Former Ghani adviser says Afghan leaders didn't see "writing on the wall" of U.S. withdrawal

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-leadership-mistakes-u-s-withdrawal/

Taliban prepare new Afghan budget without foreign aid

https://www.dawn.com/news/1664338/taliban-prepare-new-afghan-budget-without-foreign-aid

Taliban appeal again for UN seat after Afghan ambassador quits

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2021/12/17/Taliban-appeal-again-for-UN-seat-after-Afghan-ambassador-quits-

More Than 300,000 Afghans Flee to Pakistan Since Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan

https://www.voanews.com/a/more-than-300-000-afghans-flee-to-pakistan-since-taliban-takeover-of-afghanistan-/6357777.html

Afghans push through snowy Alps toward new lives in Europe

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-migrants-trek-through-alps-seek-new-future-02613cb26351c9249c27ee20f5d1681f

Drone strike on Pakistani Taliban leader fails to explode, Taliban sources say

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/drone-strike-pakistani-taliban-leader-fails-explode-taliban-sources-say-2021-12-16/

After AUKUS snub, France to offer critical nuclear submarine tech to India?

https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/news/french-defence-minister-to-meet-rajnath-today-nuclear-submarines-on-table-101639709472183.html

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands: New Delhi’s Bulwark in the Indian Ocean

https://thediplomat.com/2021/12/the-andaman-and-nicobar-islands-new-delhis-bulwark-in-the-indian-ocean/

Iran more than doubles Revolutionary Guard’s budget in FY22 bill

https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2021/12/16/iran-more-than-doubles-revolutionary-guards-budget-in-fy22-bill/

Iran nuke talks adjourn, Europeans say pause disappointing

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-middle-east-china-iran-donald-trump-5f8b002902efb6d8f99e9e368d72ff88

Nuclear watchdog casts doubt on Iranian claims over missing footage

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/17/nuclear-watchdog-casts-doubt-on-iranian-claims-over-missing-footage

US sees Iran nuclear breakout time as really short-senior official

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-sees-iran-nuclear-breakout-time-really-short-senior-official-2021-12-17/

A fragile partnership in Iraq tries to prevent IS revival

https://apnews.com/article/business-middle-east-iraq-baghdad-islamic-state-group-cc46679f7d67eeb8954290457c6c3542

Saudi signs for further AWACS upgrade

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/c4isr-command-tech/latest/saudi-signs-for-further-awacs-upgrade

Yemen’s Houthis Seek Departure of Top Iranian Diplomat

https://www.wsj.com/articles/yemens-houthis-seek-departure-of-top-iranian-diplomat-11639752398

Holding ex-Islamic State members in Syria not sustainable, says thinktank

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/16/holding-ex-islamic-state-members-in-syria-not-sustainable-says-thinktank

Egypt Air defence strengthened with IRIS-T SLM acquisition

https://www.africanmilitaryblog.com/2021/12/egypt-air-defence-strengthened-with-iris-t-slm-acquisition

Egypt is negotiating with Italy about Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master aircraft

https://airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/december/7973-egypt-is-negotiating-with-italy-about-alenia-aermacchi-m-346-master-aircraft.html

Egyptian Politician Hacked by 2 Government Hacking Groups, Researchers Say

https://www.vice.com/en/article/xgdwza/egyptian-politician-hacked-by-two-government-hacking-groups-researchers-say

Somalia: Missing In Action

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/somalia/articles/20211217.aspx

Russia continues to amass new troops near Ukraine's border despite Biden urging Putin to de-escalate tensions

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/17/politics/russia-troops-ukraine-border-biden/index.html

Ukraine receives new equipment

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/weapons-headlines/latest/ukraine-receives-new-equipment

On the Ukraine frontline: 'Only the dead aren't afraid' – video

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/dec/16/on-the-ukraine-frontline-only-the-dead-arent-afraid-video

Video: On Ukrainian frontline, Russian troop build-up reports spark concerns

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20211206-video-on-ukrainian-frontline-russian-troop-build-up-reports-spark-concerns

To Hide From Ukraine’s Drones, Russian Troops Could Lay Smoke Screens

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/12/17/to-hide-from-ukraines-drones-russian-troops-could-lay-smoke-screens/

Diplomacy Is ‘No Longer Sufficient’ To Prevent Russian Escalation, Lithuanian Defense Chief Says

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/12/diplomacy-no-longer-sufficient-prevent-russian-escalation-lithuanian-defense-chief-says/359904/

A Russian court document mentioned Russian troops "stationed" in eastern Ukraine. Moscow insists there are none.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-ukraine-troops-in-donbas-court-document-amid-concern-invasion/

Russia sets out tough demands for security pact with NATO

https://apnews.com/article/business-europe-russia-ukraine-moscow-6f0b3cf18eba2bfa8ec4ee6d209eee74

All-out war or ‘creeping occupation’ among Putin options, says Ukraine MoD

https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/2021/12/16/all-out-war-or-creeping-occupation-among-putin-options-says-ukraine-mod/

Russia is 'a power in decline' but still poses a military threat, NATO chief says

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-is-a-power-in-decline-but-still-poses-a-military-threat-nato-chief-says/ar-AART0vj

Russian Amphibious Ships to Get Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/12/17/russian-amphibious-ships-uavs/

Second of Russia’s troubled Lada-class subs starts trials 3 years after launch

https://defbrief.com/2021/12/17/second-of-russias-troubled-lada-class-subs-starts-trials-3-years-after-launch/

A domestic newspaper warns of the Russian space program’s “rapid collapse”

https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/12/a-state-aligned-russian-newspaper-reviews-the-space-program-and-its-scathing/

‘This a Third World War': Russian official declares cyberwar already ‘in full swing’

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/this-a-third-world-war-russian-official-declares-cyberwar-already-in-full-swing/ar-AART77h

Airbus Just Delivered The Last A380 Super Jumbo Jet

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43553/airbus-just-delivered-the-last-a380-super-jumbo-jet

Naval Group Lays Keel for the French Navy's First FDI Frigate

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/31016/Naval_Group_Lays_Keel_for_the_French_Navy_s_First_FDI_Frigate#.YbzCn1mIZPY

UK: More detail emerges on purchase of 61 new ‘interceptor boats’

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/more-detail-emerges-on-purchase-of-61-new-interceptor-boats/

China and Russia show solidarity, but likely won't support each other militarily, analysts say

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-and-russia-show-solidarity-but-likely-won-t-support-each-other-militarily-analysts-say/ar-AARTRUw

China-Russia Collaboration in Space Poses Challenge for West

https://www.voanews.com/a/china-russia-collaboration-in-space-poses-challenge-for-west/6358568.html

SECNAV Del Toro Sounds Alarm Over Chinese Illegal Fishing

https://news.usni.org/2021/12/16/secnav-del-toro-sounds-alarm-over-chinese-illegal-fishing

New Chinese Aerial Tanker Goes To Sea

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htlog/articles/20211217.aspx

KAI awarded contract to deliver four Baekdu-II ISR aircraft systems to the RoKAF

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/c4isr-command-tech/latest/kai-awarded-contract-to-deliver-four-baekdu-ii-isr-aircraft-systems-to-the-rokaf

Finnish armored vehicle prototype spotted testing in Japan

https://defence-blog.com/finnish-armored-vehicle-prototype-spotted-testing-in-japan/

Prank calls, tapped phones, and KGB killers: What we learned so far from the 1,500 new JFK assassination files

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/jfk-cia-documents-lee-harvey-oswald-b1977118.html

At Least 458 U.S. Crimes Tied to Extremism Involved Veterans, Active Duty Troops

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/12/least-458-us-crimes-tied-extremism-involved-veterans-active-duty-troops/359934/

Former US defense contractor arrested for attempting to spy for Russia

https://defbrief.com/2021/12/17/former-us-defense-contractor-arrested-for-attempting-to-spy-for-russia/

Orbital Insight to build AI for intelligence community based on artificial data

https://www.c4isrnet.com/intel-geoint/2021/12/16/orbital-insight-to-build-ai-for-intelligence-community-based-on-artificial-data/

General Electric concludes Phase 1 testing of second XA100 engine

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/defence/latest/general-electric-concludes-phase-1-testing-of-second-xa100-engine

Homestead Air Reserve Base was evacuated after a Mk 82 fell off from F-16 and rolled close to other bombs

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/homestead-air-reserve-base-was-evacuated-after-a-mk-82-fell-off-from-f-16-and-rolled-close-to-other-bombs/

Aerospace And Defense In 2022: What To Watch For

https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/emerging-technologies/aerospace-defense-2022-what-watch-0

This Army Reservist’s Formula Predicts the Inside Layout of Buildings from Satellite Photos

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2021/12/army-reservists-formula-predicts-inside-layout-buildings-satellite-photos/359923/

The T-7 takes shape: Inside the factory where the Air Force’s next trainer is being built