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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Department of Defense

Department of Defense stories: 115 news summaries

101 - 115 of 115 Stories | << Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6

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Rice Sets New Rules for Guards

But Blackwater may still get the ax

Oct 24, 07 3:11 AM CDT
(Newser) - Private security contractors in Iraq will operate under tougher controls and tighter supervision, according to new State Department rules approved by Condoleezza Rice today, but they won't be supervised by the military, as Defense's Robert Gates had proposed. Measures include investigative "go teams"' that will respond quickly to... More »

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Iraq • Pentagon • Robert Gates • Condoleezza Rice • Blackwater • Department of Defense • Sean McCormack • US Embassy • security contractors • Diplomatic Security Service

Military Flying Saucers Coming

Oct 13, 07 12:10 AM CDT
(Newser) - They’re not science fiction anymore. Researchers have built a real life flying saucer that looks and flies like a B-movie dream. The unmanned craft takes off vertically, maneuvers well, and can land almost anywhere. Cheaper and safer than a helicopter, the Defense Department thinks the saucer could become a... More »

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UFO • Department of Defense • UAVs • drones • Flying Saucer

Black Enlistees Plummet 58%

Lack of support for
Iraq war, distrust of Bush, perceived racism cited as reasons

Oct 8, 07 4:25 AM CDT
(Newser) - The number of black enlistees in the US military has dropped by 58% since 2000, Defense Department statistics show—a decline dramatically sharper than any other demographic group. In the same period, white applicants are down 10% and Hispanics 7%. The Boston Globe cites lack of support for the Iraq... More »

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Department of Defense • enlist • racial inequality • demographics • Iraq war

House Bids to Put Contractors Under US Law

Landslide passage for bill to bring private firms into civilian courts

Oct 4, 07 5:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - The House of Representatives passed a bill today that would make private security firms accountable to US civilian courts; the vote was 389 to 30, with opposition coming only from Republicans. The White House and Pentagon want contractors kept under military jurisdiction, but if the Senate passes similar legislation by... More »

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White House • State Department • Blackwater • House of Representatives • Department of Defense • civilian law • military law • House minority leader • House minority whip

After Sputnik: Satellites Today

Fifty years later, thousands of descendants have made a home in space

Oct 4, 07 4:47 PM CDT
(Newser) - Satellites have lost a bit of their star power since Sputnik blasted into orbit. But 50 years later, its grandkids continue to look down at the Earth and out into deep, deep space. Here are some of the coolest, according to Wired:
  • James Webb Space Telescope: Putting the Hubble
... More »

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science • space • list • Department of Defense • satellite • International Space Station

China Denies Hacking Pentagon

Part of network came offline for a week

Sep 4, 07 8:59 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Chinese military hacked the Pentagon's computer system in June, bringing part of it down for over a week, the Financial Times reports, but Beijing calls the accusation "groundless." The apparently successful hack raises serious worries about the safety of the network because it shows China has "... More »

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China • Pentagon • Department of Defense • Internet security • hackers • computer

Military Battles for Drone Control

Branches vie with each other for high-tech craft

Aug 20, 07 1:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - New enemies are hovering over America's unmanned drone aircraft—branches of the US armed forces battling each other for control of the high-tech flyers. The Air Force is lobbying Congress for exclusive control over purchasing and developing the spy planes, a move opposed by the Army, Navy and Marines.  More »

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Congress • Air Force • Department of Defense • US Army • UAVs • drones • aircraft • airplane

Born-Again Actor Leads Charge into Iraq

Commentators cry foul over evangelical care packages

Aug 9, 07 9:22 AM CDT
(Newser) - A ventriloquist and a born-again movie star are among those headed for Iraq to entertain US soldiers and fold them into the arms of the Lord, writes Max Blumenthal in the Nation. All well and good, but this version of the Almighty, delivered by the likes of Stephen Baldwin, is... More »

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Iraq • military • religion • evangelism • Department of Defense • Stephen Baldwin • Left Behind

Rumsfeld Denies Role in Tillman Cover-Up

On Hill, ex-Pentagon chief rejects personal responsibility

Aug 1, 07 12:51 PM CDT
(Newser) - Donald Rumsfeld took no responsibility today for the bungled handling of the reporting and investigation of Pat Tillman’s death, saying he always stressed honesty at the Pentagon. Before a House committee, the ex-defense secretary denied allegations he was involved in the military plot to claim the ex-NFL star was... More »

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Afghanistan • Pentagon • Pat Tillman • Donald Rumsfeld • Henry Waxman • oversight • Department of Defense • Army Rangers

Olbermann to Prez: Stop Scapegoating, Start Fighting

Anchor irate at blame game on war failure

Jul 20, 07 11:12 AM CDT
(Newser) - A war of words over the Iraq war that erupted this week nominally involves only a Pentagon underling and Hillary Clinton, but MSNBC's Keith Olbermann finds a message for President Bush in the back-and-forth. Accusing the administration of scapegoating both the senator and antiwar citizens, he calls for Bush to... More »

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Iraq • Bush administration • Hillary Clinton • Department of Defense • Keith Olbermann • Eric Edelman • Iraq war • George W. Bush

Military Offers $1M Prize for Lighter Battery Packs

Soldiers now carry packs weighing 40 lb. on 4-day missions.

Jul 17, 07 4:29 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Department of Defense will pay $1 million to the person or team who can come up with a way to lighten the load of US troops. On a 4-day mission, soldiers now lug battery packs that weigh up to 40 pounds—often more than their ammunition. The batteries power... More »

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Department of Defense

GOP Loyalist Dissents on War

Bring troops home, says six-term New Mexico senator

Jul 6, 07 4:33 AM CDT
(Newser) - Another key Republican has broken with President Bush over the war in Iraq, Politico reports. The war is a "failed strategy" and it's time to "move our troops out of combat operations," New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici said yesterday. Domenici, who serves on the Senate Defense Appropriations... More »

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Iraq • troop withdrawal • Department of Defense • Iraq war

Army Fights to Keep Up Quality

Report shows dip
in quality of
new soldiers

Jun 1, 07 12:13 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Army is attracting the lowest rate of high-quality recruits in a decade, the Boston Globe reports. Almost 40% of volunteers scored below-average on verbal and math scores in 2006, according to an analysis of Defense Department personnel statistics. Four years ago, that figure was 29%. The number of recruits... More »

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military • Army recruiting • Department of Defense • US Army • test score • aptitude

Defense Dept. Blocks Access to YouTube

Bandwidth, security issues lead to ban on MySpace, other networking sites

May 14, 07 12:38 PM CDT
(Newser) - MySpace as a national security threat? Yes, says the Department of Defense, which is blocking service members' access to the site—as well as YouTube and 11 other popular destinations troops use to communicate with family and friends—on department computers as of today. The department calls the online traffic... More »

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national security • social networking • military • Internet • YouTube • MySpace • Department of Defense

(Newser) - Some of the most riveting reporting about the war in Iraq is coming from the soldiers fighting it. As blogs from deployed soldiers proliferate, higher-ups are biting their nails over the ensuing transparency. Bloggers like Capt. Danjel Bout say posting provides "online therapy" and helps keep friends and the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Iraq • Afghanistan • War on Terror • blogosphere • military • Pentagon • Department of Defense • blog • Iraq war

101 - 115 of 115 Stories | << Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6


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