Indian Defence Minister A K Antony -- on his maiden visit to the United States met Defence Secretary Robert Gates in the Pentagon on Tuesday. Antony was received with full ceremonial honours in the River Parade Field before engaging in over an hour-long discussion on bilateral, regional and international issues with Gates. Sources said that no major bilateral agreements vis--vis military sales or contracts were signed during the meeting.
During the meeting, Antony accompanied by a delegation comprising the Defence Secretary and the Director General of Procurement is expected to exchange views on not only the status of the bilateral defence and security cooperation but also the next steps that are being envisioned. It is learnt that Antony and Gates would also be discussing global and regional issues, including the recent developments in the sub-continent.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has refuted the whining of Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani who had contended in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal that the main reason Pakistan's counter-insurgency efforts this far against the Taliban and other extremist groups was because it had not been provided with proper equipment --attack helicopters and night visions goggles -- by the United States as promised.
Superimposing the India stick on the traditional carrots of aid, weaponry and undying friendship, is a measure of Washington's desperation in dealing with Pakistan's reluctance to crack down on Jihadi terrorism. Gates' new stance will also highlight America's shrinking interest in cultivating a benign image in Pakistan. Draining the abscess of radicalism is now a greater imperative.
The controversial Logistics Support Agreement and expansion of United States military sales to India are expected to figure prominently during the two-day visit of Defence Secretary Robert Gates from February 26. During the security dialogue, the two sides will review their strategic cooperation in various fields and explore ways to enhance the ties during the visit, sources said.
When Robert Gates, the present US defence secretary, was the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, George Bush, the then US president (1988-92), had visited the CIA headquarters and addressed its officers.
Asked about the challenges of an interfaith marriage, she said, 'There are a lot of things that we just agree on, I think, especially when it comes to family life, how to raise our kids. And so I think the answer really is, we just talk a lot.'
United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates has claimed that Iran has every intention of developing nuclear weapons. In an interview with ABC aired on Sunday, Gates added, "The question of whether they have made a formal decision to move towards the development of nuclear weapons is in doubt."
The issue of aid for Pakistan, including reimbursements under the Coalition Support Funds, came up during a hearing of the Senate panel on the fiscal 2009 Pentagon budget. There are also reports that they're concerned that a lot of the money that we're giving, that's supposed to be going to Waziristan (tribal region), is just simply being used to build up the military strength of the Pakistan military on the border of India," Nebraska Democratic Senator Ben Nelson asked.
One subject of the third round of the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue will be cybersecurity.
The United States has not received reliable intelligence on the whereabouts of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden for years and does not know where the world's most wanted terrorist is hiding, Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said. "Well, we don't know for a fact where Osama bin Laden is. If we did, we'd go get him," Gates told ABC News when asked whether the Pakistan government was doing enough to catch the terrorist mastermind.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said at a press briefing that 'within the last year or so, we have seen more defined training capabilities of Al Qaeda in western Pakistan, along with Taliban safe havens there.'
Describing India as a strong partner, a top United States military officer has said that Washington has not asked New Delhi to do 'more' in war-ravaged Afghanistan. At a press conference, the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said that US Defence Secretary Robert Gates had not conveyed to India to 'do more' during his recent visit.Gates had visited India in February and met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The United States Senate has unanimously approved the nomination of Leon Panetta, the Central Investigation Agency director, to be the next Pentagon chief. He would succeed Robert Gates, who is one of longest serving US Defence Secretary.
Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta will become the new United States defence secretary, replacing Robert Gates, in a major shake-up of President Barack Obama's security team, according to a media report.The top US military commander in Afghanistan General David Petraeus is set to take over as the new CIA Director. The television network said Petraeus will be replaced as the US commander in Afghanistan by Lieutenant General John Allen.
The US Defence Department has said it would like to close down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility on the Cuban island but, it cannot be done until a statutory status for the detainees are found.
The United States has an excellent military to military relationship with India, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.
Defence Minister A K Antony, during his visit to Washington, DC, in September, bluntly told US Defence ecretary Robert Gates that India would not sign the agreements, which Washington calls the 'foundation' for transferring high-tech communications equipment to India. Ajai Shukla reports.
Defence Minister A K Antony arrived in Washington on Monday to hold a wide-range of bilateral talks with top Barack Obama administration officials, which would include strengthening military-to-military ties, regional security and purchase of United States defence equipments. Security issues -- both regional and global --- are likely to come up prominently during Antony's talks with top officials including his US counterpart Robert Gates, spread over the next two days.
US President Barack Obama would hold his sixth Situation Room meeting with his national security team on Monday to discuss his administrations strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta will move to Pentagon to become new US Defence Secretary to replace Robert Gates while his top military commander in Afghanistan Gen David Petraeus is to takeover as the new CIA Director.
President Barack Obama dispatched three of his top officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defence Secretary Robert Gates, to the Capital Hill to make a convincing case for a Congressional ratification of the New STRAT treaty with Russia that proposes to reduces the nuclear stockpiles of the nations by one-third.
United States President Barack Obama endorsed all the praise showered on Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai a day earlier by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defence Secretary Robert Gates.
US President Barack Obama has approved the deployment 17,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, as he said the situation in the Afghan-Pakistan region demands immediate attention.
For the first time in several years, the United States secretary of state will not be part of the Presidential delegation when Barack Obama visits India in November. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has played a key role in accelerating the Indo-US relationship, will not accompany Obama due to a 'scheduling conflict'. Clinton would be in Australia along with Defence Secretary Robert Gates for the 25th anniversary of the annual Australia-US Ministerial Consultations.
Al Qaeda is helping and providing assistance to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in launching terrorist attacks in India with the objective of provoking a conflict between India and Pakistan, United States Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.
Despite taking strong military action against militants in recent months, the Pakistani establishment has maintained relationship with those extremist groups as a hedge, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said.
Confirming weeks of speculation and apparently making good on his promise to appoint at least one Republican to a senior executive position, US President-elect Barack Obama has decided to retain Defense Secretary Robert M Gates, it was reported Tuesday.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday held a meeting with visiting Chinese General Xu Caiho during which they discussed smoother military cooperation and a combined strategy to create a more stable and secure environment in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
India's willingness to play a big role in the manufacturing and to allow some of those vaccines to go to other developing countries will be an absolutely critical part of containing the pandemic, said Gates.
The United States has said that it is undertaking a major build-up of forces in eastern Afghanistan -- a stronghold of the Haqqani faction -- for a decisive push against terrorists' safe havens close to the borders of Pakistan. Disclosing this, US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates hinted that the operation could be one 'on both sides of the border.'
United States President Barack Obama has approved the use of armed Predator drones in Libya against forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, in an effort to provide "precision capabilities" to international coalition forces in the North African state, Defence Secretary Robert Gates said.
The top US commander in Afghanistan appeared to be on his way out after the White House and Pentagon took strong objection to his controversial comments against key aids of Obama administration in an interview.
Just a few days Operation Odyssey Dawn, the collective international action under United Nations authority to protect the Libyan people, has already derailed Gaddafi's bloody assault on rebel-held territories.
Following an outcry from the Sikh community, the United States Defence Department has decided to review its policy, which prevents Sikhs from joining the country's armed forces. On behalf of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the Pentagon has informed advocacy group Sikh Coalition that it was reviewing current regulations, which prevent a US Sikh national from serving the army, on the ground that they wear turban.
Despite its latest test flight of stealth jets, China still has a "long road" to travel before it actually deploys the J-20 fighter in good numbers, America's top defence official has said, asserting that the United States will maintain a much bigger fleet for years.
The United States on Sunday said it may use nuclear weapons if the country comes under biological attacks, according to a repot in Dawn. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Sunday the US could not rule out using nuclear weapons, saying in that case "all bets are off."
The United States will supplement its multi-billion dollar aid package to Pakistan with a series of powerful new weapons, including smart bombs, to help Islamabad crackdown on its growing militant groups.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates have in recent weeks pledged further security assistance to Islamabad, in addition to the 7.5 billion dollars in aid over five years.
Vadra was dropped by his wife and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi outside the agency's office
China's radar-evading stealth fighter that made its high-profile debut coinciding with the visit of United States Defence Secretary Robert Gates may take three to fours year before it actually becomes operational, official media reports in Beijing said.
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