U.S., North Korea Hold Nuclear Talks

UNITED NATIONS - The United States opened discussions July 28 with North Korea, in a move testing Pyongyang's willingness to negotiate giving up its nuclear arsenal.

The U.S. special envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, greeted North Korea's first vice foreign minister Kim Kye Gwan at the entrance to the U.S. mission to the United Nations in New York before they set the talks underway.

Neither side many any comment before the meetings, which were expected to go on into July 29. The United States has stressed however that these are "exploratory talks" to see if the Pyongyang regime is serious about living up to past commitments on its nuclear program.

The United States considers progress on disarmament to be key to any hopes of improving six decades of hostile U.S.-North Korea ties.

It is the first talks since Bosworth visited Pyongyang in December 2009.

The invitation to New York was made after a meeting between nuclear envoys from North and South Korea at an Asian security forum in Indonesia last week.

The international community is anxious to see North Korea return to six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons, which broke down in late 2008.

North Korea agreed in principle at the six-nation talks in 2005 to scrap its weapons program, but staged nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

The North's disclosure in November that it had a uranium enrichment plant, adding a new means to produce atomic weapons, has become a new complicating factor in the talks the North has held with the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton invited the North Korea minister for what she called "exploratory talks."

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said July 27 that the Indonesia meeting had been "constructive" but that the communist state needs to do more.

"What we're looking for is in our mind a clear indication that North Korea is serious about moving forward," Toner told reporters.

The United States will be watching to see if the North will recommit to the 2005 agreement "as well as take concrete and irreversible steps towards denuclearization," Toner said.

The North highlighted its mistrust of U.S. motives ahead of the talks.

At a U.N. debate on disarmament on Wednesday, the North's U.N. ambassador said a proposed U.S. missile defense shield in Europe would spark a "new nuclear arms race."

The ambassador, Sin Son Ho, said the United States was seeking "absolute nuclear superiority" and had no "moral justifications" to lecture other countries about proliferation.

North Korea's official news agency said in a commentary July 27, however, that an agreement with the United States formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War could become a "first step" to peace on the Korean peninsula and "denuclearization."

Diplomats have warned that the North is unlikely to make concessions in the talks.

"North Korea is in trouble again. It needs food supplies and its economy is falling deeper and deeper into crisis," an Asian diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

"But it cannot afford to give up the nuclear weapons, which are its main bargaining point."

In a sign of the diplomatic minefield that the United States has been going through in its dealings with North Korea in the past six decades, an aide accompanying Bosworth was seen carrying a copy of "How Enemies Become Friends," a recent book by Charles Kupchan, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton, into the meeting.

Kupchan champions the cause of U.S. engagement with its enemies in the book.

N.Korea Warns of New Nuclear Arms Race Ahead Of Talks

UNITED NATIONS - North Korea said July 27, ahead of landmark talks with the United States, that a U.S. missile defense shield will set off a new nuclear arms race.

The new diplomatic attack on the United States came as the U.S. government said it wanted to see signs in talks due to start on July 28 in New York that North Korea is "serious about moving forward."

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But the North's U.N. envoy said the United States was aiming through its proposed missile defense shield to gain "absolute nuclear superiority and global hegemony over the other nuclear power rivals."

The ambassador, Sin Son Ho, said the shield showed the United States has no "moral justifications" to lecture other countries about proliferation.

"In this current changing world, one can easily understand that this dangerous move will eventually spark a new nuclear arms race," Sin said of the shield which the United States wants to build over Eastern Europe. Washington says the shield is aimed at preventing attacks by rogue states such as Iran.

"This shows that the world's largest nuclear weapon state has lost its legal or moral justifications to talk of proliferation issues before international society, on whatever ground," the envoy added.

North Korea and the United States are to hold two days of talks in New York from Thursday on issues including the North's nuclear arsenal.

Vice foreign minister Kim Kye-Gwan is leading the North's delegation at the New York talks. Kim arrived in the United States late Tuesday.

Kim and U.S. envoy for North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, are expected to discuss improving U.S.-North Korean ties and ways to relaunch six-nation talks on the North giving up its nuclear weapons.

Talks between North Korea and the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia have been frozen since December 2008.

The North staged nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009 which sparked international concern and outrage.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the New York talks on July 24, two days after the nuclear envoys of South and North Korea held a surprise meeting on the sidelines of an Asian security conference in Bali, Indonesia.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the Bali meeting had been "constructive" but that the communist state needs to do more.

"What we're looking for is in our mind a clear indication that North Korea is serious about moving forward," Toner told reporters.

The United States will be watching to see if North Korea will recommit to a 2005 agreement made at the six party talks "as well as take concrete and irreversible steps towards denuclearization," the spokesman said.

South Korea, a key observer in the new contacts between the North and the world superpower, has also demanded signs that its arch-rival is sincere about wanting good relations before it agrees to concrete action to help its beleaguered neighbor.

South Korea remains furious over a deadly attack last year on an island on the tense frontier between the two.

The North's disclosure in November that it had a uranium enrichment plant, which could give it another way to make atomic weapons, has become a new complicating factor.

The North's official news agency, in a commentary July 27, said a peace agreement with the United States formally ending the 1950-53 war could become a "first step" to peace on the Korean peninsula and "denuclearization".

The North and South fought a bitter war in 1950-53, with the United States fighting with the South. The conflict ended 58 years ago on July 27 with an armistice but no full peace treaty.

"It is impossible to wipe out the mutual distrust, nor is it possible to achieve a smooth solution of the issue of denuclearization, as long as there persists the hostile relationship" between North Korea and the United States, the news agency said.

Congolese Women Raped by Indian Rapists in UN Peace Missions

                You must have heard the story of a thief who had gave up his bad habit aftermarriage of his sons. After his death, his sons and daughter in laws gathered to distribute his possessions. His possessions were locked in trunk and he always used to hang its keys by his neck. When his sons and daughters in law opened the trunk, they were shocked to see items of their household that were stolen time to time in the past. Precious ornaments, crockery, and cloth that were part of dowries of daughters in law, all were there. Loss these items had created storms in the family. Many accusing fingers were raised. Secret of their father was revealed that although he had quitted theft but to satisfy his habit, he used to steal items from his own house.

                Same is the situation of Indian army. UNO had accused Indian army in writing of rape of Congolese women by its officers and soldiers. Previously such accusations were raised by Kashmiri and Indian minorities but were never listened to. Nobody sympathized innocent women of Kashmir and minorities whose honor was targeted deliberately by Indian army personnel. International media withheld such news of rape and murder. When such incidents resulted into general unrest and curfew, still international media highlighted different reasons for these. 

                The recent example of such incidents is that of Nilofer and Aasia, two girls in Shopian, Indian Held Kashmir, who were abducted by Indian soldiers while gathering wood near their home. Both girls (Nilofer had a baby back in home) were gang raped inIndian army camp and later murdered. Their bodies were thrown near their home. People protested against such heinous crime and Indian Held Kashmir had to go through curfew for six months. Tens of young Kashmiri including children were killed by Indian police during protests. Western median made no mention of such happening to the world. Even western media did not felt any moral deficiency when Indian homeminister accused Kashmiri mujahideen for this incident and arrested many innocent youth from that area.

                Even UNO has never paid any attention to accusation made not only by Arundhati Roy, a famous author, but other women organizations about rape of minorities particularly Kashmir women being practiced by Indian army as state policy. UNO sent  Aasma Jahangir, a favorite of Indians, for a fact finding mission to obscure the human right violation in India (you will observe Asma Jahangir in happiest mood at Wahga Border carrying flowers for Indians on the eve of their Divali or when she returns back from pilgrimage into India). She has always sponsored Indian interests against that of Kashmiri women.

                However, UNO has become the affected party to such incidents for the first time. A question can be raised that why so? UNO always send soldiers in war torn countries to protect its people and particularly women. UNO and its armed missions have played a dominant role in this regard. The troops from different nations are deployed to war affected countries after due considerations of local customs and conditions. The mission of such contingents is to establish peace, distribute food, medical, services, and promotes sense of protection amongst women so that they can start their normal life. If UN contingents are involved in moral and social crimes (prevention of which is sole purpose of their deployment) than you can well imagine the general condition. Such situations will benefit criminals and make life hell for peace loving people.

                The nations send their best military contingents as part of UN mission to increase their influence. Case of Indian army is different. Indian government often use their military might against its provinces to quell separatism and control minorities. Sexual abuse is used as a weapon. That is why Indian soldiers are good at this. On 15 July 2008, hundreds of old women gathered in front of Indian military headquarters at Kangla Fort, Imphal part of State of Manipur and protested naked against Indian armyatrocities. They were carrying placards inscribed with slogans against Indian army’s policy of sexual abuse and gang rapes. These women (including well educated, professors and doctors) had been victim of Indian atrocities in some part to their lives. Their only crime was that the men of their family had either refused to accept occupation of Manipur by Indian central government or were sympathizers to separation movements. These women were chanting slogans, “Indian sexual beasts, come and rape us, we are of the age of your mothers, come and rape your mothers”. Indian soldiers at the central gates were unable to decide either to open fire on these women or arrest these naked women. Women from spectators covered them with their clothes. This protest was result of Indian atrocities against a professor of famous Ghana Priya Women’s College, Imphal. Her son had joined United Liberation Front of Assam so she was raped by Indian beasts as a punishment. Details have been printed by “Tehelka dot com” Current Affairs in August 2008.

                 However, such incidents are not new for Indian media. Few years back,Indian army gang raped girls from Mao Separatist and than threw dead bodies intrenches. Such scandals have been noticed many times. Indian media has decided to ignore such incidents. However, Sohani Laxmi, a lady journalist from Gwahati, Assam has published full details of an incident in that high caste Hindus of Gwahati forced a seventeen year old girl walk naked for eight kilometers. This was published at “JharkandBlog” with a title of “Adivasi Girl”. Hundreds of such heinous incidents can be viewed on line. One of the sorry aspect of this whole issue is that incident of Mukhtiaran Mai is broadcasted throughout the world. On the other hand, the so called civilized nations and their media tacitly choose to ignore Indian policy of sexual abuse and rape.

                It is the result of such neglect on the part of local as well as international media that Indian soldiers failed to desist from sexual abuse in UN mission of Congo. The Indian soldiers exploited the war torn women of Congo. These incidents surfaced when some unmarried Congolese mothers reported this to UN headquarters in Durla, Congo for upbringing of their children. The looks of these children were Indian instead of African. After investigation by UN institution for women, it was revealed that Indian soldiers fathered these children. Fifty-one of such cases were registered. Victims of Indian sexual abuse reached into hundreds. These girls were raped either through coercion or under deceit of food items and Indian made cosmetics. Their war-ravaged condition was exploited. It was a disgrace for UNO as an institution because it is the legal and moral responsibility of UN to ensure protection of these Congolese girls. The matter was reported to UN authorities in New York. Another such incidents was reported to UN authorities by South African home ministry in that a Lt. Colonel and two Majors of Indian army were arrested raping a woman while on leave in tourist city of Plettenberg Bay. They were arrested by police and jailed. They were released under diplomatic laws and repatriated to India. 

                Indian brigade commander in Congo accused Pakistani soldiers of suchviolations to avert the blame. UN authorities ordered DNA tests. The DNA samples of these pre-marital babies resembled to those of officers and men of 6th Sikh Battalion of India which was part of UN mission in Congo in 2008. UN authorities informed Indian government and asked for legal proceeding against these officers and soldiers. Indian efforts of accusing Pakistani soldiers were refuted due to DNA test. It also helped trace the actual fathers of these babies that included 12 officers and 39 non-commissioned officers and soldiers of Indian army.

                As usual, Indian government took policy of denial and neglected UN report and demands of punishment against these army personnel. It was a set back to UN’s good image. In 2010, when an Indian battalion was ready to embark on UN mission in New Delhi, UN refused to accept them. UN has made it clear that until the time Indian government does not punish those culprits involved in sexual abuses in Congo, UN will not only repatriate all Indian contingents but also take legal actions against them by itself.

                Indian government could not ignore large amount of UN payments and its repute. UN threat has worked and at last a committee comprising a Brigadier and two Colonels have been tasked to investigate 6^th Sikh Battalion in Uttar Pradesh (battalion is stationed at Chandigarh). UN has reported involvement of Indian contingents in sexual abuse not only in Congo but also in Sudan, Liberia, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone. Other than that, Indian soldiers have been involved in smuggling of narcotics and weapons.

                 

Now question is; will UN be able to force India to punish its soldiers involved in human right violations including sexual abuse not only in Indian Held Kashmir but in Congo as well. I am sure that Asma Jhangir, Najam Sethi and Indian influenced so called progressive authors, poets, journalists, politicians, industrialists and traders will raise hue and cry that we should not involve ourselves in such issues. Dear readers, I protest against these Indian atrocities on three reasons:

Ø  One, world is a global village, it is the moral responsibility of people to raise their voices against atrocities in any part of the world;

Ø  Two, Indians tried to blame Pakistan for their wrong doings;

Ø  Three, India is continuing its policy of sexual abuse and rape of Kashmiri women as a weapon.

Every man and woman is morally bound to protest against such atrocities. We must protest against Indian aggressions and atrocities no matter somebody likes it to not.

Russia, NATO Remain At Odds Over Libya Campaign

SOCHI, Russia - Russia and NATO on July 4 said they were still at odds over the air campaign in Libya after talks between Russian leaders and NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, third from left, speaks with NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, fifth from left, during the Russia-NATO Council meeting July 4 in Sochi, Russia. (Mikhail Mordasov / Agence France-Presse)

"So far, there is no common understanding over how the resolution is being implemented," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, referring to the U.N. Security Council resolution that paved the way for the air campaign.

Lavrov and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier held talks with Rasmussen in this Black Sea city in a bid to overcome their differences and find a peaceful solution to the Libya crisis.
Lavrov said they were also joined by South African President Jacob Zuma, who earlier had a bilateral meeting with Medvedev and like Russia wants a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Russia abstained in the resolution vote at the Security Council but has since expressed growing anger over the duration and intensity of the NATO-led air strikes against targets of Moammar Gadhafi's Libyan regime.
Last week Russia was particularly angered by a direct French arms drop to rebels fighting Gadhafi's forces and the two sides made no attempt to hide their differences after the Sochi talks.
"We consider the arms embargo [under the U.N. Security Council resolution] to be unambiguous," Lavrov said. "Any weapons deliveries are a violation of the resolution," he added.
"They [NATO] have a different opinion - that the resolution can let anyone do anything."
Rasmussen vehemently defended the arms drop and said it was in line with the resolution.
"The delivery of weapons has taken place as part of protection of civilians and the ability to protect themselves against attacks," he said.
"So far we have successfully implemented the resolution."

France Denies Giving Libya Rebels Anti-Tank Missiles

PARIS - The French military on June 30 denied supplying anti-tank missiles to rebels fighting Libyan Moammar Gadhafi's regime, though it admitted parachuting light arms to them.

"No Milan anti-tank missiles have been parachuted into Jebel Nafusa," a region southeast of Tripoli, France's top military spokesman Thierry Burkhard said, referring to earlier reports.

Le Figaro newspaper and a well-placed non-government source said France dropped several tons of arms including Milan anti-tank missiles and light armored vehicles.

Burkhard said France had only supplied "light arms" including machine guns and rocket launchers.

He had said on June 29 that French officials had delivered small arms while carrying out humanitarian aid operations to help local populations under threat from Gadhafi's troops.

"It appeared that in certain zones the security situation was extremely tense for these undefended populations," so France gave them "the means to defend themselves, light arms and ammunition," he added June 30.

France's ambassador to the United Nations said June 29 the delivery of arms to rebels did not breach the U.N. resolution that mandated intervention to protect civilians, which also established an embargo on arms to Libya.

Article 4 of Resolution 1973 specified that allowances to the arms embargo can be allowed if in the interest of protecting civilians.

Italy May Consider Final Date of Libya Mission: Minister

ROME - Italy may begin thinking about a date for the end of its active duty in Libya after the three-month period of its commitment in the conflict is over, its defense minister said in an interview June 18.
"What I'm saying is that thinking about a final date for our active participation could lead our British, French and U.S. allies to look for a diplomatic solution to the crisis," Ignazio La Russa told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

La Russa said that both Italy's government and parliament should be involved in the process.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's center-right coalition government is riven by tensions after the small but influential anti-immigration Northern League called for a halt to Italy's participation in NATO air raids in Libya.
La Russa said that whatever Italy's position after the three-month period Rome would continue to make its military bases available for allied operations.
He also denied assertions by the Northern League that Italy's participation in the Libya campaign had caused an influx of refugees from North Africa across the Mediterranean Sea, which he said would have happened anyway.
The overwhelming majority of the estimated 11,000 Africans who have arrived in Italy from Libya are protected by the Geneva Convention and cannot be repatriated.
According to figures released June 17, only 60 of the 11,000 were Libyan.
Very few of the estimated 900,000 people who have fled fighting between the NATO-backed rebellion and forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi have ended up in Europe, Antonio Guterres, the head of the U.N. refugee agency, said Wednesday.
The Libyan regime and the country's former colonial ruler Italy signed a pact in August 2008 on tackling illegal migration which have seen the number of clandestine arrivals decline by 94 percent.
Under-pressure Gadhafi has threatened to spark a migration invasion of Europe.

NATO Pressures Allies To Boost Libya Mission

BRUSSELS - NATO's leadership pressed allies Wednesday to step up their contributions to the Libyan air war to finally dislodge Moammar Gadhafi and begin planning for the day after his downfall.
After three months of air strikes, defense ministers meeting in Brussels said time was working against Gadhafi and urged the defiant colonel to finally step down.

"All ministers agreed we will keep up the pressure for as long as it takes to bring this to an early conclusion," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a news conference.
The ministers issued a joint statement pledging their determination to continue the mission "for as long as necessary."
They also said they were "committed to providing the necessary means and maximum operational flexibility within our mandate to sustain these efforts and welcome additional contributions to our common efforts."
With only half of 28 NATO allies taking part in the mission, Rasmussen and British Defence Secretary Liam Fox called on members to step up their participation.
"We want to see increased urgency in some quarters in terms of Libya," Fox said.
Only nine nations are conducting air strikes, with France and Britain carrying out the bulk of the attacks, including with helicopter gunships.
After NATO extended the mission by 90 days through September, Rasmussen said he had encouraged other allies "to broaden" their support of the mission to ensure the "sustainability" of the operation.
A senior U.S. official said this week he did not see any "danger" of the mission losing steam yet but that air crews were beginning to show signs of fatigue.
Spanish Defence Minister Carme Chacon, whose country is participating in the operation but not in air raids, said no other nations came forward with new contributions.
Sweden, a non-NATO nation taking part in the operation, decided to cut the number of fighter jets enforcing a no-fly zone from eight to five, although it lifted restrictions on what type of surveillance mission they can carry out.
Norway, among only eight NATO members conducting air strikes, has said that it would reduce its role if the mission goes past June.
As the ministers met, a wave of air strikes battered Tripoli again early June 8, piling pressure on Gadhafi, who in an audio broadcast said he was "near" the bombing but vowed never to surrender. The Libyan regime said 31 people were killed on Tuesday but NATO said it had no way to verify the claim.
"Time is working against Gadhafi, who has clearly lost all legitimacy and therefore needs to step down," the ministers said. "There is no future for a regime that has systematically threatened and attacked its own population."
NATO said it stood ready to play a role, if requested and necessary, once Gadhafi steps down but that such an effort should be initiated by the United Nations and the international contact group on Libya.
"The time has come to plan for the day after the conflict," Rasmussen said.
The alliance chief said he did not foresee "a leading role" for NATO and ruled out alliance ground forces in a post-Kadhafi Libya.
"We see the United Nations playing the lead role in the post-Kadhafi, post-conflict scenario," said Rasmussen, who has suggested that NATO could focus on helping reform Libya's defence and security institutions.
U.S. Adm. Samuel Locklear, a senior NATO commander, suggested last week that a small ground force might be necessary after Gadhafi leaves power. The troops, he added, could be provided by the U.N., the European Union or NATO.

'US aims to sabotage Pak N-facilities'

President Ahmadinejad unveils US plots in Pakistan and Bahrain

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during a press conference in the Iranian capital, Tehran, June 7, 2011.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the United States plans to sabotage the nuclear facilities of Pakistan in a bid to weaken the Pakistani government and nation.

“We have accurate information that, in order to gain dominance over Pakistan and weaken the country's government and nation, the Americans want to sabotage Pakistan's nuclear facilities and pave the way for the US's extended presence and the weakening of the national governing of the people through the lever of the [United Nations] Security Council and some international organizations,” Ahmadinejad said during a press conference on Tuesday.

The Iranian president noted that colonialists used the 9/11 attacks as a pretext to launch their largest military invasion on the [Middle East] region in order to "save from destruction the ailing economy of themselves and the Zionist regime (Israel) as the main base of ultra-modern colonialism."

The press conference is being held in the Iranian capital of Tehran with the participation of almost 350 reporters and photographers from Iranian and foreign media.

Elsewhere during the conference, the Iranian president said that Washington is planning to gain popularity in the Middle East by pretending to support the people of Bahrain.

The Americans, who have themselves given the carte blanche to confront the people in Bahrain, now want to act as supporters of the Bahraini people and pressure the ruler of this country to make concessions and restore parts of the rights of the people and put an end to the story, Ahmadinejad said.

Through that, the US wants to gain popularity among the nations of the region and show themselves as supporters of the rights of the people, he added.

Ahmadinejad noted that the problem of Bahrain is not between the people and the government, but the US military base is the problem.

He added that "if the people of Bahrain are under pressure today, or if the Bahraini government has to stand against the people of the country to defend the US base," it is because of the US and its illegitimate interests.

Russia: France, U.K. Could Send Troops Into Libya

MOSCOW - Russia's top diplomat warned June 4 that the NATO operation in Libya was "sliding towards" a land campaign, a prospect he said Moscow viewed as "deplorable," the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
"We know that France and Britain intend to use military helicopters. We have given our view of NATO's actions," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency.

"We consider that what is going on is either consciously or unconsciously sliding towards a land operation. That would be very deplorable," he added.
"We think our Western partners understand that the events in Libya are taking an undesirable turn, but the decisions that have been taken are continuing by momentum," Lavrov told journalists in Odessa, according to the news agency.
Lavrov's comments came after NATO acknowledged June 4 that it had deployed British and French attack helicopters against Moammar Gadhafi's forces for the first time.
Russian President Dmitry Mevedev's special representative on Africa said earlier June 4 that he would travel late June 6 to Libya to try to mediate the conflict, the Interfax news agency reported.
Mikhail Margelov said he plans to visit the rebel stronghold of Benghazi "to meet leaders of Libya's National Transitional Council," according to the Interfax report.
Russia abstained from the U.N. Security Council resolution on Libya and has called for a negotiated solution to the conflict, which has cost thousands of lives since it erupted in mid-February.

U.S. House Passes Defense Authorization Bill

By a vote of 322 to 96, the U.S. House of Representatives on May 26 passed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2012, which includes a $690 billion Pentagon budget.

Continued development of a second engine for the Joint Strike Fighter was included without funding in the National Defense Authorization Act passed by the House. The Pentagon has repeatedly said a second engine is unnecessary. (Andy Wolfe / Lockheed Martin)

The Pentagon had requested a $553 billion base budget and $118 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House bill fully funds those requests and also provides funding for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration and the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration.

Before becoming law, the Senate will have to vote on its own version and then the two bills will need to be reconciled before heading to President Barack Obama for his signature.
There are several measures in the House legislation that will make reconciliation with the Senate very difficult. And the White House announced earlier in the week that it objects to several of the bill's amendments, including measures that restrict the president's ability to reduce the U.S. nuclear weapon stockpile as part of the New START Treaty with Russia.
The bill also ties the president's hands when it comes to transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay. A Republican proposal, which passed, said detainees could not be tried on U.S. soil.
The legislation also includes language that allows for continued development on a second engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a program the Pentagon has repeatedly said is unnecessary. However, the bill does not include additional funding for the General Electric-Rolls Royce engine.
"If the final bill presented to the president includes funding or a legislative direction to continue an extra engine program, the president's senior advisers would recommend a veto," the White House statement said.
Measures to reduce the defense budget did not pass, despite growing concern about federal discretionary spending and its contribution to the national deficit.
A Democratic proposal that would return Defense Department spending to 2008 levels, with exemptions for personnel and health accounts, was withdrawn. The House rejected by voice vote a separate proposal that would freeze Department of Defense funding at current levels until the Pentagon successfully passed an audit.
The House bill does make cuts to some weapons programs, but directs those savings back into the Pentagon toward "higher priorities."
"With the tough fiscal times facing our country, the bill treats every taxpayer dollar as precious," House Armed Services Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., said in a statement.
Among the programs deemed wasteful were military bands and the U.S. Institute of Peace. The House voted to cut $200,000 in funding for military bands.
By a vote of 226 to 194, the House voted to de-authorize the United States Institute of Peace, an independent, nonpartisan organization created by Congress in the early 1980s. In 2005, Congress appropriated $100 million to build the Institute's permanent headquarters in Washington.
Republicans argued the country could not afford the organization and that its efforts are duplicative of those of the Defense Department and the State Department.
The organization managed the Iraq Study Group's work and, at Congress' request, it facilitated the task force on U.N. reform, the strategic posture review and a review of the latest Quadrennial Defense Review.
While the debate between the parties was sometimes passionate, there were moments of bipartisanship, including a vote of 416 to 5 in support of a proposal that would prohibit U.S. ground forces from operating in Libya.
A bipartisan proposal calling for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan failed by a vote of 234 to 184.

India Will Not Join 1,000-Ship Navy Concept

NEW DELHI - The Indian Navy will not join any multilateral groupings, putting to rest the possibility of Indian participation in the U.S.-mooted concept of a 1,000-ship navy.
Addressing the naval commanders here, Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony ruled out India joining such a group unless it is under a U.N. mandate, said a Defence Ministry statement.

While India will join maritime cooperation in the region against terrorism and piracy, there is no plan to join any broader multilateral grouping, a Defence Ministry official said.
The 1,000-ship navy concept, espoused by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, envisioned an operational partnership of naval and coastal forces from friendly countries around the world.
The remarks by Antony also have cast doubt on the U.S.-sponsored Proliferation Security Initiative, the Container Security Initiative and the Regional Maritime Security Initiative, said a Defence Ministry source.
In the context of the recent terrorist attack at a naval base in neighboring Pakistan, Antony said, "The challenges of the Indian Ocean rim, and the volatile neighborhood we live in, make it imperative for us to maintain operational readiness at all times. Recent incidents in our neighborhood have strongly underlined the need to maintain constant vigil. The Navy needs to take stock of the level of operational preparedness from time to time."
Turning to coastal security, Antony said the government has made considerable progress in plugging the gaps, but a lot more needs to be done. Various agencies need to adopt a far more collaborative and cooperative approach, according to the ministry statement.

NATO Says Its Planes Hit Eight Gadhafi Warships

BRUSSELS - NATO aircraft hit eight warships of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces overnight May 20 in the ports of Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte, the Atlantic alliance said in a statement.

Flames engulf a ship in the port of the Libyan capital Tripoli following NATO air strikes on May 19. (Mahmud Turkia / AFP via Getty Images)

"NATO and coalition air assets continued their precision airstrikes against pro-Gadhafi regime forces overnight with a coordinated strike against pro-Gadhafi forces in the ports of Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte," the statement said.

"Overnight, NATO aircraft hit pro-Gadhafi warships, striking eight vessels," it added.
"All NATO's targets are military in nature and are directly linked to the Gadhafi regime's systematic attacks on the Libyan people," said Rear Adm. Russell Harding, Deputy Commander Operation Unified Protector.
"Given the escalating use of naval assets, NATO had no choice but to take decisive action to protect the civilian population of Libya and NATO forces at sea," he further added.
Fresh explosions were heard in the Libyan capital Tripoli early Friday hours after NATO air strikes targeted the city's port, with a ship still ablaze after the raid.
An AFP journalist, part of a group sent by the authorities to a bridge facing the port about a kilometer (less than a mile) away, was unable to determine whether the blazing ship was a military or civilian vessel.
The NATO statement said: "Over the past couple of weeks we have witnessed indiscriminate mining and the escalating use of force by pro-Gadhafi maritime forces.
"This has directly disrupted the safe flow of desperately needed humanitarian assistance and put NATO forces at risk. This development of pro-Gadhafi tactics has also demonstrated a clear intent to attack NATO forces.
"Last night, NATO took deliberate action in carefully planned and coordinated responses to demonstrate our resolve to protect the civilian population of Libya, using appropriate and proportionate force."
Rear Adm. Harding said: "All the vessels targeted last night were naval warships with no civilian utility."
Earlier, regime spokesman Mussa Ibrahim told a press conference in the Libyan capital: "I have just learned that the port of Tripoli is now being targeted by NATO air raids. I am told that a boat has been hit."
He did not give further details on the vessel, but told the journalists: "Whatever the ship that has been hit, it is clearly a message sent by NATO to the international maritime companies not to send any more vessels to Libya."
Witnesses told AFP that they heard at least four explosions in the port and saw columns of smoke rising from the area.
"Military and civilian sites are currently the targets of raids by the colonialist Crusader aggressor," Libyan state television said.
The NATO statement said that on April 29, "pro-Gadhafi forces used pro-Gadhafi maritime assets to mine the entrance to the port of Misrata. On a further three occasions, pro-Gadhafi maritime assets have been intercepted by NATO ships. This included an incident where NATO interdicted a booby-trapped vessel leading to the discovery and subsequent destruction of one tonne of explosives at sea.
"Since the start of NATO's mission, we have been vocal and pro-active in instructing pro-Gadhafi forces to lay down their arms. We have communicated our desire for them to move away from military equipment, military installations and maritime assets," the statement said.
"NATO has constantly adapted to the rapidly changing and dynamic situation in Libya and at sea. This is a complex campaign, which is being conducted within the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973. This mandate legally authorized the use of all necessary measures to protect the civilian population of Libya."
Tripoli is targeted nearly daily with air raids by the international coalition, which launched strikes on March 19 to prevent strongman Gadhafi's forces from attacking civilians.