Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Defense War News Updates

Thursday, March 11, 2010


Defense War News Updates

Monday, March 1, 2010

DTN News: India TODAY March 2, 2010 ~ Ready To Go ‘Extra Mile’ If Pakistan Acts Against Terror Says Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh


Defense War News Updates

US State Dept's Steinberg heads to China, Japan

* Many issues on U.S.-China agenda

* U.S. officials also will visit Japan

Defense War News Updates ~ WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - James Steinberg, deputy secretary of State and one of the Obama administration's leading voices on China, will leave for China and Japan on Monday, the State Department announced late Sunday.

Steinberg heads to Asia as Washington deals with a host of disagreements with Beijing, including computer hacking attacks that have been linked to China on foreign firms including Internet search giant Google Inc (GOOG.O).

Also causing friction was Washington's decision in January to announce it would sell $6.4 billion in arms to Taiwan, the self-ruled island China claims as its own.

Last week, U.S. President Barack Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader who China reviles as a separatist for demanding self-rule for his homeland.

When asked about the United States on Saturday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao did not dwell on conflicts between the two countries but instead expressed hope that trade frictions would ease.

Wen said China is not deliberately seeking a trade surplus with the United States and renewed his call for Washington to drop restrictions on sales of high-technology products so China can buy more than soybeans and aircraft -- two of its main imports from the United States.

On this Asia trip, Steinberg will be accompanied by Jeffrey Bader, senior director for the U.S. National Security Council for Asian Affairs. They will depart on Monday and meet with Chinese officials in Beijing from Tuesday through Thursday.

They will meet with senior officials in Tokyo on Thursday and Friday.

A disagreement between Washington and Tokyo over the relocation of the Futenma Marine base on Okinawa is eroding support for Japan's governing Democratic Party and setting its coalition partners at odds ahead of an expected July election.

The top U.S. Marine in the Pacific, Lieutenant General Keith Stalder, said on Feb. 19 that his forced need to stay on Okinawa for strategic reasons. There have been suggestions that the Marine base be moved to Guam or the tiny island of Tinian. (Writing by Deborah Zabarenko; Editing by Bill Trott)