The president’s demands to draw down forces in Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria seek to fulfill a campaign promise. But officials warn rapid troop reductions could bolster adversaries.
Tag: Defense Department
Indonesian Defense Chief, Accused of Rights Abuses, Will Visit Pentagon
Prabowo Subianto, former head of Indonesia’s feared special forces under Suharto and now the minister of defense, had been barred from entering the United States for years.
Top General Declines to Endorse Trump’s Afghan Withdrawal Timeline
The comments from Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came after the White House tripped over itself on the issue of Afghanistan troop levels in recent days.
Trump’s Virus Treatment Revives Questions About Unchecked Nuclear Authority
Even before the president was given mood-altering drugs, there was a movement to end the commander in chief’s sole authority to launch nuclear weapons.
U.S. Seeks to Draw Down Its Troops in Afghanistan to 2,500 by Early 2021
President Trump suggested a timeline as early as Christmas, prompting confusion among administration officials.
Pompeo Threatens to Close U.S. Embassy in Iraq Unless Militias Halt Attacks
U.S. and Iraqi officials say they are surprised by the proposed retreat, which could set back American efforts to fight the Islamic State and to limit Iranian influence.
U.S. Military Seeks Authority to Expand Counterterrorism Drone War to Kenya
Draft rules for potential airstrikes, drawn up after a Shabab attack at a base in January, are said to be limited and would require Kenyan assent.
War Crime Risk Grows for U.S. Over Saudi Strikes in Yemen
State Department officials have raised alarms about the legal risk in aiding airstrikes that kill civilians. The Trump administration recently suppressed findings as it sold more weapons to Gulf nations.
Trump Has Changed the Face America Presents to the World
The people who now represent the United States, interacting with visiting foreign leaders in Washington and at the highest levels abroad, are overwhelmingly white and male.
U.S.-Russia Military Tensions Intensify in the Air and on the Ground Worldwide
Recent altercations in Europe, the Middle East and off the coast of Alaska have heightened tensions between the two rival powers.