires on Shoppers in Liege, Belgium - LAT

Gunman Turns Belgian Christmas Market Into Bloodbath - Reuters

Italy: Gunman Kills 2 in Market in Florence - AP

Italian Kills Senegalese Traders - BBC

Italian Kills Two Africans in Apparent Racist Attack - Reuters

Swiss Charge Three in Nuclear Weapons Case - Reuters

French Prosecutors Seek Life for Carlos the Jackal - Reuters

 

South Asia

Decade Later, Security Top Notch in India's Parliament - NYT