National Security

U.S. Diplomats Defend U.S. Policy In Syria Before Congressional Panel

4:19pm November 04, 2015

by Michele Kelemen

Two top State Department officials visit Capitol Hill Wednesday to explain how the US is countering Russia's military campaign in Syria. Some analysts say the U.S. is waiting for Russia to fail.

National

New TSA Head Promises To Improve Security Procedures

4:57pm November 03, 2015

by Brian Naylor

Government investigators say they've found repeated failures in the effectiveness of airport screening. The TSA head said Tuesday he's committed to trying to improve performance.

Ahmed Chalabi, Iraqi Politician Who Advocated For U.S. Invasion, Dies

4:28pm November 03, 2015

NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks to Zaid Al-Ali, a visiting research scholar at Princeton University and author of The Struggle for Iraq's Future, about Chalabi, who helped convince the U.S. to invade Iraq.

President Barack Obama responds to questions on Russia's intervention in Syria during a news conference in the State Dining Room of the White House, October 2, 2015, in Washington, D.C.

When It Comes To Counterterrorism, Why Bush And Obama Aren't So Far Apart

10:54pm October 30, 2015

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with New York Times reporter Charlie Savage about his new book, Power Wars: Inside Obama's Post-9/11 Presidency.

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Small Number Of U.S. Special Forces Will Help Fight ISIS In Syria

6:37pm October 30, 2015

by Tom Bowman

The White House announced Friday it will send a small number of special forces soldiers to help fight ISIS in Syria.

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Week In Politics: U.S. Special Forces In Syria, GOP Presidential Race

4:28pm October 30, 2015

NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with our regular political commentators E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution and David Brooks of The New York Times. They discuss the White House's decision to deploy Special Operations forces in Syria and how the race for the Republican presidential nomination is shaping up.

National

Assessment Of Female Marines Kept Secret As Critics Blast Methods

2:13pm October 30, 2015

by Tom Bowman

Defense Secretary Ash Carter will decide in the coming weeks whether female Marines should be barred from ground combat jobs. That recommendation was made by Gen. Joseph Dunford, whose report hasn't been released.

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National

Unmoored Military Blimp Exposes Problems With Surveillance Program

12:02am October 30, 2015

A military balloon became unmoored on Wednesday and drifted from Maryland for 3.5 hours into Pennsylvania. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with LA Times reporter David Willman about the blimp.

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National

CIA Director John Brennan Breaks Silence On Hack Of Personal Email Account

6:29pm October 29, 2015

by David Welna

The CIA Director broke his silence this week about being the victim of some highly personal espionage. His personal AOL email account was hacked and much of its contents was posted by WikiLeaks.

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Iran Joins International Talks On Syrian Conflict In Vienna

4:40pm October 29, 2015

by Peter Kenyon

For the first time, Iran joins the U.S. and more than a dozen other world and regional powers to discuss ending the civil war in Syria. Iran is the Syrian regime's major backer.