WikiLeaks founder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wikileaks-julian-assange-has-been-arrested-uk-police-209546">Julian Assange was arrested</a> by the British Police on Thursday after being evicted from the Ecuadorean Embassy where he had been living since 2012. He was arrested after Ecuador withdrew his diplomatic asylum for "repeated violation of international conventions and a protocol of coexistence".

Assange's relations with his hosts turned frosty since Ecuador accused him of leaking information about President Lenin Moreno's personal life. Moreno has said Assange has violated the terms of his asylum.

To some, Assange is a hero for exposing what supporters cast as abuse of power by modern states and for championing free speech. But to others, he is a dangerous rebel who has undermined the security of the United States.

Assange, an Australian national, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-of-wikileaks-founder-julian-assanges-arrest-209547">was arrested in Britain</a> in December 2010 on allegations of sexual assault and rape in Sweden, claims he strongly denied, saying they were politically motivated.

Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden. Before the claims were dropped in 2017, Assange expressed fears that any extradition to Sweden could see his eventual transfer to the United States to face trial for the leaks.

WikiLeaks angered Washington by publishing hundreds of thousands of secret US diplomatic cables that laid bare often highly critical US appraisals of world leaders from Russian President Vladimir Putin to members of the Saudi royal family.

Assange made international headlines in early 2010 when WikiLeaks published a classified US military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters that killed a dozen people in Baghdad, including two staff members of Reuters news agency.

Later that year, the group released over 90,000 secret documents detailing the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan, followed by almost 400,000 internal US military reports detailing operations in Iraq.

More than 2,50,000 classified cables from US embassies followed, then almost three million dating back to 1973.

Born in Townsville, Queensland, in 1971, Assange has described a nomadic childhood and claims to have attended 37 schools before settling in Melbourne.

As a teenager he discovered a talent for computer hacking, and while has pled guilty to 25 such offences, he has only ever walked away with fines.

He created WikiLeaks in 2006 with a group of like-minded activists and IT experts, to provide a secure way for whistleblowers to leak information.

A confident speaker, he became its figurehead - and a lightning rod for criticism.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested by the British Police on Thursday after being evicted from the Ecuadorean Embassy where he had been living since 2012.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested by the British Police on Thursday after being evicted from the Ecuadorean Embassy where he had been living since 2012. He was arrested after Ecuador withdrew his diplomatic asylum for "repeated violation of international conventions and a protocol of coexistence". Assange's relations with his hosts turned frosty since Ecuador accused him of leaking information about President Lenin Moreno's personal life. Moreno has said Assange has violated the terms of his asylum. To some, Assange is a hero for exposing what supporters cast as abuse of power by modern states and for championing free speech. But to others, he is a dangerous rebel who has undermined the security of the United States. Assange, an Australian national, was arrested in Britain in December 2010 on allegations of sexual assault and rape in Sweden, claims he strongly denied, saying they were politically motivated. Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden. Before the claims were dropped in 2017, Assange expressed fears that any extradition to Sweden could see his eventual transfer to the United States to face trial for the leaks. WikiLeaks angered Washington by publishing hundreds of thousands of secret US diplomatic cables that laid bare often highly critical US appraisals of world leaders from Russian President Vladimir Putin to members of the Saudi royal family. Assange made international headlines in early 2010 when WikiLeaks published a classified US military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters that killed a dozen people in Baghdad, including two staff members of Reuters news agency. Later that year, the group released over 90,000 secret documents detailing the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan, followed by almost 400,000 internal US military reports detailing operations in Iraq. More than 2,50,000 classified cables from US embassies followed, then almost three million dating back to 1973. Born in Townsville, Queensland, in 1971, Assange has described a nomadic childhood and claims to have attended 37 schools before settling in Melbourne. As a teenager he discovered a talent for computer hacking, and while has pled guilty to 25 such offences, he has only ever walked away with fines. He created WikiLeaks in 2006 with a group of like-minded activists and IT experts, to provide a secure way for whistleblowers to leak information. A confident speaker, he became its figurehead - and a lightning rod for criticism.

Julian Assange: Transparency icon or enemy of the state?

Iran may put the US military on its terror list if Washington <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-declare-irans-revolutionary-guards-as-terrorist-organization-report-208316">designates the Iranian elite Revolutionary Guards as terrorists</a>, a senior Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday.

The United States is expected to designate the Revolutionary Guards a foreign terrorist organisation, three US officials told Reuters, marking the first time Washington has formally labelled another country's military a terrorist group.

"If the Revolutionary Guards are placed on America's list of terrorist groups, we will put that country's military on the terror blacklist next to Daesh (Islamic State)," Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, head of parliament's national security committee, said on Twitter.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical regime, in contrast to more traditional military units that protect borders.

The Revolutionary Guards have amassed strong power within Iran, including with significant economic interests.

The Guards' prized unit is the Quds Force, named for the Arabic word for Jerusalem, which supports forces allied with Iran around the region including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

The Trump administration has already imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran after withdrawing last year from an international agreement under which Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear program.

A foreign terrorist designation would make any activities of the group toxic for the United States, with any transactions involving US institutions or individuals subject to punishment.

The Wall Street Journal said that the Pentagon and the CIA had reservations about the move, saying it would increase risks for US troops without doing much more to damage the Iranian economy.

Iran may put the US military on its terror list if Washington designates the Iranian elite Revolutionary Guards as terrorists, a senior Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday.

Iran may put the US military on its terror list if Washington designates the Iranian elite Revolutionary Guards as terrorists, a senior Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday. The United States is expected to designate the Revolutionary Guards a foreign terrorist organisation, three US officials told Reuters, marking the first time Washington has formally labelled another country's military a terrorist group. "If the Revolutionary Guards are placed on America's list of terrorist groups, we will put that country's military on the terror blacklist next to Daesh (Islamic State)," Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, head of parliament's national security committee, said on Twitter. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical regime, in contrast to more traditional military units that protect borders. The Revolutionary Guards have amassed strong power within Iran, including with significant economic interests. The Guards' prized unit is the Quds Force, named for the Arabic word for Jerusalem, which supports forces allied with Iran around the region including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanon's Hezbollah. The Trump administration has already imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran after withdrawing last year from an international agreement under which Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear program. A foreign terrorist designation would make any activities of the group toxic for the United States, with any transactions involving US institutions or individuals subject to punishment. The Wall Street Journal said that the Pentagon and the CIA had reservations about the move, saying it would increase risks for US troops without doing much more to damage the Iranian economy.

Iran may blacklist US military if Washington designates Guards as terrorists

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-russia-election-probe-amounted-to-treason-206153">President Donald Trump</a> has said that Google is totally committed to the US military as he met the internet giant's Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai at the White House, days after he accused the tech company of helping China and its army.

Trump, who has been at loggerheads with several big companies, earlier this month said, "Google is helping China and their military, but not the US".

On Wednesday, after a meeting with Pichai at the White House, the US President said: "Meeting ended very well".

"Just met with @SundarPichai, President of @Google, who is obviously doing quite well," he said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Just met with <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SundarPichai</a>, President of <a href="https://twitter.com/Google?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Google</a>, who is obviously doing quite well. He stated strongly that he is totally committed to the U.S. Military, not the Chinese Military....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1110989594521026561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Pichai "stated strongly that he is totally committed to the US military and&nbsp;not the Chinese military", Trump said.

"Also discussed political fairness and various things that @Google can do&nbsp;for our country. Meeting ended very well!" said the President.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
....Also discussed political fairness and various things that <a href="https://twitter.com/Google?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Google</a> can do for our Country. Meeting ended very well!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1110989595758469120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

There was no immediate tweet from Pichai.

However, a Google spokesperson said that the company is pleased to have productive conversations with the President.

"We were pleased to have productive conversations with the President about investing in the future of the American workforce, the growth of emerging technologies and our ongoing commitment to working with the US government," said the Google spokesperson.

Trump's tweet criticising Google earlier last month came after Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan and General Joseph Dunford, chairman joint chiefs of staff, said during a Congressional hearing that "Google was partnering with China... But the Internet search engine giant has shown a lack of willingness to work with the US Department of Defence".

During his trip to Washington DC, Pichai also met India's Ambassador to the US Harsh V Shringla.

"A thoroughly enriching experience to meet and interact with" Pichai on Google's positive engagement in India and elsewhere in the world, privacy laws, internet governance and a host of other issues, the ambassador said in a tweet.

President Donald Trump has said that Google is totally committed to the US military as he met the internet giant's Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai at the White House, days after he accused the tech company of helping China and its army.

President Donald Trump has said that Google is totally committed to the US military as he met the internet giant's Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai at the White House, days after he accused the tech company of helping China and its army. Trump, who has been at loggerheads with several big companies, earlier this month said, "Google is helping China and their military, but not the US". On Wednesday, after a meeting with Pichai at the White House, the US President said: "Meeting ended very well". "Just met with @SundarPichai, President of @Google, who is obviously doing quite well," he said. Just met with @SundarPichai, President of @Google, who is obviously doing quite well. He stated strongly that he is totally committed to the U.S. Military, not the Chinese Military.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2019 × Pichai "stated strongly that he is totally committed to the US military and not the Chinese military", Trump said. "Also discussed political fairness and various things that @Google can do for our country. Meeting ended very well!" said the President. ....Also discussed political fairness and various things that @Google can do for our Country. Meeting ended very well! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2019 × There was no immediate tweet from Pichai. However, a Google spokesperson said that the company is pleased to have productive conversations with the President. "We were pleased to have productive conversations with the President about investing in the future of the American workforce, the growth of emerging technologies and our ongoing commitment to working with the US government," said the Google spokesperson. Trump's tweet criticising Google earlier last month came after Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan and General Joseph Dunford, chairman joint chiefs of staff, said during a Congressional hearing that "Google was partnering with China... But the Internet search engine giant has shown a lack of willingness to work with the US Department of Defence". During his trip to Washington DC, Pichai also met India's Ambassador to the US Harsh V Shringla. "A thoroughly enriching experience to meet and interact with" Pichai on Google's positive engagement in India and elsewhere in the world, privacy laws, internet governance and a host of other issues, the ambassador said in a tweet.

Trump meets Sundar Pichai who says Google committed to US military, not China's 

The US military said it successfully tested a missile defence system to knock down an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile class target on Monday, demonstrating its ability to defend against ICBMs from countries like North Korea.

The US Missile Defence Agency said two ground-based interceptors were used in the test. One destroyed the re-entry vehicle, and the other "looked at the resulting debris and remaining objects, and, not finding any other re-entry vehicles, selected the next 'most lethal object' it could identify, and struck that," it said.

The target was launched from a test site in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific, more than 6,400 km from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where the interceptors were launched, the agency said.

MDA Director Lieutenant General Sam Greaves called the test a "critical milestone."

"The Ground-based Midcourse Defence system is vitally important to the defence of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat," Greaves said.

North Korea in 2017 test-fired ICBMs designed to reach the US mainland.

In January President Donald Trump unveiled a revamped US missile defence strategy that called North Korea an ongoing and "extraordinary threat," seven months after he declared the threat posed by Pyongyang had been eliminated.

The US military said it successfully tested a missile defence system to knock down an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile class target on Monday, demonstrating its ability to defend against ICBMs from countries like North Korea.

The US military said it successfully tested a missile defence system to knock down an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile class target on Monday, demonstrating its ability to defend against ICBMs from countries like North Korea. The US Missile Defence Agency said two ground-based interceptors were used in the test. One destroyed the re-entry vehicle, and the other "looked at the resulting debris and remaining objects, and, not finding any other re-entry vehicles, selected the next 'most lethal object' it could identify, and struck that," it said. The target was launched from a test site in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific, more than 6,400 km from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where the interceptors were launched, the agency said. MDA Director Lieutenant General Sam Greaves called the test a "critical milestone." "The Ground-based Midcourse Defence system is vitally important to the defence of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat," Greaves said. North Korea in 2017 test-fired ICBMs designed to reach the US mainland. In January President Donald Trump unveiled a revamped US missile defence strategy that called North Korea an ongoing and "extraordinary threat," seven months after he declared the threat posed by Pyongyang had been eliminated.

US military says it conducts successful missile defence test

Two US service members were <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-six-killed-in-blasts-as-kabul-marks-persian-new-year-204661">killed in Afghanistan</a> Friday, NATO said, in the latest casualties to hit the international coalition amid ongoing peace talks between Washington and the Taliban.

NATO's Resolute Support mission would not immediately release any details about the soldiers but said they had been killed during an unspecified "operation" in the country.

"In accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the name of the service members killed in action are being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin is complete," said NATO.

The deaths come a day after at least six people were killed by blasts in an Islamic State-claimed attack during Persian New Year celebrations in a Shiite area of Kabul.

The number of American casualties has fallen dramatically since the end of 2014 when Afghan forces took over from US-led NATO combat troops to secure the country.

Fighting continues to flare across Afghanistan more than a week after the latest round of talks between the US and the Taliban ended in Doha, as Washington continues to seek an end to the nearly 18-year war.

The Afghan government has complained it is being left out of the negotiations, as many Afghans fear a premature US withdrawal could see the Taliban return to some semblance of power.

The country remains on edge as winter comes to end, with warmer weather sparking the potential onset of a new fighting season as analysts warn the Taliban may increase attacks to gain leverage at the negotiating table.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is spearheading efforts to strike a peace deal with the Taliban before Afghanistan's presidential election, which was pushed back to late September earlier this week. &nbsp;

Two US service members were killed in Afghanistan Friday, NATO said, in the latest casualties to hit the international coalition amid ongoing peace talks between Washington and the Taliban.

Two US service members were killed in Afghanistan Friday, NATO said, in the latest casualties to hit the international coalition amid ongoing peace talks between Washington and the Taliban. NATO's Resolute Support mission would not immediately release any details about the soldiers but said they had been killed during an unspecified "operation" in the country. "In accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the name of the service members killed in action are being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin is complete," said NATO. The deaths come a day after at least six people were killed by blasts in an Islamic State-claimed attack during Persian New Year celebrations in a Shiite area of Kabul. The number of American casualties has fallen dramatically since the end of 2014 when Afghan forces took over from US-led NATO combat troops to secure the country. Fighting continues to flare across Afghanistan more than a week after the latest round of talks between the US and the Taliban ended in Doha, as Washington continues to seek an end to the nearly 18-year war. The Afghan government has complained it is being left out of the negotiations, as many Afghans fear a premature US withdrawal could see the Taliban return to some semblance of power. The country remains on edge as winter comes to end, with warmer weather sparking the potential onset of a new fighting season as analysts warn the Taliban may increase attacks to gain leverage at the negotiating table. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is spearheading efforts to strike a peace deal with the Taliban before Afghanistan's presidential election, which was pushed back to late September earlier this week.

Two US soldiers killed in Afghanistan: NATO

America's top military officer urged industry Thursday to strengthen efforts to build the next-generation wireless network based on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-says-no-legal-case-against-australia-for-now-201969">5G technology</a>, saying armed forces security would depend on it.

Faced with a tough challenge in telecommunications development from China, General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said American industry "needs to step up and dominate 5G, because it will be in our national interest to do so."

"If we don't get out in front in that regard, we won't be able to trust 5G and we'll be at a competitive disadvantage," Dunford told a forum at the Atlantic Council in Washington.

Systems based on 5G technology "have to be trusted," he said, making the dependence on foreign technology -- like that of market-leading Chinese telecoms firm Huawei -- a security risk.

"This is why I think American industry needs to step up and dominate 5G because it will be in our national interest to do so," he added.

Dunford was alluding to negotiations between European countries and Huawei, which hopes its 5G technology, more advanced than its rivals, will be deployed around the world.

The US government though has deep suspicions that Huawei's technology would offer the Chinese government the ability to monitor traffic, making it a security risk.

The US government has urged allies not to adopt the technology, pressuring Germany most recently to avoid it.

"Whether it's 5G or not, today and in the future, our ability and our willingness to exchange information intelligence with partners is going to be based on their ability to protect that information," Dunford said.

America's top military officer urged industry Thursday to strengthen efforts to build the next-generation wireless network based on 5G technology, saying armed forces security would depend on it.

America's top military officer urged industry Thursday to strengthen efforts to build the next-generation wireless network based on 5G technology, saying armed forces security would depend on it. Faced with a tough challenge in telecommunications development from China, General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said American industry "needs to step up and dominate 5G, because it will be in our national interest to do so." "If we don't get out in front in that regard, we won't be able to trust 5G and we'll be at a competitive disadvantage," Dunford told a forum at the Atlantic Council in Washington. Systems based on 5G technology "have to be trusted," he said, making the dependence on foreign technology -- like that of market-leading Chinese telecoms firm Huawei -- a security risk. "This is why I think American industry needs to step up and dominate 5G because it will be in our national interest to do so," he added. Dunford was alluding to negotiations between European countries and Huawei, which hopes its 5G technology, more advanced than its rivals, will be deployed around the world. The US government though has deep suspicions that Huawei's technology would offer the Chinese government the ability to monitor traffic, making it a security risk. The US government has urged allies not to adopt the technology, pressuring Germany most recently to avoid it. "Whether it's 5G or not, today and in the future, our ability and our willingness to exchange information intelligence with partners is going to be based on their ability to protect that information," Dunford said.

US military chief warns over 5G development progress

The administration of US President Donald Trump has asked the Department of Defense to prepare to house up to 5,000 unaccompanied migrant children amid what it calls a mounting "crisis" at the US-Mexico border, the Pentagon said Thursday.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "requested DoD support to identify space to house up to 5,000 unaccompanied alien children on DoD installations, if needed, through September 30, 2019," said Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Davis.

"DoD will work with the military services to identify potential locations for such support, and will work with HHS to assess any DoD facilities or suitable DoD land for potential use to provide temporary shelter for unaccompanied alien children," he said.&nbsp;

The request for beds is preventative -- they will not definitely be used.

But it comes amid a surge in the number of families and unaccompanied children crossing the US border from Mexico illegally, most of them fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. Most request asylum.

According to the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP), the number of minors apprehended after entering the country illegally without family in February hit 6,825, up from 5,119 in January and 4,968 in October.

CBP hands the children over to HHS's Administration for Children and Families, which seeks to place them with relatives or other families in the United States while their requests to remain in the country are processed, which can take two years.

The Administration for Children and Families said Thursday that they currently have about 11,500 such children in custody.

The figure changes daily, they said, because of new referrals from Homeland Security and releases of children to sponsors.

Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Tuesday that illegal immigration in February surged to the highest level in years, with 76,000 people stopped or apprehended, and was straining government facilities.

"We are currently facing a humanitarian and national security crisis along our southwest border," he said.

"The vast increases in families and children coming across our border, in larger groups and in more remote areas, presents a unique challenge to our operations and facilities, and those of our partners."

On Wednesday Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said they were expecting the numbers to grow in the coming months.

Nielsen though said in many cases the children were being used as "pawns" to get into our country, and even "recycled" by smuggling rings to help multiple groups cross the border and get a foothold on US soil.

She said she sympathized with the migrants but insisted that, as Trump formally declared last month, "It is an emergency."

The administration of US President Donald Trump has asked the Department of Defense to prepare to house up to 5,000 unaccompanied migrant children amid what it calls a mounting "crisis" at the US-Mexico border, the Pentagon said Thursday.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has asked the Department of Defense to prepare to house up to 5,000 unaccompanied migrant children amid what it calls a mounting "crisis" at the US-Mexico border, the Pentagon said Thursday. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "requested DoD support to identify space to house up to 5,000 unaccompanied alien children on DoD installations, if needed, through September 30, 2019," said Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Davis. "DoD will work with the military services to identify potential locations for such support, and will work with HHS to assess any DoD facilities or suitable DoD land for potential use to provide temporary shelter for unaccompanied alien children," he said. The request for beds is preventative -- they will not definitely be used. But it comes amid a surge in the number of families and unaccompanied children crossing the US border from Mexico illegally, most of them fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. Most request asylum. According to the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP), the number of minors apprehended after entering the country illegally without family in February hit 6,825, up from 5,119 in January and 4,968 in October. CBP hands the children over to HHS's Administration for Children and Families, which seeks to place them with relatives or other families in the United States while their requests to remain in the country are processed, which can take two years. The Administration for Children and Families said Thursday that they currently have about 11,500 such children in custody. The figure changes daily, they said, because of new referrals from Homeland Security and releases of children to sponsors. Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Tuesday that illegal immigration in February surged to the highest level in years, with 76,000 people stopped or apprehended, and was straining government facilities. "We are currently facing a humanitarian and national security crisis along our southwest border," he said. "The vast increases in families and children coming across our border, in larger groups and in more remote areas, presents a unique challenge to our operations and facilities, and those of our partners." On Wednesday Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said they were expecting the numbers to grow in the coming months. Nielsen though said in many cases the children were being used as "pawns" to get into our country, and even "recycled" by smuggling rings to help multiple groups cross the border and get a foothold on US soil. She said she sympathized with the migrants but insisted that, as Trump formally declared last month, "It is an emergency."

US military asked to house 5,000 child migrants: Pentagon

The United States has deployed its advanced THAAD missile defence system temporarily to Israel for a joint military exercise, the first of its kind, officials said Monday.

The two countries confirmed the deployment, with Israel's military stressing it was "not related to any specific current event".

It is the first such exercise in Israel, although the two allies hold regular joint war games. No dates have been announced for the manoeuvres.

Israel has its own missile defence system, but the exercise aims in part to examine how to incorporate THAAD so that "we are ready for any challenges in the future", military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said.

It will also allow the US military to practice the rapid deployment of THAAD across the globe, officials said.

"We see this as an opportunity to practice the integration of advanced American air defence systems into the Israeli air force air defence array," Conricus told journalists.

"The THAAD system is considered to be one of the most advanced of its kind in the world," the Israeli spokesman said.

The exercise with THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, involves more than 200 US military personnel and its components include radars and launching systems, Conricus said.

Components and personnel have come from the United States and Italy, Conricus said.

The THAAD will be deployed in southern Israel, but officials declined to say specifically where and for how long.

Israel's enemies in the region include Iran and Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hezbollah, both of which are supporting President Bashar al-Assad in neighbouring Syria.

THAAD is capable of destroying short, medium and intermediate-range missiles.

In 2017, the US government approved its sale to Saudi Arabia, providing Riyadh with state-of-the-art capabilities that could thwart an Iranian rocket attack.

It had already been supplied to Saudi Arabia's neighbours Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Its deployment by the US military in South Korea as defence against North Korean drew protests from Beijing, which feared its sensors would be capable of penetrating Chinese air space and upset the balance of power.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the joint exercise, calling it "additional testimony to the commitment of the US to the security of Israel".

The United States has deployed its advanced THAAD missile defence system temporarily to Israel for a joint military exercise, the first of its kind, officials said Monday.

The United States has deployed its advanced THAAD missile defence system temporarily to Israel for a joint military exercise, the first of its kind, officials said Monday. The two countries confirmed the deployment, with Israel's military stressing it was "not related to any specific current event". It is the first such exercise in Israel, although the two allies hold regular joint war games. No dates have been announced for the manoeuvres. Israel has its own missile defence system, but the exercise aims in part to examine how to incorporate THAAD so that "we are ready for any challenges in the future", military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said. It will also allow the US military to practice the rapid deployment of THAAD across the globe, officials said. "We see this as an opportunity to practice the integration of advanced American air defence systems into the Israeli air force air defence array," Conricus told journalists. "The THAAD system is considered to be one of the most advanced of its kind in the world," the Israeli spokesman said. The exercise with THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, involves more than 200 US military personnel and its components include radars and launching systems, Conricus said. Components and personnel have come from the United States and Italy, Conricus said. The THAAD will be deployed in southern Israel, but officials declined to say specifically where and for how long. Israel's enemies in the region include Iran and Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hezbollah, both of which are supporting President Bashar al-Assad in neighbouring Syria. THAAD is capable of destroying short, medium and intermediate-range missiles. In 2017, the US government approved its sale to Saudi Arabia, providing Riyadh with state-of-the-art capabilities that could thwart an Iranian rocket attack. It had already been supplied to Saudi Arabia's neighbours Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Its deployment by the US military in South Korea as defence against North Korean drew protests from Beijing, which feared its sensors would be capable of penetrating Chinese air space and upset the balance of power. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the joint exercise, calling it "additional testimony to the commitment of the US to the security of Israel".

US deploys THAAD missile defence in Israel for exercise

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-says-it-is-seeking-information-on-whether-pakistan-used-f-16s-to-shoot-down-indian-jet-200891">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-says-it-is-seeking-information-on-whether-pakistan-used-f-16s-to-shoot-down-indian-jet-200891"> says it is 'seeking information' on whether Pakistan used F-16s to shoot down Indian jet</a>

The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-pilot-sustained-injuries-in-one-of-his-ribs-after-assault-from-pakistani-mob-sources-200899">Wing Commander Abhinandan's lower spine, rib hurt: Sources</a>

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was held captive by the Pakistanis for two days after his jet was shot down in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has suffered injuries to his lower spine and rib.&nbsp;

The news agency ANI quoted sources as saying Abhinandan might have hurt his spine while ejecting from his MiG-21.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-says-it-will-prevent-us-military-intervention-in-venezuela-tass-200896">Russia says it will prevent US military intervention in Venezuela: TASS</a>

Russia will do all possible to prevent a US military intervention in Venezuela, the TASS news agency quoted the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament as saying on Sunday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-dragon-capsule-successfully-docks-on-international-space-station-nasa-200895">SpaceX capsule docks successfully at International Space Station: NASA</a>

SpaceX's new Dragon capsule successfully docked on the International Space Station on Sunday, NASA and SpaceX confirmed during a live broadcast of the mission.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/al-qaeda-linked-syria-group-kills-21-regime-forces-monitor-200898">Al-Qaeda-linked Syria group kills 21 regime forces: Monitor</a>

A Syrian jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda killed 21 regime and allied forces Sunday near Idlib province, in one of the deadliest breaches of a six-month-old truce deal, a monitor said.

US says it is 'seeking information' on whether Pakistan used F-16s to shoot down Indian jet The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan.

US says it is 'seeking information' on whether Pakistan used F-16s to shoot down Indian jet The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan. Wing Commander Abhinandan's lower spine, rib hurt: Sources Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was held captive by the Pakistanis for two days after his jet was shot down in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has suffered injuries to his lower spine and rib. The news agency ANI quoted sources as saying Abhinandan might have hurt his spine while ejecting from his MiG-21. Russia says it will prevent US military intervention in Venezuela: TASS Russia will do all possible to prevent a US military intervention in Venezuela, the TASS news agency quoted the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament as saying on Sunday. SpaceX capsule docks successfully at International Space Station: NASA SpaceX's new Dragon capsule successfully docked on the International Space Station on Sunday, NASA and SpaceX confirmed during a live broadcast of the mission. Al-Qaeda-linked Syria group kills 21 regime forces: Monitor A Syrian jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda killed 21 regime and allied forces Sunday near Idlib province, in one of the deadliest breaches of a six-month-old truce deal, a monitor said.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-defends-executive-time-after-schedule-leak-196484">Trump administration</a> threatened on Monday to veto an effort in the US Congress to end US military support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, continuing a stand-off with lawmakers over policy toward the kingdom.

Democrats and Republicans re-introduced the war powers resolution two weeks ago as a way to send a strong message to Riyadh both about the humanitarian disaster in Yemen and condemn the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The administration said the resolution was inappropriate because US forces had provided aircraft refuelling and other support in the Yemen conflict, not combat troops. It also said the measure would harm relationships in the region and hurt the US ability to prevent the spread of violent extremism.

The White House has angered many members of Congress, including some of President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans, by failing to provide a report by a Friday deadline on the murder of Khashoggi last year at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Khashoggi was a US resident and columnist for the Washington Post.

"It's hard to feel any affection or some obligation to a regime that does that kind of stuff," Democratic Representative Ed Perlmutter said at a House of Representatives hearing on the resolution on Monday.

The Saudis, who Trump considers an important regional partner, are leading a coalition battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The war has killed tens of thousands and left millions on the brink of starvation.

The United States has supported the Saudi-led air campaign with mid-air refuelling support, intelligence and targeting assistance.

Democrats view the war powers resolution as a way to assert Congress' constitutional right to authorize the use of military force in foreign conflicts. Republican opponents of the measure, echoing Trump, argue that support for the Saudis constitutes a security agreement, not the use of force.

The Republican-controlled US Senate passed the war powers resolution in December, the first time such a resolution had passed even one house of Congress. But Republicans, who then controlled the House, did not allow a vote in the lower chamber.

After sweeping election victories, Democrats now have a House majority. They intend to take up the resolution this week.

However, the resolution would struggle to garner the two-thirds majorities needed in both the House and Senate to overcome a Trump veto. Republicans still hold a slim majority in the Senate.

The Trump administration threatened on Monday to veto an effort in the US Congress to end US military support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, continuing a stand-off with lawmakers over policy toward the kingdom.

The Trump administration threatened on Monday to veto an effort in the US Congress to end US military support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in Yemen, continuing a stand-off with lawmakers over policy toward the kingdom. Democrats and Republicans re-introduced the war powers resolution two weeks ago as a way to send a strong message to Riyadh both about the humanitarian disaster in Yemen and condemn the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The administration said the resolution was inappropriate because US forces had provided aircraft refuelling and other support in the Yemen conflict, not combat troops. It also said the measure would harm relationships in the region and hurt the US ability to prevent the spread of violent extremism. The White House has angered many members of Congress, including some of President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans, by failing to provide a report by a Friday deadline on the murder of Khashoggi last year at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Khashoggi was a US resident and columnist for the Washington Post. "It's hard to feel any affection or some obligation to a regime that does that kind of stuff," Democratic Representative Ed Perlmutter said at a House of Representatives hearing on the resolution on Monday. The Saudis, who Trump considers an important regional partner, are leading a coalition battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The war has killed tens of thousands and left millions on the brink of starvation. The United States has supported the Saudi-led air campaign with mid-air refuelling support, intelligence and targeting assistance. Democrats view the war powers resolution as a way to assert Congress' constitutional right to authorize the use of military force in foreign conflicts. Republican opponents of the measure, echoing Trump, argue that support for the Saudis constitutes a security agreement, not the use of force. The Republican-controlled US Senate passed the war powers resolution in December, the first time such a resolution had passed even one house of Congress. But Republicans, who then controlled the House, did not allow a vote in the lower chamber. After sweeping election victories, Democrats now have a House majority. They intend to take up the resolution this week. However, the resolution would struggle to garner the two-thirds majorities needed in both the House and Senate to overcome a Trump veto. Republicans still hold a slim majority in the Senate.

Trump objects to measure ending US support for Saudis in Yemen war

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-sending-military-to-venezuela-an-option-cbs-194884">US President Donald Trump</a> said it was important to keep a US military presence in Iraq so that Washington can keep a close eye on Iran, according to a CBS interview to be broadcast on Sunday.

Trump said the United States spent a fortune on a base in Iraq. "We might as well keep it. One of the reasons I want to keep it is because I want to be looking a little bit at Iran because Iran is a real problem," he said in excerpts from a CBS "Face the Nation" interview.

Asked if that meant he wanted to be able to strike Iran, Trump said, "No, because I want to be able to watch Iran."

"All I want to do is be able to watch. We have an unbelievable and expensive military base built in Iraq. It's perfectly situated for looking at all over different parts of the troubled Middle East rather than pulling up."

Trump defended his decision to withdraw troops from Syria but refused to provide a timetable for the pullout, which was criticized by members of his own Republican Party and caused concern among some allies in the region.

He said some of the forces moving out of Syria will go to the base in Iraq and "ultimately some will be coming home."

US President Donald Trump said it was important to keep a US military presence in Iraq so that Washington can keep a close eye on Iran, according to a CBS interview to be broadcast on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump said it was important to keep a US military presence in Iraq so that Washington can keep a close eye on Iran, according to a CBS interview to be broadcast on Sunday. Trump said the United States spent a fortune on a base in Iraq. "We might as well keep it. One of the reasons I want to keep it is because I want to be looking a little bit at Iran because Iran is a real problem," he said in excerpts from a CBS "Face the Nation" interview. Asked if that meant he wanted to be able to strike Iran, Trump said, "No, because I want to be able to watch Iran." "All I want to do is be able to watch. We have an unbelievable and expensive military base built in Iraq. It's perfectly situated for looking at all over different parts of the troubled Middle East rather than pulling up." Trump defended his decision to withdraw troops from Syria but refused to provide a timetable for the pullout, which was criticized by members of his own Republican Party and caused concern among some allies in the region. He said some of the forces moving out of Syria will go to the base in Iraq and "ultimately some will be coming home."

Want to keep US military in Iraq to 'watch Iran', says Trump

US President Donald Trump took the world by surprise when he abruptly announced to withdraw American troops from Syria.

Some American politicians thought it was an ill-timed decision. Jim Mattis decided to resign from the post of US defence minister. Brett McGurk, US envoy for the global coalition to counter Islamic State, also put in his papers.&nbsp;

Trump’s decision ignited a wave of discontent in Iraq -- the west-Asian country which knows too well what US Military's presence means.

Shortly after announcing the Syrian pullout, Trump paid his first surprise visit to the American military contingent stationed in Iraq.

He said that there is no plan in sight to withdraw the 5,200 soldiers.

Under former US president Barack Obama’s presidency, US troops withdrew from Iraq only to come back in 2014 upon country's request to fight the Islamic State.&nbsp;

Trump’s decision to keep a military presence in Iraq angered the country's lawmakers who have been requesting a US withdrawal for many years.

Iraqi politicians sought a special parliamentary&nbsp;session in order to discuss and eventually vote on the matter.&nbsp;

Currently, the most influential political bloc in Iraq is led by Moqtada Al-Sadr, a Shia cleric who secured a substantial amount of votes in the country's general elections.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Back in the day, during US invasion of Iraq, Al-Sadr led an anti-American armed group which often fought against US soldiers on the ground.&nbsp;

He has since abandoned the armed struggle but retains strong nationalistic ideals.&nbsp;

He is a staunch supporter of Iraq's independence and sovereignty and is against all foreign intervention.

Nevertheless, Al- Sadr has strong relations with neighbouring Iran and this is what Washington fears the most.&nbsp;

Containing Tehran’s influence has become a priority for Trump, it would be impossible to do so if American troops leave Iraq -- especially now that the US is pulling out from Syria.&nbsp;

Trump’s decision to keep a military presence in Iraq angered the country's lawmakers who have been requesting a US withdrawal for many years.

US President Donald Trump took the world by surprise when he abruptly announced to withdraw American troops from Syria. Some American politicians thought it was an ill-timed decision. Jim Mattis decided to resign from the post of US defence minister. Brett McGurk, US envoy for the global coalition to counter Islamic State, also put in his papers. Trump’s decision ignited a wave of discontent in Iraq -- the west-Asian country which knows too well what US Military's presence means. Shortly after announcing the Syrian pullout, Trump paid his first surprise visit to the American military contingent stationed in Iraq. He said that there is no plan in sight to withdraw the 5,200 soldiers. Under former US president Barack Obama’s presidency, US troops withdrew from Iraq only to come back in 2014 upon country's request to fight the Islamic State. Trump’s decision to keep a military presence in Iraq angered the country's lawmakers who have been requesting a US withdrawal for many years. Iraqi politicians sought a special parliamentary session in order to discuss and eventually vote on the matter. Currently, the most influential political bloc in Iraq is led by Moqtada Al-Sadr, a Shia cleric who secured a substantial amount of votes in the country's general elections. Back in the day, during US invasion of Iraq, Al-Sadr led an anti-American armed group which often fought against US soldiers on the ground. He has since abandoned the armed struggle but retains strong nationalistic ideals. He is a staunch supporter of Iraq's independence and sovereignty and is against all foreign intervention. Nevertheless, Al- Sadr has strong relations with neighbouring Iran and this is what Washington fears the most. Containing Tehran’s influence has become a priority for Trump, it would be impossible to do so if American troops leave Iraq -- especially now that the US is pulling out from Syria.

US pullout from Syria angers Iraq

US&nbsp;Strategic Command, which oversees the country's nuclear arsenal, apologized for a Twitter message saying it was ready if necessary to drop something "much, much bigger" than the New Year's Eve ball in New York and showing a clip of an aircraft releasing bombs.

"#TimesSquare tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball...if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger," the tweet said, hours before the midnight descent of the illuminated ball in New York's Times Square marking the arrival of the new year.

The video showed a B-2 bomber dropping bombs, followed by explosions on the ground.

The message touched off many critical comments on social media. Mary Fahner-Short, using the handle @maryfshort, wrote on Twitter: "Why is @US_Stratcom joking about nuclear war? #shameful."

Later on Monday, the message was deleted from the US&nbsp;Strategic Command's Twitter feed. A new message said: "Our previous NYE tweet was in poor taste &amp; does not reflect our values. We apologize. We are dedicated to the security of America &amp; allies."

US Strategic Command, which oversees the country's nuclear arsenal, apologized for a Twitter message saying it was ready if necessary to drop something "much, much bigger" than the New Year's Eve ball in New York and showing a clip of an aircraft releasing bombs.

US Strategic Command, which oversees the country's nuclear arsenal, apologized for a Twitter message saying it was ready if necessary to drop something "much, much bigger" than the New Year's Eve ball in New York and showing a clip of an aircraft releasing bombs. "#TimesSquare tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball...if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger," the tweet said, hours before the midnight descent of the illuminated ball in New York's Times Square marking the arrival of the new year. The video showed a B-2 bomber dropping bombs, followed by explosions on the ground. The message touched off many critical comments on social media. Mary Fahner-Short, using the handle @maryfshort, wrote on Twitter: "Why is @US_Stratcom joking about nuclear war? #shameful." Later on Monday, the message was deleted from the US Strategic Command's Twitter feed. A new message said: "Our previous NYE tweet was in poor taste & does not reflect our values. We apologize. We are dedicated to the security of America & allies."

US military deletes tweet about dropping bombs, apologises

The Syrian army has not entered Manbij, the US military said Friday, after<a href="http://wionews.com/world/syrian-army-enters-manbij-in-new-alliance-with-kurds-187070"> Syrian forces claimed they had gone into the key northern city </a>and raised the national flag.

"Despite incorrect information about changes to the military forces in Manbij city, (the US-led coalition) has seen no indication of these claims being true," US Central Command spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Earl Brown said.

Manbij is a strategic city close to the Turkish border where Kurdish forces have been deployed since 2016.

US and French special operations troops are also stationed there, assisting the Kurds, but the Americans will be withdrawing under a surprise pull-out announced by President Donald Trump last week.

Brown called on all parties to respect the "integrity of Manbij and the safety of its citizens."

"Our mission has not changed. We will continue to support our coalition partners, while also conducting a deliberate and controlled withdrawal of forces, while taking all measures possible to ensure our troops' safety and that of our partners on the ground," he told AFP.

The US withdrawal from Syria has sent Kurdish forces scrambling to find allies to fend off a possible attack from Turkey, which views the fighters as "terrorists."

The Kurds have welcomed a regime advance in Manbij province, a pragmatic shift in alliances that will dash their aspirations for autonomy but could help them cut their losses.

Manbij is a strategic city close to the Turkish border where Kurdish forces have been deployed since 2016.

The Syrian army has not entered Manbij, the US military said Friday, after Syrian forces claimed they had gone into the key northern city and raised the national flag. "Despite incorrect information about changes to the military forces in Manbij city, (the US-led coalition) has seen no indication of these claims being true," US Central Command spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Earl Brown said. Manbij is a strategic city close to the Turkish border where Kurdish forces have been deployed since 2016. US and French special operations troops are also stationed there, assisting the Kurds, but the Americans will be withdrawing under a surprise pull-out announced by President Donald Trump last week. Brown called on all parties to respect the "integrity of Manbij and the safety of its citizens." "Our mission has not changed. We will continue to support our coalition partners, while also conducting a deliberate and controlled withdrawal of forces, while taking all measures possible to ensure our troops' safety and that of our partners on the ground," he told AFP. The US withdrawal from Syria has sent Kurdish forces scrambling to find allies to fend off a possible attack from Turkey, which views the fighters as "terrorists." The Kurds have welcomed a regime advance in Manbij province, a pragmatic shift in alliances that will dash their aspirations for autonomy but could help them cut their losses.

Syrian army not in Manbij city: US military

A US military delegation will visit <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-sends-military-reinforcements-to-syria-border-reports-186200">Turkey this week</a> to discuss the withdrawal of American ground forces from Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Monday.

"They will discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal) with their counterparts," Ibrahim Kalin told a news conference in Ankara after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-turkeys-erdogan-will-take-care-of-islamic-state-in-syria-186109">US President Donald Trump</a>'s shock decision last week to order the pull-out of 2,000 troops.

The US has for years supported the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Syria.

Critics of Trump's move fear that thousands of IS members could make gains in Syria, despite the US leader's claim that the group had been defeated.

"There is no question of a step backwards, vulnerability or a slowdown in the fight against Daesh (IS)," Kalin vowed, adding: "Turkey will show the same determination against Daesh... We can bring peace to this region."

He referred to Turkey's cross-border offensive launched in August 2016 against the IS in northern Syria and said Ankara would take all measures to avoid a power vacuum after the US withdrawal.

Kalin said there would be further talks between the two countries' foreign ministries and other departments including a meeting planned in Washington on January 8.

"There will be intensive traffic" between officials, he added, a day after Trump and Erdogan held a telephone conversation agreeing to coordinate the Syria pull out.

Trump's order came as Ankara warned it would launch an operation east of the Euphrates River against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which dominates the SDF.

Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.

Although Turkey said it would postpone the offensive, a Turkish military convoy has arrived in the Turkish border district of Elbeyli carrying howitzers and artillery batteries.

Parts of the convoy entered Syria, the private IHA news agency reported.

A US military delegation will visit Turkey this week to discuss the withdrawal of American ground forces from Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Monday.

A US military delegation will visit Turkey this week to discuss the withdrawal of American ground forces from Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Monday. "They will discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal) with their counterparts," Ibrahim Kalin told a news conference in Ankara after US President Donald Trump's shock decision last week to order the pull-out of 2,000 troops. The US has for years supported the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Syria. Critics of Trump's move fear that thousands of IS members could make gains in Syria, despite the US leader's claim that the group had been defeated. "There is no question of a step backwards, vulnerability or a slowdown in the fight against Daesh (IS)," Kalin vowed, adding: "Turkey will show the same determination against Daesh... We can bring peace to this region." He referred to Turkey's cross-border offensive launched in August 2016 against the IS in northern Syria and said Ankara would take all measures to avoid a power vacuum after the US withdrawal. Kalin said there would be further talks between the two countries' foreign ministries and other departments including a meeting planned in Washington on January 8. "There will be intensive traffic" between officials, he added, a day after Trump and Erdogan held a telephone conversation agreeing to coordinate the Syria pull out. Trump's order came as Ankara warned it would launch an operation east of the Euphrates River against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which dominates the SDF. Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. Although Turkey said it would postpone the offensive, a Turkish military convoy has arrived in the Turkish border district of Elbeyli carrying howitzers and artillery batteries. Parts of the convoy entered Syria, the private IHA news agency reported.

US team coming to discuss Syria troops withdrawal: Turkey

The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-erdogan-vow-to-avoid-syria-power-vacuum-after-us-forces-leave-186057">agreed to prevent a power vacuum</a> in the wake of the controversial move.

The announcement that US troops would leave the civil war-racked country -- where they have been deployed to assist in the multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group -- shocked global partners and American politicians alike.

"The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP when asked about the withdrawal order, without providing further details.

Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Trump's momentous decision on Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target US-allied Kurdish fighters who have played a key role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara.

Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday and "agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the Turkish presidency said in a statement.

Hours earlier, Trump had tweeted that he and Erdogan "discussed (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, &amp; the slow &amp; highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area."

Both US politicians and international allies fear the withdrawal is premature and would further destabilize the already devastated region.

A US withdrawal, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open the way "for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin."

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said he "deeply regretted" Trump's decision, and that "an ally must be reliable."

- New Pentagon chief - 
US troops will leave under the auspices of a new Pentagon chief set to start next month, after Jim Mattis resigned from the post citing key differences, including on Syria, with the often-impulsive Trump.

Several US politicians from both parties rejected Trump's claim that IS had been defeated, and the decision also caused alarm and dismay in the US military over the prospect of suddenly abandoning Washington's Kurdish partners.

And Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil within his administration, prompting the resignation of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, as well as Mattis.

Plans for the troop withdrawal will now be overseen by Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who Trump on Sunday said would replace Mattis starting January 1.

Mattis, 68, had said he would leave at the end of February to allow a smooth transition for the next chief of the world's top military power -- but a reportedly angry Trump accelerated his departure by two months.

Defense spokeswoman Dana White tweeted that Mattis would still assist in the handover, working with Shanahan to ensure the department "remains focused on the defense of our nation during this transition."

According to US media, the Republican leader voiced resentment over news coverage of Mattis' stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the president.

Days later, special envoy McGurk made a similar move, saying he could not support Trump's Syria decision that he said "left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered."

Unlike Mattis, Shanahan has never served in the military and has spent most of his career in the private sector.

He spent over three decades working for aircraft giant Boeing, including as vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, before moving to the Pentagon as deputy in 2017.

Until Trump finds a permanent defense leader, Shanahan will lead plans for US troops to leave Syria along with a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, both of which critics worry will leave war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed. 
&nbsp;

The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart agreed to prevent a power vacuum in the wake of the controversial move.

The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart agreed to prevent a power vacuum in the wake of the controversial move. The announcement that US troops would leave the civil war-racked country -- where they have been deployed to assist in the multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group -- shocked global partners and American politicians alike. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP when asked about the withdrawal order, without providing further details. Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Trump's momentous decision on Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target US-allied Kurdish fighters who have played a key role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara. Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday and "agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Hours earlier, Trump had tweeted that he and Erdogan "discussed (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area." Both US politicians and international allies fear the withdrawal is premature and would further destabilize the already devastated region. A US withdrawal, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open the way "for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin." French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said he "deeply regretted" Trump's decision, and that "an ally must be reliable." - New Pentagon chief - US troops will leave under the auspices of a new Pentagon chief set to start next month, after Jim Mattis resigned from the post citing key differences, including on Syria, with the often-impulsive Trump. Several US politicians from both parties rejected Trump's claim that IS had been defeated, and the decision also caused alarm and dismay in the US military over the prospect of suddenly abandoning Washington's Kurdish partners. And Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil within his administration, prompting the resignation of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, as well as Mattis. Plans for the troop withdrawal will now be overseen by Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who Trump on Sunday said would replace Mattis starting January 1. Mattis, 68, had said he would leave at the end of February to allow a smooth transition for the next chief of the world's top military power -- but a reportedly angry Trump accelerated his departure by two months. Defense spokeswoman Dana White tweeted that Mattis would still assist in the handover, working with Shanahan to ensure the department "remains focused on the defense of our nation during this transition." According to US media, the Republican leader voiced resentment over news coverage of Mattis' stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the president. Days later, special envoy McGurk made a similar move, saying he could not support Trump's Syria decision that he said "left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered." Unlike Mattis, Shanahan has never served in the military and has spent most of his career in the private sector. He spent over three decades working for aircraft giant Boeing, including as vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, before moving to the Pentagon as deputy in 2017. Until Trump finds a permanent defense leader, Shanahan will lead plans for US troops to leave Syria along with a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, both of which critics worry will leave war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed.

Order for troop pullout from Syria signed: US military

A SpaceX rocket carrying a US military navigation satellite blasted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral on Sunday, marking the space transportation company's first national security space mission for the United States.

The Falcon 9 rocket carrying a roughly $500 million GPS satellite built by Lockheed Martin Corp lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 8:51 am local time. Four previous scheduled launches in the last week, including one on Saturday, were cancelled due to weather and technical issues.

The successful launch is a significant victory for billionaire Elon Musk's privately held rocket company, which has spent years trying to break into the lucrative market for military space launches dominated by Lockheed and Boeing Co.

SpaceX sued the U.S. Air Force in 2014 over the military's award of a multibillion-dollar, non-compete contract for 36 rocket launches to United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed. It dropped the lawsuit in 2015 after the Air Force agreed to open up competition.

The next year, SpaceX won an $83 million Air Force contract to launch the GPS III satellite, which will have a lifespan of 15 years.

The satellite is the first to launch out of 32 in production by Lockheed under contracts worth a combined $12.6 billion for the Air Force GPS III program, according to Lockheed spokesman Chip Eschenfelder.

The launch was originally scheduled for 2014 but has been hobbled by production delays, the Air Force said.

The next GPS III satellite is due to launch in mid-2019, Eschenfelder said, while subsequent satellites undergo testing in the company's Colorado processing facility.

A SpaceX rocket carrying a US military navigation satellite blasted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral on Sunday, marking the space transportation company's first national security space mission for the United States.

A SpaceX rocket carrying a US military navigation satellite blasted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral on Sunday, marking the space transportation company's first national security space mission for the United States. The Falcon 9 rocket carrying a roughly $500 million GPS satellite built by Lockheed Martin Corp lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 8:51 am local time. Four previous scheduled launches in the last week, including one on Saturday, were cancelled due to weather and technical issues. The successful launch is a significant victory for billionaire Elon Musk's privately held rocket company, which has spent years trying to break into the lucrative market for military space launches dominated by Lockheed and Boeing Co. SpaceX sued the U.S. Air Force in 2014 over the military's award of a multibillion-dollar, non-compete contract for 36 rocket launches to United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed. It dropped the lawsuit in 2015 after the Air Force agreed to open up competition. The next year, SpaceX won an $83 million Air Force contract to launch the GPS III satellite, which will have a lifespan of 15 years. The satellite is the first to launch out of 32 in production by Lockheed under contracts worth a combined $12.6 billion for the Air Force GPS III program, according to Lockheed spokesman Chip Eschenfelder. The launch was originally scheduled for 2014 but has been hobbled by production delays, the Air Force said. The next GPS III satellite is due to launch in mid-2019, Eschenfelder said, while subsequent satellites undergo testing in the company's Colorado processing facility.

SpaceX launches first US national security space mission

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-to-retry-launch-in-first-us-national-security-space-mission-185872">Elon Musk's SpaceX</a> scrapped Saturday's launch of a long-delayed navigation satellite for the US military due to strong upper-level winds.

The next launch attempt will be on Sunday at 8:51 am, according to Space X officials.

The launch, SpaceX's fourth attempt in a week after technical and weather delays, would have been the rocket firm's first national security space mission for the United States. Musk's rocket company has spent years trying to break into the lucrative market for military space launches long-dominated by Lockheed and Boeing Co.

SpaceX sued the US Air Force in 2014 in protest over the military's award of a multibillion-dollar, non-compete contract for 36 rocket launches to United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed. It dropped the lawsuit in 2015 after the Air Force agreed to open up competition.

The next year, SpaceX won an $83 million Air Force contract to launch the GPS III satellite, which will have a lifespan of 15 years.

The launch would be the first of 32 satellites in production by Lockheed under contracts worth a combined $12.6 billion for the Air Force GPS III program, Lockheed spokesman Chip Eschenfelder said.

Air Force spokesman William Russell said: "Once fully operational, this latest generation of GPS satellites will bring new capabilities to users, including three times greater accuracy and up to eight times the anti-jamming capabilities."

The launch was originally scheduled for 2014 but has been hobbled by production delays, the Air Force said.

It would have marked SpaceX's first so-called National Security Space mission, as defined by the US military, SpaceX said.

The next GPS III satellite is due to launch in mid-2019, Eschenfelder said, while subsequent satellites undergo testing in the company's Colorado processing facility.

Elon Musk's SpaceX scrapped Saturday's launch of a long-delayed navigation satellite for the US military due to strong upper-level winds. The next launch attempt will be on Sunday at 8:51 am, according to Space X officials.

Elon Musk's SpaceX scrapped Saturday's launch of a long-delayed navigation satellite for the US military due to strong upper-level winds. The next launch attempt will be on Sunday at 8:51 am, according to Space X officials. The launch, SpaceX's fourth attempt in a week after technical and weather delays, would have been the rocket firm's first national security space mission for the United States. Musk's rocket company has spent years trying to break into the lucrative market for military space launches long-dominated by Lockheed and Boeing Co. SpaceX sued the US Air Force in 2014 in protest over the military's award of a multibillion-dollar, non-compete contract for 36 rocket launches to United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed. It dropped the lawsuit in 2015 after the Air Force agreed to open up competition. The next year, SpaceX won an $83 million Air Force contract to launch the GPS III satellite, which will have a lifespan of 15 years. The launch would be the first of 32 satellites in production by Lockheed under contracts worth a combined $12.6 billion for the Air Force GPS III program, Lockheed spokesman Chip Eschenfelder said. Air Force spokesman William Russell said: "Once fully operational, this latest generation of GPS satellites will bring new capabilities to users, including three times greater accuracy and up to eight times the anti-jamming capabilities." The launch was originally scheduled for 2014 but has been hobbled by production delays, the Air Force said. It would have marked SpaceX's first so-called National Security Space mission, as defined by the US military, SpaceX said. The next GPS III satellite is due to launch in mid-2019, Eschenfelder said, while subsequent satellites undergo testing in the company's Colorado processing facility.

SpaceX halts launch of US military satellite due to winds

The arrival of the USS John C Stennis aircraft carrier group in the Gulf to deter Iran from further testing ballistic missiles is likely to dampen Indian hopes that the Trump administration’s exemption of the port of Chabahar from sanctions against the Islamic republic would help it tighten economic relations with Central Asia and further regional integration.

The group’s presence in the Gulf, the first by a US aircraft carrier in eight months, came amid mounting tension between the United States and Iran following the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear programme and the imposition of harsh sanctions against the Islamic republic. It raised the spectre of a potential military conflagration.

The deployment for a period of two months coincided with a suicide attack on a Revolutionary Guards headquarters in Chabahar that killed two people and wounded 40 others.

Saudi and Iranian media reported that Ansar al-Furqan, a shadowy Iranian Sunni jihadi group that Iran claims is supported by the kingdom as well as the United States and Israel, had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Saudi pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat asserted that the attack “reflects the anger harboured by the (city’s Baloch) minority against the government.” The paper said the Iranian government had expelled thousands of Baloch families from Chabahar and replaced them with Persians in a bid to change its demography. It asserted that Iran was granting nationality to Afghan Shiites who had fought in Syria and Iraq and was moving them to Chabahar.

The paper went on to say that “anti-regime Baloch movements have recently intensified their operations against Tehran in an attempt to deter it from carrying out its plan to expel and marginalise the Baloch from their ancestral regions.”

Saudi Arabia, a staunch supporter of the US’s confrontational approach towards Iran, has pumped large amounts of money into militant, ultraconservative Sunni Muslim anti-Shiite and anti-Iranian religious seminaries along the border between the Pakistani province of Balochistan and the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan that is home to Chabahar, according to militants.

The funding was designed to create the building blocks for a potential covert effort to destabilise Iran by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities.

The deployment was, according to US officials in response to Iran’s test-firing of a ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple warheads. The US sanctions are in part designed to force Iran to drop its development of ballistic missiles. Iranian officials insist the missiles program is defensive in nature.

&nbsp;“We are accumulating risk of escalation in the region if we fail to restore deterrence,” said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The spectre of increased military tension in the Gulf with the arrival of the aircraft carrier group and of potentially Saudi and US-backed political violence in Iran and a troubling security situation in Afghanistan threatened to diminish the impact of Washington’s granting Indian investment in Chabahar an exemption from its economic sanctions against Iran.

Indian and Iranian officials fear that the United States’ stepped up military posture and heightened tensions could undermine their efforts to turn Chabahar, which sits at the top of the Arabian Sea, into a hub for trade between India and Central Asia rendering the US waiver worthless.

The officials have their hopes pinned on efforts to engineer a peace process in Afghanistan. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad alongside representatives of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan met this week with the Taliban. The talks are intended to negotiate an end to Afghanistan’s 17-year old war.

An Afghan government delegation, in what diplomats saw as a sign of progress, hovered in the corridors but did not take part in the meeting because of the Taliban’s insistence that it will only talk to the United States. Talks with the Taliban have so far stalled because of the group’s insistence on a timetable for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan.

US officials said the aircraft carrier group, beyond seeking to deter Iran, would also support the US war effort in Afghanistan where the United States has ramped up airstrikes in an effort to press the Taliban into peace talks.

The talks were an opportunity, particularly for Saudi Arabia, whose utility as an ally is being questioned by the US Congress in the wake of the October 2 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and Pakistan, which the United States accuses of supporting the Taliban, to demonstrate their utility.

US President Donald Trump asked Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan in a letter earlier this month to help bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

While Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have an interest in using their close ties to the Taliban to help forge an end to the Afghan war, it's not immediately clear that they want to see reduced tensions facilitate the emergence of Chabahar as an Indian-backed hub.

A Saudi think tank, the Arabian Gulf Centre for Iranian Studies (AGCIS) renamed the International Institute of Iranian Studies that is believed to be backed by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, argued in a study last year that Chabahar posed “a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states” that called for “immediate countermeasures.”

Written by Mohammed Hassan Husseinbor, identified as an Iranian political researcher, the study warned that Chabahar posed a threat because it would enable Iran to increase greater market share in India for its oil exports at the expense of Saudi Arabia, raise foreign investment in the Islamic republic, increase government revenues, and allow Iran to project power in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

Noting the vast expanses of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province, Husseinbor went on to say that “It would be a formidable challenge, if not impossible, for the Iranian government to protect such long distances and secure Chabahar in the face of widespread Baluch opposition, particularly if this opposition is supported by Iran’s regional adversaries and world powers.”

Similarly, Pakistan is heavily invested in Gwadar, the Chinese-backed port in Balochistan that is a crown jewel of the $45 billion-plus China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a pillar of the People’s Republic’s Belt and Road initiative. Gwadar is a mere 70 kilometres up the coast from Chabahar.

"Pakistan sees India as an existential threat and the idea of India being in any way present on Pakistan's western flank in Afghanistan will always raise alarm bells in Islamabad," said South Asia scholar Michael Kugelman.

If the arrival of the USS John C Stennis aircraft carrier group in the Gulf heralds heightened tension, Pakistan may have less reason to worry. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The arrival of the USS John C Stennis aircraft carrier group in the Gulf to deter Iran from further testing ballistic missiles is likely to dampen Indian hopes that the Trump administration’s exemption of the port of Chabahar from sanctions against the Islamic republic would help it tighten economic relations with Central Asia and further regional integration.

The arrival of the USS John C Stennis aircraft carrier group in the Gulf to deter Iran from further testing ballistic missiles is likely to dampen Indian hopes that the Trump administration’s exemption of the port of Chabahar from sanctions against the Islamic republic would help it tighten economic relations with Central Asia and further regional integration. The group’s presence in the Gulf, the first by a US aircraft carrier in eight months, came amid mounting tension between the United States and Iran following the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear programme and the imposition of harsh sanctions against the Islamic republic. It raised the spectre of a potential military conflagration. The deployment for a period of two months coincided with a suicide attack on a Revolutionary Guards headquarters in Chabahar that killed two people and wounded 40 others. Saudi and Iranian media reported that Ansar al-Furqan, a shadowy Iranian Sunni jihadi group that Iran claims is supported by the kingdom as well as the United States and Israel, had claimed responsibility for the attack. Saudi pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat asserted that the attack “reflects the anger harboured by the (city’s Baloch) minority against the government.” The paper said the Iranian government had expelled thousands of Baloch families from Chabahar and replaced them with Persians in a bid to change its demography. It asserted that Iran was granting nationality to Afghan Shiites who had fought in Syria and Iraq and was moving them to Chabahar. The paper went on to say that “anti-regime Baloch movements have recently intensified their operations against Tehran in an attempt to deter it from carrying out its plan to expel and marginalise the Baloch from their ancestral regions.” Saudi Arabia, a staunch supporter of the US’s confrontational approach towards Iran, has pumped large amounts of money into militant, ultraconservative Sunni Muslim anti-Shiite and anti-Iranian religious seminaries along the border between the Pakistani province of Balochistan and the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan that is home to Chabahar, according to militants. The funding was designed to create the building blocks for a potential covert effort to destabilise Iran by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities. The deployment was, according to US officials in response to Iran’s test-firing of a ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple warheads. The US sanctions are in part designed to force Iran to drop its development of ballistic missiles. Iranian officials insist the missiles program is defensive in nature. “We are accumulating risk of escalation in the region if we fail to restore deterrence,” said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The spectre of increased military tension in the Gulf with the arrival of the aircraft carrier group and of potentially Saudi and US-backed political violence in Iran and a troubling security situation in Afghanistan threatened to diminish the impact of Washington’s granting Indian investment in Chabahar an exemption from its economic sanctions against Iran. Indian and Iranian officials fear that the United States’ stepped up military posture and heightened tensions could undermine their efforts to turn Chabahar, which sits at the top of the Arabian Sea, into a hub for trade between India and Central Asia rendering the US waiver worthless. The officials have their hopes pinned on efforts to engineer a peace process in Afghanistan. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad alongside representatives of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan met this week with the Taliban. The talks are intended to negotiate an end to Afghanistan’s 17-year old war. An Afghan government delegation, in what diplomats saw as a sign of progress, hovered in the corridors but did not take part in the meeting because of the Taliban’s insistence that it will only talk to the United States. Talks with the Taliban have so far stalled because of the group’s insistence on a timetable for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan. US officials said the aircraft carrier group, beyond seeking to deter Iran, would also support the US war effort in Afghanistan where the United States has ramped up airstrikes in an effort to press the Taliban into peace talks. The talks were an opportunity, particularly for Saudi Arabia, whose utility as an ally is being questioned by the US Congress in the wake of the October 2 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and Pakistan, which the United States accuses of supporting the Taliban, to demonstrate their utility. US President Donald Trump asked Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan in a letter earlier this month to help bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. While Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have an interest in using their close ties to the Taliban to help forge an end to the Afghan war, it's not immediately clear that they want to see reduced tensions facilitate the emergence of Chabahar as an Indian-backed hub. A Saudi think tank, the Arabian Gulf Centre for Iranian Studies (AGCIS) renamed the International Institute of Iranian Studies that is believed to be backed by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, argued in a study last year that Chabahar posed “a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states” that called for “immediate countermeasures.” Written by Mohammed Hassan Husseinbor, identified as an Iranian political researcher, the study warned that Chabahar posed a threat because it would enable Iran to increase greater market share in India for its oil exports at the expense of Saudi Arabia, raise foreign investment in the Islamic republic, increase government revenues, and allow Iran to project power in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Noting the vast expanses of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province, Husseinbor went on to say that “It would be a formidable challenge, if not impossible, for the Iranian government to protect such long distances and secure Chabahar in the face of widespread Baluch opposition, particularly if this opposition is supported by Iran’s regional adversaries and world powers.” Similarly, Pakistan is heavily invested in Gwadar, the Chinese-backed port in Balochistan that is a crown jewel of the $45 billion-plus China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a pillar of the People’s Republic’s Belt and Road initiative. Gwadar is a mere 70 kilometres up the coast from Chabahar. "Pakistan sees India as an existential threat and the idea of India being in any way present on Pakistan's western flank in Afghanistan will always raise alarm bells in Islamabad," said South Asia scholar Michael Kugelman. If the arrival of the USS John C Stennis aircraft carrier group in the Gulf heralds heightened tension, Pakistan may have less reason to worry. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Chabahar port: Stepped up US military posture in Gulf threatens India's interests

The US military said Monday it has killed 62 terrorists from the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-15-dead-10-wounded-after-shabaab-militants-attacked-a-sufi-religious-centre-in-somali-179523">jihadist Shabaab movement</a> in six air strikes in Somalia.

Four strikes on Saturday killed 34 terrorists and another two on Sunday killed 28, the US Africa Command said in a statement.

The air attacks, in a coastal region south of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, were the deadliest in the country since November last year when the US said it had killed 100 militants.

The strikes were conducted with "our Somali partners to prevent terrorists from using remote areas as safe havens to plot, direct, inspire and recruit for future attacks," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said, noting that no civilians had been killed or injured.&nbsp;

The action brings to 45 the number of strikes the Pentagon has conducted against Shabaab so far in 2018, Manning said.

Last year, the figure was 35. Manning attributed the increase to operations becoming more "efficient."

"We're getting better. And because we're getting better we're able to ... find, fix and eliminate those terrorist organizations," Manning said.

The surge in US operations in Somalia came after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/standoff-over-trump-wall-leaves-us-govt-5-days-away-from-shutdown-184833">President Donald Trump</a> in March 2017 loosened the constraints on the US military to take actions against alleged terrorists when they judge it is needed, without seeking specific White House approval.

American forces are partnering with African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali national security forces in counterterrorism operations, and have conducted frequent raids and drone strikes on Shabaab training camps throughout Somalia.

As of August, the Pentagon assesses there to be between 3,000 and 7,000 Shabaab fighters and 70 to 250 Islamic State Somalia fighters in the Horn of Africa nation.

The US military said Monday it has killed 62 terrorists from the jihadist Shabaab movement in six air strikes in Somalia. Four strikes on Saturday killed 34 terrorists and another two on Sunday killed 28, the US Africa Command said in a statement.

The US military said Monday it has killed 62 terrorists from the jihadist Shabaab movement in six air strikes in Somalia. Four strikes on Saturday killed 34 terrorists and another two on Sunday killed 28, the US Africa Command said in a statement. The air attacks, in a coastal region south of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, were the deadliest in the country since November last year when the US said it had killed 100 militants. The strikes were conducted with "our Somali partners to prevent terrorists from using remote areas as safe havens to plot, direct, inspire and recruit for future attacks," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said, noting that no civilians had been killed or injured. The action brings to 45 the number of strikes the Pentagon has conducted against Shabaab so far in 2018, Manning said. Last year, the figure was 35. Manning attributed the increase to operations becoming more "efficient." "We're getting better. And because we're getting better we're able to ... find, fix and eliminate those terrorist organizations," Manning said. The surge in US operations in Somalia came after President Donald Trump in March 2017 loosened the constraints on the US military to take actions against alleged terrorists when they judge it is needed, without seeking specific White House approval. American forces are partnering with African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali national security forces in counterterrorism operations, and have conducted frequent raids and drone strikes on Shabaab training camps throughout Somalia. As of August, the Pentagon assesses there to be between 3,000 and 7,000 Shabaab fighters and 70 to 250 Islamic State Somalia fighters in the Horn of Africa nation.

Air strikes kill 62 Shabaab terrorists in Somalia: US military

The US Senate delivered a rare double rebuke to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-going-to-open-up-whole-country-they-want-to-please-me-trump-183898">President Donald Trump</a> on Saudi Arabia on Thursday, voting to end US military support for the war in Yemen and blame the Saudi crown prince for the murder of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/must-not-forget-true-message-in-his-work-jamal-khashoggis-editor-183554">journalist Jamal Khashoggi</a>.

The votes were largely symbolic because to become law the resolutions would have to pass the House of Representatives, whose Republican leaders have blocked any legislation intended to rebuke the Saudis.

In a historic move, Senators voted 56-41 to end US military support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen's civil war. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and spawned what the United Nations calls the world's most dire human crisis, with the country on the brink of famine.

It was the first time either chamber of Congress had backed a resolution to withdraw US forces from a military engagement under the War Powers Act. That law, passed in 1973, limits the president's ability to commit US forces to potential hostilities without congressional approval.

Seven of Trump's fellow Republicans joined Senate Democrats to back the measure.

Immediately after the Yemen vote, the Senate backed a resolution blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Khashoggi's murder and insisting that Saudi Arabia hold accountable anyone responsible for his death.

Khashoggi, a US&nbsp;resident who was a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. The Senate vote, which was unanimous, puts pressure on House leaders to allow a vote on the Khashoggi resolution this month, before Congress adjourns for the year.

"Unanimously, the United States Senate has said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. That is a strong statement. I think it speaks to the values that we hold dear," said Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and sponsor of the resolution.

Trump has said he wants Washington to stand by the Saudi government and the prince, despite a CIA assessment it was likely he ordered Khashoggi's killing. He promised to veto the war powers resolution.

Opponents of the resolution are reluctant to take any action to disrupt the strategic US relationship with Saudi Arabia, seen as an essential counterweight in the Middle East to Iran, arch-enemy of close US ally Israel.

Administration officials also see Saudi support as a linchpin for an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan yet to be unveiled by the Trump administration. And they have argued that ending US&nbsp;support could complicate Yemen peace talks.

'SHARED STRATEGIC INTERESTS'

Asked to comment on the Khashoggi resolution, a White House spokesperson noted sanctions imposed on 17 Saudis over the killing and said, "Our shared strategic interests with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remain, and we continue to view as achievable the twin imperatives of protecting America and holding accountable those responsible for the killing."

But backers of the resolutions, including some Republicans, promised to press ahead. On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of senators promised to push in the new Congress legislation for humanitarian sanctions and a ban on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia.

"What's next is to do everything possible to demand that the House of Representatives do what the members of the House want done, an opportunity to vote on this," Senator Bernie Sanders told Reuters.

Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said he would bring the resolution up again after the new Congress convenes in January, when Democrats will control the House of Representatives. The measure could pass the Senate again, given the bipartisan support it received on Thursday, even though Trump's Republicans will have a larger majority in the upper chamber next year.

"I think we're going to win in the Senate and I think we are going to do what the American people want, that is to end our participation in this horrific and destructive war," Sanders said.

There was no immediate word from House leadership on whether they would allow a vote on either resolution.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, who briefed House members on Thursday, urged senators during a briefing last month to keep supporting the Saudi-led coalition.

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said her members supported congressional action. "There certainly is an appetite in our caucus for that," Pelosi, who is expected to be the next House Speaker, told reporters.

Yemen's warring parties agreed on Thursday to cease fighting for the Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah and withdraw their troops, the first significant breakthrough for UN-led peace efforts in five years of conflict.

The US Senate delivered a rare double rebuke to President Donald Trump on Saudi Arabia on Thursday, voting to end US military support for the war in Yemen and blame the Saudi crown prince for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The US Senate delivered a rare double rebuke to President Donald Trump on Saudi Arabia on Thursday, voting to end US military support for the war in Yemen and blame the Saudi crown prince for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The votes were largely symbolic because to become law the resolutions would have to pass the House of Representatives, whose Republican leaders have blocked any legislation intended to rebuke the Saudis. In a historic move, Senators voted 56-41 to end US military support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen's civil war. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and spawned what the United Nations calls the world's most dire human crisis, with the country on the brink of famine. It was the first time either chamber of Congress had backed a resolution to withdraw US forces from a military engagement under the War Powers Act. That law, passed in 1973, limits the president's ability to commit US forces to potential hostilities without congressional approval. Seven of Trump's fellow Republicans joined Senate Democrats to back the measure. Immediately after the Yemen vote, the Senate backed a resolution blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Khashoggi's murder and insisting that Saudi Arabia hold accountable anyone responsible for his death. Khashoggi, a US resident who was a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. The Senate vote, which was unanimous, puts pressure on House leaders to allow a vote on the Khashoggi resolution this month, before Congress adjourns for the year. "Unanimously, the United States Senate has said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. That is a strong statement. I think it speaks to the values that we hold dear," said Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and sponsor of the resolution. Trump has said he wants Washington to stand by the Saudi government and the prince, despite a CIA assessment it was likely he ordered Khashoggi's killing. He promised to veto the war powers resolution. Opponents of the resolution are reluctant to take any action to disrupt the strategic US relationship with Saudi Arabia, seen as an essential counterweight in the Middle East to Iran, arch-enemy of close US ally Israel. Administration officials also see Saudi support as a linchpin for an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan yet to be unveiled by the Trump administration. And they have argued that ending US support could complicate Yemen peace talks. 'SHARED STRATEGIC INTERESTS' Asked to comment on the Khashoggi resolution, a White House spokesperson noted sanctions imposed on 17 Saudis over the killing and said, "Our shared strategic interests with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remain, and we continue to view as achievable the twin imperatives of protecting America and holding accountable those responsible for the killing." But backers of the resolutions, including some Republicans, promised to press ahead. On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of senators promised to push in the new Congress legislation for humanitarian sanctions and a ban on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. "What's next is to do everything possible to demand that the House of Representatives do what the members of the House want done, an opportunity to vote on this," Senator Bernie Sanders told Reuters. Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said he would bring the resolution up again after the new Congress convenes in January, when Democrats will control the House of Representatives. The measure could pass the Senate again, given the bipartisan support it received on Thursday, even though Trump's Republicans will have a larger majority in the upper chamber next year. "I think we're going to win in the Senate and I think we are going to do what the American people want, that is to end our participation in this horrific and destructive war," Sanders said. There was no immediate word from House leadership on whether they would allow a vote on either resolution. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, who briefed House members on Thursday, urged senators during a briefing last month to keep supporting the Saudi-led coalition. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said her members supported congressional action. "There certainly is an appetite in our caucus for that," Pelosi, who is expected to be the next House Speaker, told reporters. Yemen's warring parties agreed on Thursday to cease fighting for the Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah and withdraw their troops, the first significant breakthrough for UN-led peace efforts in five years of conflict.

Senate rebukes Trump on Saudi Arabia, blames prince Salman for Khashoggi murder

In a rare break with <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-cohen-liar-after-his-sentencing-report-183616">President Donald Trump</a>, the Senate voted on Wednesday to move ahead with a resolution to end US military support for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition in the war in Yemen and lawmakers vowed to push for sanctions against the kingdom in the new year.

Eleven of Trump's fellow Republicans joined Democrats to provide the 60 votes needed to advance the war powers resolution in the Republican-led chamber. The vote paved the way for debate and a vote on US involvement in a conflict that has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, many of them young children and left millions more at risk of starvation and death by disease.

The nearly unprecedented break the 11 Republicans made from Trump was largely symbolic because the House of Representatives is not expected to take the matter up this year. Trump has threatened a veto.

But backers of the resolution said it sent an important message that lawmakers are unhappy with the humanitarian disaster in Yemen, and angry about the lack of a strong US response to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers also vowed to keep pushing after the new Congress take office in January for further tough action against Saudi Arabia, including legislation to impose human rights sanctions and opposition to weapons sales.

"If you want to buy our weapons, there are certain things you have to accept. How you use them matters," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told a news conference.

"The individual, the crown prince, is so toxic, so tainted, so flawed, that I can't ever see myself doing business with Saudi Arabia unless there's a change there," said Graham, generally a close Trump ally in the Senate.

Republicans will hold a slightly larger majority in the new Senate, but Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives, increasing the chances of sanctions legislation passing.

The Trump administration had urged Congress not to oppose US fuelling, targeting help and other support for the Saudi-led coalition as it battles the Houthis, Shi'ite Muslim fighters viewed by Yemen's neighbours as agents of Iran.

Earlier on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the administration's handling of Khashoggi's killing.

Pompeo repeated his assertion there was no direct evidence linking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the October 2 killing of Khashoggi in Istanbul, despite a CIA assessment it was likely he ordered the killing.

Riyadh initially denied knowledge of Khashoggi’s disappearance, then offered contradictory explanations, including that he was killed in a rogue operation.

TRUMP STANDS BY CROWN PRINCE

Trump condemned the murder but has stood by the Saudi crown prince. "He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump told Reuters on Tuesday in an Oval Office interview.

Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel briefed leaders of the House of Representatives behind closed doors about the killing. After the classified meeting, House members said they had not heard anything to change their minds about Khashoggi's death.

Democratic Representative Eliot Engel, likely the next chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee when Democrats take control of the House in January, said he intended to hold hearings starting early next year on all aspects of Saudi behaviour and the US-Saudi relationship.

"Saudi Arabia's an important ... partner, but I don't think we can simply look the other way when things happen and talk about business as usual," Engel said.

Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who held a separate briefing for the entire Senate, are due to discuss Saudi Arabia with the entire House on Thursday.

But several lawmakers have urged that Congress keep the Yemen conflict separate from anger over the killing of Khashoggi, a US resident and Washington Post columnist.

They view Saudi Arabia as an essential counterweight in the Middle East to Iran, arch-enemy of close US ally Israel. White House officials see Saudi support as a linchpin for an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan yet to be unveiled by the Trump administration.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Wednesday in Jerusalem that Saudi Arabia's role in the Middle East must be taken into account in responding to Khashoggi's "horrific" fate.

"If Saudi Arabia were to be destabilized, the world would be destabilized," Netanyahu told foreign reporters, speaking in English.

In a rare break with President Donald Trump, the Senate voted on Wednesday to move ahead with a resolution to end US military support for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition in the war in Yemen and lawmakers vowed to push for sanctions against the kingdom in the new year.

In a rare break with President Donald Trump, the Senate voted on Wednesday to move ahead with a resolution to end US military support for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition in the war in Yemen and lawmakers vowed to push for sanctions against the kingdom in the new year. Eleven of Trump's fellow Republicans joined Democrats to provide the 60 votes needed to advance the war powers resolution in the Republican-led chamber. The vote paved the way for debate and a vote on US involvement in a conflict that has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, many of them young children and left millions more at risk of starvation and death by disease. The nearly unprecedented break the 11 Republicans made from Trump was largely symbolic because the House of Representatives is not expected to take the matter up this year. Trump has threatened a veto. But backers of the resolution said it sent an important message that lawmakers are unhappy with the humanitarian disaster in Yemen, and angry about the lack of a strong US response to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Republican and Democratic lawmakers also vowed to keep pushing after the new Congress take office in January for further tough action against Saudi Arabia, including legislation to impose human rights sanctions and opposition to weapons sales. "If you want to buy our weapons, there are certain things you have to accept. How you use them matters," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told a news conference. "The individual, the crown prince, is so toxic, so tainted, so flawed, that I can't ever see myself doing business with Saudi Arabia unless there's a change there," said Graham, generally a close Trump ally in the Senate. Republicans will hold a slightly larger majority in the new Senate, but Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives, increasing the chances of sanctions legislation passing. The Trump administration had urged Congress not to oppose US fuelling, targeting help and other support for the Saudi-led coalition as it battles the Houthis, Shi'ite Muslim fighters viewed by Yemen's neighbours as agents of Iran. Earlier on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the administration's handling of Khashoggi's killing. Pompeo repeated his assertion there was no direct evidence linking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the October 2 killing of Khashoggi in Istanbul, despite a CIA assessment it was likely he ordered the killing. Riyadh initially denied knowledge of Khashoggi’s disappearance, then offered contradictory explanations, including that he was killed in a rogue operation. TRUMP STANDS BY CROWN PRINCE Trump condemned the murder but has stood by the Saudi crown prince. "He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump told Reuters on Tuesday in an Oval Office interview. Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel briefed leaders of the House of Representatives behind closed doors about the killing. After the classified meeting, House members said they had not heard anything to change their minds about Khashoggi's death. Democratic Representative Eliot Engel, likely the next chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee when Democrats take control of the House in January, said he intended to hold hearings starting early next year on all aspects of Saudi behaviour and the US-Saudi relationship. "Saudi Arabia's an important ... partner, but I don't think we can simply look the other way when things happen and talk about business as usual," Engel said. Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who held a separate briefing for the entire Senate, are due to discuss Saudi Arabia with the entire House on Thursday. But several lawmakers have urged that Congress keep the Yemen conflict separate from anger over the killing of Khashoggi, a US resident and Washington Post columnist. They view Saudi Arabia as an essential counterweight in the Middle East to Iran, arch-enemy of close US ally Israel. White House officials see Saudi support as a linchpin for an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan yet to be unveiled by the Trump administration. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Wednesday in Jerusalem that Saudi Arabia's role in the Middle East must be taken into account in responding to Khashoggi's "horrific" fate. "If Saudi Arabia were to be destabilized, the world would be destabilized," Netanyahu told foreign reporters, speaking in English.

Defying Trump, US Senate advances measure to end support for Saudis in Yemen

The Pentagon`s pick for the next commander of US Central Command said on Tuesday the high casualty rate of Afghan security forces would not be sustainable even with the stalemate in the fight against Taliban militants.

"Their losses have been very high. They are fighting hard, but their losses are not going to be sustainable unless we correct this problem," Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

The assessment comes as both Western-backed security forces and the Taliban have pushed to gain momentum as the United States has stepped up efforts to find a peaceful settlement to end the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said last month that since 2015 more than 28,000 members of the Afghan security forces had been killed.

McKenzie said the United States would have to work with Afghan forces to improve how they recruit, train and carry out missions.

He added that Afghan forces were not capable of securing the mountainous South Asian country without help from the nearly 14,000 US troops deployed there.

"If we left precipitously right now, I do not believe they would be able to successfully defend their country," McKenzie said.

He said he did not know how long it would take for Afghan forces to be self-sufficient and that Taliban fighters were estimated at 60,000.

US President Donald Trump wants to end the conflict between Afghan security forces and the Taliban, who are fighting to drive out international forces and reestablish their version of strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster.

McKenzie said he was unaware of any plans to significantly change the US military footprint in Afghanistan.

Recent attacks underscore the pressure on Afghanistan`s overstretched security forces, suffering from their highest-ever level of casualties, estimates from the NATO-led "Resolute Support" mission show.

The Kabul government no longer releases exact casualty figures, but officials say at least 500 men are being killed each month and hundreds more wounded, a tally many consider low.

In November dozens of elite commandos were among the casualties suffered by Afghan security forces as the Taliban claimed to have taken a district in Ghazni province.

US commanders have said they expect the Taliban to step up military efforts to better their position while they maintain contacts with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad aimed at opening peace negotiations.

PAKISTAN

Trump recently asked for Pakistan`s help with faltering Afghan peace talks in a letter to new Prime Minister Imran Khan, making clear that Islamabad`s assistance was "fundamental" to the health of the two countries` strained relationship.

McKenzie said Pakistan was needed for long-term stability in Afghanistan and could play a key role in facilitating talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

"At this time, however, Pakistan does not appear to be using the full extent of its influence to encourage the Taliban to come to the table," McKenzie said in written responses to questions from lawmakers.

"We continue to see the Taliban being utilized as a hedge against India rather than as part of a stable, reconciled Afghanistan," he added.

The Pentagon`s pick for the next commander of US Central Command said on Tuesday the high casualty rate of Afghan security forces would not be sustainable even with the stalemate in the fight against Taliban militants.

The Pentagon`s pick for the next commander of US Central Command said on Tuesday the high casualty rate of Afghan security forces would not be sustainable even with the stalemate in the fight against Taliban militants. "Their losses have been very high. They are fighting hard, but their losses are not going to be sustainable unless we correct this problem," Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. The assessment comes as both Western-backed security forces and the Taliban have pushed to gain momentum as the United States has stepped up efforts to find a peaceful settlement to end the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said last month that since 2015 more than 28,000 members of the Afghan security forces had been killed. McKenzie said the United States would have to work with Afghan forces to improve how they recruit, train and carry out missions. He added that Afghan forces were not capable of securing the mountainous South Asian country without help from the nearly 14,000 US troops deployed there. "If we left precipitously right now, I do not believe they would be able to successfully defend their country," McKenzie said. He said he did not know how long it would take for Afghan forces to be self-sufficient and that Taliban fighters were estimated at 60,000. US President Donald Trump wants to end the conflict between Afghan security forces and the Taliban, who are fighting to drive out international forces and reestablish their version of strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster. McKenzie said he was unaware of any plans to significantly change the US military footprint in Afghanistan. Recent attacks underscore the pressure on Afghanistan`s overstretched security forces, suffering from their highest-ever level of casualties, estimates from the NATO-led "Resolute Support" mission show. The Kabul government no longer releases exact casualty figures, but officials say at least 500 men are being killed each month and hundreds more wounded, a tally many consider low. In November dozens of elite commandos were among the casualties suffered by Afghan security forces as the Taliban claimed to have taken a district in Ghazni province. US commanders have said they expect the Taliban to step up military efforts to better their position while they maintain contacts with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad aimed at opening peace negotiations. PAKISTAN Trump recently asked for Pakistan`s help with faltering Afghan peace talks in a letter to new Prime Minister Imran Khan, making clear that Islamabad`s assistance was "fundamental" to the health of the two countries` strained relationship. McKenzie said Pakistan was needed for long-term stability in Afghanistan and could play a key role in facilitating talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. "At this time, however, Pakistan does not appear to be using the full extent of its influence to encourage the Taliban to come to the table," McKenzie said in written responses to questions from lawmakers. "We continue to see the Taliban being utilized as a hedge against India rather than as part of a stable, reconciled Afghanistan," he added.

Afghan security forces' deaths unsustainable: US general

President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that soldiers deployed to the Mexican border could shoot Central American migrants who throw stones at them while attempting to cross illegally.

Trump told journalists at the White House that a group of several thousand migrants walking through Mexico towards the US border had thrown rocks "viciously and violently" at Mexican police.

"We're not going to put up with that. They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back," he said.&nbsp;

"I told them (troops) consider it (a rock) a rifle. When they throw rocks like they did at the Mexican military and police, I say consider it a rifle."

Trump spoke during a presentation of his controversial policy on cracking down against what he says is uncontrolled illegal immigration.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/btDLrfGR4BI" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Contacted for comment, Pentagon spokesman Army Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Davis said the military would not discuss hypothetical situations on the use of force "but our forces are trained professionals who always have the inherent right of self-defense."

"I would also emphasize that our forces are in support of DHS/CBP, who are performing law enforcement activities," he added, referring to the frontline Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection.

Trump has ramped up the rhetoric daily ahead of next Tuesday's midterm congressional elections, accusing the opposition Democrats of wanting to throw open the borders to floods of "tough people," "rapists" and other types of threats.

The current focus of the president's repeated claim to be acting against "an invasion" is the dwindling group of a few thousand impoverished migrants trying to get north, but still far from the US border.

Trump said that from now on, the United States will stop its policy of allowing people to claim political asylum at the border unless they have first gone through an official border post.

Those caught at the border will be held in tent camps or other facilities until they can be deported or have their requests approved, he said.

Critics say that such a radical rethink to asylum policies could violate current laws.

But Trump rejected this.

"This is totally legal. No, we're stopping people at the border. This is an invasion, and nobody is even questioning that," he said.

"We'll be doing an executive order sometime next week," he said, giving little further detail.

Despite Trump's increasingly severe warnings of immigration chaos, the government on Wednesday issued figures saying that only about 400,000 people have been apprehended at the border in 2018, down from around 1.6 million in 2000.

Trump said he was not anti-immigrant but wanted immigration to be completely brought under control.

"Mass uncontrolled immigration is especially unfair to the many wonderful law-abiding immigrants already living here who followed the rules and waited their turn," he said.&nbsp;

"Some have been waiting for many years. Some have been waiting a long time. They have done everything perfectly, and they are going to come in."

President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that soldiers deployed to the Mexican border could shoot Central American migrants who throw stones at them while attempting to cross illegally.

President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that soldiers deployed to the Mexican border could shoot Central American migrants who throw stones at them while attempting to cross illegally. Trump told journalists at the White House that a group of several thousand migrants walking through Mexico towards the US border had thrown rocks "viciously and violently" at Mexican police. "We're not going to put up with that. They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back," he said. "I told them (troops) consider it (a rock) a rifle. When they throw rocks like they did at the Mexican military and police, I say consider it a rifle." Trump spoke during a presentation of his controversial policy on cracking down against what he says is uncontrolled illegal immigration. × Contacted for comment, Pentagon spokesman Army Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Davis said the military would not discuss hypothetical situations on the use of force "but our forces are trained professionals who always have the inherent right of self-defense." "I would also emphasize that our forces are in support of DHS/CBP, who are performing law enforcement activities," he added, referring to the frontline Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection. Trump has ramped up the rhetoric daily ahead of next Tuesday's midterm congressional elections, accusing the opposition Democrats of wanting to throw open the borders to floods of "tough people," "rapists" and other types of threats. The current focus of the president's repeated claim to be acting against "an invasion" is the dwindling group of a few thousand impoverished migrants trying to get north, but still far from the US border. Trump said that from now on, the United States will stop its policy of allowing people to claim political asylum at the border unless they have first gone through an official border post. Those caught at the border will be held in tent camps or other facilities until they can be deported or have their requests approved, he said. Critics say that such a radical rethink to asylum policies could violate current laws. But Trump rejected this. "This is totally legal. No, we're stopping people at the border. This is an invasion, and nobody is even questioning that," he said. "We'll be doing an executive order sometime next week," he said, giving little further detail. Despite Trump's increasingly severe warnings of immigration chaos, the government on Wednesday issued figures saying that only about 400,000 people have been apprehended at the border in 2018, down from around 1.6 million in 2000. Trump said he was not anti-immigrant but wanted immigration to be completely brought under control. "Mass uncontrolled immigration is especially unfair to the many wonderful law-abiding immigrants already living here who followed the rules and waited their turn," he said. "Some have been waiting for many years. Some have been waiting a long time. They have done everything perfectly, and they are going to come in."

Trump threatens to shoot migrants who throw stones at US military

US President Donald Trump&nbsp;on Thursday said that he was "bringing out the military" to protect the US border as a caravan of Central American migrants continues through Mexico on their trek to the United States.

"I am bringing out the military for this National Emergency. They will be stopped!" Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. It was not immediately clear what new policy he was referring to.

"Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council is right when he says on @foxandfriends that the Democrat inspired laws make it tough for us to stop people at the Border. MUST BE CHANDED, but I am bringing out the military for this National Emergency. They will be stopped!" his tweet read.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council is right when he says on <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> that the Democrat inspired laws make it tough for us to stop people at the Border. MUST BE CHANDED, but I am bringing out the military for this National Emergency. They will be stopped!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1055414972635926528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Meanwhile, in the series of the latest tweet, Trump also accused the media of stirring up "anger" as the United States reeled from a series of suspicious packages and pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats and actor Robert De Niro.

"A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News," Trump tweeted.

"It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!"

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1055418269270716418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he was "bringing out the military" to protect the US border as a caravan of Central American migrants continues through Mexico on their trek to the United States.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he was "bringing out the military" to protect the US border as a caravan of Central American migrants continues through Mexico on their trek to the United States. "I am bringing out the military for this National Emergency. They will be stopped!" Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. It was not immediately clear what new policy he was referring to. "Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council is right when he says on @foxandfriends that the Democrat inspired laws make it tough for us to stop people at the Border. MUST BE CHANDED, but I am bringing out the military for this National Emergency. They will be stopped!" his tweet read. Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council is right when he says on @foxandfriends that the Democrat inspired laws make it tough for us to stop people at the Border. MUST BE CHANDED, but I am bringing out the military for this National Emergency. They will be stopped! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2018 × Meanwhile, in the series of the latest tweet, Trump also accused the media of stirring up "anger" as the United States reeled from a series of suspicious packages and pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats and actor Robert De Niro. "A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News," Trump tweeted. "It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!" A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2018 ×

Trump 'bringing out the military' to protect US border

Google's Artificial Intelligence programme for the Pentagon has met with severe opposition from its employees. Nearly 4000 Google employees have signed a petition to roll back the project more than dozens have already quit.

Google's ambitious AI programme, Project Maven, aims to work with the US military and facilitate easy and faster analysis of footage captured by military drones.

Through machine learning, Google's AI assistance would help the military distinguish people, object and spot targets easily. However, employees at Google have questioned the project on ethical grounds.&nbsp;

The internal petition, that seeks Google to rollback the project, involves nearly 4000 employees who want Google to stay out of the "business of war". Some petitioners have called for a treaty against autonomous weapons systems.&nbsp;

Google, for now, continues with the project explaining that the technology used in Maven is open source and that the US military can access it with or without Google's direct involvement.

Time and again, Google has maintained that it will not apply AI for combat operations.&nbsp;

Time and again, Google has maintained that it will not apply AI for combat operations

Google's Artificial Intelligence programme for the Pentagon has met with severe opposition from its employees. Nearly 4000 Google employees have signed a petition to roll back the project more than dozens have already quit. Google's ambitious AI programme, Project Maven, aims to work with the US military and facilitate easy and faster analysis of footage captured by military drones. Through machine learning, Google's AI assistance would help the military distinguish people, object and spot targets easily. However, employees at Google have questioned the project on ethical grounds. The internal petition, that seeks Google to rollback the project, involves nearly 4000 employees who want Google to stay out of the "business of war". Some petitioners have called for a treaty against autonomous weapons systems. Google, for now, continues with the project explaining that the technology used in Maven is open source and that the US military can access it with or without Google's direct involvement. Time and again, Google has maintained that it will not apply AI for combat operations.

Watch: Row over Google's US military AI project 'Maven', several employees quit

At least five militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) terrorist outfit have been killed during the airstrikes of the US forces in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.

The US forces carried out airstrikes using unmanned aerial vehicles in Haska Mina district, Khaama Press reported.

Some heavy and light weapons belonging to the terror group have been destroyed as well.

No comments have been received from the anti-government armed militant groups, including IS militants in connection with the report so far.

This comes in tandem with various ongoing counter-terrorism operations in certain northern provinces as the militant and terrorist groups are attempting to expand their insurgency activities in the north.

The US military based in Afghanistan also conduct regular airstrikes against the IS, Taliban, and other militant and terrorist groups.

The US forces conduct airstrikes by using unmanned aerial vehicles in the province to clamp down the militants, according to the reports.

The US forces carried out airstrikes using unmanned aerial vehicles in Haska Mina district, Khaama Press reported

At least five militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) terrorist outfit have been killed during the airstrikes of the US forces in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. The US forces carried out airstrikes using unmanned aerial vehicles in Haska Mina district, Khaama Press reported. Some heavy and light weapons belonging to the terror group have been destroyed as well. No comments have been received from the anti-government armed militant groups, including IS militants in connection with the report so far. This comes in tandem with various ongoing counter-terrorism operations in certain northern provinces as the militant and terrorist groups are attempting to expand their insurgency activities in the north. The US military based in Afghanistan also conduct regular airstrikes against the IS, Taliban, and other militant and terrorist groups. The US forces conduct airstrikes by using unmanned aerial vehicles in the province to clamp down the militants, according to the reports.

Five IS militants killed in Afghanistan

A US Air National Guard C-130 transport aeroplane crashed on Wednesday not far from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia, officials said.

Television footage of the crash site showed clouds of black smoke billowing into the air with fire equipment arriving at the scene.

The US National Guard said that one of its C-130 transport planes had crashed in Georgia. A spokesman could not give the number of personnel aboard and said an assessment was under way.

Abby Murphy, a spokeswoman for the Chatham County Emergency Management Agency, said that a military aircraft had gone down on the outskirts of Savannah, about 175 miles (280 km) southeast of Atlanta, but had no further information.

The Savannah Morning News newspaper reported that the plane was stationed at the National Guard’s 165th Aircraft Wing in Savannah. An email and phone call to the 165th Aircraft Wing were not immediately returned.

The Savannah airport said on Twitter that it was “assisting local agencies with an aircraft incident off property. No impacts to airport operations at this time.”&nbsp

The US National Guard said that one of its C-130 transport planes had crashed in Georgia. A spokesman could not give the number of personnel aboard and said an assessment was under way.

A US Air National Guard C-130 transport aeroplane crashed on Wednesday not far from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia, officials said. Television footage of the crash site showed clouds of black smoke billowing into the air with fire equipment arriving at the scene. The US National Guard said that one of its C-130 transport planes had crashed in Georgia. A spokesman could not give the number of personnel aboard and said an assessment was under way. Abby Murphy, a spokeswoman for the Chatham County Emergency Management Agency, said that a military aircraft had gone down on the outskirts of Savannah, about 175 miles (280 km) southeast of Atlanta, but had no further information. The Savannah Morning News newspaper reported that the plane was stationed at the National Guard’s 165th Aircraft Wing in Savannah. An email and phone call to the 165th Aircraft Wing were not immediately returned. The Savannah airport said on Twitter that it was “assisting local agencies with an aircraft incident off property. No impacts to airport operations at this time.”

US military C-130 plane crashes near Savannah airport

The Pentagon said there were no reports of US&nbsp;military activity, after reports from Syrian television that Syrian air defences responded to a missile attack over Homs which targeted Shayrat air base late Monday night.

"There is no US&nbsp;military activity in that area at this time," Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman said. "We do not have additional details to provide."

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is seeking to arm up to 65,000 members of a "US-partnered force" in Syria, including the terror group PYD/PKK, according to its 2019 fiscal year budget proposal.

In the proposal submitted to the US&nbsp;Congress for approval in February, Pentagon requested $300 million to arm and equip its partners in Syria for the fight against Daesh.

Also, $250 million was also requested for building “border security” in Syria.

According to the proposal, the Pentagon plans to allocate $162.6 million of the $300 million on weapons, equipment, and vehicles, $8 million on base life support which provides basic humanitarian needs, $28 million on transportation and staging costs, and $101.5 million for operational sustainment.

Among the weapons being planned to be sent include 25,000 AK-47 automatic rifles, 1,500 light machine guns, 500 heavy machine guns, 400 RPG-7 rocket launchers, 95 sniper rifles, 20 60mm mortars and 60 120mm mortars.

Along with its total of $47 million cost, Pentagon also requested additional $24 million for ammunition of these weapons.

'There is no US military activity in that area at this time,' Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman said. 'We do not have additional details to provide.'

The Pentagon said there were no reports of US military activity, after reports from Syrian television that Syrian air defences responded to a missile attack over Homs which targeted Shayrat air base late Monday night. "There is no US military activity in that area at this time," Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman said. "We do not have additional details to provide." Meanwhile, the Pentagon is seeking to arm up to 65,000 members of a "US-partnered force" in Syria, including the terror group PYD/PKK, according to its 2019 fiscal year budget proposal. In the proposal submitted to the US Congress for approval in February, Pentagon requested $300 million to arm and equip its partners in Syria for the fight against Daesh. Also, $250 million was also requested for building “border security” in Syria. According to the proposal, the Pentagon plans to allocate $162.6 million of the $300 million on weapons, equipment, and vehicles, $8 million on base life support which provides basic humanitarian needs, $28 million on transportation and staging costs, and $101.5 million for operational sustainment. Among the weapons being planned to be sent include 25,000 AK-47 automatic rifles, 1,500 light machine guns, 500 heavy machine guns, 400 RPG-7 rocket launchers, 95 sniper rifles, 20 60mm mortars and 60 120mm mortars. Along with its total of $47 million cost, Pentagon also requested additional $24 million for ammunition of these weapons.

No US military activity in Syria's Homs at this time, says Pentagon

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday that limits transgender individuals from serving in the US military, but gives the armed forces some latitude in implementing policies.

The memorandum said that transgender individuals with a history of &quot;gender dysphoria&quot; are disqualified from military service &quot;except under certain limited circumstances.&quot;

It added that the secretaries of defence and homeland security &quot;may exercise their authority to implement any appropriate policies concerning military service by transgender individuals.&quot;

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday that limits transgender individuals from serving in the US military, but gives the armed forces some latitude in implementing policies

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday that limits transgender individuals from serving in the US military, but gives the armed forces some latitude in implementing policies. The memorandum said that transgender individuals with a history of "gender dysphoria" are disqualified from military service "except under certain limited circumstances." It added that the secretaries of defence and homeland security "may exercise their authority to implement any appropriate policies concerning military service by transgender individuals."

Trump moves to limit transgender individuals from military service

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants the US military to create a new &quot;space force,&quot; adding to the Pentagon&#39;s current ground, navy and air forces.

Trump told troops at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station near San Diego that the new group would be able to encapsulate the &quot;tremendous amount&quot; of work the military and government are doing in space-related defense.

&quot;My new national strategy for space recognizes that space is a war-fighting domain, just like the land, air and sea,&quot; Trump said.

&quot;We may even have a space force... We have the air force, we&#39;ll have the space force, we&#39;ll have the army, the navy.&nbsp;

&quot;Maybe we&#39;ll have to do that. That could happen,&quot; he said.

Since taking office, Trump has frequently touted his support for the US military and placed high-ranking generals in top White House and cabinet posts.

Last year some legislators pushed a bill in Congress that included a provision to establish a new branch of the military dubbed the Space Corps.

But the military itself has resisted, saying it does not need to create another force and its attendant bureaucracy.

&quot;At a time when we are trying to integrate the department&#39;s joint warfighting functions, I do not wish to add a separate service that would likely present a narrower and even parochial approach to space operations,&quot; Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Congressman Michael Turner in a letter last July.

It would be &quot;premature to add additional organizational and administrative tail to the department at a time I am trying to reduce overhead,&quot; he added.

The idea was finally dropped from the Pentagon&#39;s funding bill by the end of last year, but it retains some support in Congress, where advocates say the US is facing significant strategic vulnerabilities in the face of Russian and Chinese pushes into space warfare.

Republican Representative Mike Rogers told a February 28 conference at the Center for Strategic and International Studies that a separate space corps could be carved out from the air force within &quot;three to five years&quot;.

He said China and Russia have become &quot;near peers&quot; to the US in space capabilities, and the US is not pushing hard enough to stay ahead.

&quot;That&#39;s unacceptable that we have allowed that to happen, particularly in a day and age when it is essential to have those space capabilities to fight and win wars,&quot; he said.

'My new national strategy for space recognizes that space is a war-fighting domain, just like the land, air, and sea,' Trump said

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants the US military to create a new "space force," adding to the Pentagon's current ground, navy and air forces. Trump told troops at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station near San Diego that the new group would be able to encapsulate the "tremendous amount" of work the military and government are doing in space-related defense. "My new national strategy for space recognizes that space is a war-fighting domain, just like the land, air and sea," Trump said. "We may even have a space force... We have the air force, we'll have the space force, we'll have the army, the navy. "Maybe we'll have to do that. That could happen," he said. Since taking office, Trump has frequently touted his support for the US military and placed high-ranking generals in top White House and cabinet posts. Last year some legislators pushed a bill in Congress that included a provision to establish a new branch of the military dubbed the Space Corps. But the military itself has resisted, saying it does not need to create another force and its attendant bureaucracy. "At a time when we are trying to integrate the department's joint warfighting functions, I do not wish to add a separate service that would likely present a narrower and even parochial approach to space operations," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Congressman Michael Turner in a letter last July. It would be "premature to add additional organizational and administrative tail to the department at a time I am trying to reduce overhead," he added. The idea was finally dropped from the Pentagon's funding bill by the end of last year, but it retains some support in Congress, where advocates say the US is facing significant strategic vulnerabilities in the face of Russian and Chinese pushes into space warfare. Republican Representative Mike Rogers told a February 28 conference at the Center for Strategic and International Studies that a separate space corps could be carved out from the air force within "three to five years". He said China and Russia have become "near peers" to the US in space capabilities, and the US is not pushing hard enough to stay ahead. "That's unacceptable that we have allowed that to happen, particularly in a day and age when it is essential to have those space capabilities to fight and win wars," he said.

Trump pushes for new 'space force'

us-military

Us Military, News on Us Military, stories on Us Military, articles on Us Military, Us Military stories at Wion, Us Military news, Us Military latest news

us military