Amid growing uneasiness in the United States over the rise of Chinese military power, Washington asserted that its interest in the Asia-Pacific region is not targeted towards any specific country, but towards the general peace and security of the region.
Asserting that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers was a "military engagement", the United States has said it is carrying out a crucial investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the tragic incident but Islamabad has refused to participate in the probe.
The United States has ruled out any change in its Afghanistan strategy in view of the recent violence in the restive country, particularly the killing of American servicemen after the burning of Qurans at a military base.
The order also prevents all persons from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen from entering the country for 30 days.
"We have a special focus area on our relationship with India -- a strategic partnership that continues to grow, both government-to-government and military-to-military. India is the largest democracy in South Asia. It's the most consequential military in the region," he said.
The Pentagon has notified the United States Congress on the possibility of the sale of six more C-130J super Hercules transport planes to India worth $1.2 billion that will equip the country with a credible special operations airlift capability to deter aggression in the region.
Foreseeing India as a major military partner in the long-run, the United States on Wednesday said it was working to transfer some of its most advanced technology to New Delhi and offering co-development of weapon systems, including on the futuristic Joint Strike Fighter.
The Pentagon has notified the United States Congress on the possibility of the sale of six more C-130J super Hercules transport planes to India worth $1.2 billion that will equip the country with a credible special operations airlift capability to deter aggression in the region.
Bradley Manning, a United States serviceman suspected of passing classified information to the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks, is being transferred to a new prison, the Pentagon announced on Wednesday.
India had deployed nuclear-capable missiles on its western border and refused to budge under United States pressure to hold any talks with Pakistan after the 2001 attack on its Parliament by terrorists from across the border, says former top American diplomat Condoleezza Rice.
US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to make announcements in this regard on Thursday unveiling the annual budget of the Pentagon and the new defence strategy for the US to meet the needs of the time within the financial constraints.
Dismissing the remarks by the Pakistani military on the November 26 deadly NATO cross border strike, the United States on Monday said it stands by its own investigation that it was not an unprovoked firing by the US-led forces.
"Pakistan would allow back US military trainers, including Special Forces teams, and a resumption of close cooperation with the CIA in targeting militants who use the Pakistani side of the border as a safe haven and breeding ground for extremism," Fox News reported.
Applauding India's key role in Afghanistan, the United States has said that New Delhi has been helpful in providing training to the security forces of the war-torn country to help improve the situation there.
United States President Barack Obama on Thursday said that the US has delivered justice to Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and put his terror group on the path of defeat.
United States State Department spokesman P J Crowley resigned on Sunday, days after criticising the Pentagon's treatment of the man accused of leaking secret cables to Wikileaks as "ridiculous, counterproductive and stupid". "Given the impact of my remarks, for which I take full responsibility, I have submitted my resignation as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and Spokesman for the Department of State," Crowley said in his resignation statement.
Pakistan's border region remains the most dangerous place in the world and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas remains the epicentre of the world's worst of global jihad, a top Pentagon official has said.
"Whatever happened over the weekend on the border with Afghanistan and Pakistan is a tragedy. We express regret for it and as well as condolences for the loss of life. In no way shape of form should this be construed as an intentional attack on Pakistan by the United States. That is simply incorrect," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told media persons.
India's defence establishment is taking the new Chinese threat seriously, as also that posed by Pakistan's nuclear-tipped MRBMs -- like the Ghauri-2 and the Shaheen-2 -- which can strike targets 2300 kilometres away.
An Israeli military strike can at the most delay Iranian nuclear programme by a couple of years, a top Pentagon official has said, noting that such a move would not be "prudent".
The United States is lagging behind India, China and Brazil in rate of growth in research and development (R&D) indicators, a Pentagon report has said. The global investment in R&D rose to nearly USD 1.1 trillion in 2007 in the three major regions where R&D is funded, the report said.
United States President Barack Obama paid his last respect to the soldiers killed in Afghanistan when the helicopter that were carrying them exploded mid-air after being reportedly hit by a rocket propelled grenade.
The US is in desperate need to conjure up an ideology-driven relationship with India, to enable it to boost its arms exports to the Indian market, says M K Bhadrakumar.
There is seething anger among the senior administration officials -- at State, Commerce and the Pentagon -- and representatives of business and industry that New Delhi's decision was wholly political and much of the finger-pointing was at Defence Minister A K Antony and the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
The offer of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to India is an example that US holds India's military modernisation in high regard, a top Pentagon official has said.
United States Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, who places much importance to America's relationship with India, is looking forward to his maiden visit to India in his capacity as head of the Pentagon, a senior US official has said.
The current impasse in ties between India and Pakistan is unlikely to end soon given the fragile government in Islamabad, which is overshadowed by powerful military which heavily influences policies on Kashmir and Afghanistan, a top Pentagon official has said.
'India should not be taken by surprise if the Biden administration seeks China's cooperation at some point,' alerts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
"India's historic leadership of the non-alignment movement and desire to maintain strategic autonomy somewhat constrain cooperation at a level USPACOM (US Pacific Command) desires," the US Pacific Command Commander Admiral Robert Willard said in his testimony before House Armed Services Committee.
Pakistan and its leaders consider India as an existential threat to them not terrorism or Afghanistan, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has said, noting that Islamabad needs to do more in the war against terrorism.
The elusive leader of the Islamic State "caliphate," Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is evidently still alive, despite rumours that his low profile for the past few months might have signaled his death or a serious injury.
While the announcement of the deal came on Friday, at a time of increased tension with Iran, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement that the deal was inked on December 25 when the US and UAE signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for a Foreign Military Sales-configured Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System, valued at approximately $3.48 billion.
Despite increased political and economic relationship between India and China, tensions remains along their border with rising instances of border violation and aggressive border patrolling by Chinese soldiers, the Pentagon has informed the United States Congress.
Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, under pressure from his colleagues to "reduce" ties with the United States following the unilateral American raid that killed Osama bin Laden, is said to be "fighting to survive".
The parade is to take place in November, most likely on Veterans Day (November 11).
The government will chart out a plan for the evacuation of seafarers stuck on international waters amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Union Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya has said. Thousands of Indian seafarers are currently stuck aboard cruise ships and cargo vessels in far off waters, and maritime bodies have been demanding from the government strategies for bringing them home fearing that delays might result in disruption in supply chain.
The alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will be tried in a military commission at the Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention center along with four suspected co-conspirators, the Pentagon said.
Even months after India decided to forego the United States bid for the fighter aircraft deal worth $11 billion, the Pentagon apparently is still smarting over this rejection, arguing that it was an enormous disappointment and that New Delhi by its action had lost out on some of the state-of-the art technology.
The US seeks to expand its military co-operation with India on a range of issues including non-proliferation and counter-terrorism, to expand the scope and participation of multilateral exercises in Asia, a Pentagon report said.
The strongest quake to strike eastern America in more than a century rattled offices in the United States' capital. Authorities evacuated buildings as far as New York and shut down two nuclear power plants.
