March 17, 2010

Future Afghan leaders graduate from National Military Academy

KABUL, Afghanistan (March 18, 2010) - More than 1,500 people, including Afghan government and coalition officials, joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai in congratulating the National Military Academy graduating class of 2010 today.

March 16, 2010

Petraeus to Senate: Success achievable in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (March 16, 2010) – Though considerable challenges remain in Afghanistan, success there is achievable and important, the commander of U.S. Central Command said here Tuesday.

March 15, 2010

U.S. turns Taji detention facility over to Iraqi government

TAJI, Iraq — A new concept in Iraq's corrections system officially became a reality with the turn-over of the Theater Internment Facility Reconciliation Facility Center (TIFRC) in Taji March 15.

March 15, 2010

Successful elections solidify drawdown timetable in Iraq

WASHINGTON (March 12, 2010) — As parliamentary election results are tallied in Iraq, U.S. commanders there say it's unlikely any outcome would require American troops to stay beyond their scheduled withdrawal dates.

March 12, 2010

Gates in UAE: Sanctions against Iran can work

ABU DHABI, UAE (March 11, 2010) – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with leaders of the United Arab Emirates here today and discussed Afghanistan, Yemen, the elections in Iraq and bilateral military-to-military relations, but the main discussion point was Iran.

March 11, 2010

U.S. seeks Saudi help with Iran sanctions

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (March 10, 2010) – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates asked Saudi King Abdallah today to use his country’s influence to convince other nations to support United Nations sanctions on Iran, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said here.

March 10, 2010

Visit reinforces Gates' confidence in Afghan strategy

NOW ZAD, Afghanistan, March 9, 2010 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ visits with Marines here and with soldiers at Forward Operating Base Frontenac in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province have reinforced his belief that the strategy is working in Afghanistan.

March 8, 2010

President praises 'milestone' Iraqi elections

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2010 – President Barack Obama called today's parliamentarian elections in Iraq as a 'milestone' event and vowed to keep his pledge to remove all U.S. troops from that country by the end of next year.

March 4, 2010

Mullen urges more 'soft power' in Afghanistan

MANHATTAN, Kan. (March 3, 2010) – The nation’s top military officer expressed concern today that U.S. government agencies other than the military have been slow to expand their role in Afghanistan.

March 3, 2010

McChrystal urges troops to serve as role models

WASHINGTON (March 2, 2010) – As more U.S. and coalition troops arrive in Afghanistan, their top commander there has some requests for them: Recognize the impact of every action you take, and serve as role models for Afghan security forces as they build leaders and weed out corruption from their ranks.