Martin Dempsey

The US military said Wednesday "poor judgement" allowed an instructor to present inflammatory anti-Islamic material in a course for senior officers.

The United States pledged Thursday to help the Philippines step up its defenses in the face of a rising China as it welcomes President Benigno Aquino, seen by US officials as a promising partner.

The United States' top military official discussed boosting the poorly equipped Philippine armed forces in a meeting Monday with President Benigno Aquino, a presidential spokesman said.

Horror in Houla is exposing President Barack Obama's criteria for intervention abroad to new scrutiny and reviving the question: if it was right to stop atrocities in Libya, why not in Syria?

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Thursday that repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' has had no impact on morale or unit cohesion. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Thursday that repeal of ?Don't Ask, Don't Tell? has had no impact on morale, readiness or unit cohesion, Reuters reported. The military ended the policy which for 18 years banned gay and bisexual troops from serving openly last September. President Barack Obama championed scrapping the policy and has touted the accomplishment since. Supporters of keeping ban warned that repealing it in wartime threatened to hurt cohesion of troops or undermine morale. ?It's not impacting morale. It's not impacting on unit cohesion. It is not impacting on readiness,? Panetta said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, referring to the findings of an internal report he received on Wednesday. Army General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added: ?I have not found any negative effects on good or

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta scolded Republican lawmakers Thursday for adding what he deemed to be unnecessary expenses to the Pentagon's budget, warning it could lead to "gridlock."

US defense chiefs appealed Wednesday for lawmakers to ratify the UN convention on the law of sea, saying the country was at a disadvantage because of the Senate's refusal to back the accord.

A US envoy headed Wednesday to Pakistan in a new bid to ease months of severe strains between the war partners, after lawmakers in Islamabad called for steps including an end to drone strikes.

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta voiced "deep skepticism" Thursday over the Syrian regime's intent to honor a shaky UN-monitored ceasefire, citing a series of "deceitful actions" by President Bashar al-Assad.

Eleven US Secret Service agents recalled from Colombia over an alleged sex scandal have had their security clearances suspended, a US government official said on Monday.

Defense chiefs are "embarrassed" over a sex scandal involving Secret Service agents and military service members as it distracted from President Barack Obama's visit to Colombia, the US military's top officer said Monday.

An 18-hour insurgent attack on Kabul achieved "no tactical gains" and was largely symbolic, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Monday, praising the response of Afghan security forces.

Military chiefs of South Korea and the United States on Wednesday pledged close cooperation in responding to the North's planned rocket launch and a potential nuclear test, a Seoul official said.

US and Afghan defense chiefs on Tuesday discussed the future of American troops in Afghanistan after 2014, with both sides calling for a long-term security partnership.

Israel's Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz began a trip to the United States and Canada on Thursday, the military said, for talks expected to focus on Iran.

The United States is looking at delivering non-lethal aid to Syria's rebels, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday, hinting at the first direct US assistance to forces seeking President Bashar al-Assad's downfall.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday the United States is looking at delivering radios or other non-lethal aid to Syria's rebel forces but warned of the risks of military action against President Bashar al-Assad's regime without international consensus or a unified opposition.

The United States is looking at providing non-lethal aid to Syria's opposition forces, including radio equipment, to help in their fight against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel took the unusual precaution of announcing on Thursday that it would soon test-fire a ballistic interceptor missile, hoping to avoid stoking war tensions with Iran.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel took the unusual precaution of announcing on Thursday that it would soon test-fire a ballistic interceptor missile, hoping to avoid stoking war tensions with Iran.