http://www.mail.com/people/755862-john-r-allen.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.28/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/people/755862-john-r-allen.html http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1908632-up-to-12000-us-allied-troops-afghanistan.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and its NATO allies revealed Friday they may keep as many as 12,000 troops in Afghanistan after the combat mission ends next year, largely American forces tasked with hunting down remnants of al-Qaida and helping Afghan forces with their own security. Patience with the 11-year-old war has grown thin in the U.S. and Europe, yet ... Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:26:51 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1908632-up-to-12000-us-allied-troops-afghanistan.html 2013-02-22T21:26:51Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1905744-ap-source-breedlove-pick-to-lead-nato.html BRUSSELS (AP) — Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, the top U.S. Air Force commander in Europe, is the likely choice to become commander of all U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, a senior NATO official said Thursday. The job opened up this week when President Barack Obama's first choice, Marine Gen. John Allen, announced he would retire after 19 months commanding alli... Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:33:32 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1905744-ap-source-breedlove-pick-to-lead-nato.html 2013-02-21T15:33:32Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1901210-allen-retirement-opens-europe-command-slot.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is looking for a new candidate to lead American and allied forces in Europe after his first choice, Marine Gen. John Allen, bowed out Tuesday and announced his intention to retire for what he called personal reasons. The move further clouds the picture for Obama as he repositions key figures on his national securit... Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:40:17 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1901210-allen-retirement-opens-europe-command-slot.html 2013-02-20T00:40:17Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1898748-karzai-bans-afghan-forces-seeking-airstrikes.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Critics expressed worries Monday that a presidential order barring Afghan security forces from requesting international airstrikes during operations in residential areas could hobble government troops even as they prepare to take over full responsibility for security in the country from international forces. Underscoring the troo... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 20:48:51 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1898748-karzai-bans-afghan-forces-seeking-airstrikes.html 2013-02-18T20:48:51Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1897512-top-us-general-work-with-airstrike-ban.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The top American commander in Afghanistan said on Sunday that he believes the U.S.-led NATO coalition can operate effectively despite the Afghan president's decision to ban Afghan security forces from requesting airstrikes in residential areas. President Hamid Karzai on Saturday said he decided on the ban after Afghan security se... Sun, 17 Feb 2013 11:21:04 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1897512-top-us-general-work-with-airstrike-ban.html 2013-02-17T11:21:04Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1891856-afghan-leader-us-general-discuss-civilian-deaths.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday demanded an explanation from the new top commander of U.S. and NATO troops for an airstrike that local officials say killed 10 civilians, half of them children. The death of Afghan civilians during military operations has been one of the most contentious issues of the 11-year-old war. Afg... Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:08:51 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1891856-afghan-leader-us-general-discuss-civilian-deaths.html 2013-02-14T15:08:51Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1886220-obama-half-us-combat-troops-within-1-year.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Tuesday he will bring home within a year about half of the 66,000 U.S. troops now in Afghanistan, shrinking the force to the size he found it when he entered the White House vowing to reinvigorate a stalemated war. More will leave the battlefield in 2014, he said, but he did not spell out what U.S. military pr... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 01:30:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1886220-obama-half-us-combat-troops-within-1-year.html 2013-02-13T01:30:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1882800-us-ships-military-equipment-afghanistan.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The United States began its withdrawal from Afghanistan in earnest, officials said Monday, sending the first of what will be tens of thousands of containers home through a once-blocked land route through Pakistan. The shipment of 50 containers over the weekend came as a new U.S. commander took control of U.S. and NATO forces in A... Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:37:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1882800-us-ships-military-equipment-afghanistan.html 2013-02-11T17:37:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1882918-afghan-government-prisoner-abuse-systematic.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan government panel acknowledged Monday that detainees face widespread torture but denied there is systematic abuse in government-run prisons. The panel's findings were the result of a two-week fact-finding mission following a U.N. report last month that said Afghan authorities are still torturing prisoners despite promise... Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:52:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1882918-afghan-government-prisoner-abuse-systematic.html 2013-02-11T11:52:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1881094-us-commander-takes-helm-afghanistan.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford took charge of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan on Sunday as the coalition enters its final stretch of the more than 11-year-old war. The new commander faces daunting challenges, including making sure Afghan government forces are ready to take control and orchestrating the withdrawal of foreign force... Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:02:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1881094-us-commander-takes-helm-afghanistan.html 2013-02-10T17:02:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1881660-commanders-foreign-forces-afghanistan.html A list of commanders of the International Security Assistance Force, according to the coalition's website. — Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, American, Feb. 10, 2013 to present — Marine Gen. John R. Allen, American, July 18, 2011-Feb. 10, 2013 — Army Gen. David Petraeus, American, July 4, 2010-July 18, 2011 — Lt. Gen. Nick Parker, British, June 23, 2010-July 4... Sun, 10 Feb 2013 16:48:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1881660-commanders-foreign-forces-afghanistan.html 2013-02-10T16:48:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1859818-american-deaths-afghan-war-drop-to-4-year-low.html WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. troop deaths in Afghanistan have plunged to the lowest level in four years, reflecting a pullback from direct combat into the less deadly role of advising and assisting Afghan forces as they do more of the fighting. Attacks by Taliban insurgents also have declined, although the war is far from finished. Pentagon figures show that th... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:27:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1859818-american-deaths-afghan-war-drop-to-4-year-low.html 2013-01-31T18:27:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1855502-ap-interview-top-us-general-confident-afghans.html KABUL (AP) — The top commander of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan believes government security forces have improved faster than expected and will be ready to take the lead in the 11-year-old war against the Taliban when foreign combat forces take a back seat this spring. Marine Gen. John Allen told The Associated Press that the main job over the next two y... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:19:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1855502-ap-interview-top-us-general-confident-afghans.html 2013-01-30T10:19:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1840778-white-house-allens-nato-nomination-to-ahead.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Wednesday it will go ahead with Gen. John Allen's nomination to become commander of NATO forces in Europe, following his exoneration in a Pentagon investigation of questionable email exchanges with a Florida woman linked to the sex scandal that led David Petraeus to resign as CIA director. If confirmed by the Senate,... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:01:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1840778-white-house-allens-nato-nomination-to-ahead.html 2013-01-23T18:01:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1840026-10-things-to-today.html Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. A VOTE TO AVOID DEBT CRISIS The House is expected to vote Wednesday to let the government borrow enough to pay three months' worth of bills. 2. NETANYAHU SCRAMBLES TO RETAIN POWER IN ISRAEL The elections ended in a deadlock in parliament, making it m... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1840026-10-things-to-today.html 2013-01-23T12:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1839124-us-afghan-commander-cleared-petraeus-email-case.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pentagon investigation has cleared Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, of professional misconduct in exchanging emails with a civilian woman linked to the sex scandal that led retired Gen. David Petraeus to resign as CIA director. Pentagon press secretary George Little said Tuesday that Defense Secretary Leon Panett... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 05:13:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1839124-us-afghan-commander-cleared-petraeus-email-case.html 2013-01-23T05:13:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1837602-army-general-defers-plea-hearing-sex-charges.html FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — An Army general brought back from Afghanistan to face court-martial on a series of sexual misconduct charges deferred entering a plea Tuesday. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair, who served five combat tours, is headed to trial following a spate of highly publicized military sex scandals involving high-ranking officers that has triggered ... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 00:25:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1837602-army-general-defers-plea-hearing-sex-charges.html 2013-01-23T00:25:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1832988-sex-major-reason-military-commanders-fired.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair, fired from his command in Afghanistan last May and now facing a court-martial on charges of sodomy, adultery and pornography and more, is just one in a long line of commanders whose careers were ended because of possible sexual misconduct. Sex has proved to be the downfall of presidential candidates, members ... Mon, 21 Jan 2013 01:13:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1832988-sex-major-reason-military-commanders-fired.html 2013-01-21T01:13:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1833218-un-prisoners-tortured-afghan-custody.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan authorities are still torturing prisoners, such as hanging them by their wrists and beating them with cables, the United Nations said, a year after it first documented the abuse and won government promises of detention reform. The latest report shows little progress in curbing abuse in Afghan prisons despite efforts by the... Mon, 21 Jan 2013 00:06:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1833218-un-prisoners-tortured-afghan-custody.html 2013-01-21T00:06:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1810610-specter-benghazi-drives-us-afghan-talks.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Libya last year has become a factor driving the White House decision on how large a force to leave in Afghanistan after 2014 — and a specter hanging over talks between the Afghan president and the U.S. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has publicly called for a near-total drawdown of U.S. forces, wi... Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1810610-specter-benghazi-drives-us-afghan-talks.html 2013-01-10T07:00:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1804540-mcchrystal-calls-enduring-afghan-force.html NEW YORK (AP) — Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal said Monday he backs the White House's drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan slated for 2014, but added that the U.S. owes Afghans some sort of enduring security presence to support them. "We have an emotional responsibility," McChrystal said of Afghanistan in an interview with The Associated Press. He comm... Mon, 07 Jan 2013 18:54:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1804540-mcchrystal-calls-enduring-afghan-force.html 2013-01-07T18:54:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1792964-afghans-force-transition-starts-2-months.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The next phase of transferring security from NATO to Afghan control will begin in two months and aims to cover nearly 90 percent of the country's population, the Kabul government announced Monday. The transition, which began in early 2011, is slated to give Afghan forces full responsibility for security by the end of 2014, when m... Tue, 01 Jan 2013 04:16:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1792964-afghans-force-transition-starts-2-months.html 2013-01-01T04:16:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1784398-afghan-taliban-birthplace-us-troops-step.html FORWARD OPERATING BASE PASAB, Afghanistan (AP) — President Barak Obama will decide in the coming weeks how many American troops to send home from Afghanistan next year. A major factor in his decision will be the question of how successful U.S. troops have been in preparing the Afghans to secure their country at bases like this one, located in one of the country's most violen... Sun, 23 Dec 2012 15:22:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1784398-afghan-taliban-birthplace-us-troops-step.html 2012-12-23T15:22:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1774304-petraeus-mistress-wont-face-cyberstalking-charge.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has decided not to charge David Petraeus' mistress, Paula Broadwell, with cyberstalking as part of its investigation into an email scandal that led to the resignation of the CIA director and storied general. Broadwell's lawyer, Robert Muse, gave The Associated Press a letter from U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill that s... Tue, 18 Dec 2012 19:08:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1774304-petraeus-mistress-wont-face-cyberstalking-charge.html 2012-12-18T19:08:00Z 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/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/news/world/1753618-us-led-coalition-us-doctor-rescued-taliban.html KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An American doctor abducted by the Taliban five days ago was rescued Sunday in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S.-led military coalition said. Dr. Dilip Joseph was captured by Taliban insurgents Wednesday outside the Afghan capital, in the Sarobi district of Kabul province. He was rescued in an early morning operation ordered after in... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:34:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1753618-us-led-coalition-us-doctor-rescued-taliban.html 2012-12-09T00:34:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1741130-senate-oks-obamas-choice-afghan-commander.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has approved President Barack Obama's choice to be the top commander in Afghanistan. By voice vote Monday, lawmakers cleared the way for Gen. Joseph Dunford, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, to take over as head of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan. Dunford would replace Gen. John Allen, the current command... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:25:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1741130-senate-oks-obamas-choice-afghan-commander.html 2012-12-03T23:25:00Z