http://www.mail.com/subjects/15028-armed-forces.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.23/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/subjects/15028-armed-forces.html http://www.mail.com/news/world/1861288-syrian-rebels-slam-assad-inaction-israeli-raid.html BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian opposition leaders and rebels on Friday slammed President Bashar Assad for not responding to a rare Israeli airstrike near Damascus, calling it proof of his weakness and acquiescence to the Jewish State. The opposition's sharp reaction underlines how those seeking to topple the Syrian leader might be more prepared to tangle with Israe... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:03:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1861288-syrian-rebels-slam-assad-inaction-israeli-raid.html 2013-02-01T19:03:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1861250-marine-survey-lists-concerns-women-combat.html SAN DIEGO (AP) — Male Marines listed being falsely accused of sexual harassment or assault as a top concern in a survey about moving women into combat jobs, and thousands indicated the change could prompt them to leave the service altogether. The anonymous online questionnaire by the Marine Corps surveyed 53,000 troops last summer, with the results provid... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:21:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1861250-marine-survey-lists-concerns-women-combat.html 2013-02-01T23:21:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1861256-australian-general-key-us-army-post.html FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii (AP) — Maj. Gen. Richard Burr salutes with his palm facing out, like he's shielding his eyes from the sun. He wears a wide-brimmed felt "slouch hat" with a brown and green camouflage uniform. The two-star general in the Australian Defence Force stands out amid the American soldiers donning berets and green and beige fatigues at the U.... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1861256-australian-general-key-us-army-post.html 2013-02-01T13:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1860682-marine-leader-skepticism-infantry-women.html SAN DIEGO (AP) — The head of the Marine Corps — the most male of all military branches — said Thursday the infantry side is skeptical about how women will perform in those units, and some combat positions may end up being closed again if not enough females meet the rigorous, physically demanding standards. Gen. James Amos made the remarks to reporters at ... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 03:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1860682-marine-leader-skepticism-infantry-women.html 2013-02-01T03:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1859704-senate-group-focuses-border-security.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of senators working to craft immigration legislation is focusing on how to define when the border is secure, one of several contentious issues that could cause the whole deal to collapse, a key Senate negotiator said Thursday. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., pointed to "serious challenges ahead" as the lawmakers delve into... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:56:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1859704-senate-group-focuses-border-security.html 2013-01-31T20:56:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1859110-sept-11-judge-rules-censor.html GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) — The second round of pretrial hearings in the Sept. 11 case sputtered to a close Thursday with the judge ordering the government to remove censorship equipment from the courtroom at the U.S. base in Cuba but little progress on some fundamental legal issues that must be resolved before the long-stalled case can go to trial. ... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:43:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1859110-sept-11-judge-rules-censor.html 2013-01-31T19:43:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1858548-congress-grapples-with-gap-scofflaw-contractors.html WASHINGTON (AP) — With thousands of civilian contractors remaining in Iraq and Afghanistan, Justice Department officials want Congress to resolve a legal issue they say obstructs efforts to prosecute any such workers who rape, kill or commit other serious crimes abroad. Scofflaw Pentagon employees and contractors supporting the American war mission overse... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:37:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1858548-congress-grapples-with-gap-scofflaw-contractors.html 2013-01-31T18:37:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1859340-joint-chiefs-looming-cuts-would-hollow-military.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The military's top leaders are warning Congress that automatic spending cuts looming in March would force the Pentagon to slash operating budgets, weakening the armed forces and possibly forcing furloughs of 800,000 civilian employees. The Joint Chiefs say in a letter to Congress that the cuts would create a "hollow force" and would requ... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:17:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1859340-joint-chiefs-looming-cuts-would-hollow-military.html 2013-01-31T16:17:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1857206-columbias-7-astronauts-were-close-diverse-crew.html CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The seven astronauts who died aboard space shuttle Columbia 10 years ago were husbands, fathers, wives and a mother. Military pilots, doctors and engineers. Born in the United States, Israel and India. "It's amazing to me how cohesive they were with the diverse backgrounds that they had," said the widow of Columbia's last comma... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:51:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1857206-columbias-7-astronauts-were-close-diverse-crew.html 2013-01-30T20:51:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1857360-week-unrest-weakens-egypts-islamist-leader.html CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's Islamist president has been significantly weakened by a week of violent protests across much of the country, with his popularity eroding, the powerful military implicitly criticizing him and some of his ultraconservative Islamist backers distancing themselves from him. In his seven months since becoming Egypt's first freely elected pr... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:57:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1857360-week-unrest-weakens-egypts-islamist-leader.html 2013-01-30T19:57:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1850354-egypt-army-chief-warns-collapse.html PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) — Residents of this Mediterranean coastal city burying their dead from Egypt's wave of political violence vented their fury at Egypt's Islamist president and the Muslim Brotherhood on Tuesday, demanding his ouster and virtually declaring a revolt against his rule, as the head of the military warned Egypt may collapse under the weight of its turmoil. ... Tue, 29 Jan 2013 23:13:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1850354-egypt-army-chief-warns-collapse.html 2013-01-29T23:13:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1854750-us-eyes-drone-base-africa-with-al-qaida-mind.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Plans to base unarmed American surveillance drones in the African nation of Niger highlight the Obama administration's growing concern about extremist influences in the volatile region. They also raise tough questions about how to contain al-Qaida and other militant groups without committing U.S. ground forces in yet another war. In the ... Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:14:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1854750-us-eyes-drone-base-africa-with-al-qaida-mind.html 2013-01-29T21:14:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1850308-immigration-overhaul-gop-dem-senators-vow-action.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Side by side, leading Democratic and Republican senators pledged Monday to propel far-reaching immigration legislation through the Senate by summer providing a possible path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people now in the U.S. illegally. The senators acknowledged pitfalls that have doomed such efforts in the past, but they s... Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:52:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1850308-immigration-overhaul-gop-dem-senators-vow-action.html 2013-01-28T23:52:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1850798-congo-deal-delayed-african-union-meeting.html ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — A large-scale peace agreement to end fighting in Congo that would see more peacekeeping forces enter the region was delayed Monday over what the United Nations chief called "procedural issues." A signing ceremony scheduled for Monday at the African Union summit in Ethiopia was canceled. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said,... Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:50:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1850798-congo-deal-delayed-african-union-meeting.html 2013-01-28T15:50:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1849610-court-rulings-dim-outlook-guantanamo-trials.html GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) — A civilian appeals court has now reversed the verdicts of the only two Guantanamo Bay prisoners convicted in trials by military tribunal, casting a shadow over proceedings set to resume this week at the U.S. base in Cuba for the men accused in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. A federal appeals court on Friday threw out... Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:09:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1849610-court-rulings-dim-outlook-guantanamo-trials.html 2013-01-27T18:09:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1849470-suit-reveals-ties-radical-abortion-opponents.html WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A lawsuit against a Kansas woman who publicly proclaimed her admiration for the man who gunned down one of the country's few late-term abortion providers is revealing the unwavering support a small group of radical anti-abortion activists has for the imprisoned killer despite an ongoing federal investigation into the 2009 slaying. Tho... Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:48:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1849470-suit-reveals-ties-radical-abortion-opponents.html 2013-01-27T16:48:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1848958-african-leaders-meet-ethiopia-amid-mali-crisis.html ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — African leaders met in the Ethiopian capital Sunday for talks dominated by the conflict in Mali as well as lingering territorial issues between the two Sudans. The African Union says it will deploy a force in Mali, where French troops are helping the Malian army to push back Islamist extremists whose rebellion threatens to div... Sun, 27 Jan 2013 15:29:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1848958-african-leaders-meet-ethiopia-amid-mali-crisis.html 2013-01-27T15:29:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1847624-child-soldiers-tale-illustrates-malis-dirty-war.html SEVARE, Mali (AP) — The boy sits with his knees tucked under his chest on the concrete floor of the police station here, his adolescent face a tableau of fear. He's still garbed in the knee-length tunic he was ordered to wear by the Islamic extremist who recruited him. It's these same clothes, styled after those worn by the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th cen... Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:56:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1847624-child-soldiers-tale-illustrates-malis-dirty-war.html 2013-01-26T12:56:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1846808-american-women-served-died.html WASHINGTON (AP) — American women have served and died on the nation's battlefields from the first. They were nurses and cooks, spies and couriers in the Revolutionary War. Some disguised themselves as men to fight for the Union or the Confederacy. Yet the U.S. military's official acceptance of women in combat took more than two centuries. New roles for fe... Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:31:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1846808-american-women-served-died.html 2013-01-25T21:31:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1845826-countries-where-women-combat.html From France's Joan of Arc to female resistance fighters in World War II and the black-clad women warriors of the Viet Cong, history is filled with stories of women fighting alongside men. In many modern armies, however, ground infantry combat is still largely a male preserve — either by regulation, practical issues such as physical requirements of living ... Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:45:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1845826-countries-where-women-combat.html 2013-01-25T16:45:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1845300-1st-woman-to-lead-combat-thrilled-with-change.html RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Former U.S. Army Capt. Linda L. Bray says her male superiors were incredulous upon hearing she had ably led a platoon of military police officers through a firefight during the 1989 invasion of Panama. Instead of being lauded for her actions, the first woman in U.S. history to lead male troops in combat said higher-ranking officers ac... Fri, 25 Jan 2013 08:51:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1845300-1st-woman-to-lead-combat-thrilled-with-change.html 2013-01-25T08:51:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1842424-women-combat-good-to-they-meet-standards.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Women in the military must have the same opportunities as men to take on grueling and dangerous combat jobs, whether loading 50-pound artillery shells or joining commando raids to take out terrorists, defense leaders declared Thursday as they ordered a quarter-million positions open to service members regardless of gender. As Defense Sec... Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:54:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1842424-women-combat-good-to-they-meet-standards.html 2013-01-24T21:54:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1844212-women-serve-combat-related-jobs.html The Pentagon is knocking down old barriers to women serving in combat, but some already are in risky jobs. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's order, signed Thursday, opens 238,000 new jobs to women. A look at some of the dangerous jobs women can do now, and what will be open to them if they meet the qualifications: PILOTS. In 1991, Congress ended a ban on w... Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1844212-women-serve-combat-related-jobs.html 2013-01-24T20:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1841784-navy-random-alcohol-tests-sailors-us.html NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Navy said Wednesday it will conduct random blood-alcohol tests on its sailors in the United States starting next month, a sign of how concerned the service's leaders have become about the effects alcohol abuse is having on the force. The tests are part of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus' 21st Century Sailor and Marine Initiative, an expan... Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1841784-navy-random-alcohol-tests-sailors-us.html 2013-01-24T00:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1841038-report-myanmar-recruits-child-soldiers.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Myanmar is still recruiting and using child soldiers, despite embracing democratic reforms and a U.N. agreement to end the practice, a human rights group said Wednesday. Child Soldiers International reports levels of child recruitment have declined, and 42 children have been released from Myanmar's army since the government signed the ag... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:42:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1841038-report-myanmar-recruits-child-soldiers.html 2013-01-23T20:42:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1839792-witness-describes-killings-malian-army.html DJENNE, Mali (AP) — Malian soldiers killed people accused of ties to radical Islamists at a bus stop around the time the French-led military intervention began, a witness told The Associated Press on Wednesday, detailing how the soldiers shot the victims and then threw their bodies into nearby wells. The account from the witness, who insisted on anonymity... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:54:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1839792-witness-describes-killings-malian-army.html 2013-01-23T16:54:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1835852-uks-prince-harry-returns-afghanistan.html LONDON (AP) — Capt. Wales is coming home to be Prince Harry once again. The Ministry of Defense revealed Monday that the 28-year-old prince is returning from a five-month deployment in Afghanistan, where he served as an Apache helicopter pilot with the Army Air Corps. It did not immediately divulge his exact whereabouts. In interviews ... Mon, 21 Jan 2013 21:10:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1835852-uks-prince-harry-returns-afghanistan.html 2013-01-21T21:10:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1834386-moscow-to-start-evacuating-russians-syria.html BEIRUT (AP) — Russia said Monday it is sending two planes to Lebanon to start evacuating its citizens from Syria, the strongest sign yet that President Bashar Assad's most important international ally has serious doubts about his ability to cling to power. The Russian announcement came as anti-government activists reported violence around the country, inc... Mon, 21 Jan 2013 21:00:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1834386-moscow-to-start-evacuating-russians-syria.html 2013-01-21T21:00:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1834424-african-troops-kill-rebel-who-guarded-warlord-kony.html KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan troops in the Central African Republic have killed the chief bodyguard of Joseph Kony, the fugitive head of the Lord's Resistance Army, a Ugandan army official said Monday. Ugandan Col. Felix Kulayigye said the bodyguard, a rebel commander known only as Binani, was among a small group of rebels when he was killed in a firefi... Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:43:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1834424-african-troops-kill-rebel-who-guarded-warlord-kony.html 2013-01-21T09:43:00Z 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