Idrees Ali, Reuters, Author at Task & Purpose

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Oct 6, 2020

News

After summer of protests, National Guard puts troops on standby in run-up to elections

After a summer of civil unrest over racial injustice in the United States, the National Guard has put hundreds of...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Oct 1, 2020

News

Lawmakers hammer Pentagon over lack of detail on Germany troop cuts

U.S. lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, expressed frustration with the Pentagon at a hearing on Wednesday over the lack of...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Sep 4, 2020

News

Defense secretary defends Trump amid claims he called America’s war dead ‘losers’

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Friday that President Donald Trump has respect and admiration for American troops and...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Aug 29, 2020

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Joint Chiefs chairman foresees no military role in resolving disputed election

'In the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law U.S. courts and the U.S. Congress...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Jul 16, 2020

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The Army wants to remove ‘divisive symbols’ from military bases

The U.S. Army wants to remove any sort of divisive symbols from military bases, potentially including Confederate flags, the Army...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Mar 14, 2020

News

Pentagon halts all domestic travel for military amid coronavirus pandemic

The U.S. military said on Friday it will halt, with some exceptions, domestic travel for service members, Defense Department civilians...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Dec 13, 2019

News

US tests ground-launched ballistic missile that was previously banned

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon on Thursday tested a conventionally configured ground-launched ballistic missile, a test that would have been...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Nov 27, 2019

News

Top US general claims Afghanistan peace talks are right around the corner

"I think the chances of a positive outcome through negotiations is higher than I have seen, and I've been deeply...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Nov 19, 2019

News

A Navy carrier strike group just rolled up on Iran’s doorstep

The U.S. aircraft carrier strike group Abraham Lincoln sailed through the vital Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, U.S. officials told...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Oct 20, 2019

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SecDef Esper: US forces in Afghanistan could drop to 8,600 without things falling apart

Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived in Afghanistan on Sunday in a bid to bring talks with the Taliban back on...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Oct 18, 2019

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SecDef Esper says US troops will not enforce a safe zone in Syria

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Friday that no U.S. troops will take part in enforcing the so-called safe...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Sep 6, 2019

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Sec Def wants European allies to help pay for defense projects after funds were diverted for the border wall

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that European nations should consider funding projects in their countries after the Pentagon diverted...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Aug 21, 2019

News

US military drone shot down over Yemen

A U.S. military MQ-9 drone was shot down in Yemen's Dhamar governate, southeast of the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa, two U.S....

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Aug 1, 2019

News

Afghanistan’s security forces lost 42,000 troops in the last year in a crackdown on ‘ghost soldiers’

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a report that ANDSF personnel size had gone down by...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Jul 22, 2019

News

Trump: the US is working with Pakistan to find a way out of the war in Afghanistan

President Donald Trump, speaking at a White House meeting with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, said on Monday the...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Jul 21, 2019

News

US says Venezuelan fighter ‘aggressively shadowed’ Navy spy plane

The encounter between the U.S. and Venezuelan planes occurred on Friday, the same day that the Trump administration announced it...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Jun 2, 2019

News

Pentagon to White House: Stop politicizing the military

"There is no room for politicizing the military," Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said.

By Idrees Ali, Reuters May 23, 2019

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Navy warships again sail through the Taiwan Strait amid rising trade tensions with China

U.S. warships have sailed through the Taiwan Strait at least once a month since the start of this year

By Idrees Ali, Reuters May 12, 2019

News

Pentagon to transfer $1.5 billion to border wall from Afghan forces and other areas

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion to build more than 80 miles of...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters May 6, 2019

News

US destroyers sail through disputed South China Sea in yet another message to Beijing

The U.S. military said two of its warships sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters May 1, 2019

News

US stops tracking territory controlled in Afghanistan since it was ‘of limited decision-making value’

The U.S. military has stopped tracking the amount of territory controlled or influenced by the Afghan government and militants.

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Apr 29, 2019

News

2 Navy warships sail through strategic Taiwan Strait in message to China

The U.S. military said it sent two Navy warships through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday as the Pentagon increases the...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Mar 28, 2019

News

North Korea nuclear, missile activity ‘inconsistent’ with denuclearization, US general says

North Korea's activity on nuclear weapons and missiles is inconsistent with its pledge to denuclearize, the commander of U.S. forces...

By Idrees Ali, Reuters Feb 17, 2019

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Shanahan still undecided on which projects will be impacted by border wall funding

According to the law, the defense secretary has to decide whether the wall is militarily necessary before money from the...

Idrees Ali, Reuters

News

Featured by Idrees Ali, Reuters

After summer of protests, National Guard puts troops on standby in run-up to elections

Lawmakers hammer Pentagon over lack of detail on Germany troop cuts

Defense secretary defends Trump amid claims he called America’s war dead ‘losers’

Joint Chiefs chairman foresees no military role in resolving disputed election

The Army wants to remove ‘divisive symbols’ from military bases

Pentagon halts all domestic travel for military amid coronavirus pandemic

US tests ground-launched ballistic missile that was previously banned

Top US general claims Afghanistan peace talks are right around the corner

A Navy carrier strike group just rolled up on Iran’s doorstep

SecDef Esper: US forces in Afghanistan could drop to 8,600 without things falling apart

SecDef Esper says US troops will not enforce a safe zone in Syria

Sec Def wants European allies to help pay for defense projects after funds were diverted for the border wall

US military drone shot down over Yemen

Afghanistan’s security forces lost 42,000 troops in the last year in a crackdown on ‘ghost soldiers’

Trump: the US is working with Pakistan to find a way out of the war in Afghanistan

US says Venezuelan fighter ‘aggressively shadowed’ Navy spy plane

Pentagon to White House: Stop politicizing the military

Navy warships again sail through the Taiwan Strait amid rising trade tensions with China

Pentagon to transfer $1.5 billion to border wall from Afghan forces and other areas

US destroyers sail through disputed South China Sea in yet another message to Beijing

US stops tracking territory controlled in Afghanistan since it was ‘of limited decision-making value’

2 Navy warships sail through strategic Taiwan Strait in message to China

North Korea nuclear, missile activity ‘inconsistent’ with denuclearization, US general says

Shanahan still undecided on which projects will be impacted by border wall funding