By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Wednesday unveiled plans to withdraw about 12,000 troops from Germany, in fallout from President Donald Trump’s long-simmering feud with Berlin but said it will keep nearly half of those forces in Europe to address tension with Russia.Trump announced his intention last month to cut by about a third the 36,000-strong U.S. troop contingent in Germany, faulting the close U.S. ally for failing to meet NATO’s defense spending target and accusing it of taking advantage of the United States on trade.“We don’t want to be the suckers any more,” Trump...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Wednesday unveiled plans to withdraw about 12,000 troops from Germany, in fallout from President Donald Trump’s long-simmering feud with Berlin but said it will keep nearly half of those forces in Europe to address tension with Russia.Trump announced his intention last month to cut by about a third the 36,000-strong U.S. troop contingent in Germany, faulting the close U.S. ally for failing to meet NATO’s defense spending target and accusing it of taking advantage of the United States on trade.“We don’t want to be the suckers any more,” Trump...WW…

By , WASHINGTON/MUNICH (Reuters) - The United States ratcheted up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday by sanctioning some of his top security officials and the head of the state oil company, and unveiling plans to airlift over 200 tons of aid to the Colombian border.The U.S. Treasury said it sanctioned PDVSA chief Manuel Quevedo, three top intelligence officials and Rafael Bastardo, who U.S. officials say is the head of a national police unit responsible for dozens of extrajudicial killings carried out in nighttime raids on Maduro’s behalf.Separately, the U.S. State...…By , WASHINGTON/MUNICH (Reuters) - The United States ratcheted up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday by sanctioning some of his top security officials and the head of the state oil company, and unveiling plans to airlift over 200 tons of aid to the Colombian border.The U.S. Treasury said it sanctioned PDVSA chief Manuel Quevedo, three top intelligence officials and Rafael Bastardo, who U.S. officials say is the head of a national police unit responsible for dozens of extrajudicial killings carried out in nighttime raids on Maduro’s behalf.Separately, the U.S. State...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some 2,600 U.S. military personnel, including civilians, are currently in self-isolation in Europe after being identified as people of concern during the coronavirus outbreak, the U.S. military said on Friday.The number is far higher than anything previously disclosed by the Pentagon, which said the personnel were being isolated over “travel or other reasons” without offering further details.“These individuals are not necessarily sick, but may have been exposed and are doing their due diligence following health preventative measures,” the Pentagon said in a...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some 2,600 U.S. military personnel, including civilians, are currently in self-isolation in Europe after being identified as people of concern during the coronavirus outbreak, the U.S. military said on Friday.The number is far higher than anything previously disclosed by the Pentagon, which said the personnel were being isolated over “travel or other reasons” without offering further details.“These individuals are not necessarily sick, but may have been exposed and are doing their due diligence following health preventative measures,” the Pentagon said in a...WW…

By , , KERBALA, Iraq/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraq condemned overnight U.S. air strikes on Friday, saying they killed six people, and warned of dangerous consequences for what it called a violation of sovereignty and targeted aggression against the nation’s regular armed forces.President Barham Salih said repeated such violations could cause Iraq to unravel into a failed state and revive the Islamic State militant group. Iraq’s foreign ministry announced plans to bring a complaint to the United Nations.The United States defended the air strikes, saying all five targets were legitimate and...…By , , KERBALA, Iraq/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraq condemned overnight U.S. air strikes on Friday, saying they killed six people, and warned of dangerous consequences for what it called a violation of sovereignty and targeted aggression against the nation’s regular armed forces.President Barham Salih said repeated such violations could cause Iraq to unravel into a failed state and revive the Islamic State militant group. Iraq’s foreign ministry announced plans to bring a complaint to the United Nations.The United States defended the air strikes, saying all five targets were legitimate and...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has authorized the U.S. military to respond to Wednesday’s rocket attack in Iraq that killed two American troops and a British service member, the Pentagon said on Thursday, blaming Iran-backed militia.Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stopped short of blaming Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah or naming any specific militia.But they were clear that they believe Iran backed the fighters who carried out the attack, and warned that all options were on the table - language suggesting...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has authorized the U.S. military to respond to Wednesday’s rocket attack in Iraq that killed two American troops and a British service member, the Pentagon said on Thursday, blaming Iran-backed militia.Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stopped short of blaming Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah or naming any specific militia.But they were clear that they believe Iran backed the fighters who carried out the attack, and warned that all options were on the table - language suggesting...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea might begin flight testing an improved design for its inter-continental ballistic missiles “in the near future,” the head of the U.S. military’s Northern Command said on Tuesday, a move that would sharply increase tensions between Pyongyang and Washington.The warning by Air Force General Glen VanHerck appeared based on North Korea’s October unveiling at a parade of what would be its largest ICBM yet, and not specific intelligence about an imminent launch.Still, VanHerck made his remarks a day ahead of a debut trip by President Joe Biden’s top diplomat...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea might begin flight testing an improved design for its inter-continental ballistic missiles “in the near future,” the head of the U.S. military’s Northern Command said on Tuesday, a move that would sharply increase tensions between Pyongyang and Washington.The warning by Air Force General Glen VanHerck appeared based on North Korea’s October unveiling at a parade of what would be its largest ICBM yet, and not specific intelligence about an imminent launch.Still, VanHerck made his remarks a day ahead of a debut trip by President Joe Biden’s top diplomat...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States carried out air strikes authorised by President Joe Biden against facilities belonging to Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria on Thursday, in response to rocket attacks against U.S. targets in Iraq, the Pentagon said.The strikes appeared limited in scope, potentially lowering the risk of escalation. It was not immediately clear what damage was caused.Syria did not immediately comment, but state-owned Ekhbariya TV said the strikes were conducted at dawn against several targets near the Syrian-Iraqi border.An Iraqi militia official, speaking...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States carried out air strikes authorised by President Joe Biden against facilities belonging to Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria on Thursday, in response to rocket attacks against U.S. targets in Iraq, the Pentagon said.The strikes appeared limited in scope, potentially lowering the risk of escalation. It was not immediately clear what damage was caused.Syria did not immediately comment, but state-owned Ekhbariya TV said the strikes were conducted at dawn against several targets near the Syrian-Iraqi border.An Iraqi militia official, speaking...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States carried out air strikes authorised by President Joe Biden against facilities belonging to Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria on Thursday, in response to rocket attacks against U.S. targets in Iraq, the Pentagon said.The strikes appeared limited in scope, potentially lowering the risk of escalation. It was not immediately clear what damage was caused.Syria did not immediately comment, but state-owned Ekhbariya TV said the strikes were conducted at dawn against several targets near the Syrian-Iraqi border.An Iraqi militia official, speaking...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States carried out air strikes authorised by President Joe Biden against facilities belonging to Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria on Thursday, in response to rocket attacks against U.S. targets in Iraq, the Pentagon said.The strikes appeared limited in scope, potentially lowering the risk of escalation. It was not immediately clear what damage was caused.Syria did not immediately comment, but state-owned Ekhbariya TV said the strikes were conducted at dawn against several targets near the Syrian-Iraqi border.An Iraqi militia official, speaking...WW…

By , Slideshow WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Wednesday acknowledged it was unsure about how to address white nationalism and other extremism in its ranks, and announced plans for military-wide stand-downs pausing regular activity at some point in the next 60 days to tackle the issue.The decision to a hold a stand-down was made by Lloyd Austin, who made history by becoming the military’s first Black defense secretary after a long career rising in the ranks of the Army. In his confirmation hearing, Austin underscored the need to rid the military of “racists and...…By , Slideshow WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Wednesday acknowledged it was unsure about how to address white nationalism and other extremism in its ranks, and announced plans for military-wide stand-downs pausing regular activity at some point in the next 60 days to tackle the issue.The decision to a hold a stand-down was made by Lloyd Austin, who made history by becoming the military’s first Black defense secretary after a long career rising in the ranks of the Army. In his confirmation hearing, Austin underscored the need to rid the military of “racists and...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has stripped several hundred appointees of their posts on Pentagon advisory boards, a number of whom took office at the end of President Donald Trump’s administration, two U.S. officials said on Tuesday.The appointees include Anthony Tata, a former acting senior defense official who in 2018 called former President Barack Obama a “terrorist leader” and was placed on the Defense Policy Board on Jan. 19, the last full day of the Trump administration.Austin became defense secretary under Joe Biden, the vice president under Obama who...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has stripped several hundred appointees of their posts on Pentagon advisory boards, a number of whom took office at the end of President Donald Trump’s administration, two U.S. officials said on Tuesday.The appointees include Anthony Tata, a former acting senior defense official who in 2018 called former President Barack Obama a “terrorist leader” and was placed on the Defense Policy Board on Jan. 19, the last full day of the Trump administration.Austin became defense secretary under Joe Biden, the vice president under Obama who...WW…