by Edwin Rios | Mar 13, 2012 | National Security
WASHINGTON – The rapid diversification of crime syndicates in Mexico, Central and South America has pressured U.S. Southern Command’s efforts to combat illicit trafficking of drugs across the nation’s border, top military brass said Tuesday....
by Kit Fox | Mar 13, 2012 | National Security
WASHINGTON — Despite growing tensions in Afghanistan, including a U.S. soldier allegedly shooting 16 civilians and troops accidentally burning copies of the Koran, President Obama will not accelerate removal of military forces in the region, the White House said...
by Ed Demaria | Mar 13, 2012 | National Security, Politics
WASHINGTON — A debate over how to balance government openness against the need to protect information vital to national security has reopened on Capitol Hill in the wake of a 2011 Supreme Court decision. In the middle of “Sunshine Week,” designed to...
by Patrick Svitek | Mar 12, 2012 | National Security, Politics
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is not known to bite his tongue. So when the former budget guru was called to testify on the Pentagon’s spending plan earlier this month before Congress, he also refused to mince words. Before the Senate Budget...
by Edwin Rios | Mar 7, 2012 | National Security
WASHINGTON — The growing cyber capabilities of foreign forces demonstrates the need for information sharing between U.S. federal agencies and private-sector companies to protect commercial networks from cyber attacks, a House Intelligence committee chairman said...
by Shirley Li | Mar 6, 2012 | National Security, Politics
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama faced an eager press Tuesday in his first official news conference this year, taking on tough topics ranging from the question of possible U.S. involvement in Syria to conservative political commentator Rush Limbaugh. After quickly...
by Rebecca Nelson | Mar 6, 2012 | National Security, Politics
WASHINGTON – Taking time away from campaign stops in Super Tuesday states, Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich switched from criticizing each other to blasting President Barack Obama’s Iran policies in speeches to a pro-Israel audience in...
by Jaclyn Skurie | Mar 6, 2012 | National Security, Politics
WASHINGTON—“If it looks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, then what is it?” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Monday as part of his address to a major organization of Israel advocates. The answer is, of course, a duck. But,...
by David Uberti | Mar 6, 2012 | National Security
WASHINGTON – An emerging Islamist organization – largely overlooked by U.S. officials – could give al-Qaida a foothold in central Africa, according to remarks by experts and a freshman lawmaker Tuesday. Boko Haram, a Nigerian group that bombs churches, targets...
by Ariel Rothfield | Mar 6, 2012 | National Security, Politics
WASHINGTON — Wrapping up the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and three of the four top GOP candidates will address the conference’s 13,000 delegates. This will mark the first time that a sitting U.S. president...
by Rebecca Nelson | Mar 5, 2012 | National Security, Politics
Photos by Jaclyn Skurie/Medill WASHINGTON – It wasn’t exactly what the crowd of 13,000 supporters of Israel wanted, but it was good enough. President Barack Obama defended his record on Israel Sunday at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference in...
by Patrick Svitek | Feb 29, 2012 | National Security, Politics
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday told lawmakers he is willing to go only so far in trimming the Pentagon budget to avoid putting the nation at serious risk. Testifying before the House Budget Committee, Panetta reiterated what he said to the...
