After a week of extraordinary tensions aimed at increasing pressure for reunification, US officials said the US commitment to Taiwan is "rock solid" and that the US is united with Taiwan against the current danger posed by the People's Republic of China.

A recent series of Chinese military flights over southwestern Taiwan has alarmed the island, which Beijing claims as its own, and is heightening tensions in an already tense region. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-taiwan-tensions-tsai-ing-wens-remarks-incite-confrontation-distort-facts-says-beijing-spokesperson-419777">Also read | China-Taiwan tensions: Tsai Ing-wen's remarks incite confrontation, distort facts, says Beijing spokesperson</a>

On Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters that "we take no stance on Taiwan's sovereignty" and that "we continue to adhere to the One China policy." 
 
Watch | Taiwan: President Tsai Ing-Wen, makes a fierce national day speech

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen-makes-a-fierce-national-day-speech-420117/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The PRC (People's Republic of China) has stepped up efforts to intimidate and pressure Taiwan and other allies and partners, including increasing their military activities conducted in the vicinity of Taiwan, the East China Sea in the South China Sea, which we believe are destabilising and only increase the risk of miscalculation. Our support for and defence relationship with Taiwan remains aligned with the current threat posed by the People's Republic of China, and we urge Beijing to honour its commitment to the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences as delineated in the three communiques, " Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wont-bow-to-china-will-bolster-our-national-defence-taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen-419560">Also read | Won't bow to China, will bolster our national defence: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen</a>

Meanwhile, Japan has become increasingly outspoken about China's potential to pose a security concern.

"China's actions are disruptive and only raise the danger of mistakes," Kirby warned.

"We continue to be concerned by the People's Republic of China's provocative military actions near Taiwan," Kirby said.

The United States maintains a major military presence in the area, with facilities in Japan, South Korea, and Guam, and has been seeking a "pivot" in focus toward the Indo-Pacific to confront China's more assertive stance.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After a week of extraordinary tensions aimed at increasing pressure for reunification, US officials said the US commitment to Taiwan is "rock solid" and that the US is united with Taiwan against the current danger posed by the People's Republic of China.

After a week of extraordinary tensions aimed at increasing pressure for reunification, US officials said the US commitment to Taiwan is "rock solid" and that the US is united with Taiwan against the current danger posed by the People's Republic of China. A recent series of Chinese military flights over southwestern Taiwan has alarmed the island, which Beijing claims as its own, and is heightening tensions in an already tense region. Also read | China-Taiwan tensions: Tsai Ing-wen's remarks incite confrontation, distort facts, says Beijing spokesperson On Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters that "we take no stance on Taiwan's sovereignty" and that "we continue to adhere to the One China policy." Watch | Taiwan: President Tsai Ing-Wen, makes a fierce national day speech "The PRC (People's Republic of China) has stepped up efforts to intimidate and pressure Taiwan and other allies and partners, including increasing their military activities conducted in the vicinity of Taiwan, the East China Sea in the South China Sea, which we believe are destabilising and only increase the risk of miscalculation. Our support for and defence relationship with Taiwan remains aligned with the current threat posed by the People's Republic of China, and we urge Beijing to honour its commitment to the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences as delineated in the three communiques, " Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said. Also read | Won't bow to China, will bolster our national defence: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Meanwhile, Japan has become increasingly outspoken about China's potential to pose a security concern. "China's actions are disruptive and only raise the danger of mistakes," Kirby warned. "We continue to be concerned by the People's Republic of China's provocative military actions near Taiwan," Kirby said. The United States maintains a major military presence in the area, with facilities in Japan, South Korea, and Guam, and has been seeking a "pivot" in focus toward the Indo-Pacific to confront China's more assertive stance. (With inputs from agencies)

US commitment to Taiwan is 'rock solid': Pentagon

The Pentagon says US commitment to Taiwan is" rock solid" against the threat posed by China. U.S commitment to the island nation comes after a recent spate of Chinese military flights, off the coast of Taiwan. Chinese jets & Xi Jinping's push for re-unification have raised tensions in the region.

Pentagon states US commitment to Taiwan "rock solid"

The Biden administration’s top officials faced another heated congressional panel to answer questions over the the chaotic end of the US army pullout in Afghanistan. Susan Tehrani brings us more on this.

Taliban was and remains a terror group, Pentagon leaders outline Afghan pullout plans

The Biden administration’s top officials faced another heated congressional panel to answer questions over the the chaotic end of the US army pullout in Afghanistan.

Second day of testimony on Afghan Pullout: Tough questions for Pentagon Leaders

America's top military leaders were grilled by US senators on the disastrous Afghan pull-out. The Pentagon leadership said the Taliban was and is a terror group, and admitted the possibility of a reconstituted Al-Qaeda. Molly Gambhir gets you the key takeaways.

Gravitas: Pentagon leaders say Taliban was & is a terror group

Last month, the world witnessed depressing images from the Kabul airport. From Afghans hanging onto the US military jets to mothers handing their babies in search for a better life - the Afghan troop pullout was a disaster and the Pentagon leaders were grilled over this, take a look.

Kabul Airport Mishap: Pentagon leaders grilled over US pullout

Pentagon’s most senior leadership testified before Congress about the US military’s chaotic withdrawal from the war-torn country last month. WION's Susan Tehrani brings you more on this.

Pentagon’s most senior leadership testifies before Congress

In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Joe Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. California Governor&nbsp;Gavin Newsom requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires.

Biden promised to help. “When this meeting is over,” he said, “I’ll be on the phone with the Department of Defense.”

His call wasn’t the first — or the 50th.

The issue of using secret military gear to aid civilian firefighters arose 35 years ago. It grew as the White House, CIA, U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies sought to establish a national system that warned of undetected wildfires and menacing flare-ups.

The Pentagon allowed tests and a short-lived prototype. But the arrangements were never permanent. The military, eager to safeguard its prerogatives and orbital fleets, was always glad to shut the pipeline down. As a result, officials such as Newsom now have to lobby for emergency access.

But record-setting fires are likely to grow worse and pose grave new dangers that warrant an urgent response, according to proponents of deeper cooperation between officials who combat wildfires and those managing the military spacecraft. The nation can no longer afford endless turf wars and bureaucratic foot-dragging. It’s a matter, they say, of public safety.

“Fighting disasters is like fighting wars,” said Darrell Herd, a retired senior research scientist at the Defense Intelligence Agency who pioneered early orbital tests of wildfire detection. “You suffer if you don’t have adequate warning.”

The parts of the United States destroyed each year by wildfires have more than doubled over two decades. And California’s fires have recently grown rapidly in size. Deaths and diseases are linked not only to blistering flames, but also toxic smoke.

Even so, proponents of using the defence satellites note, the military has no established program that issues firefighting alerts to local, state and federal authorities. They also point out that the Pentagon’s spacecraft, when set against civilian and commercial ones, have repeatedly proven themselves to be superior at spotting blazes.

In an interview, Jeffrey Harris, a former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which runs the country’s fleets of spy satellites, called for expanding civilian use of the attack-warning craft “as quickly as possible.” Scientists see the wildfires intensifying, he noted, “so why don’t we let firefighters take full advantage of the technology?”

California, Harris added, “is one of the largest economies in the world. And we’re not going to nip these fires in the bud?” The military craft, he stressed, “can save lives.”

In 2018, the U.S. Forest Service used the spacecraft as an experiment in California, quickly spotting four flare-ups. “I believe we are just beginning to unlock the possibilities,” Lt. Gen. John Thompson, then head of what was called the Air Force Space and Missiles Systems Center, said of the firefighting test. The Forest Service proceeded to ask that the military spinoffs go nationwide.

Satellite-sharing proponents often cite the military’s GPS as a role model. That fleet of satellites began life in 1978 as a highly classified system for transmitting precise location data to the U.S. armed forces. In the 1980s, civilians gained access. Today, commercial uses include tracking vehicles and sending position data to millions of smartphones.

In an interview, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who heads the House Intelligence Committee, said the nation needed to rethink the military’s overall role in protecting American society and decide either to shrink its budgets or expand its domestic responsibilities. The new roles, he added, should include the permanent sharing of the attack-warning satellites with the civilian authorities.

“Part of a strong America is having a strong infrastructure that protects our citizens not just from foreign attack, but natural disasters,” Schiff said. “We need to protect people from the growing intensity of these fires.”

Schiff cited a personal encounter. In 2009, a California wildfire grew into the largest in the modern history of Los Angeles County, killing two firefighters, destroying scores of homes and turning hundreds of square miles of green vegetation into blackened remains.

“I remember stepping outside my house one night,” Schiff said. “It looked like lava flowing down the canyons — like a scene out of a surreal horror film.”

The revitalized debate centres on an early generation of attack-warning satellites known as the Defense Support Program, a main participant in the fire experiments. First sent aloft in 1970, the spacecraft orbit 22,300 miles up, over the equator, in sync with Earth’s rotation. Hanging motionless relative to the ground lets them peer without interruption at the same regions.

One satellite can see roughly one-third of Earth’s surface, and three can scan the entirety of the planet. Their specialty is spotting the fiery plumes of attacking missiles. But their infrared sensors — sensitive to heat’s invisible rays — can see much more. Once, a spacecraft was able to pinpoint where an Air Force C-141 transport jet exploded over the South Atlantic.

The military has lofted 23 of the craft over the decades at an estimated cost of $15 billion. Their current numbers and orbital locations are classified secrets. By Washington standards, their operating costs are relatively low. A military contractor was recently awarded a renewal contract for $223 million over 10 years, or $22.3 million a year.

Military craft in geosynchronous orbit have an edge over civilian satellites at lower altitudes that move steadily over Earth’s surface. The spacecraft in lower orbits see particular sites infrequently, often leaving them blind to new fires, sudden flare-ups and shifting flames. The images of NASA’s firefighting program are up to 5 hours old. In contrast, the military craft scan planet Earth every 10 seconds.

In fire season, striking images from satellite companies and the space fleets of civilian agencies are often made public, but those spacecraft typically detect blazes only after they’re too large to contain.

In the mid-1980s, Herd, then at the U.S. Geological Survey, learned that the attack-warning satellites could spot wildfires. Interagency talks ensued. After the Cold War, the White House put the nation’s spy agencies and satellites onto the new job of environmental sleuthing, and the CIA funded a number of pioneering fire studies.

In 1993 and 1994, Herd organized a program of igniting test fires across the United States to see how well the military satellites did. The fuels included brush, trees and grasses. The trials showed that the spacecraft could easily spot blazes even when the flames were relatively small and easily suppressed.

In July 1996, the CIA director boasted in a public speech that his agency had recently helped the U.S. Forest Service battle a series of wildfires raging in Alaska.

Support grew in the Clinton administration and in Congress for a permanent setup. The National Reconnaissance Office took the lead. Three federal agencies that ran three kinds of satellites — for monitoring land use, adversaries and the weather — helped set up the prototype. It was known as the Hazard Support System.

The warning hub came to life in 1999 but died almost immediately because of lack of funds. In lamenting its demise, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, called it “a small program with a huge return.” Congressional investigators blamed poor interagency management.

Nonetheless, the idea of military aid for firefighters kept gaining support. In 2000, the Aerospace Corporation, which does research for the Pentagon, released a detailed study showing that the spacecraft could easily track grassland fires set intentionally across more than a million square miles of African savanna.

In 2010, an editorial in Space News, an industry publication, called on the military to set up a national system of wildfire alerts.

Experts proceeded to ask if civilian satellites — an increasing number of which have sensors that detect not only visible light but also heat rays — might be as good or even better than the military craft.

In 2012, Medea, the CIA’s environmental arm, compared the two approaches in a global test. The target was Brazil and its gargantuan forests, which farmers often set ablaze to clear land. The military’s attack-warning satellites came out on top. Their geostationary positions gave them continuous views, whereas the civilian satellites in lower orbits came and went over hours and days, often leaving them unable to detect new blazes.

On a temporary basis, California began using the military spacecraft to spot fires in 2018. Last year, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, adjutant general of the California National Guard, told reporters that the state was “becoming pretty good at it.”

The main problem was the limited access. Most recently, use of the military asset was set to expire Thursday, at the end of the federal government’s fiscal year. So, over the summer, the state of California mounted a lobbying campaign.

In late July, Newsom made his pitch to Biden. “It’s hard,” Newsom said of the authorization process. “Every year, we fight to get a one-year extension.” The state’s congressional delegation, led by Schiff and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent a follow-up letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

When the request was approved, Schiff put out a statement saying the California delegation “will continue to push to make this program permanent.”

In an interview, Linda Zall, a former CIA official who for decades led the agency’s fire and environmental studies, said it was “a travesty” that civilian officials faced so much resistance to a modest step that promised to substantially enhance public safety.

The civilian authorities could soon get better options. Startups in Australia and Germany are planning to loft fire-spotting satellites in order to serve fast-growing international markets. And Planet, a U.S. company that built a fleet of nearly 200 imaging satellites, recently joined with a startup to assess forest-fire risks.

But on the military side, things could worsen. The Department of Defense is now facing budget pressures that could end the Defense Support Program and its firefighting aid. The problem arises principally from a new defensive strategy that the Pentagon is racing to put in place.

Starting in 2011, the Defense Support Program satellites were succeeded by a new generation that cost $1.7 billion per spacecraft. Six were scheduled for launch to geosynchronous orbit. By 2015, however, such giant craft were beginning to be judged as vulnerable to enemy attack. China, in particular, was seen as speeding ahead on a wide range of antisatellite arms.

Today, in response, the Pentagon is rushing to build smaller, cheaper, more numerous craft. It sees the vast numbers as greatly reducing the risk of attacks successful enough to knock out vital U.S. capabilities. By 2026, it wants to have in orbit roughly 1,000 satellites, many for attack warning. The issue is considered so urgent that the Pentagon in 2019 set up a new arm, the Space Development Agency, to carry out the sweeping plan.

Experts warn that the shift, and its budget repercussions, may turn the ageing spacecraft of the Defense Support Program into prime targets for termination.

One proffered solution is to transfer the satellites from the Pentagon to a civilian agency, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which runs the nation’s weather satellites. Or a civilian agency could simply pick up the military’s operating costs.

Harris, the former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, offered a more ambitious plan. He said the American military had tailored systems of declassification that, if applied, would let information from all its attack-warning satellites — whether old, new or middle age — be shared quickly with firefighters.

It’s a moment, he said, to expand the military’s support.

The wildfire situation “is going to get worse before it gets better,” Harris said. As a matter of public safety commensurate with the growing threat, he added, now is the time to “move the bureaucracy, to tell it what’s important. Let’s take advantage of these very capable resources.”

In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Joe Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. California Governor Gavin Newsom requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires.

In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Joe Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. California Governor Gavin Newsom requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires. Biden promised to help. “When this meeting is over,” he said, “I’ll be on the phone with the Department of Defense.” His call wasn’t the first — or the 50th. The issue of using secret military gear to aid civilian firefighters arose 35 years ago. It grew as the White House, CIA, U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies sought to establish a national system that warned of undetected wildfires and menacing flare-ups. The Pentagon allowed tests and a short-lived prototype. But the arrangements were never permanent. The military, eager to safeguard its prerogatives and orbital fleets, was always glad to shut the pipeline down. As a result, officials such as Newsom now have to lobby for emergency access. But record-setting fires are likely to grow worse and pose grave new dangers that warrant an urgent response, according to proponents of deeper cooperation between officials who combat wildfires and those managing the military spacecraft. The nation can no longer afford endless turf wars and bureaucratic foot-dragging. It’s a matter, they say, of public safety. “Fighting disasters is like fighting wars,” said Darrell Herd, a retired senior research scientist at the Defense Intelligence Agency who pioneered early orbital tests of wildfire detection. “You suffer if you don’t have adequate warning.” The parts of the United States destroyed each year by wildfires have more than doubled over two decades. And California’s fires have recently grown rapidly in size. Deaths and diseases are linked not only to blistering flames, but also toxic smoke. Even so, proponents of using the defence satellites note, the military has no established program that issues firefighting alerts to local, state and federal authorities. They also point out that the Pentagon’s spacecraft, when set against civilian and commercial ones, have repeatedly proven themselves to be superior at spotting blazes. In an interview, Jeffrey Harris, a former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which runs the country’s fleets of spy satellites, called for expanding civilian use of the attack-warning craft “as quickly as possible.” Scientists see the wildfires intensifying, he noted, “so why don’t we let firefighters take full advantage of the technology?” California, Harris added, “is one of the largest economies in the world. And we’re not going to nip these fires in the bud?” The military craft, he stressed, “can save lives.” In 2018, the U.S. Forest Service used the spacecraft as an experiment in California, quickly spotting four flare-ups. “I believe we are just beginning to unlock the possibilities,” Lt. Gen. John Thompson, then head of what was called the Air Force Space and Missiles Systems Center, said of the firefighting test. The Forest Service proceeded to ask that the military spinoffs go nationwide. Satellite-sharing proponents often cite the military’s GPS as a role model. That fleet of satellites began life in 1978 as a highly classified system for transmitting precise location data to the U.S. armed forces. In the 1980s, civilians gained access. Today, commercial uses include tracking vehicles and sending position data to millions of smartphones. In an interview, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who heads the House Intelligence Committee, said the nation needed to rethink the military’s overall role in protecting American society and decide either to shrink its budgets or expand its domestic responsibilities. The new roles, he added, should include the permanent sharing of the attack-warning satellites with the civilian authorities. “Part of a strong America is having a strong infrastructure that protects our citizens not just from foreign attack, but natural disasters,” Schiff said. “We need to protect people from the growing intensity of these fires.” Schiff cited a personal encounter. In 2009, a California wildfire grew into the largest in the modern history of Los Angeles County, killing two firefighters, destroying scores of homes and turning hundreds of square miles of green vegetation into blackened remains. “I remember stepping outside my house one night,” Schiff said. “It looked like lava flowing down the canyons — like a scene out of a surreal horror film.” The revitalized debate centres on an early generation of attack-warning satellites known as the Defense Support Program, a main participant in the fire experiments. First sent aloft in 1970, the spacecraft orbit 22,300 miles up, over the equator, in sync with Earth’s rotation. Hanging motionless relative to the ground lets them peer without interruption at the same regions. One satellite can see roughly one-third of Earth’s surface, and three can scan the entirety of the planet. Their specialty is spotting the fiery plumes of attacking missiles. But their infrared sensors — sensitive to heat’s invisible rays — can see much more. Once, a spacecraft was able to pinpoint where an Air Force C-141 transport jet exploded over the South Atlantic. The military has lofted 23 of the craft over the decades at an estimated cost of $15 billion. Their current numbers and orbital locations are classified secrets. By Washington standards, their operating costs are relatively low. A military contractor was recently awarded a renewal contract for $223 million over 10 years, or $22.3 million a year. Military craft in geosynchronous orbit have an edge over civilian satellites at lower altitudes that move steadily over Earth’s surface. The spacecraft in lower orbits see particular sites infrequently, often leaving them blind to new fires, sudden flare-ups and shifting flames. The images of NASA’s firefighting program are up to 5 hours old. In contrast, the military craft scan planet Earth every 10 seconds. In fire season, striking images from satellite companies and the space fleets of civilian agencies are often made public, but those spacecraft typically detect blazes only after they’re too large to contain. In the mid-1980s, Herd, then at the U.S. Geological Survey, learned that the attack-warning satellites could spot wildfires. Interagency talks ensued. After the Cold War, the White House put the nation’s spy agencies and satellites onto the new job of environmental sleuthing, and the CIA funded a number of pioneering fire studies. In 1993 and 1994, Herd organized a program of igniting test fires across the United States to see how well the military satellites did. The fuels included brush, trees and grasses. The trials showed that the spacecraft could easily spot blazes even when the flames were relatively small and easily suppressed. In July 1996, the CIA director boasted in a public speech that his agency had recently helped the U.S. Forest Service battle a series of wildfires raging in Alaska. Support grew in the Clinton administration and in Congress for a permanent setup. The National Reconnaissance Office took the lead. Three federal agencies that ran three kinds of satellites — for monitoring land use, adversaries and the weather — helped set up the prototype. It was known as the Hazard Support System. The warning hub came to life in 1999 but died almost immediately because of lack of funds. In lamenting its demise, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, called it “a small program with a huge return.” Congressional investigators blamed poor interagency management. Nonetheless, the idea of military aid for firefighters kept gaining support. In 2000, the Aerospace Corporation, which does research for the Pentagon, released a detailed study showing that the spacecraft could easily track grassland fires set intentionally across more than a million square miles of African savanna. In 2010, an editorial in Space News, an industry publication, called on the military to set up a national system of wildfire alerts. Experts proceeded to ask if civilian satellites — an increasing number of which have sensors that detect not only visible light but also heat rays — might be as good or even better than the military craft. In 2012, Medea, the CIA’s environmental arm, compared the two approaches in a global test. The target was Brazil and its gargantuan forests, which farmers often set ablaze to clear land. The military’s attack-warning satellites came out on top. Their geostationary positions gave them continuous views, whereas the civilian satellites in lower orbits came and went over hours and days, often leaving them unable to detect new blazes. On a temporary basis, California began using the military spacecraft to spot fires in 2018. Last year, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, adjutant general of the California National Guard, told reporters that the state was “becoming pretty good at it.” The main problem was the limited access. Most recently, use of the military asset was set to expire Thursday, at the end of the federal government’s fiscal year. So, over the summer, the state of California mounted a lobbying campaign. In late July, Newsom made his pitch to Biden. “It’s hard,” Newsom said of the authorization process. “Every year, we fight to get a one-year extension.” The state’s congressional delegation, led by Schiff and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent a follow-up letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. When the request was approved, Schiff put out a statement saying the California delegation “will continue to push to make this program permanent.” In an interview, Linda Zall, a former CIA official who for decades led the agency’s fire and environmental studies, said it was “a travesty” that civilian officials faced so much resistance to a modest step that promised to substantially enhance public safety. The civilian authorities could soon get better options. Startups in Australia and Germany are planning to loft fire-spotting satellites in order to serve fast-growing international markets. And Planet, a U.S. company that built a fleet of nearly 200 imaging satellites, recently joined with a startup to assess forest-fire risks. But on the military side, things could worsen. The Department of Defense is now facing budget pressures that could end the Defense Support Program and its firefighting aid. The problem arises principally from a new defensive strategy that the Pentagon is racing to put in place. Starting in 2011, the Defense Support Program satellites were succeeded by a new generation that cost $1.7 billion per spacecraft. Six were scheduled for launch to geosynchronous orbit. By 2015, however, such giant craft were beginning to be judged as vulnerable to enemy attack. China, in particular, was seen as speeding ahead on a wide range of antisatellite arms. Today, in response, the Pentagon is rushing to build smaller, cheaper, more numerous craft. It sees the vast numbers as greatly reducing the risk of attacks successful enough to knock out vital U.S. capabilities. By 2026, it wants to have in orbit roughly 1,000 satellites, many for attack warning. The issue is considered so urgent that the Pentagon in 2019 set up a new arm, the Space Development Agency, to carry out the sweeping plan. Experts warn that the shift, and its budget repercussions, may turn the ageing spacecraft of the Defense Support Program into prime targets for termination. One proffered solution is to transfer the satellites from the Pentagon to a civilian agency, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which runs the nation’s weather satellites. Or a civilian agency could simply pick up the military’s operating costs. Harris, the former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, offered a more ambitious plan. He said the American military had tailored systems of declassification that, if applied, would let information from all its attack-warning satellites — whether old, new or middle age — be shared quickly with firefighters. It’s a moment, he said, to expand the military’s support. The wildfire situation “is going to get worse before it gets better,” Harris said. As a matter of public safety commensurate with the growing threat, he added, now is the time to “move the bureaucracy, to tell it what’s important. Let’s take advantage of these very capable resources.”

The secret war over Pentagon aid in fighting wildfires

US Senators grill Pentagon leaders on Afghan pullout

The Pentagon's top military officials faced the tough questions from Congress about the execution of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, in their first appearance before lawmakers since the US left the country at the end of August.

Pentagon leaders testify before congress on US pullout from Afghanistan

Top Pentagon leaders will answer questions from senators about the US pullout from Afghanistan, which left behind Americans who may number in the hundreds.

Pentagon leaders to testify on US pullout from Afghanistan

In their first public testimony since the US completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan, top Pentagon leaders will face sharp questions in Congress about the chaotic pullout and the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country.

Pentagon leaders to face Congress on Afghan pullout decision

The Pentagon has said that a drone strike has hit a vehicle in northwestern Syria resulting in the killing of a senior Al-Qaeda leader. this is what the Americans are claiming and this has happened in the northwestern region of Syria that is largely rebel controlled.

United States air-strike targets Al-Qaeda in Syria

A top US General has now finally admitted that the Americans had made a huge mistake when they'd launched a drone strike against what they believed was an ISIS horizon terrorist in Kabul. Remember this drone strike by the Americans resulted in the death of at least about 10 civilians.

Top US General: Made a mistake when launching drone airstrike

As the Taliban cements its grip over Afghanistan after the historic withdrawal of the US troops following 20-years of war, Top US General Mark Milley has said that coordination with the Taliban to fight ISIS-K is "possible".

Mark Milley says, US coordination with Taliban possible on strikes

Top US General Mark Milley said on Wednesday that it is “possible” the United States will seek to coordinate with the Taliban on counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others.

Pentagon says US coordination with Taliban against ISIS-K 'possible'

Leaked Pentagon papers reveal that U.S 'blames' Britain for the Kabul Airport attack. British MPs are outraged, PM Boris Johnson has lashed out at America's assertion calling it 'simply not true'. Palki Sharma tells you how the two 'best friends' are squabbling.

Gravitas: U.S. 'blames' UK for Kabul Airport Attack

After completing the US troops pullout from Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Tuesday that it will continue to conduct drone strikes against the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and other terrorist groups operating in the country.

The US military had earlier carried out drone strikes against an ISIS-K planner after the group claimed responsibility of the recent deadly Kabul Airport suicide bombing, which killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 US service members.&nbsp;

Watch | Biden: Afghanistan cost the US $300 million a day for two decades

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Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told Fox News, “We have the capability from an over the horizon perspective of ensuring our national security interests are protected and defended.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

"And what I would tell you, without getting into hypotheticals or speculating about future operations, we're going to continue to maintain those capabilities and use them if and when we need to," the official added. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Al Qaeda, the terror group at the heart of the 20-year US war in Afghanistan, "congratulated" the Taliban for "defeating the Americans". It was the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001 orchestrated by Osama bin Laden that led to the invasion of Afghanistan by the US, and the killing of the al Qaeda chief in 2011 in Pakistan. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/we-expect-us-to-reopen-embassy-in-kabul-have-trade-relations-taliban-409822" hreflang="en">We expect US to reopen embassy in Kabul, have trade relations: Taliban</a>

Even as Taliban promises to be different this time, there are signs of terrorist organisations aligning themselves with the new de facto rulers of Afghanistan, with al Qaeda setting its sights on India's Kashmir in a 'congratulatory letter'. &nbsp;

In a letter made available on social media, the group said it is the "third time that the Afghan nation within a span of less than two centuries has successfully expelled an invading force." &nbsp;

Significantly, it also mentioned Kashmir. &nbsp;

"Liberate the Levant, Somalia, Yemen, Kashmir and the rest of the Islamic lands" from the "clutches of the enemy", it exhorted the Taliban. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

After completing the US troops pullout from Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Tuesday that it will continue to conduct drone strikes against the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and other terrorist groups operating in the country.

After completing the US troops pullout from Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Tuesday that it will continue to conduct drone strikes against the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and other terrorist groups operating in the country. The US military had earlier carried out drone strikes against an ISIS-K planner after the group claimed responsibility of the recent deadly Kabul Airport suicide bombing, which killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 US service members. Watch | Biden: Afghanistan cost the US $300 million a day for two decades × Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told Fox News, “We have the capability from an over the horizon perspective of ensuring our national security interests are protected and defended.” "And what I would tell you, without getting into hypotheticals or speculating about future operations, we're going to continue to maintain those capabilities and use them if and when we need to," the official added. Meanwhile, Al Qaeda, the terror group at the heart of the 20-year US war in Afghanistan, "congratulated" the Taliban for "defeating the Americans". It was the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001 orchestrated by Osama bin Laden that led to the invasion of Afghanistan by the US, and the killing of the al Qaeda chief in 2011 in Pakistan. Also Read | We expect US to reopen embassy in Kabul, have trade relations: Taliban Even as Taliban promises to be different this time, there are signs of terrorist organisations aligning themselves with the new de facto rulers of Afghanistan, with al Qaeda setting its sights on India's Kashmir in a 'congratulatory letter'. In a letter made available on social media, the group said it is the "third time that the Afghan nation within a span of less than two centuries has successfully expelled an invading force." Significantly, it also mentioned Kashmir. "Liberate the Levant, Somalia, Yemen, Kashmir and the rest of the Islamic lands" from the "clutches of the enemy", it exhorted the Taliban. (With inputs from agencies)

Drone strikes to continue in Afghanistan when needed, says Pentagon

US forces retain the inherent right of self defense and are authorized to meet threats with a swift and forceful response. Force protection is paramount in this phase of the operation over the weekend and in today evacuation operations continued.

Pentagon: 3 rockets landed outside the grounds

A senior&nbsp;Pentagon&nbsp;official&nbsp;held&nbsp;talks&nbsp;with the&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;military&nbsp;for the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time&nbsp;since President&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;took office in January to focus on managing risk between the two countries, a US official&nbsp;told Reuters on Friday.

The United States has put countering China at the heart of its national security policy for years and&nbsp;Biden's administration has described rivalry with Beijing as "the biggest geopolitical test" of this century.

Relations between China and the United States have grown increasingly tense, with the world's two largest economies clashing over everything from Taiwan and China's human rights record to its&nbsp;military&nbsp;activity in the South China Sea.

Despite the tensions and heated rhetoric, US military&nbsp;officials have long sought to have open lines of communication with their&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;counterparts to be able to mitigate potential flare-ups or deal with any accidents.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-virus-origins-us-intelligence-community-says-it-was-not-developed-as-biological-weapon-408909">Also read |&nbsp;COVID-19 virus&nbsp;origins:&nbsp;US intelligence community says it was 'not developed' as biological weapon</a>

Michael Chase, deputy assistant secretary of defence for China, spoke last week with&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;Major General Huang Xueping, deputy director for the People's Liberation Army Office for International&nbsp;Military&nbsp;Cooperation.

"(They) utilised the U.S.-PRC Defence Telephone Link to conduct a secure video conference," the US official&nbsp;said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining open channels of communication between the two militaries," the&nbsp;official&nbsp;added.

Officials said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has yet to speak with his&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;counterpart, in part because there was a debate about which&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;official&nbsp;was Austin's counterpart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said on Thursday that the United States welcomes competition and does not seek conflict with Beijing, but will speak up on issues such as maritime&nbsp;disputes in the South China Sea.

China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan lay claim to parts of the South China Sea, which is crossed by vital shipping lanes and contains gas fields and rich fishing grounds.

Biden&nbsp;has ramped up sanctions on China over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

In a shift from his predecessor as president, Donald Trump,&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;has broadly sought to rally allies and partners to help counter what the White House says is China's increasingly coercive economic and foreign policies.

A senior Pentagon official held talks with the Chinese military for the first time since President Joe Biden took office in January to focus on managing risk between the two countries, a US official told Reuters on Friday.

A senior Pentagon official held talks with the Chinese military for the first time since President Joe Biden took office in January to focus on managing risk between the two countries, a US official told Reuters on Friday. The United States has put countering China at the heart of its national security policy for years and Biden's administration has described rivalry with Beijing as "the biggest geopolitical test" of this century. Relations between China and the United States have grown increasingly tense, with the world's two largest economies clashing over everything from Taiwan and China's human rights record to its military activity in the South China Sea. Despite the tensions and heated rhetoric, US military officials have long sought to have open lines of communication with their Chinese counterparts to be able to mitigate potential flare-ups or deal with any accidents. Also read | COVID-19 virus origins: US intelligence community says it was 'not developed' as biological weapon Michael Chase, deputy assistant secretary of defence for China, spoke last week with Chinese Major General Huang Xueping, deputy director for the People's Liberation Army Office for International Military Cooperation. "(They) utilised the U.S.-PRC Defence Telephone Link to conduct a secure video conference," the US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining open channels of communication between the two militaries," the official added. Officials said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has yet to speak with his Chinese counterpart, in part because there was a debate about which Chinese official was Austin's counterpart. Vice President Kamala Harris said on Thursday that the United States welcomes competition and does not seek conflict with Beijing, but will speak up on issues such as maritime disputes in the South China Sea. China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan lay claim to parts of the South China Sea, which is crossed by vital shipping lanes and contains gas fields and rich fishing grounds. Biden has ramped up sanctions on China over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. In a shift from his predecessor as president, Donald Trump, Biden has broadly sought to rally allies and partners to help counter what the White House says is China's increasingly coercive economic and foreign policies.

Pentagon holds talks with Chinese military for first time under Biden

Pentagon has said that the&nbsp;threat persists after ISIS-K claimed&nbsp;responsibility for the deadly double attack at Kabul airport.

An attack in Kabul claimed by Islamic State killed 12 US&nbsp;troops on Thursday and wounded 15 others, a top US&nbsp;general said, adding US&nbsp;forces were prepared for more attacks even as the evacuation continued.

At least two explosions tore through crowds that have thronged the Kabul airport gates desperate to leave Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power almost two weeks ago ahead of President Joe Biden's August&nbsp;31 deadline to pull out US&nbsp;troops.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kabul-airport-blast-dual-blasts-hit-kabul-evacuation-408656/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In a statement, Islamic State claimed responsibility and said one of its suicide bombers had targeted "translators and collaborators with the American army."

US&nbsp;General Frank McKenzie, head of US&nbsp;Central Command, told reporters in a briefing that the threat from Islamic State persisted alongside "other active threat streams."

"We believe it is their desire to continue these attacks and we expect those attacks to continue and we're doing everything we can to be prepared for those attacks," McKenzie said.

"Given the success of the ISIS bombers today, you can expect more attempts between now and such time as the Americans depart the airport area for good," said Richard Fontaine, the Chief Executive Officer for the Washington think-tank the Center for a New American Security.

A massive airlift of foreign nationals and their families as well as some Afghans has been under way since the day before Taliban forces captured Kabul on Aug. 15, capping a swift advance across the country as U.S. and allied troops withdrew.

The United States has been racing to carry out the airlift before its military is set to fully withdraw from the country by Aug. 31. There was no indication from the White House that Biden plans to change the Aug. 31 withdrawal target as a result of the attacks, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.

McKenzie said the evacuation mission was not going to stop.

"I think we can continue to conduct our mission, even while we are receiving attacks like this," he said, adding that U.S. forces would "go after" the perpetrators of Thursday's attack.

A Taliban official said at least 13 people including children had been killed and 52 were wounded, though it was clear from video footage that the final toll would be higher.

US&nbsp;officials have said there are about 5,200 American troops providing security at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. The attacks came after the United States and allies urged Afghans to leave the area around the airport because of a threat by Islamic State militants.

The US&nbsp;military death toll in the Afghanistan war since 2001 stood at roughly 2,500.

In an alert issued on Wednesday, the US Embassy in Kabul had advised citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and said those already at the gates should leave immediately, citing unspecified "security threats."

Islamic State is opposed by the United States and the Taliban.

Biden was in a meeting with security officials about the situation in Afghanistan, when the explosions were reported, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley and Vice President Kamala Harris monitored events via video links.

A Western diplomat in Kabul said that areas outside the airport gates had been "incredibly crowded" again despite the latest warnings.

The United States and its allies have mounted one of the biggest air evacuations in history, bringing out about 95,700 people, including 13,400 on Wednesday, the White House said on Thursday.

Blinken said on Wednesday that there were still about 1,500 US&nbsp;citizens in Afghanistan, and that at least 4,500 US&nbsp;citizens had already been evacuated from the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pentagon has said that the threat persists after ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the deadly double attack at Kabul airport. An attack in Kabul claimed by Islamic State killed 12 US troops on Thursday and wounded 15 others, a top US general said, adding US forces were prepared for more attacks even as the evacuation continued.

Pentagon has said that the threat persists after ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the deadly double attack at Kabul airport. An attack in Kabul claimed by Islamic State killed 12 US troops on Thursday and wounded 15 others, a top US general said, adding US forces were prepared for more attacks even as the evacuation continued. At least two explosions tore through crowds that have thronged the Kabul airport gates desperate to leave Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power almost two weeks ago ahead of President Joe Biden's August 31 deadline to pull out US troops. In a statement, Islamic State claimed responsibility and said one of its suicide bombers had targeted "translators and collaborators with the American army." US General Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, told reporters in a briefing that the threat from Islamic State persisted alongside "other active threat streams." "We believe it is their desire to continue these attacks and we expect those attacks to continue and we're doing everything we can to be prepared for those attacks," McKenzie said. "Given the success of the ISIS bombers today, you can expect more attempts between now and such time as the Americans depart the airport area for good," said Richard Fontaine, the Chief Executive Officer for the Washington think-tank the Center for a New American Security. A massive airlift of foreign nationals and their families as well as some Afghans has been under way since the day before Taliban forces captured Kabul on Aug. 15, capping a swift advance across the country as U.S. and allied troops withdrew. The United States has been racing to carry out the airlift before its military is set to fully withdraw from the country by Aug. 31. There was no indication from the White House that Biden plans to change the Aug. 31 withdrawal target as a result of the attacks, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. McKenzie said the evacuation mission was not going to stop. "I think we can continue to conduct our mission, even while we are receiving attacks like this," he said, adding that U.S. forces would "go after" the perpetrators of Thursday's attack. A Taliban official said at least 13 people including children had been killed and 52 were wounded, though it was clear from video footage that the final toll would be higher. US officials have said there are about 5,200 American troops providing security at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. The attacks came after the United States and allies urged Afghans to leave the area around the airport because of a threat by Islamic State militants. The US military death toll in the Afghanistan war since 2001 stood at roughly 2,500. In an alert issued on Wednesday, the US Embassy in Kabul had advised citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and said those already at the gates should leave immediately, citing unspecified "security threats." Islamic State is opposed by the United States and the Taliban. Biden was in a meeting with security officials about the situation in Afghanistan, when the explosions were reported, according to a person familiar with the matter. Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley and Vice President Kamala Harris monitored events via video links. A Western diplomat in Kabul said that areas outside the airport gates had been "incredibly crowded" again despite the latest warnings. The United States and its allies have mounted one of the biggest air evacuations in history, bringing out about 95,700 people, including 13,400 on Wednesday, the White House said on Thursday. Blinken said on Wednesday that there were still about 1,500 US citizens in Afghanistan, and that at least 4,500 US citizens had already been evacuated from the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Pentagon says threat persists after suicide bombings at Kabul airport

The Pentagon said that there had been no change so far in Joe Biden's plan to meet the evacuation deadline for Afghanistan by the end of the month and that the pace of evacuations is picking up in Kabul.

Pentagon sticks to August 31 deadline for troops withdrawal

The Pentagon said that the US won't be responsible for Kabul airport after its troops are out of Afghanistan. It said the US military will continue its evacuation effort from Kabul airport until the 31st August deadline if needed.

News Alert: United States ramps up Afghan evacuation efforts

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