Patriot Paradox

Reuters – Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday he hoped to deepen U.S.-China military cooperation on issues like North Korea and Iran when he visits Beijing next week, which could help ease Pentagon concerns about Chinese military intentions. Read the rest of this entry »

AP – Stealth fighter jets in development. Guided missiles dubbed “carrier killers.” As America’s top defense official visits China next week, its growing military capabilities are redrawing the security landscape in Asia, putting the country with the largest standing army on a potential collision course with the United States. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – Citing “dire” fiscal pressures, Defense Secretary Robert Gates proposed deeper cuts than planned in US military programs, scaling back ground forces for the first time since the 1990s. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday unveiled cuts of 78 billion dollars in US military programs, saying the country faced a “dire” fiscal situation that meant scaling back defense spending. Read the rest of this entry »

Reuters – The United States will temporarily send 1,400 more Marines to Afghanistan in an effort to hold onto fragile security gains, but overall U.S. troop levels will not surpass previously announced limits, the Pentagon said on Thursday. Read the rest of this entry »

AP – Defense Secretary Robert Gates is announcing the latest round of cost-cutting measures for the military, including a plan to do away with a new amphibious vehicle that can ferry troops to shore while under fire. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – Defense Secretary Robert Gates has authorised deployment of an extra 1,400 US Marines to Afghanistan to help counter a foreseen Taliban offensive ahead of mandated US troop reductions, a report said Thursday. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – US Defense Secretary Robert Gates unveils cuts in military spending on Thursday as he moves to preempt Congress from making deeper reductions in the Pentagon’s budget, officials said. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – The US Navy on Tuesday stripped a captain of his command of an aircraft carrier over crass videos he produced for his crew, saying he had shown “exceptionally poor judgment.” Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – The US military will face budget cuts as lawmakers hunt for savings to rein in the country’s deficit and national debt, senior US Republican Representative Eric Cantor said Tuesday. Read the rest of this entry »