Alliances - Page 55

December 20, 2015

Kerry heads to Middle East for Iraq talks

Secretary of State John Kerry is heading to the Mideast this weekend to discuss Iraq's stability as a raging Sunni Muslim insurgency threatens the Shiite-led government. The U.S. is offering limited assistance to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki but wants him to take dramatic steps to soothe Sunnis who say they have been shut out from his government.

December 20, 2015

Biden flies to Central America amid migrant crisis

The Obama administration moved Friday to stem a flood of Central American children and families that has overwhelmed the U.S. immigration system, dispatching Vice President Joe Biden to the region to warn against the perils of the trip and announcing that it will start to detain families at the border instead of releasing them on their own recognizance.

December 20, 2015

Lawmakers, allies reportedly press White House to withdraw support for Iraqi PM

U.S. lawmakers and allies are pressing the Obama administration to publicly withdraw its support for embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whom Washington increasingly sees as either unable or unwilling to reconcile with Iraq's Sunni minority and stabilize the country politically, according to a published report. 

December 20, 2015

Argentina president defies US court order on repayment of debts

Argentina's president has said that she would refuse to comply with a U.S. judge's order to pay $1.5 billion to winners of a decade-long legal battle over defaulted debt after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear her government's final appeal.

December 20, 2015

Obama to meet with British, French leaders over Ukraine crisis

President Barack Obama is meeting with two of his most important European allies -- Britain and France -- as they navigate shifting conditions in the Ukraine crisis now that a new government is coming to power.

December 20, 2015

Obama calls for more spending on military presence, training in Europe

On the first day of a four-day European trip that will include a remembrance of D-Day and much discussion about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, President Obama called on Congress to approve up to $1 billion in spending on additional U.S. air and ground forces in Europe. 

December 20, 2015

Biden pledges US support to new Ukraine prime minister

Biden called Yatsenyuk to tell him the U.S. will give full support as Ukraine seeks to restore order in the wake of a major political crisis.

December 20, 2015

Obama to meet Palestinian President Abbas in March

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas plans to meet with President Obama next month to discuss Mideast peace talks. The meeting will occur two weeks after Obama is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

December 20, 2015

Iraq denies reports it bought weapons from Iran

The Iraq government on Tuesday steadfastly denied reports that it has signed a contracts to buy weapons, ammunition or other military equipment from Iran.

December 20, 2015

Foreign Service group urges administration to raise bar on diplomat nominees

The group representing America's Foreign Service professionals has a novel idea -- diplomatic nominees should have international experience and probably know a thing or two about the host country where they're being assigned.