US defense chief in Afghanistan for firsthand look at war

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Mark Esper sought a firsthand assessment Sunday of the U.S. military's future role in America's longest war as he made his initial visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief. Stalled peace talks with the Taliban and unrelenting attacks by the insurgent group and Islamic State...

Pelosi leads congressional delegation in Afghanistan visit

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has led a congressional delegation on a visit to Afghanistan. Her office said in a statement Sunday night the bipartisan delegation met with top Afghan leaders, civil society representatives and U.S. military chiefs and troops serving there. Pelosi says the...

US troops in Syria going to Iraq, not home as Trump claims

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — While President Donald Trump insists he's bringing home Americans from "endless wars" in the Mideast, his Pentagon chief says all U.S. troops leaving Syria will go to western Iraq and the American military will continue operations against the Islamic State group. They aren't...

3 US soldiers killed in crash at Fort Stewart in Georgia

FORT STEWART, Ga. (AP) — U.S. Army officials say three soldiers were killed and three others were injured when the armored vehicle they were riding in rolled over into water during training at Fort Stewart in Georgia. Officials with the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield's 3rd Infantry Division said in a...

The Latest: Syria Kurds say they will withdraw from border

BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on Turkey's invasion of northern Syria (all times local): 11:15 p.m. A senior Syrian Kurdish official says his forces will pull back from a border area in accordance with a U.S.-brokered deal after Turkey allows the evacuation of its remaining fighters and civilians from a besieged...

Defense chief: US troops leaving Syria to go to western Iraq

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT (AP) — Defense Secretary Mark Esper says that under the current plan all U.S. troops leaving Syria will go to western Iraq and the military will continue to conduct operations against the Islamic State group to prevent its resurgence. Speaking to reporters traveling with him...

AP FACT CHECK: Trump's Syrian mission-accomplished moment

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump describes it, the U.S. swooped into an intractable situation in the Middle East, achieved an agreement within hours that had eluded the world for years and delivered a "great day for civilization." It was a mission-accomplished moment that other Republican...

Defense chief says under current plan all U.S. forces leaving Syria will go to western Iraq

The Latest: Nestor brings rain, tornado warnings to Georgia

MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on Tropical Storm Nestor (all times local): 8:35 p.m. Former Tropical Storm Nestor has spread heavy rains over a large part of Georgia and triggered warnings for two potential twisters in the state. The National Weather Service issued two tornado warnings Saturday evening for...

Corps: No more Dakota Access Pipeline study needed

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — An attorney for the Army Corps of Engineers is asking a judge to sign off on the Corps' conclusion that the Dakota Access oil pipeline doesn't harm American Indian tribes. The Corps wants U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to rule in favor of its August 2018 finding that no more...