US Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced a thorough investigation into the Fort Hood shootings to examine if warning signs were missed and to ensure such a rampage never happens again.

Pentagon chief says Afghan troop increase could swiftly follow Obama announcement. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said any new U.S. forces President Barack Obama sends to Afghanistan could move into the country swiftly, despite logistical hassles that force almost all major deliveries of troops and supplies to go by air.

Pentagon launches quick hunt for more Hasans, longer look at possible lapses in Fort Hood case. The Pentagon said Thursday it will scour its procedures for identifying volatile soldiers hidden in the ranks following the Fort Hood shooting rampage and lapses that might allow others to slip through bureaucratic cracks.

The CIA provides hundreds of millions of dollars to Pakistan's spy service, including payments for the capture or killing of wanted militants, a US newspaper reported, citing unnamed officials and former officials.

The CIA provides hundreds of millions dollars to Pakistan's spy service, including payments for the capture or killing of wanted militants, a US newspaper reported, citing unnamed officials and former officials.

Top military officer Admiral Mike Mullen said on Tuesday that US forces were under strain from fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq but were not at a "tipping point."

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Suicides in the U.S. Army will hit a new high this year, a top general said on Tuesday in a disclosure likely to increase concerns about stress on U.S. forces ahead of an expected buildup in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Suicides in the U.S. Army will hit a new high this year, a top general said on Tuesday in a disclosure likely to increase concerns about stress on U.S. forces ahead of an expected buildup in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon said Thursday it will scour its procedures for identifying volatile soldiers hidden in the ranks following the Fort Hood shooting rampage and lapses that might allow others to slip through bureaucratic cracks.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Thursday a thorough investigation into the Fort Hood shootings to examine if warning signs were missed and to ensure such a "tragedy" never happens again.

The US commander in Afghanistan has asked for a dramatic troop buildup in Afghanistan, a top lawmaker said Sunday, as President Barack Obama faced competing advice over war strategy.

The US commander in Afghanistan has asked for a dramatic troop buildup in Afghanistan, a top lawmaker said Sunday, as President Barack Obama faced competing advice over war strategy.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top Pentagon officials are calling for an end to the U.S. military's historical ban on allowing women to serve in submarines.

President Barack Obama travels to suburban Maryland on Wednesday to make an announcement about stimulus funding to support research into cures for cancer and other diseases.

More than 20 Taliban were killed in a massive operation in western Afghanistan, the interior ministry said Wednesday, as the United States considers sending more troops to battle a worsening insurgency.

More than 20 Taliban were killed in a massive operation in western Afghanistan, the interior ministry said Wednesday, as the United States considers sending more troops to battle a worsening insurgency.

WASHINGTON - An article in the Pentagon's top scholarly journal calls in unambiguous terms for lifting the ban on gays serving openly in the armed forces, arguing that the military is essentially forcing thousands of gay men and women to lead dishonest lives in an organization that emphasizes integrity as a fundamental tenet. The article in the upcoming issue of Joint Force Quarterly, which is published for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was written by an Air Force colonel who studied the issue for months while a student at the National Defense University in Washington and who concludes that having openly gay troops in the ranks will not hurt combat readiness. The views do not necessarily reflect those of Pentagon leaders, but their appearance in a publication billed as the Joint Chiefs' ``flagship'' security studies journal signals that the top brass now welcomes a debate in the military over repealing the 1993 law that requires gays to hide their sexual orientation, accor

More than 20 Taliban were killed in a massive operation in western Afghanistan, the interior ministry said Wednesday, as the United States considers sending more troops to battle a worsening insurgency.

US President Barack Obama gathers an array of high-powered advisors Wednesday to begin a sweeping Afghan strategy review that will culminate in a fateful decision on whether to escalate the war.

US President Barack Obama gathers an array of high-powered advisors Wednesday to begin a sweeping Afghan strategy review that will culminate in a fateful decision on whether to escalate the war.