National Security

The gray line in the upper left comes from an aerial view of Afghanistan's crucial Highway 1, the main route between Kabul and Kandahar, the two biggest cities. U.S. forces are still working to secure the route which runs through lush farm valleys and the

As The Clock Ticks, U.S. Forces Scale Back Afghan Goals

6:15pm May 30, 2013

by Tom Bowman

The 12-year U.S. military effort in Afghanistan has sought to drive out extremists and help Afghans rebuild their country. As the American forces prepare to withdraw, the focus is on practical security measures and those ambitious nation-building goals seem to be fading away.

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President Obama speaks at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., on May 23.

Why Obama Wants To Change The Key Law In The Terrorism Fight

7:18pm May 29, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

Almost all of the federal government's actions against terrorism — from drone strikes to the prison at Guantanamo Bay — are authorized by a single law: the Authorization for the Use of Military Force. But President Obama says that with the Afghan war ending and al-Qaida weakened, it's time to limit the law's scope and ultimately have it repealed.

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Frankie Kuzuguk, 82, gets a hug from his daughter Marilyn Kuzuguk at Quyanna Care Center in Nome, Alaska, after receiving an official honorable discharge and a distinguished service coin from visiting Veterans Affairs officials. The VA is still tracking d

National

Forgotten For Decades, WWII Alaskans Finally Get Their Due

8:43am May 29, 2013

by Quil Lawrence

More than 6,000 Alaska Natives served without pay in the Alaska Territorial Guard, a response to Japan's 1942 foray into the Aleutian Islands. Members were finally granted veterans status in 2000. Now, the Department of Veterans Affairs is trying to ensure that the elderly survivors get their rightful benefits.

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Tragic Result: Sniper Tries To Help Troubled Veteran

7:58am May 28, 2013

Chris Kyle was one of the deadliest American military snipers in history. In February, the former Navy SEAL was shot and killed — not on the battlefield, but on the homefront at the hands of a fellow veteran. David Greene talks to Nicholas Schmidle, who reports in the latest issue of The New Yorker magazine how these two men and their invisible scars of war intersected tragically.

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National

Is the Espionage Act Outdated?

5:39pm May 25, 2013

Weekends on All Things Considered host Jacki Lyden speaks with Benjamin Wittes of the Brookings Institution about the Espionage Act. This Word War I-era legislation has been used more frequently in recent times to prosecute government employees who leak information to the press, but the limits set by the act are poorly defined for our modern age.

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National

Obama: Sexual Assault Has No Place In The Military

6:03pm May 24, 2013

by Scott Horsley

President Obama delivered the commencement address at Annapolis on Friday, challenging the U.S. Naval Academy graduates to help redefine national defense in the 21st century.

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National

Obama Tweaks U.S. Vision For Fight Against Terrorism

8:01am May 24, 2013

by Dina Temple-Raston

President Obama discussed America's counter-terrorism strategy — including the use of drones and the prison at Guantanamo Bay — during an address at the National Defense University on Thursday. He rejected the idea that the country can fight an open-ended "global war on terror."

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National

The President's Remarks On The Future Of National Security

1:48pm May 23, 2013

In a speech at the National Defense University, President Barack Obama addresses the use of U.S. drones to target terrorists — including U.S. citizens — and his renewed efforts to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

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Fox News Reporter James Rosen Caught Up In Federal Probe

11:13am May 21, 2013

by David Folkenflik

There is word of another controversial leak investigation by the Department of Justice. The target is Fox News reporter James Rosen, who was monitored by the department after breaking a story about North Korea's nuclear weapons program in 2009.

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Drawing Security Lessons From Benghazi Mission Attack

2:33pm May 13, 2013

The debate continues over the handling of the September attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. But retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson says some important lessons have already been learned about strengthening diplomatic security and inter-agency communication.

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