Feb 5

Delay in Afghan base closure led to 8 U.S. deaths 
    (Reuters)

Reuters – A delay of months in closing a remote combat outpost with “no tactical or strategic value” led to the deaths of eight U.S. soldiers last year in one of the worst battles of the Afghanistan war, a report found on Friday. Read the rest of this entry »

Feb 5

Asia bolsters defences as West feels pinch: IISS 
    (AFP)

AFP – Asian states led by China and India are surging ahead with military spending as they recover strongly from the global slowdown, while Europe and the US feel the pinch, a study said Wednesday. Read the rest of this entry »

Feb 5

Gates: Don't rush to lift ban on gays in military 
    (AP)

AP – The United States should not rush into a change as large as repealing the ban on gays serving openly in the military without making sure the people it affects are on board, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday. Read the rest of this entry »

Feb 5

Pakistan deaths underscore sensitive U.S. mission 
    (Reuters)

Reuters – The bombing that killed three U.S. Special Operations troops in Pakistan on Wednesday has exposed one of the U.S. military’s most sensitive missions — training an elite paramilitary force in counterinsurgency. Read the rest of this entry »

Feb 5

Boeing says too early to speculate on China sanctions 
    (AFP)

AFP – Aerospace giant Boeing said on Tuesday that it was too early to speculate about the impact of any Chinese sanctions on US firms as a result of American arms sales to Taiwan. Read the rest of this entry »