May 29 U.S. says China has two artillery vehicles on artificial island By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press SINGAPORE — Two large artillery vehicles were detected on one of the artificial islands that China is creating in the South China Sea, U.S. officials said Friday, underscoring ongoing concerns that Beijing may try to use the land reclamation projects… Continue reading
May 24 U.S. officials concerned about Iraq’s ‘will to fight’ after Ramadi By Ken Dilanian, Associated Press The Islamic State group's takeover of the Iraqi provincial capital Ramadi has prompted criticism from Defense Secretary Ash Carter and raised new questions about the Obama administration's strategy to defeat the extremist group. Continue reading
May 16 U.S. special forces kill senior ISIS commander in Syria raid By Andrew Mach The White House said U.S. special forces killed a senior Islamic State commander who was in involved with the terrorist organization's illicit oil and gas and military operations during a raid overnight Friday in eastern Syria. Continue reading
May 08 New push to give Pentagon the lead on drone strikes By Ken Dilanian, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The deaths of an Italian and an American in a covert CIA drone strike in Pakistan — and the rhetorical contortions required of the president when he informed the world — have breathed new urgency into a long-stalled… Continue reading
Mar 26 Is bureaucratic red tape hindering how special ops can do its job? By Ken Dilanian, Associated Press An Associated Press investigation reveals that government bureaucrats have blocked several requests by Army special operations troops for software they say they need. Continue reading
Mar 17 GOP proposes $3.8 trillion budget that boosts defense, overhauls Medicare By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled a $3.8 trillion budget plan for next year that effectively breaks tight budget limits on military spending while promising a familiar roster of big cuts to social programs such as food stamps and… Continue reading
Mar 03 Pentagon calls Mosul briefing a mistake by CentCom By Robert Burns, Associated Press Top Pentagon officials say U.S. Central Command was wrong to have briefed reporters on plans for an Iraqi-led ground offensive in Mosul. Continue reading
Mar 02 Defense Department proposes ban of foreign-made flags at military bases By Justin Scuiletti A new rule proposed by the Department of Defense would bar the military from using department funds for "the purchase or manufacture of a flag of the United States, unless such flag is manufactured in the United States." The rule… Continue reading
Feb 12 Senate on track to confirm Ashton Carter for Pentagon chief By Donna Cassata, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Senate is on track to confirm President Barack Obama's pick to run the Pentagon. Continue reading
Feb 03 Is the Pentagon padding its budget with funds reserved for fighting overseas? By Dan Sagalyn The 2016 defense budget includes $50.9 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations, but is a portion of that being used to fund general operations?… Continue reading