US looking at ‘over-the-horizon options for counter-terrorism ops in Afghanistan
21 April 2021
by Gabriel Dominguez
As US and coalition troops prepare to leave Afghanistan by 11 September, the commander of US Central Command (USCENTCOM), US Marine Corps General Kenneth McKenzie, said on 20 April that the Pentagon is looking at “offshore, over-the-horizon options” to conduct counter-terrorism activities in the Central Asian country, if required.
Testifying before the US House Armed Services Committee, the commander said that some of the US troops still in Afghanistan will remain “in the region”, adding that he is currently deciding how the United States will be able to conduct counter-terrorism activities in the area without having a military presence in Afghanistan.
F-35 Cockpit Upgrades Exceed $440 Million in Overrun Costs as US Congress Grows Skeptical of Program
Airman Gabrielle Spalding
Subscribe
Sputnik International
https://sputniknews.com/us/202104211082695583-f-35-cockpit-upgrades-exceed-440-million-in-overrun-costs-as-us-congress-grows-skeptical-of-program/
Last month, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), chairman of the US House Armed Services Committee, railed against the growing costs of the already well-over-budget F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The lawmaker argued the US should stop throwing money down that particular rathole and instead explore ways to cut the country s losses with the fighter jets.
Despite the US government awarding Lockheed Martin a $712 million contract for F-35 cockpit upgrades in December 2018, the actual cost for the defense company to redesign the fighter jet s cockpit computer may amount to some $1.28 billion, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing disclosures from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
A top US general said on Tuesday that he had grave doubts about the Taliban’s reliability as a negotiating partner, as the United States is set to remove all its troops from Afghanistan in the coming months and focus on diplomacy.
Last week President Joe Biden said all US troops would be withdrawn by September 11, to end the US’s longest war, rejecting calls for US forces to stay to ensure a peaceful resolution to Afghanistan’s grinding internal conflict.
Under former President Donald Trump, the Taliban negotiated an agreement with the US, in negotiations that did not include the Afghan government, for the withdrawal of US forces in exchange for security guarantees. Some US officials have said the Taliban have not fulfilled their part of the deal.
Rep. Golden, Afghanistan war vet, backs Biden troop withdrawal plan
Biden says troops will be out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11 Share Updated: 7:39 PM EDT Apr 14, 2021
Biden says troops will be out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11 Share Updated: 7:39 PM EDT Apr 14, 2021
Hide Transcript
Show Transcript W-M-T-W NEWS 8 S PHIL HIRSCHKORN SPOKE TO HIM TODAY ABOUT THE PRESIDENT S PLAN. (VO 1: GOLDEN MILITARY PIX.OBL) JARED GOLDEN S FIRST DEPLOYMENT AS A MARINE WAS TO AFGHANISTAN TO HUNT AL QAEDA LEADER OSAMA BIN LADEN. (SOT GOLDEN, 2:03) I JOINED AFTER, AS A RESULT OF THE ATTACKS ON 9/11. (VO 2: GOLDEN RECENT.US TROOPS) AS CO-CHAIR OF THE VETERANS CAUCUS AND A HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE MEMBER, GOLDEN SUPPORTS THE BIDEN WITHDRAWAL PLAN AND WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE U-S TROOPS LEAVE SOONER. (SOT GOLDEN, 5:13) WE CAN T BE FOCUSED ON THE SECURITY SITUATION IN EVERY COUNTRY OF THE WORLD. WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT S BEST FOR AMERICA. (VO 3: US TRO