US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said sending a second aircraft carrier to thePersian Gulf could serve as a "reminder' to Iran, but he said it is not an escalation of force.

Turkey has come under renewed pressure to end its incursion into northern Iraq against a Kurdish rebel group. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates visited Ankara and reiterated Washington's call to end the operation, which Turkey says has killed more than 230 rebels in the past week. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he will tell Turkish leaders that they must conclude their military operation in northern Iraq within the next two weeks.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, on a visit aimed at increasing U.S.-Indian strategic relations, has told officials in New Delhi that Washington's commitment to a deeper relationship with India is not likely to change no matter who the next American president is. Gates also repeated his hope that the current Turkish incursion into northern Iraq is short and narrowly focused. VOA's Steve Herman reports from the Indian capital.

India's prime minister and defense minister are among the top government officials who are to meet in New Delhi with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. VOA correspondent Steve Herman reports from the Indian capital the visit is the latest example of growing defense ties between the United States and India.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has pledged to help Indonesia improve its defense capabilities.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he hopes to pull more American troops out of Iraq after a brief pause in withdrawals in July or August. Gates made his comments en route to Australia, which he says will continue to play a military role in Iraq even though the new Australian government plans to pull its own combat troops out of the country. Naomi Martig reports from VOA's Asia News Center in Hong Kong.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his French counterpart Herve Morin discussed NATO's involvement in Afghanistan during a meeting Thursday at the Pentagon, but neither would provide many details of their talks. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said that United States has no interest in setting up permanent bases in Iraq and insisted that discussions had just barely started on the on the still-to-be-negotiated Status of Forces Agreement.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he discussed U.S. military policy toward Africa with Irish rock star Bono during a short meeting at his Pentagon office earlier this week. The secretary provided some details of the meeting during a news conference Thursday and VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

U.S. defense officials made it clear today that while they appreciate the hard work NATO troop-contributing nations are doing in Afghanistan, more counterinsurgency training would help further the allies' success.

The US Defence Secretary has said that even though Washington was working with Pakistan to combat al Qaida in its border areas, American forces should be ready to act "unilaterally" to take out terror targets.