By Cindy Saine Washington 21 December 2007 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has criticized the U.S. Congress for providing only three months worth of funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The short-term funding means President Bush will ha...
By Al Pessin Kabul 19 December 2007 Afghanistan's defense minister is planning a training surge that would increase the number of Afghan soldiers available to fight the Taliban and al-Qaida by as much as 20 percent by the time the weather improves in...
By Challiss McDonough Beirut 08 December 2007 The U.S. secretary of defense says he still believes Iran is trying to foment instability and chaos in the Middle East, despite the recent reversal of U.S. intelligence on Iran's nuclear weapons program....
By Meredith Buel Washington 05 December 2007 The U.S. Departments of State and Defense have agreed to a new system of rules designed to increase control over private security contractors working in Iraq. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel reports from W...
By Cindy Saine Washington 05 December 2007 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has made an unannounced visit to Baghdad where he told reporters a secure and stable Iraq is within reach. As VOA's Cindy Saine reports from Washington, the secretary's vi...
By Alex Villarreal Washington 04 December 2007 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is calling on the international community to do more for Afghanistan in its fight against extremists. Gates has been visiting the country, which is experiencing an ups...
By Al Pessin Pentagon 03 December 2007 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is in Afghanistan to discuss efforts to stem continuing violence caused by an apparently resurgent Taliban. VOA's Al Pessin is monitoring the trip from the Pentagon. Secretary...
By Al Pessin Pentagon 15 November 2007 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Pentagon funding shortfalls resulting from congressional debate about the conduct of the Iraq war could result in difficulty supplying the troops and significant layoffs...
By Al Pessin Pentagon 15 November 2007 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says developments in Pakistan in the coming weeks will determine whether Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf can continue to be a U.S. partner in the global war on terrorism....
By Dan Robinson Capitol Hill 08 November 2007 The U.S. House of Representatives Thursday overwhelmingly approved a $460-billion spending bill for the Defense Department, clearing the way for a vote in the Senate. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, the measu...