May 16, 2012                            
Dossier: Nouri Al Maliki


U.S. allies wondering: Why give advanced weapons to Iran satellite?


BACKGROUNDER
Compiled by Miles Yu

Putin presses offensive against U.S. global missile defense network

Vladimir Putin was sworn in Monday to be Russian president for a six-year term following a controversial election. The first thing Putin wanted was a guarantee from the U.S. that its missile defense system would not be used against Russia.

That puts the Obama administration in a difficult position because of election year politics in the U.S.

In 2010, Obama and then-Russian President Dmitri Medvedev signed a nuclear arms limitations pact. But Russia has wanted more. It demands that Washington discontinue the planned installation of a European missile defense shield, which it sees as a prelude to a U.S.-operated global missile defense network.



Iran acquires Chinese communications, GPS jammers via North Korea
LONDON - Iran has received advanced communications jammers over the last year and employed them as part of its air defense network. Sources said the jammers were believed to have arrived from North Korea, Teheran's leading military ally. The sources said the Chinese-designed jammers were meant to torpedo global positioning systems on a range of platforms, including fixed-, rotary-wing aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Middle East Report
Israel not relying on U.S. air refueling assets for long-range operations   


Defense Ministry and Israel Air Force sources said the advanced assets and techniques for the refueling of fighter-jets were meant to compensate for the U.S. refusal to sell Israel such systems.



Israeli Air Force F-15 fighter jets fly behind a refueling tanker at the Hatzerim Air Base in 2010.   Baz Ratner/Reuters

Military Technology
Israel receives 4th Dolphin electric-diesel submarine from Germany
Focus on the Persian Gulf States
U.S. Army foresees bonanza in weapons transfers to Saudi, UAE
Focus on Terrorism
Egypt, Hamas hold strategic talks to supply Gaza, stabilize the Sinai
Northeast Asia Report
Washington-Manila alliance gets boost from standoff with Beijing
East-Asia-Intel.com
U.S. tour of sensitive military sites delights Chinese delegation, media
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