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Drone flies over desert

Houthi rebels have shot down 7 US Reaper drones in recent weeks

It's a loss of aircraft worth more than $200 million in what is becoming the most dramatic cost to the Pentagon of the military campaign against the group.

By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press

3 weeks ago

US, Philippines to simulate ‘full-scale battle’ in Balikatan drills

Thousands of allied American and Filipino forces have opened annual combat drills that will include simulating the defense of the Philippines.

4 weeks ago

Afghan peace deal hits first snag over Taliban prisoner releases

Afghanistan’s president said Sunday that he will not free thousands of Taliban prisoners ahead of all-Afghan power-sharing talks set for next week, publicly disagreeing with a timetable for a speedy prisoner release laid out just a day earlier in a U.S.-Taliban peace agreement.

5 years ago

Pentagon sees Taliban deal as allowing fuller focus on China

The Trump administration’s peace deal with the Taliban opens the door for an initial American troop withdrawal that Defense Secretary Mark Esper sees as a step toward the broader goal of preparing for potential future war with China.

By Robert Burns, The Associated Press

5 years ago

All US troops to leave Afghanistan in 14 months if Taliban meets commitments of peace deal

The signing could help President Donald Trump fulfill a key campaign promise to extract America from its “endless wars.” Under the agreement, the U.S. will begin withdrawing thousands of troops in exchange for Taliban commitments to prevent Afghanistan from being a launchpad for terrorist attacks.

By Howard Altman

5 years ago

The case for staying in Iraq just got weaker

America’s overreach and never-ending footprint in Iraq is exacerbating strains in that country, says the author of this commentary.

By Willis Krumholz

5 years ago

Trump says US will sign Afghanistan peace deal with Taliban, first step in bringing troops ‘home’

U.S. and Taliban officials will finalize the agreement on Saturday, potentially bringing a close to the nearly 19-year-old conflict.

By Leo Shane III

5 years ago

Democrats press Pompeo over Trump’s ‘failure’ of an Iran policy

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo got an earful on the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran

5 years ago

Don’t pull all troops back home, key Democrat warns his party’s presidential hopefuls

House Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith says abandoning hot spots overseas could jeopardize national security

By Leo Shane III

5 years ago

Senator calls for US to establish no-fly zone over Syria after 33 Turkish troops killed in airstrike

Turkish air and artillery assets have since retaliated against the Syrian army by pounding the regimes armored and truck-mobile rocket artillery systems.

5 years ago

CENTCOM suspends leave and liberty for troops over coronavirus fears

Over the last week the U.S. military and several geographic combatant commands have had to make a number of difficult decisions from DoD school closures to the suspension of an exercise over the rapidly spreading virus.

By Shawn Snow, Diana Stancy and Patricia Kime

5 years ago

Expect Congress to block Africa troop cuts, says defense panel chairman

The upcoming 2021 defense policy bill will likely restrict the Pentagon from reducing its footprint in Africa, says the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

5 years ago