The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he retains “absolute confidence” in Marine Gen. John Allen’s ability to command NATO’s international Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey called Allen a man of integrity during an interview aboard an Air Force C-40 taking him from Guam to Hawaii. Dempsey spoke to Allen following Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta’s decision to refer an investigation about Allen to the DOD Inspector General.

The resignation of General David Petraeus after revelations of an extramarital affair sent shockwaves through DC. One of the more immediate effects was to temproarily halt his plans to testify in front of a Congressional committee on the 11 September, 2012 attack on the consulate in Benghazi that left four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, dead.

The Defense Department inspector general has opened an investigation of Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said in a statement.

The statement said the FBI referred a matter involving Allen to the Defense Department on Nov. 11.

Today, Panetta directed that the matter be referred to the DOD IG for investigation and informed the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The House Armed Services Committee also has been notified, he said.

A recent Iranian attack on a U.S. drone occurred over international waters, but the aircraft suffered no damage and returned safely to base, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Little said the Iranian aircraft fired on the drone and followed it as it flew over the Arabian Gulf last week.

Russia says it expects the United States will show more flexibility in a dispute over U.S. missile defense plans following the re-election of President Barack Obama.

Speaking Thursday at an international conference in Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin expressed hope that the U.S. president will take into account the opinions of Russia and others regarding the configuration of NATO's missile defense.

A senior Pentagon official reflected on his past service in a hollow military as a precautionary tale to lawmakers to prevent sequestration from devastating the Defense Department’s budget.

Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, shared his perspective as a former Army officer while speaking to an audience during the 31st Annual Government Contract Management Conference.

U.S. intelligence officials have released a detailed CIA timeline of the deadly September 11 assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya in response to accusations that not enough was done to stop the attack.

Speaking anonymously, senior intelligence officials told reporters Thursday the CIA deployed a rescue mission from a nearby base within 25 minutes of being alerted to the attack, which killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.

MEET THE SURFACE NAVY
While carriers have gotten much of the glamour among the ships in service with the United States Navy, they are only part of a strike group. Often, these groups will consist of a carrier and four escorts. Many of these escorts pack a powerful punch in and of themselves.

A U.S. government audit warns that Afghanistan will likely be incapable of sustaining its security forces beyond the 2014 pullout of international troops due to incompetence.

The report contains the latest in a series of warnings by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction about the country's ability to run itself when U.S. and NATO troops leave in 2014.