Tom Vanden Brook
Tuesday, January 24, 2017 - 07:15
Defense Secretary James Mattis, on his first full day in office Monday, called NATO allies and assured them of the U.S. commitment to the alliance, a notable stand that differs from the occasional skepticism of the organization voiced by President Trump.
Friday, June 24, 2016 - 06:41
U.S. warplanes in Afghanistan have launched airstrikes against Taliban targets in recent days under new authority granted to the top commander there to help Afghan forces achieve “catastrophic success,” Defense officials said.
Friday, May 27, 2016 - 06:22
Photographs of U.S. commandos with battle gear in Syria raised questions Thursday about their level of involvement in the fight against the Islamic State.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016 - 06:33
The Pentagon’s fight against the Islamic State has grown increasingly aggressive since late fall and includes higher levels of allowable civilian casualties in the bombing campaign to target militants and their cash supplies, according to interviews with military officials and Pentagon data.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016 - 07:57
Afghanistan's security situation is so tenuous that the top U.S. commander there wants to keep as many U.S. troops there as possible through 2016 to boost beleaguered Afghan soldiers and may seek additional American forces to assist them.
Friday, December 4, 2015 - 06:46
A Pentagon business advocacy agency spent almost $150 million renting private "villas" and security for a "handful" of staff and visitors in Afghanistan, bypassing government housing that could have saved taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, according to an inspector general's report released Thursday.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015 - 06:20
The Pentagon will consider deploying more special operations troops to fight Islamic State militants if its pilot project in Syria shows signs of progress, a senior Defense official told USA TODAY on Monday.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 - 06:25
The Pentagon has deployed fighter jets to Turkey to protect slow-flying U.S. attack planes hitting Islamic State targets in Syria and to deter Russian aggression in the region, a Defense official said Tuesday.
Friday, November 6, 2015 - 06:13
When the Pentagon pulled the plug last month on its plan to train and field a force of moderate Syrians to combat the Islamic State, it had spent $384 million, or $2 million per fighter, for a program that produced dismal results, according to interviews and spending figures obtained by USA TODAY.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - 06:29
The Pentagon has begun paying modest stipends to the Syrian moderates it hopes to field in the fight against Islamic State militants, the military confirmed Monday.