Free Republic

Striking a notably positive tone, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Saturday offered closer U.S. cooperation with China in pursuit of a deeper and broader Asian security network. He said he intends to visit Beijing this year. In a speech to an international security conference in Singapore, Carter repeated frequent U.S. complaints about China unnerving its neighbors with expansive moves to build up reefs, islets and other land features in the disputed South China Sea. But he did not explicitly accuse China of militarizing those areas. He emphasized possibilities for cooperating with China while stating that the U.S. will remain...

Jan. 19, 2005 18:20 | Updated Jan. 19, 2005 20:57 Security Cabinet decides to give Abbas a chance By JPOST.COM STAFF Israel will renew security ties with the PA a week after they were cut off, the National Security Cabinet decided Wednesday evening. Throughout the day, close associates of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met with senior Israeli officials in Jerusalem to request cooperation, Army Radio reported. Defense Minister Mofaz agreed to a Palestinian request to allow senior IDF officials from the Southern Command to meet with Palestinian security officials in order to present and coordinate security steps the Palestinians are...