As Army Green Berets move to confront new threats in the Sahel, the Pentagon is reducing the number of helicopters available for casualty evacuation flights.
Tag: Esper, Mark T
Pentagon Order to Plan for Escalation in Iraq Meets Warning From Top Commander
A secret Pentagon directive orders planning to try to destroy a militia group backed by Iran, but America’s top general in Iraq cautions of the risks.
U.S. Carries Out Retaliatory Strikes on Iranian-Backed Militia in Iraq
American warplanes hit weapons storage facilities in southern Iraq in a strike intended to destroy rockets like the ones fired at U.S. and British troops on Wednesday.
U.S. Announces Troop Withdrawal in Afghanistan as Respite From Violence Ends
Renewed attacks on Afghan forces over the weekend underscored the difficulties of enforcing a peace agreement — and understanding what was happening on the ground.
After 18 Years, Is This Afghan Peace, or Just a Way Out?
Afghanistan has gone from being the “good war” that the United States must win to the longstanding burden that, like the British, the Soviets and a series of others, it now seeks to unload.
Terrorism Threat in West Africa Soars as U.S. Weighs Troop Cuts
The Pentagon and the State Department are sending mixed messages about reducing America’s presence in a region bloodied by terrorist violence.
More American Troops Sustain Brain Injuries From Iran Missile Strike in Iraq
The number, which has steadily increased since the Jan. 8 attack, is now at 64.
Russia Exerts Growing Influence in Africa, Worrying Many in the West
The Kremlin is increasing arms sales, security pacts and training programs as the American defense secretary weighs withdrawing troops from the continent.
The U.S. Seemed to Be Leaving Iraq. But It Was All an ‘Honest Mistake.’
A letter saying that the U.S. was “repositioning forces” for “movement out of Iraq” produced headlines around the world that a withdrawal had begun.
For Trump, a Risky Gamble to Deter Iran
The goal was to prove American resolve in the face of Iranian attacks. Now, American officials have no doubt the Iranians will respond — but they don’t know how quickly, or how furiously.