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Joint Chiefs of Staff December 20, 2015

Dempsey: We could destroy Assad's air force but we won't

The Obama administration is opposed to even limited U.S. military intervention in Syria because it believes rebels fighting the Assad regime wouldn't support American interests if they were to seize power right now, Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote to a congressman in a letter obtained by The Associated Press. 

Armed Forces December 20, 2015

Back from Africa, UN Ambassador Samantha Power says she's self-monitoring for Ebola

Fresh from her trip to some of the hardest-hit Ebola countries in Africa, U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said Friday she was self-monitoring for the virus and following federal guidelines.  

Pentagon December 20, 2015

Fog of Ebola war: White House stance unclear as military leaders urge US troop quarantine

The White House would not say Monday whether President Obama thinks U.S. troops returning from the Ebola hot zone in West Africa should be quarantined, as the U.S. Army unilaterally imposed that policy on its own troops and the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommended the rest of the military follow suit.

Syria December 20, 2015

Report: Syria response stalled under micromanaging White House

America’s foreign policy increasingly has been micromanaged by the Obama White House, effectively slowing the U.S. response to crises including jihadists’ rise in Syria, according to a detailed report by Reuters.

Pentagon December 20, 2015

Pentagon stresses effort to limit civilian deaths in Syria and Iraq

The nation's top military officer says the United States and its allies are taking every precaution to limit civilian casualties as they continue air strikes against Islamic State group militants in Syria and Iraq.

Joint Chiefs of Staff December 20, 2015

Arab nations need to help in fight against ISIS, Dempsey says

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that more Arab participation in the effort is a prerequisite for President Obama's approval of the military campaign plan against the group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

Armed Forces December 20, 2015

Tension in the Ranks: Military leaders press Obama to keep options open for ground troops

While President Obama seeks to take the fight to the Islamic State, he’s got a battle brewing with his own brain trust over whether to leave the door open to committing American troops to combat roles.

Armed Forces December 20, 2015

White House: No ‘combat role,’ but US troops could ‘forward deploy’ with Iraqis

The White House acknowledged Wednesday that President Obama would consider putting U.S. troops in "forward-deployed positions" to advise Iraqi forces in the fight against the Islamic State -- even while insisting U.S. troops would not be sent back into a "combat role" in Iraq.

Pentagon December 20, 2015

Top general says half of Iraqi army incapable of working with US against ISIS

The U.S. military's top officer said Wednesday that almost half of Iraq's army is incapable of working against the Islamic State militant group, while the other half needs to be rebuilt with the help of U.S. advisers and military equipment.

Armed Forces December 20, 2015

Top military official opens door to ground troops in ISIS fight, despite Obama pledge

A week after President Obama vowed not to get 'dragged into another ground war in Iraq,' his top military leader opened the door to just that.

Alliances December 20, 2015

Syria strategy 2.0: Obama to hit reset to counter growing ISIS threat

One year to the day since addressing the American people about possible strikes against the Assad regime in Syria over its chemical weapons attack, President Obama is coming back to the American people with a drastically different -- and strategically complex -- plan to combat a drastically different enemy.