News Story: Iran tests new medium-range missile, defying US warnings

By Eric RANDOLPH

Iran said on Saturday that it had successfully tested a new medium-range missile in defiance of warnings from Washington that such activities were grounds for abandoning their landmark nuclear deal.

State television carried footage of the launch of the Khoramshahr missile, which was first displayed at a high-profile military parade in Tehran on Friday.

It also carried in-flight video from the nose cone of the missile, which has a range of 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) and can carry multiple warheads.

"As long as some speak in the language of threats, the strengthening of the country's defence capabilities will continue and Iran will not seek permission from any country for producing various kinds of missile," Defence Minister Amir Hatami said in a staement.

The test comes at the end of a heated week of diplomacy at the UN General Assembly in New York, where US President Donald Trump again accused Iran of destabilising the Middle East, calling it a "rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed and chaos".

Previous Iranian missile launches have triggered US sanctions and accusations that they violate the spirit of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

Related Story:

• Iran's Rouhani vows to strengthen missiles despite US warnings

News Report: Trump Says He's Decided Whether US Should Stay in Iran Nuclear Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he has made a decision on whether to pull the United States out of the 2015 international pact curbing Iran's nuclear weapons development.

Trump declined to say what his decision is, but the U.S. rift with Iran took center stage at the United Nations General Assembly, a day after he denounced Tehran as "an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed and chaos."

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in his speech Wednesday, told the annual gathering of world leaders at the 193-nation organization that Tehran does not tolerate threats from anyone and was unmoved by Trump's complaints. Rouhani called them "ugly, ignorant words."

In an apparent reference to the U.S. leader, Rouhani said "destruction" of the nuclear deal "by 'rogue' newcomers to the world of politics will never impede Iran’s course of progress and advancement.

News Report: Al Qaeda Operative on a Mission to Radicalize Rohingyas Held in New Delhi

According to Delhi police, All Qaeda operative Shumon Haq, a British national of Bangladeshi origin, was on a mission to radicalize Rohingya Muslim immigrants in India to fight in Myanmar.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – Indian security agencies have arrested a British National of Bangladeshi origin having links with terror outfit Al Qaeda.

“He was on a mission to radicalize Muslims of north-eastern states especially Rohingya Muslims to prepare for jihad against the Buddhists in Myanmar. He is British national of Bangladeshi origin. He had also gone to Syria and fought for Al Nusra front. He was arrested in Bangladesh for his terror links and jailed for three years. He fled to India when he was granted bail. His motive was to radicalize Rohingya Muslims. He was in contact with Rohingyas settled in different parts of India,” P S Kushwaha, Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police told Sputnik.

According to an estimate, almost 40,000 Rohingya Muslims are living in various parts of India.

The Indian government has already made it clear that Rohingyas living illegally in the country are a threat to its security and that they would be deported soon.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

News Report: Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi to Give National Address on Rakhine Crisis

Aung San Suu Kyi

Margaret Besheer

UNITED NATIONS — Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi is scheduled to give a highly anticipated national speech Tuesday addressing her country's crisis in Rakhine state, where ongoing violence has led about 400,000 ethnic Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh in recent weeks.

Rohingya militants attacked security forces in Myanmar — also known as Burma — in late August. Since then, analysts and rights workers say the Burmese military has carried out a brutal crackdown that has burned entire villages and killed fleeing women and children. 

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has come under strong international criticism for not speaking out more forcefully on the situation. She canceled her appearance at the United Nations General Assembly this week in part to address the ongoing crisis at home.

On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Monday, diplomats from the United States, Britain and other countries concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine called for an end to the violence and for measures to relieve Rohingya refugees' suffering. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said it was a "productive meeting about the dire situation," but that no improvement has been seen on the ground in the area where displaced Rohingyas have been fleeing into Bangladesh.

News Story: Japan, Britain look to sign accord to strengthen joint security drills

Japan and Britain are considering signing a bilateral status-of-forces agreement in a bid to beef up joint drills between Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and British military, sources familiar with the issue said.

By signing an accord, the Japanese and British governments will aim to clarify legal procedures for dealing with crimes and accidents in which SDF and British forces' personnel are involved while in the other country's territory and facilitate troop operations.

Tokyo and London will go ahead with work toward signing a bilateral status-of-forces pact at an early date at a so-called "two-plus-two" meeting between foreign and defense ministers to be held in Britain as early as this year.

At a joint news conference following a summit meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his British counterpart Theresa May on Aug. 31, the two leaders released a joint declaration on security cooperation.

"Britain is an important player in security in the Asia-Pacific region. Our two countries will work more closely in joint drills, defense equipment, technological cooperation and assistance in capacity building efforts," Abe said.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Story: Global Effort To Disrupt Proliferation/Illicit Trade Of Weapons Of Mass Destruction

The Australian Government is joining forces with countries from around the world to conduct Exercise Pacific Protector 2017, as part of an ongoing major international commitment to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems and related materials.

Exercise Pacific Protector will be held in Cairns, Queensland from 6–9 September 2017 as part of the Asia-Pacific Exercise Rotation—a flagship event of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), which is a global effort by 105 partner countries to build networks, tools and capabilities to counter illicit WMD-related trade across the globe.

Across the four days, participants will take part in a number of different activities, including academic sessions, a table top exercise, a subject matter exchange training program, a live exercise and demonstrations that will facilitate the sharing of intelligence, enhance quick decision-making processes, and deploy capabilities to conduct interdictions that will increase the capacity of PSI countries within the Indo-Pacific.

The live exercise will comprise a Royal Australian Navy Frigate, a Japanese P-3C Orion aircraft, and a Queensland Police vessel in a scenario that will involve the tracking of ships suspected of carrying materials related to weapons of mass destruction.

News Story: UN concerned about violence in western Myanmar

New York (VNA) – United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe in western Myanmar due to recent violent conflicts in Rakhine state that forced 18,500 to evacuate to Bangladesh and left more than 100 dead. 

On September 1, a UN spokesperson said the Secretary General urged parties concerned to exercise restraint. 

Earlier on August 30, the UN Security Council convened a closed-door meeting to discuss violence in Rakhine state, but there is not any formal statement on the crisis.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: Countries continue to express stands on DPRK missile launch

Hwasong-12 Ballistic Missle test launch prep (File Photo)

BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Several countries continued to express their stands and suggestions on Thursday and Friday on the recent ballistic missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The DPRK on Thursday rejected the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) presidential statement condemning its latest test firing of a medium-range ballistic missile.

"We had already warned the United States that we would be closely monitoring its conduct," said a DPRK foreign ministry spokesman.

"The intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket launching drill carried out by the Strategic Force of the KPA (Korean People's Army) this time is only a curtain raiser to the resolute countermeasures to be taken against the United States, as it responded to our warning by waging the belligerent Ulji Freedom Guardian joint drills," he said.

Defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States condemned the DPRK's recent missile launches during their bilateral talks in Washington, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday.

Read the full story at Xinhua

Related Stories:

• Vietnam says concerned about DPRK's missile launch
• Chinese, French FMs hold telephone conversation on Korean Peninsula situation 

News Story: Japan, Britain to expand security ties amid N. Korea threat

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his British counterpart Theresa May agreed Thursday their countries will strengthen security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, citing the threat from North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile development.

They also confirmed that Japan and Britain will form a "new economic partnership" in light of the latter's withdrawal from the European Union, but did not make a clear commitment to the kind of two-way trade pact London is likely seeking.

Describing North Korea as a "global threat, including to Europe" following the launch on Tuesday of a ballistic missile across Japan, Abe told a joint press conference after the talks that he and May agreed to seek a greater role from China, which has economic ties to the North.

According to a joint statement announced after the meeting, Japan and Britain will work together and with other countries "to strengthen pressure against North Korea, including by increasing the pace of sanctions implementation and working towards the adoption of a new and effective resolution" at the U.N. Security Council.

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Story: Britain PM inspects Japan defense helicopter carrier in Yokosuka

JS Izumo

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Kyodo) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday visited a key Maritime Self-Defense Force base southwest of Tokyo to inspect a helicopter carrier.

Flanked by Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, May, who is on a three-day visit to Japan through Friday, went aboard the Izumo, the largest MSDF vessel, at Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture.

At the outset of their conversation aboard the vessel, which was open to the media, May said, "We have a long history of cooperation in these areas, and my visit today, I think, is a sign of the growing cooperation and partnership that we have on defense matters."

Read the full story at The Mainichi

News Story: S. Korea, U.S. to end joint military exercise

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States will wrap up their combined defense drills on Thursday as scheduled amid renewed tensions on the peninsula, officials said.

The annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) exercise, which started on Aug. 21, has involved more than 50,000 South Korea troops and around 17,500 American service members, including 3,000 from overseas bases.

Seven other member states of the United Nations Command -- Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Britain -- also took part in it.

The command post practice has focused on war games based on the allies' Operational Plan 5015 for an emergency situation on the peninsula and joint deterrence strategies.

The North has protested the training with a series of provocations. It fired a ballistic missile on Tuesday that flew over Japan following the launch of three short-range rockets.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: U.K. minister says time is not right to talk with North Korea

Mark Field (Image: Wiki Commons)

SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- A senior British official said Friday a package of both sanctions and diplomacy is needed to denuclearize North Korea and now is not the right time to have dialogue given the graveness of its threat.

Mark Field, minister for Asia and the Pacific at the U.K. Foreign Office, expressed skepticism toward emerging calls for talks in South Korea, the United States and other key stakeholder nations over Pyongyang's evolving nuclear and missile programs.

"We want to do both things together. Effective sanctions often do bring recalcitrant nations to come forward ... and have rational discussions about their activities going forward," Field told a group of reporters in Seoul.

Field said, however, now may not be the right time for talks with North Korea and the international community may need to adopt further U.N. Security Council resolutions to rein in the North.

"I recognize that we may have to go for further UNSC sanctions at some point in the future," the minister said, adding that the U.S. is "open-minded" about that path.

The minister is on a three-day visit to South Korea as part of his Asian trip. In Seoul, he met with Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam and plans to visit the Demilitarized Zone on Saturday before leaving the country.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Report: N Korea Warns Australia, UK Against Participation in S Korea-US Drills

North Korean authorities in a statement warned Australia and the United Kingdom to refrain from joining the ongoing exercises by South Korea and the United States dubbed the Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG).

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Monday, Seoul and Washington started the UFG, which is scheduled to continue through August 31. According to the US Department of Defense, UN Command forces from seven other states, including both Australia and the United Kingdom, are participating in the drills.

"Availing ourselves of this opportunity, we solemnly warn not only the US and [South Korean] puppet group but also satellites, including UK and Australia, which are taking advantage of the present war maneuvers against the north that they would face a miserable end if they join in play with fire by tiger moths of war," a spokesman for the National Peace Committee, North Korea's institution dealing with inter-Korean issues, said in a statement as quoted by the official KCNA news agency.

The drills, in which involve the participation of about 17,500 US servicemen and about 50,000 South Korean troops, have been repeatedly criticized by North Korea, which has promised to take retaliatory steps against both the United States and South Korea in light of the exercises.

The United States and South Korea have a long history of cooperation in the sphere of defense dating back to the Korean War in the 1950s. Within the framework of this alliance, the sides hold joint military exercises on a regular basis.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

News Story: Use Allied Investments To Help Rebuild US Military

RAAF Wedgetail AEW/C Aircraft (File Photo)

By ROBBIN LAIRD

The shift from slo mo — counterinsurgency operations — to high intensity combat is a major challenge for the US military and its allies. It is a culture shift, a procurement shift and an investment shift. But mobilization is even more important than modernization.

To get ready for this shift, our weapons inventory needs to become more robust. In visiting US bases, a common theme we hear is the challenge of basic inventory shortfalls.

The Trump Administration came to power promising to correct much of this. But there simply is not enough time and money to do readiness and training plus ups, mobilization and rapid modernization.

As a businessman, Donald Trump might take a look at how the Pentagon actually functions as an effective business in equipping the force. Having highlighted the question of allied spending, he might be pleased to learn of significant allied investments in new combat systems which his own forces can use, saving American taxpayers money and enhancing our military effectiveness at the same time.

One way to augment US forces would be to do something which might seem to be at odds with the Make America Great notion. As one of my Danish friends put it well: “I have no problem with the idea of making America great again. For me, the question is how?”

One way would be to leverage existing allied capabilities which, if adopted by the US forces, would save money but, even more importantly, would ramp up the operational capability of the US forces and their ability to work with allies in the shortest time possible. It would also allow the US to target investments where possible in break through programs which allies are NOT investing in.

Read the full story at Breaking Defense

News Story: S. Korea, U.S. in military drills amid N. Korea's threats

By Lee Chi-dong

SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean and U.S. militaries on Monday started their first major combined training since North Korea's test-firing of two long-range missiles and threat to shoot ballistic missiles toward Guam.

The Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) exercise will run through next Thursday, focusing on a "tailored joint deterrence strategy" based on the Operational Plan 5015 of the Combined Forces Command, officials said.

In an unusual gesture, three top U.S. military commanders -- Pacific Command chief Adm. Harry Harris, Strategic Command head Gen. John Hyten and Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves -- will observe the command-post exercise in person.

It involves tens of thousands of South Korean soldiers. In a press statement, the Ministry of National Defense did not specify the number. Ministry officials said the size is similar to that of last year, roughly 50,000.

The U.S. has reduced the number of its participating service members to 17,500 from 25,000, according to the Pentagon. The troops include some 3,000 coming from off-peninsula.

Seven other member states of the United Nations Command -- Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Britain -- are also taking part in it.

There's no report of the U.S. dispatching such high-profile weapons as aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines or strategic bombers to the training.

"UFG is computer simulated defensive exercise designed to enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean peninsula," it said.

Officials from the two countries denied speculation that links the decrease in the number of U.S. participants to an effort to cool down tensions on the peninsula.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: Chinese investments may lead to greater military purchases

Security analyst says it is no different to western countries selling arms but suggests parliamentary oversight be made compulsory for huge military purchases.

Robin Augustin

PETALING JAYA: Putrajaya may be more inclined to purchase arms from China given its “over reliance” on Chinese money for multi-billion ringgit mega-projects.

A retired brigadier-general said this in the wake of reports that China was seeking to supply weapons and other military equipment to Malaysia.

Speaking to FMT, Mohd Arshad Raji said the reports should come as no surprise.

“Given the increasingly warm ties and influx of Chinese money in the country, it would be natural for the government to buy more arms and military equipment from Beijing,” Arshad said.

Chinese investments in mega-infrastructure and property development projects, such as the RM55 billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the RM43 billion Melaka Gateway among others, have raised questions about Malaysia’s security and neutrality in a region which is being closely watched by the world’s superpowers.

Arshad said traditionally, Malaysia bought weapons and military equipment from western countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, and he believed that a shift towards buying arms from China could affect Malaysia’s bilateral trade with the US and UK.

“But my biggest concern is that a pivot towards China in terms of defence could affect our neutrality and military ties with our traditional western allies.

“China is adopting an aggressive and dominant stance, particularly in the South China Sea, where it is increasing its military presence.”

Arshad also voiced concern that a greater dependence on Chinese arms and military equipment could open the doors for China to spread its military doctrine in Malaysia.

“Malaysia, being a Commonwealth country, has been more inclined towards a western military doctrine.

“In essence, a military doctrine acts as a guide to help us standardise our operations. It represents our central beliefs and principles on how war should be waged.”

Arshad said he wasn’t sure China’s military doctrine was suited for Malaysia.

Read the full story at Free Malaysia Today

News Story: S. Korea, U.S. begin military drills amid N. Korea's threats

SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean and U.S. militaries on Monday started their first major combined training since North Korea's test-firing of two long-range missiles and threat to shoot ballistic missiles toward Guam.

The Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) exercise will run through next Thursday, focusing on a "tailored joint deterrence strategy" based on the Operational Plan 5015 of the Combined Forces Command, officials said.

In an unusual gesture, three top U.S. military commanders -- Pacific Command chief Adm. Harry Harris, Strategic Command head Gen. John Hyten and Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves -- will observe the command-post exercise in person.

It involves tens of thousands of South Korean soldiers. In a press statement, the Ministry of National Defense did not specify the number. Ministry officials said the size is similar to that of last year, roughly 50,000.

The U.S. has reduced the number of its participating service members to 17,500 from 25,000, according to the Pentagon. The troops include some 3,000 coming from off-peninsula.

Seven other member states of the United Nations Command -- Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Britain -- are also taking part in it.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

USA: Exercise to Strengthen Efforts in Defense of South Korea, Mattis Says

By Lisa Ferdinando 

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2017 — A joint U.S.-South Korean computer-simulated defensive exercise set to kick off tomorrow is meant to strengthen joint efforts for the defense of South Korea, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said today.

Ulchi Freedom Guardian, which runs to Aug. 31, is focusing on command post operations for the integration of efforts, Mattis told reporters traveling with him while en route to Jordan on the first leg of an overseas trip.

"This right now is an exercise to make certain that we're ready to defend South Korea and our allies over there," he said, adding that "because of the specific circumstance, we want it to be a command post-heavy, command post exercise."

The exercise is defensive in nature, Mattis said, noting that joint exercises have been going on for decades. The exercise operates transparently and is carefully planned out to prevent any misinterpretation on what is occurring, he said.

"It's calculated to not allow for miscalculation," he added. The number of troops involved is because of the focus of this year's exercise -- command and control -- and not in response to any factor from North Korea, he explained.

News Report: Pyongyang - US, South Korean Military Drills Pushing Peninsula 'Into Nuclear War'

Joint military exercises by the US and South Korea are only "adding fuel to the fire" on the Korean Peninsula, Pyongyang said on Sunday.

The Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises set to start on Monday, plus the new sanctions on North Korea by the US and the UN, are making things worse instead of easing tensions on the peninsula, the Pyongyang organ Rodong Sinmun said in a Sunday editorial, Yonhap reports.

Indeed, the exercises are "reckless behavior driving the situation into the uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war," Rodong Sinmun warned.

"The joint exercise is the most explicit expression of hostility against us, and no one can guarantee that the exercise won't evolve into actual fighting," the paper warned. "If the United States is lost in a fantasy that war on the peninsula is at somebody else's door far away from them across the Pacific, it is far more mistaken than ever."

At least 75,000 troops will take part in the 10-day war games, a huge-scale, computer-simulated drill designed to help American and South Korean forces practice defending South Korea against an invasion, according to the US Defense Department. Washington insists that the drills are "defensive," but Pyongyang sees them, and military drills that practice taking out North Korean leadership, as provocations.

USA: DoD Announces Start of Exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2017 — South Korea and U.S. Combined Forces Command will hold the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise Aug. 21-31, defense officials announced today.

Ulchi Freedom Guardian is a computer-simulated defensive exercise designed to enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula, defense officials said. About 17,500 U.S. service members will participate, with about 3,000 coming from installations outside South Korea, the officials said.

Multinational Participation

U.S. forces will join military forces from major South Korean units representing all services, as well as South Korean government participants. In addition, United Nations Command forces from seven nations, including Australia, Canada, Columbia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, will participate in the exercise.

Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission observers will monitor the exercise to ensure it complies with the 1953 armistice agreement, defense officials said. Training exercises like Ulchi Freedom Guardian are carried out in the spirit of the Oct. 1, 1953, South Korean-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty and in accordance with the armistice, the officials added.

"These exercises also highlight the longstanding military partnership, commitment and enduring friendship between the two nations, help to ensure peace and security on the peninsula, and reaffirm U.S. commitment to the alliance," the defense officials said.

US DoD