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Could chemical weapons in Syria force Obama's hand?

President Obama last August declared that any use or transport of Syria's chemical weapons would constitute a 'red line' for US policy toward the country. Now Israel, Britain, and France say they have evidence that Syria has crossed that line.
Decoder Wire Chuck Hagel sworn in as Defense secretary. Will he be sorry? (+video)

The office for Chuck Hagel is palatial, his responsibilities extraordinary, his staff vast. But his job is also probably the second most difficult in the executive branch after the presidency itself.
NATO meeting: Chuck Hagel misses his debutant ball

With the nomination of Chuck Hagel in limbo, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta travels to Brussels to warn other NATO defense chiefs about effects from US budget battles.
With John Brennan, Obama doubles down on drone strikes (+video)

President Obama wants John Brennan to head the CIA. In the confirmation process, he could face questions from the left and right about his past at the CIA and his vision for the war on terror.
Syria chemical weapons scare: Is Assad threatening to use them, or lose them? (+video)

A report suggests that Syria has ramped up activity at chemical-weapons sites. But President Bashar al-Assad might simply be sending a message to the international community.
By taking Benghazi blame, will Hillary Clinton help or harm Obama?

By taking responsibility for the security failure, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared to be trying to shield her boss, a president locked in a tight reelection battle, from further political fallout.
New Pentagon strategy recasts military in Obama's image (VIDEO)

The new Pentagon strategy unveiled Thursday is aimed at trimming defense spending. But Obama took the opportunity to overhaul the military's priorities so they match his own.
Iraq withdrawal: How many US troops will remain?

The Obama administration is considering a plan to leave about 3,000 support troops behind at the end of the year, if Iraqis agree. But reports suggest that the Pentagon is angling for more.
Senate confirms Petraeus as CIA chief; Pakistan confirms his job will be tough

The Senate gives Gen. David Petraeus a resounding 94-to-0 vote of confidence as CIA chief. But Pakistan signals that fighting terror – a top priority – will be hard, closing a base to US drones.
US covert attacks in Yemen: A better template for the war on terror?

The new campaign follows US concerns about a fortified Al Qaeda in conflict-torn Yemen. It’s very likely a harbinger of things to come, some national security experts say.
Why is US so quiet as regimes crack down on 'Arab Spring' protesters?

State Department spoke Thursday of 'deep concern' about violence against protesters in Yemen. Meanwhile, tumult ensues from Syria to Libya. Critics: Obama has no real policy on 'Arab Spring.'
Obama on Libya: The dawn of a foreign policy doctrine?

Libya may have been less a precedent than a case study in the president's blend of pragmatism and idealism.
Obama wants Qaddafi out of Libya, but what is he ready to do?

Amid calls for a no-fly zone, Obama says a wide range of options are being discussed to deal with Libya. Analysts say he is in no hurry to use force, especially not unilaterally, to oust Qaddafi.
House votes to scrap F-35 engine: why Gates can't crow too loudly

The House voted Wednesday to stop funding for an alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter – a program Defense Secretary Robert Gates called 'unnecessary.' But his arm-twisting of Congress is far from finished.
Why Pentagon budget cuts might not be as impressive as they sound

At $553 billion, the Pentagon budget is $13 billion less than expected. But it is still up from last year, and many of the biggest planned cuts are in the uncertain future.
How WikiLeaks could undo post-9/11 intelligence reforms

A former US diplomat who helped push for the intelligence-sharing reforms aimed at preventing another 9/11 says the WikiLeaks fiasco could prompt a reversal.
WikiLeaks 'attack': How damaging to US foreign relations?

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemns the WikiLeaks 'attack on the international community' as harmful to US policy goals. But major geopolitical shifts are unlikely, analysts say.
NATO backs Taliban talks: Sign of a shift in Afghanistan war?

NATO said Thursday that it is allowing Taliban leaders to travel to Kabul for talks with the government, suggesting that the West might be considering new options in the Afghanistan war.
Opinion: Want to improve US national security? Cut the defense budget.

Reining in irresponsible defense spending will combat the most significant threat to our national security: the debt.
WikiLeaks: Why national security isn't Obama's biggest concern

Even analysts who agree that leaking classified documents can harm national security say that in this case, the WikiLeaks information draws attention to serious problems in the Afghanistan war.
Ending 'don't ask, don't tell' seems inevitable. But not soon.

US society and the Pentagon are moving toward ending the ban on gays serving openly in the military. But powerful lawmakers want to keep the 1993 law, and it may be other conservatives who convince them that times have changed.
Marines to aid Haitian earthquake relief. But who's in command?

Some 5,700 US marines and soldiers are expected to join Haitian earthquake relief efforts this weekend. The UN says its peacekeeping force should be in command. The US says no.
Pentagon plays catch-up as toll of repeat combat duty rises

A Department of Veterans Affairs study reports a three-fold increase in depression and post-traumatic stress after repeat combat duty, raising questions about the Pentagon’s ability to keep soldiers with combat-related psychological problems away from the front.
Levin: In Afghanistan, US should focus on training local forces

Sen. Carl Levin cited concerns about stress on the US military as the US decides its next steps in Afghanistan. Levin spoke at a Monitor breakfast Thursday.
Obama's Afghanistan war speech partly a bid for more foreign troops

In his Afghanistan war speech Tuesday, Obama is expected to call for more US troops to fight. But he'll need as many as 10,000 new foreign troop commitments, too, to get to the force size military commanders say is needed.