THE AMERICAS :

New York Times, 19 Aug 10, by Steven Lee Myers
In Iraq War, Soldiers Say They Had a Job to Do
'Even with the end of combat operations, Iraq remains a job that inspires emotion only among those who do it.'

DefenseNews, 09 Aug 10, by Andrew Tilghman
Pentagon to Eliminate U.S. Joint Forces Command
'The four-star command ... will pass along its primary mission - managing forces and coordinating deployments - to the office of the Joint Staff, Gates said at a Pentagon news briefing.'

New York Times, 11 Aug 10, by Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and David E. Sanger
U.S. Military Seeks Slower Pace to Wrap Up Afghan Role
'American military officials are building a case to minimize the planned withdrawal of some troops from Afghanistan starting next summer, in an effort to counter growing pressure on President Obama from inside his own party to begin winding the war down quickly.'

Washington Post, 12 Aug 10, by Peter Finn
U.S. lacks policy on housing detainees convicted in military commissions
'The Defense Department has no written policy on how detainees convicted in military commissions should be housed after they are sentenced, despite a 2008 Pentagon directive to create a plan for such prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, a military judge said.'

PBS NewsHour, 11 Aug 10, with Spencer Michels
Hayden: Hackers Force Internet Users to Learn Self-Defense
'... a conversation with former CIA and National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden who says the openness of the Internet's design puts hackers at an advantage over people who want to defend their data.'

New York Times, 18 Aug 10, by Thom Shanker
WikiLeaks and Pentagon Disagree About Talks
'The Pentagon on Wednesday rebutted statements by the WikiLeaks organization that the Defense Department had expressed a willingness to discuss reviewing a trove of classified documents before public release.'

Washington Post, 12 Aug 10, by Michael Shifter
A new look for Colombia, U.S. relations
'U.S. relations with Colombia -- Washington's major Latin American ally over the past decade -- may be on the verge of some important changes ...'

Washington Post, 27 Jul 10, by Greg Jaffe and Peter Finn
WikiLeaks disclosures unlikely to change course of Afghanistan war
'White House and Pentagon officials sought to diminish the significance of the leak by arguing that there were few, if any, revelations in the documents. Instead, they expressed alarm that the group WikiLeaks.org had posted such a large amount of classified material that could compromise the safety of U.S. forces and their Afghan allies.'

Washington Post, 27 Jul 10, by Paul Farhi and Ellen Nakashima
Is WikiLeaks the Pentagon Papers, Part 2? Parallels, and differences, exist.
'Superficially, the two episodes do seem related. In substance, however, the case may be weaker.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jul 10, by Kristen Chick
WikiLeaks report harms national security in Afghanistan, says White House
'WikiLeaks has released more than 90,000 classified US reports and documents spanning 2004-2009 detailing Paksitan's collusion with Afghan militants and the Taliban's increasing sophistication. The White House condemned the leak.'

New York Times, 26 Jul 10, by Eric Schmitt and Helene Cooper
Document Leak May Hurt Efforts to Build War Support
'The disclosure of a six-year archive of classified military documents increased pressure on President Obama to defend his military strategy as Congress prepares to deliberate financing of the Afghanistan war.'
• Text From a Selection of the Secret Dispatches

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Jul 10, by Howard LaFranchi
Republican skepticism challenges US-Russia treaty on nuclear weapons
'President Obama is facing Republican opposition and midterm elections in his push to have the US-Russia Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty ratified before year's end.'

New York Times, 14 Jul 10, by Elisabeth Bumiller
Records Show Doubts on ’64 Vietnam Crisis
'Previously classified transcripts show senators of the time questioning whether the White House and the Pentagon had deceived them over the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident.'

BBC News, 29 Jun 10
Gen Petraeus tells senators Afghan fighting may worsen
'The man chosen to take charge of the US military in Afghanistan, Gen David Petraeus, has warned of an escalation of violence in the coming months.'

Washington Post, 30 Jun 10, by Peter Baker
Despite Arrests, Working to Rebuild Russia Ties
'Mr. Obama’s plan is to largely ignore the issue publicly, leaving it to diplomats and investigators to handle, while he moves on to what he sees as more important matters.'

Washington Post, 29 Jun 10, by Jerry Markon and William Branigin
U.S. downplays Russian spy case
'The White House said Tuesday that it does not expect the arrests of 11 accused members of a Russian espionage ring to affect relations between Washington and Moscow, shrugging off Russian denunciations of the busts as a throwback to the Cold War.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 10, by Fred Weir
Russian spies: US case could derail Medvedev, boost Putin
'Russian spies case is believed in Moscow to be a plot by US hawks to undermine the US-Russia relationship. It could also hurt Medvedev's chances of beating Putin, an ex-KGB agent, in 2012 elections.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jun 10, by Stuart Fox
How Russian spies hid secret codes in online photos
'Russian spies posted seemingly innocuous photos on public websites that contained coded messages, marking the first confirmed use of this method for espionage purposes.'

Washington Post, 25 Jun 10, by Karen DeYoung
Obama says he is 'confident' in war leadership
'President Obama said Thursday that there will be no additional changes for now in his leadership team on Afghanistan, but that he will be "insisting on unity of purpose" and "paying very close attention" to its performance.'

USA Today, 25 Jun 10, by Jim Michaels
Gates: U.S. not 'bogged down' in Afghanistan
'Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that the United States and its allies are not "bogged down" in Afghanistan despite the delay of a planned offensive in the southern city of Kandahar.'

New York Times, 24 Jun 10, by Mark Landler and Helene Cooper
As Generals Change, Afghan Debate Narrows to 2 Powerful Voices
'The messy departure of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal is likely to make the Obama administration’s internal debates over Afghanistan even more pointed, giving the military a powerful advocate for staying the course ...'

Washington Post, 22 Jun 10, by Greg Jaffe and Ernesto Londoño
Is Gen. Stanley McChrystal someone the president can afford to fire?
'... relieving McChrystal of his command on the eve of a major offensive in Kandahar, which White House and Pentagon officials have said is the most critical of the war, would be a major blow to the war effort, said military experts.'

Washington Post, 22 Jun 10, by Colum Lynch and Thomas Erdbrink
Congress strikes deal on tougher sanctions for Iran's suppliers
'U.S. lawmakers on Monday reached agreement on legislation that would penalize Iran's business partners for selling the country gasoline, investing in its refineries, or providing financial services to firms linked to its political and military elite.'

Jerusalem Post, 23 Jun 10, by Hilary Leila Krieger
'Sanctions are not a panacea'
'Senior US officials have acknowledged that newly imposed sanctions against Iran would not be enough to end its quest for nuclear capabilities, but told Congress that the approach was bearing fruit.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 10, by Warren Richey
Supreme Court upholds controversial part of Patriot Act
'On Monday, the Supreme Court upheld a statute – part of the Patriot Act – that outlaws the provision of 'material support' to terror groups. Such support includes assistance that might nudge a group toward nonviolence.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 10, by Peter Grier
Cases of WikiLeaks and other leaks: Worth prosecuting?
'Prosecutions of leaks of classified information are so difficult that other options may be more effective, the Justice Department suggests.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Jun 10, by Kristen Chick
Is Obama starting to prod Egypt on human rights?
'Many human rights and democracy activists in the Middle East are disillusioned with Obama's lack of action. But Egypt's acceptance today of 21 human rights recommendations after a visit by Vice President Biden may signal a shift.'

Washington Post, 04 Jun 10, by Scott Wilson
Obama's agenda, Israel's ambitions often at odds
'U.S. president's foreign policy emphasizes international rules and organizations that the Middle East ally often clashes with or ignores.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Jun 10, by Jonathan Adams
US defends unmanned drone attacks after harsh UN report
'US officials and security analysts defended the use of unmanned drone attacks, after a UN official urged a halt to such killings in a strongly worded report released Wednesday.'

New York Times, 27 May 10, by David E. Sanger and Peter Baker
Obama Security Strategy Focuses on Managing Threats
'In his first formal National Security Strategy, President Obama tries to balance the idealism of his promises with the realities of a fractious world.'

Washington Post, 27 May 10, by Scott Wilson
U.S. withdrawal from Iraq will be on time, Vice President Biden says
'The sensitive departure from Iraq is being managed by Vice President Biden, who says the U.S. military will reduce troop levels to 50,000 this summer, even if no new Iraqi government takes shape.'

New York Times, 26 May 10, by Mark Landler
U.S. Stands With an Ally, Eager for China to Join the Line
'American officials say there is disagreement within China about how to respond to North Korea, pitting civilian party leaders against the military.'

Washington Post, 24 May 10, by Fred Hiatt
In the absence of debate, Iraq and Afghanistan go unnoticed
'Those elected to Congress in November will face fateful decisions on the continued deployment, or not, of U.S. forces in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet those wars, and the wisdom of committing to or withdrawing from them, have hardly been mentioned in the hard-fought campaigns of the spring.'

PBS NewsHour, 18 May 10, with Jeffrey Brown
U.S. Spearheads New Sanctions to Stifle Iran's Nuclear Ambitions
'Russian and China have reached a deal with the U.S. and other world powers to impose new sanctions on Iran, a day after the country signed a deal with Turkey and Brazil to swap its nuclear fuel.'

Washington Post, 24 May 10, by Juan Forero
Colombian president's brother said to have lead death squads
'The disclosures could prove uncomfortable to the United States, which has long seen Uribe as a trusted caretaker of American money in the fight against armed groups and the cocaine trade.'

New York Times, 12 May 10, by Helene Cooper
Avoiding Tensions, Obama Reassures Karzai
'President Obama promised President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan on Wednesday that the United States would remain in Afghanistan for the long haul, even as he vowed to stick to his timetable to begin withdrawing troops by July 2011.'

PBS NewsHour, 10 May 10, by Larisa Epatko
Withdrawal of U.S. Troops From Afghanistan Hangs Over Karzai Visit
'The July 2011 deadline President Barack Obama set to start withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan serves as the backdrop and lends some urgency to Afghan President Hamid Karzai's meetings in Washington, D.C., this week, analysts say.'

Washington Post, 12 May 10, by John Pomfret
U.S. risks China's ire with decision to fund software maker tied to Falun Gong
'The State Department has decided to fund a group run mainly by practitioners of Falun Gong, a Buddhist-like sect long considered Enemy No. 1 by the Chinese government, to provide software to skirt Internet censorship across the globe.'

New York Times, 11 May 10, by Scott Shane
Senators Demand Tighter Rules on No-Fly List and Addition to Terror Group List
'... top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee called Tuesday for improvements in the no-fly list and the addition of the Pakistani Taliban to the government’s official list of terrorist organizations.'

New York Times, 28 Apr 10, by Neil MacFarquhar
U.N. Chief Seeks to Strengthen Nuclear Pact
'Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for renewed commitments toward disarmament and for tackling the knotty issue of a Middle East free of nuclear weapons.'

New York Times, 27 Apr 10, by Peter Baker and Rod Nordland
Obama Sticks to a Deadline in Iraq
'When President Obama approved a plan to withdraw combat forces from Iraq this summer, it was based on the assumption that a newly elected government would be in place by the time Americans headed home. Fourteen months later, that assumption is exploding but the plan remains the same.'

New York Times, 14 Apr 10, by Mark Landler and Helene Cooper
Obama Speech Signals a U.S. Shift on Middle East
'Mr. Obama, frustrated by the inability of the Israelis and the Palestinians to come to terms, will offer his own proposed parameters for an eventual Palestinian state.'

Asia Times, 22 Apr 10, by Victor Kotsev
US warms to strike on Iran
'... threats are now being exchanged openly between the United States and Iran ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 10, by Gordon Lubold
Senators losing patience in Fort Hood probe, threaten subpoenas
'The administration is wary of allowing Sens. Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins open access to front-line agents in their investigation into the Fort Hood shootings, which left 13 people dead.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 10, by Howard Lafranchi
New State Department team to the rescue in disaster areas, war zones
'The State Department's new Civilian Response Corps supplements US military efforts in disaster areas, such as Haiti, and war zones. It's still small but has the backing of top officials.'

New York Times, 08 Apr 10, by Peter Baker and Dan Bilefsky
Russia and U.S. Sign Nuclear Arms Reduction Pact
'... on Thursday as they signed an arms control treaty and presented a largely united front against Iran’s nuclear program, marking a sharp change since they broke over the Georgia war two years ago.'

New York Times, 05 Apr 10, by David E. Sanger and Peter Baker
Obama Limits When U.S. Would Use Nuclear Arms
'President Obama said Monday that he was revamping American nuclear strategy to substantially narrow the conditions under which the United States would use nuclear weapons.'

Washington Post, 08 Apr 10, by Craig Whitlock
U.S. looks to nonnuclear weapons to use as deterrent
'As the White House pushes for cuts in the U.S. nuclear arsenal, the Pentagon is developing a weapon to help fill the gap: missiles armed with conventional warheads that could strike anywhere in the world in less than an hour.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar 10, by David R. Francis
Defense budget: After Afghanistan and Iraq withdrawal, a peace dividend?
'An Afghanistan and Iraq withdrawal could trim billions of dollars from the US defense budget.'

Washington Post, 30 Mar 10, by Scott Wilson
Obama shifts focus from foreign populations to leaders
'... the meeting [with Karzai last week] revealed a shift in Obama's foreign policy: a growing emphasis on one-on-one encounters with foreign leaders.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Mar 10, by Mark Guarino
Hutaree: Why is the Midwest a hotbed of militia activity?
'Michigan is second only to Texas in the number of 'patriot' groups, including militias like the Hutaree. It has a long tradition of spawning antigovernment groups.'

Washington Post, 30 Mar 10, by Dana Hedgpeth
Panel says firms need U.S. guidance to reduce contractors in Iraq
'The U.S. government is probably paying contractors millions of dollars for unnecessary work in Iraq because the military is not giving companies clear enough guidance about reducing their employees, officials on the Commission on Wartime Contracting said Monday.'

Washington Post, 17 Mar 10, by Glenn Kessler
With subtle shift in nuance, Hillary Clinton reiterates U.S. stance on Israel
'In the face of bipartisan concern over U.S. criticism of Israeli policies, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday reiterated the administration's demand for a "full commitment" to peace talks from Israel but also ever so slightly bolstered her rhetorical support for the Jewish state.'

New York Times, 16 Mar 10, by Mark Landler
Opportunity in a Fight With Israel
'For President Obama, getting into a serious fight with Israel carries obvious domestic and foreign political risks. But it may offer the administration a payoff it sees as worthwhile: shoring up Mr. Obama’s credibility as a Middle East peacemaker by showing doubtful Israelis and Palestinians that he has the fortitude to push the two sides toward an agreement.'

Washington Post, 16 Mar 10, by Walter Pincus
Reports shine light on nuclear weapons vigilance
'While public attention is focused on a new arms-control treaty between Russia and the United States, the slow, dull work of keeping nuclear warheads and weapons-grade uranium and plutonium protected from terrorists goes on almost unnoticed.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar 10, by Fred Weir
Clinton hints more work needed on nuclear reduction treaty with Russia
'Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov Thursday saying 'don't count your chickens' about a nuclear reduction treaty with Russia.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar 10, by Michael Ollove
Iraq and Afghanistan: America's invisible wars
'After seven years in Iraq and nine in Afghanistan, residents of York, Pa., talk about how the wars have become like a screen saver: always there but rarely acknowledged.'

New York Times, 13 Mar 10, by Peter Baker
Obama and Medvedev Talk About Arms Treaty
'[Obama and Medvedev] moved closer to agreement Saturday on a long-stalled arms control treaty that would slash the active nuclear arsenals of both countries by more than one-quarter, officials from both countries said.'

New York Times, 09 Mar 10, by Peter Baker and Mark Landler
Delay on Arms Pact Slows Reset of U.S.- Russia Ties
'The arms control treaty is part of a complicated diplomatic effort to forge a new relationship with Russia, interlinked with issues like Iran, missile defense and Afghanistan.'

New York Times, 12 Mar 10, by Larry Rohter
After the Earthquake, a Military Chile Can Love Again
'“This is the first real troop presence since the end of [Pinochet’s] dictatorship, and obviously raises a certain amount of nervousness. But it marks a return to a normal civil-military relationship.” [Gregory B. Weeks, author of “The Military and Politics in Postauthoritarian Chile”]'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Mar 10, by Mark Sappenfield
Graham to Obama: scrap New York terror trial, I'll stand with you
'Senator Lindsey Graham on Sunday outlined his plan to help President Obama close Guantánamo if the administration agrees to abandon a civilian New York terror trial for 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in favor of a military tribunal.'

Washington Post, 14 Mar 10, by Carrie Johnson
Critics: Military trial of terror suspects could open cases to legal uncertainty
'Using a military commission to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-defendants for their alleged role in the Sept. 11 attacks could open the case to significant legal uncertainty and expose fresh details of detainee abuse in a proceeding that might not get underway for two years or longer, national security experts and plan critics say.'

New York Times, 13 Mar 10, by Simon Romero and Andrés Cala
Arrests in Europe Expose ETA’s Ties to Venezuela
'A shadowy underworld of Basque exiles in Caracas is under scrutiny after an indictment from a Spanish judge.'

Washington Post, 02 Mar 10, by John Pomfret
White House wary of growing military ties between Burma, N. Korea
'The Obama administration is concerned that Burma is expanding its military relationship with North Korea and has launched an aggressive campaign to convince Burma's junta to stop buying North Korean military technology, U.S. officials said.'

Washington Post, 03 Mar 10, by John Pomfret
U.S. floats plan to lift ban on training Indonesia's Kopassus unit
'As President Obama prepares to travel to Indonesia, his administration is seeking to reverse a 12-year-old ban on training an elite unit of the Indonesian military whose members have been convicted of beatings, kidnappings and other abuses.'

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"Hunt for the Somali Pirates" airs soon on the National Geographic Channel.
When Somali pirates hijack the Maersk Alabama -- and international headlines -- Navy SEALs launch a sneak attack to rescue the ship's American captain. Pirate Hunters recounts the harrowing five days from hijack to final fatal shots, and reveals sophisticated Navy SEAL training methods that prepare the world's most elite reconnaissance teams for daring missions with no second chances.