General David Petraeus, Commander of the U.S Central Command, mentioned cooperation with the media as an essential part of the fight against terrorism and insurgencies. Petraeus explained that the U.S military should be the first to make a truthful announcement to the media before the terrorists or insurgents do, so as to prevent propaganda. (0:36)
By Courtney Costello-Talk Radio News Service
In an effort to stem the Taliban’s recent armed attacks on the Pakistani state, a coalition of Democratic Senators outlined a plan to increase military presence in Pakistan.
Following the Obama Administration aim to strengthen the region, the senators’ plan would increase U.S. military forces with 17,000 American troops primarily made up of Marines and 4,000 American military trainers. Their job would consist of training the Pakistan Armed Forces to fight the influx of insurgents in the South.
Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) had only praise for the new strategy of military leadership in Pakistan and also highlighted other initiatives of the plan.
“There is a great emphasis on not just the military work and taking down the Taliban, but also making sure the economy of the country and the people who live there have a opportunity to better security but also a better life.”
The senators found that Pakistan is united to remove the Taliban from their country.
“The Pakistan government have a brand new tone, they’re serious and they recognize that the enemy that presents a true threat to the future of their country is the insurgency”, said Senator Mark Udall (D-Colo.)
Along with the increase of military force in Pakistan the senators also described bringing in 700 U.S. military helicopters to help Pakistan fight the insurgents but to also help Pakistan with maintenance of their current helicopters.
The senators who attended the Congressional Delegation (CODEL) trip included, Tom Carper (D-Del.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.).
By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service
Celia Canon talks to Bruce Klingner, an analyst for the Heritage Foundation, about North Korea’s recent underground nuclear tests and what can be done to halt Pyong Yang’s recent acceleration in its technological developments and trials. Klingner insists that China will be pivotal is sanctioning and stopping North Korea’s nuclear program.
However, Klingner also warns that this will not be an easy task, but that the government needs to stop praising China for its efforts when it could really do much more to involve itself in the international community’s sanctions. (1:01)
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell says that the U.S. has global force commitments and that choices about troop levels are made considering all those commitments. He says that the military has the means to draw troops from locations beyond Iraq to increase force levels in Afghanistan, but does not comment on a time line. (1:13)
At a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting to discuss the acquisition of major weapons systems by the Department of Defense, Katherine Schinasi of the Government Accountability Office says that the DOD has “failed the war fighter” by delivering capability late and in fewer quantities than planned. She also said that when equipment is delivered, it is not what is needed for current operations. (0:18)
The Senate Armed Services Committee held a meeting to discuss weapon acquisition programs in the U.S. Department of Defense. Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said that immature weapon expenditures have led to cost inefficiencies, and cited that nearly half of DOD’s 95 acquisition programs surpassed Congress’s cost growth standards and have exceeded their budgets by an average of 40 percent. He called for an independent cost assessment director in the DOD in order to ensure that budget decisions are “fair, unbiased, and reliable.”
(more…)
Vice Admiral Robert Moeller, deputy to the commander for military operations for the United States African Command (AFRICOM,) says not only will AFRICOM analyze what it needs to do from a military standpoint to assist African partners, but it will also analyze what resources other US government agencies need to carry out their responsibilities to African states. (0:42)
During a press briefing at the Pentagon, Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell says that the U.S. has more than enough assets in the Middle east to serve as a reminder to Iran of the U.S. military capability, as a part of pressure the American government hopes to put on Iran. (1:04)
By Meredith MacKenzie
I was born on Hahn AFB in Germany during the Cold War. I was baptized by an Air Force chaplain. For most of my life my father has been an F-16 Fighter pilot and my mother the most understanding and enduring of military spouses. All of my father’s friends went by names like “Fuzz,” “Mad Dog,” and “Chairman.” I have waited at an airport many times with that “Welcome Home Daddy!” sign. I understand every phrase from military life from “hurry up and wait” to the alphabet soup of TDY and the SOP and I will never forget the ROE my dad made me sign in order to get my learner’s permit.
As an Air Force brat, I thought that I understood America’s military. I mean, I come from a military family, the military helped pay for my education, my favorite college team (after my alma mater, of course) is the Fighting Falcons. But being on the ground, on base, even my own failed attempt to join AFROTC in college, could not have prepared me for getting to know the Department of Defense all over again.
As the TRNS Pentagon correspondent I had the chance over the last week to travel with the Secretary of Defense to Mexico City, Ft. Bliss, Texas, and the largest Army vehicle depot in the country at Texarkana. It was my first time traveling with a government entourage and I want to tell my fellow citizens that there is no better way to travel. I imagine that only the President or the Secretary of State travel in more style than Secretary Gates.
It was the contrast between our great accommodations (which the journalists themselves pay for) and the convenience of riding in a police escorted motorcade and the drab brown surroundings of Ft. Bliss that stuck out to me. I thought I knew what military life was about– turns out that I know military life in an officer’s family. My family has never had to live on base, my father has never had a 15-month hardship deployment, and he certainly has never had three of them.
Today the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a full hearing on the Department of Defense’s plans for military build-up in Guam and its impact on the community.
Witness Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU) said that plans for “military realignments” of troops from Okinawa, Japan to Guam will increase the island’s population by approximately 30 percent, presenting “many, many challenges” to local resources including construction, waste disposal, electricity, and other infrastructure and economic concerns. Bordallo called for Memorandums of Understanding, or MOUs, between the federal and Guam governments in order to establish funding sources for necessary improvements to Guam’s infrastructure in order to accommodate the population boost. She said that with the upcoming presidential election, MOUs are crucial to establishing a “road map that we can depend on” in the face of a new administration. Bordallo urged the Senate to pass H.R. 1595, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, saying that it would be “tremendously helpful” in not taking Guam “for granted” and preparing them to assist with national security.
(more…)
