Alliances - Page 54

December 20, 2015

US weighs rotating more fighter jets, bombers through northern Australia

The U.S. is considering rotating more fighter jets and bombers through northern Australia as part of steps to deepen its defense ties with Asia-Pacific allies.

December 20, 2015

Africa summit begins in Washington despite Ebola fears, visitors face screening

The White House was forging ahead Monday with a three-day Washington summit inviting delegations from nearly 50 African countries, despite growing fears about the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.

December 20, 2015

US official: Number of foreign fighters in Syria spikes

Matthew Olsen, the outgoing director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said Friday there are 12,000 foreign fighters in Syria – a significant jump from previous estimates, indicating a “greater and more complex” threat than in recent years.

December 20, 2015

Why perceptions of Obama's foreign policies may never turn around

President Obama has never faced this many international crises at once. And it's never been so obvious that he lacks the silver bullet to fix them.

December 20, 2015

Lawmakers say there will be 'hell to pay' if Russia is behind Malaysia Airlines crash

The White House confirmed Thursday that President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin briefly discussed a Malaysian passenger plane crash which killed 295 people on board during a telephone call the two leaders had earlier in the day. The plane carrying 295 on board crashed in Ukraine near the border with Russia. The plane was traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Pieces of the Boeing 777 along with bodies were found burning on the ground in Ukraine.

December 20, 2015

German foreign minister to meet Kerry to discuss spying claims

Germany's foreign minister said Friday he will tell U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at a meeting this weekend that Berlin wants to reinvigorate the two countries' friendship "on an honest basis" after asking Washington's top spy to leave.

December 20, 2015

Obama administration given heads up about newspaper data destruction

The Obama administration knew in advance that the British government would oversee destruction of a newspaper's hard drives containing leaked National Security Agency documents last year, newly declassified documents show. The White House had publicly distanced itself on whether it would do the same to an American news organization.

December 20, 2015

Kerry arrives in Afghanistan to meet candidates

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made a hastily arranged visit to Afghanistan on Friday to help resolve an election crisis sowing chaos in a country that the U.S. has spent hundreds of billions of dollars and lost more than 2,000 lives trying to stabilize.

December 20, 2015

Iraqi leaders seen as desperate as Kerry arrives in Baghdad

Choppering into Baghdad for his first visit to Iraq since an army of Sunni insurgents began seizing major cities in an advance toward the capital, Secretary of State John Kerry began a series of critical meetings with key Iraqi politicians, in an effort to prod them towards the swift formation of a new central government.

December 20, 2015

Plan to aid Iraq army against militants was understaffed, marked by distrust, report claims

A secret plan to aid the Iraqi army in its fight against Al Qaeda-aligned Sunni Muslim militants was authorized by President Barack Obama late last year, but was handicapped by a lack of resources and mistrust over Iran's influence on the government of Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, according to a published report.