Author: Lolita C. Baldor
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Nearly 3,000 sailors to leave carrier amid virus outbreak
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 3,000 sailors aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier where the coronavirus has spread will be taken off the ship by Friday, Navy officials said Wednesday as they struggle to quarantine crew members in the face of an outbreak. So far, fewer than 100 of the nearly 5,000 sailors assigned to the USS…
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Officials: U.S. strikes Iran-backed group that hit Iraq base
WASHINGTON • The U.S. launched airstrikes Thursday in Iraq, targeting the Iranian-backed Shia militia members believed responsible for the rocket attack that killed and wounded American and British troops at a base north of Baghdad, the Pentagon said.. U.S. officials said multiple strikes by U.S. fighter jets hit five locations and mainly targeted Kataib Hezbollah…
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Iranians shot down jetliner, U.S., Canadian, UK leaders say
WASHINGTON • Evidence indicates it is “highly likely” that an Iranian anti-aircraft missile downed a Ukrainian jetliner near Tehran late Tuesday, U.S., Canadian and British officials said Thursday. They said the strike, which killed all 176 people on board, could well have been a mistake amid missile launches and high tensions throughout the region. The…
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Army, Navy investigations find no racism intent in hand gestures
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hand gestures flashed by West Point cadets and Naval Academy midshipmen during the televised Army-Navy football game were not racist signals, military investigations have concluded. A Navy probe of the event found that the students were “participating in a sophomoric game” on Saturday and had no racist intent. The Navy said officials…
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U.S. considers leaving smaller number of troops in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON • The Pentagon is considering several options to reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan, including one that would shift to a narrower counterterrorism mission, the top U.S. military officer told Congress on Wednesday. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not disclose potential troop totals, but he agreed that…
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Trump OKs wider Syria oil mission
WASHINGTON • President Donald Trump has approved an expanded military mission to secure an expanse of oil fields across eastern Syria, raising a number of difficult legal questions about whether U.S. troops can launch strikes against Syrian, Russian or other forces if they threaten the oil, U.S. officials said. The decision, coming after a meeting…
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U.S. may now keep some troops in Syria to guard oilfields
KABUL, Afghanistan • The U.S. may leave some forces in Syria to secure oil fields and make sure they don’t fall into the hands of a resurgent Islamic State, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday, even though President Trump has insisted he is pulling troops out of the country and getting out of “endless wars.”…
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Big changes to grueling Special Forces course draw scrutiny
CAMP MACKALL, N.C. • Deep in the dark North Carolina woods, a small white light flickers in the heavy underbrush. It’s after midnight and a soldier is taking a risk by turning on his headlamp to find his way. The overnight land navigation test is just one hurdle in the grueling, monthslong course to join…
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Pentagon nominee denies sexual misconduct allegations
WASHINGTON • The Air Force general nominated to be the nation’s number two military officer flatly denied allegations of sexual misconduct Tuesday, and appeared headed for confirmation after answering pointed questions from senators for more than two hours. With his wife of 32 years sitting behind him and his accuser looking on from a short…
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New Pentagon chief seeks Europe’s with Iran
BRUSSELS • The Trump administration aims to persuade allies the confrontation with Iran, which threatened to worsen into a deadly shooting war last week, is “not Iran versus the United States” but rather a global challenge requiring global diplomacy, the new acting Pentagon chief said Tuesday. Speaking as he was traveling to a meeting of…