http://www.mail.com/people/16928-leon-panetta.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.20/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/people/16928-leon-panetta.html http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760524-us-hesitant-condemning-north-korean-launch.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is drawing no "red line" for North Korea after a successful long-range rocket test, tempering the public condemnation to avoid raising tensions or possibly rewarding the reclusive communist nation with too much time in the global spotlight. The U.S. has told the world that it won't tolerate Iran's acquisition of ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 01:11:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760524-us-hesitant-condemning-north-korean-launch.html 2012-12-13T01:11:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760560-panetta-afghanistan-to-meet-with-karzai.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — President Barack Obama will decide shortly how many U.S. troops he wants to keep in Afghanistan after the U.S.-led coalition military mission ends in December 2014, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday as he opened two days of consultations with top U.S. commanders and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Panetta offered no cl... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:41:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760560-panetta-afghanistan-to-meet-with-karzai.html 2012-12-12T16:41:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760270-panetta-obama-weighing-us-presence-afghanistan.html ALI AL-SALEM AIR BASE, Kuwait (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday that President Barack Obama will decide in the next few weeks how many U.S. troops will stay in Afghanistan after the combat mission ends in December 2014. Panetta did not reveal what options Obama is considering, but officials have said he may settle on a figure betwe... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 04:50:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760270-panetta-obama-weighing-us-presence-afghanistan.html 2012-12-12T04:50:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757614-obama-us-recognizes-syrias-main-rebel-group.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama declared Syria's main opposition group the sole "legitimate representative" of its country's people Tuesday, deeming the move "a big step" in the international diplomatic efforts to end Syrian President Bashar Assad's embattled regime. Obama said the newly formed Syrian Opposition Council "is now inclusive enough" ... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 22:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757614-obama-us-recognizes-syrias-main-rebel-group.html 2012-12-11T22:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1757688-extremists-syrian-rebels-who-seized-base.html BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian rebels including Islamic extremists took full control of a sprawling military base Tuesday after a bloody two-day battle that killed 35 soldiers, activists said. It was the latest gain by opposition forces bolstered by an al-Qaida-linked group that has provided skilled fighters but raised concerns in the West. The Sheik Suleiman milit... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:29:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1757688-extremists-syrian-rebels-who-seized-base.html 2012-12-11T19:29:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1758292-hunting-bin-laden-history-zero-dark-30.html NEW YORK (AP) — Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal were knee-deep in preparing the follow-up to their Oscar-winning "The Hurt Locker," a film that would chronicle the manhunt for Osama bin Laden, his escape in Tora Bora and the vanishing trail of the world's most wanted man. "Then history changed," says Bigelow. After a team of Navy SEALs killed bin Laden in h... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:35:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1758292-hunting-bin-laden-history-zero-dark-30.html 2012-12-11T16:35:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757850-panetta-syria-chemical-threat-slowed.html KUWAIT CITY (AP) — The Syrian government seems to have slowed preparations for the possible use of chemical weapons against rebel targets, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday. Last week, U.S. officials said there was evidence that Syrian forces had begun preparing sarin, a nerve agent, for possible use in bombs. Speaking to reporters flying w... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:24:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757850-panetta-syria-chemical-threat-slowed.html 2012-12-11T12:24:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1755270-stock-market-wild-card-fiscal-cliff-talks.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress and the White House can significantly soften the initial impact of the "fiscal cliff" even if they fail to reach a compromise by Dec. 31. One thing they cannot control, however, is the financial markets' reaction, which possibly could be a panicky sell-off that triggers economic reversals worldwide. The stock market's unpredicta... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:14:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1755270-stock-market-wild-card-fiscal-cliff-talks.html 2012-12-10T14:14:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1754892-obama-praises-special-ops-forces-rescue.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A member of a U.S. special operations team was killed during a weekend rescue mission in Afghanistan that freed an American doctor abducted by the Taliban outside of Kabul five days ago. President Barack Obama praised the special forces on Sunday, saying the mission was characteristic of U.S. troops' "extraordinary courage, skill and pat... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:04:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1754892-obama-praises-special-ops-forces-rescue.html 2012-12-09T23:04:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1751696-chemical-weapons-risk-syrian-missiles-shells.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Growing fear that civil war in Syria could unleash the world's first use of chemical weapons in nearly three decades is based on two grim scenarios — neither considered likely but both carrying risks of civilian massacre and a major escalation of violence. The first is that President Bashar Assad, in a last-ditch effort to save his regim... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 20:51:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1751696-chemical-weapons-risk-syrian-missiles-shells.html 2012-12-07T20:51:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1747608-with-war-shifting-us-russia-talk-syrias-future.html DUBLIN (AP) — Diplomatic efforts to end Syria's civil war moved forward Thursday with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joining Russia's foreign minister and the U.N. peace envoy to the Arab country for extraordinary three-way talks that suggested Washington and Moscow might finally unite behind a strategy as the Assad regime weakens. In Wash... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:39:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1747608-with-war-shifting-us-russia-talk-syrias-future.html 2012-12-06T20:39:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1747478-nato-moves-toward-deployment-syria-border.html BEIRUT (AP) — As fears grow in the West that Syrian President Bashar Assad will unleash chemical weapons as an act of desperation, NATO moved forward Thursday with its plan to place Patriot missiles and troops along Syria's border with Turkey to protect against potential attacks. Assad's regime blasted the move as "psychological warfare," saying the new d... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:07:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1747478-nato-moves-toward-deployment-syria-border.html 2012-12-06T18:07:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1745478-reset-obama-faces-major-foreign-policy-tests.html Debate over the looming "fiscal cliff" of automatic tax increases and spending cuts is consuming most of the political oxygen in Washington lately. But President Barack Obama also faces huge second-term foreign policy challenges. And he does so with an unraveling national-security team. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wants to move on. But a pos... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:31:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1745478-reset-obama-faces-major-foreign-policy-tests.html 2012-12-05T16:31:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1739124-us-weighing-military-options-syria-uses-wmd.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and its allies are weighing military options to secure Syria's chemical and biological weapons, after U.S. intelligence reports show the Syrian regime may be readying those weapons and may be desperate enough to use them, U.S. officials said Monday. President Barack Obama, in a speech at the National Defense University on... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 01:34:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1739124-us-weighing-military-options-syria-uses-wmd.html 2012-12-04T01:34:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1740952-obama-hails-nunn-lugar-efforts-to-secure-nukes.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Hailing two decades of efforts to help the former Soviet Union secure nuclear weapons stockpiles, President Barack Obama said Monday that the world must continue to stand guard against nuclear threats — including terrorists who seek to gain control of nuclear weapons. "We cannot let our guard down," Obama said, calling efforts to combat ... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:51:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1740952-obama-hails-nunn-lugar-efforts-to-secure-nukes.html 2012-12-03T21:51:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1739018-risk-heart-debate-troop-withdrawal.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The debate over how many U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan after 2014 comes down to risky business. There is a risk that leaving too few troops after 2014 would stop or stall the already slow development of the Afghan army and police, whose competence — and that of the Afghan government as a whole — is crucial to ending the war succ... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 07:35:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1739018-risk-heart-debate-troop-withdrawal.html 2012-12-03T07:35:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1735174-obama-defense-pick-sooner-than-expected.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama could name his next defense secretary in December, far sooner than expected and perhaps in a high-powered package announcement with his choice for secretary of state, several senior administration officials tell The Associated Press. The personnel moves, coupled with Obama's coming choice for a new leader of the Ce... Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1735174-obama-defense-pick-sooner-than-expected.html 2012-11-30T21:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1731782-senate-backs-quicker-withdrawal-afghanistan.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Reflecting a war-weary nation, the Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday for an accelerated withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan after more than a decade of fighting. The strong bipartisan vote of 62-33 sends a clear message to President Barack Obama and the military as they engage in high-stakes talks about the pace of drawing down... Fri, 30 Nov 2012 02:44:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1731782-senate-backs-quicker-withdrawal-afghanistan.html 2012-11-30T02:44:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1732250-panetta-post-2014-afghan-effort-to-substantial.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. intends to wage a counterterrorism campaign inside Afghanistan even after the main U.S. combat force leaves in 2014 in order to prevent al-Qaida from fulfilling its ambition to re-establish a sanctuary there, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday. Panetta told a Pentagon news conference that the U.S. should have an "endur... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 21:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1732250-panetta-post-2014-afghan-effort-to-substantial.html 2012-11-29T21:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1732282-barak-un-vote-palestinians-big-move.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says the Palestinian push for recognition by the United Nations is a bad move, but he also calls it a symbolic act that will have no major impact on any aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian relationship. Several key countries, including France, have already announced they would support the move to elevate... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:56:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1732282-barak-un-vote-palestinians-big-move.html 2012-11-29T20:56:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1730122-senate-green-light-to-pentagon-green-energy.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday gave the green light to the Pentagon's investment in green energy. By a vote of 62-37 on Wednesday, the Senate backed an amendment that would delete a provision in the defense bill prohibiting the military from spending money on alternative fuels if the cost exceeded traditional fossil fuels such as coal, natural ... Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:27:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1730122-senate-green-light-to-pentagon-green-energy.html 2012-11-28T23:27:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1726790-female-military-members-sue-to-serve-combat.html SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Four female service members filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the Pentagon's ban on women serving in combat, hoping the move will add pressure to drop the policy just as officials are gauging the effect that lifting the prohibition will have on morale. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, is the second one this year... Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:47:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1726790-female-military-members-sue-to-serve-combat.html 2012-11-27T22:47:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1716118-gen-allen-resumes-command-duty-afghanistan.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Gen. John Allen has returned to Kabul to resume his duties as the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, more than a week after the Pentagon announced it was investigating potentially "inappropriate" correspondence between the four-star general and a woman linked to the David Petraeus sex scandal. Lt. Col. Les Carroll, a spoke... Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:27:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1716118-gen-allen-resumes-command-duty-afghanistan.html 2012-11-21T13:27:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1712934-asia-sees-obamas-pivot-to-pacific.html TOKYO (AP) — A lot has happened in Asia while the United States was off fighting its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and most of it can be summed up in one word — China. Fueled by China's amazing growth and the promise of its huge and expanding consumer market, the Asia-Pacific region is now, as experts like to say, the global economy's center of gravity. Sorry, Europe. ... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 23:51:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1712934-asia-sees-obamas-pivot-to-pacific.html 2012-11-20T23:51:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1715430-panetta-war-al-qaida-taking-direction.html WASHINGTON (AP) — America's war on al-Qaida is taking a new direction, moving beyond declared combat zones like Afghanistan while countering the terrorist network's search for new sanctuaries, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday. Panetta said the evolving campaign will feature the use of small U.S. strike forces; more partnering with foreign comma... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 23:39:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1715430-panetta-war-al-qaida-taking-direction.html 2012-11-20T23:39:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1715116-mccain-welcomes-fighter-jet-squadron.html SAN DIEGO (AP) — Sen. John McCain on Tuesday welcomed the Marine Corps' first squadron of pilots who are being called upon to fly the branch's version of the next-generation F-35 fighter jet out of its long and troubled testing phase. McCain spoke at a ceremony to inaugurate Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 at its base in Yuma, Ariz., saying he was enco... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:23:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1715116-mccain-welcomes-fighter-jet-squadron.html 2012-11-20T22:23:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1710680-marine-corps-forms-fighter-jet-squadron.html SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Marine Corps is forming the first squadron of pilots to fly the next-generation strike fighter jet, months after lawmakers raised concern that there was a rush to end the testing of the aircraft that has had technical problems. So far, two veteran pilots of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing have been trained to fly the F-35B. They are beco... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 06:04:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1710680-marine-corps-forms-fighter-jet-squadron.html 2012-11-20T06:04:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1704876-panetta-cambodia-talks-us-asia-security.html SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday that the U.S. would participate in three Southeast Asian military exercises next year. Panetta was in Cambodia for talks with his counterparts from 10 Southeast Asian nations in advance of President Barack Obama's visit next week. The defense chief said the exercises will be a humanitar... Fri, 16 Nov 2012 07:33:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1704876-panetta-cambodia-talks-us-asia-security.html 2012-11-16T07:33:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1704260-4-dead-17-hurt-when-train-hits-texas-vets-parade.html MIDLAND, Texas (AP) — A freight train slammed into a parade float carrying wounded veterans on Thursday, killing four people and injuring 17 others as the float tried to get through a West Texas railroad crossing on its way to an honorary banquet, authorities said. The train was sounding its horn and people were jumping off the decorated flatbed truck bef... Fri, 16 Nov 2012 05:05:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1704260-4-dead-17-hurt-when-train-hits-texas-vets-parade.html 2012-11-16T05:05:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1701912-questions-sex-scandal-top-officials-testify.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Top national security officials trudged to Capitol Hill on Thursday to grapple with fallout from the David Petraeus sex scandal as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta asked service chiefs to review ethics training for military officers. He said he was unaware of any other top brass who could turn out to be ensnared in the debacle. One person ... Thu, 15 Nov 2012 22:44:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1701912-questions-sex-scandal-top-officials-testify.html 2012-11-15T22:44:00Z