US gives Israel 680 million dollars for Iron Dome

This file photo shows an Israeli missile is launched from the Iron Dome missile system.

The US plans to provide Israel with an extra USD 680 million to strengthen Tel Aviv's Iron Dome missile system, congressional staff members say.


Under a plan crafted by the House of Representatives' Republicans, Washington is set to spend the money on the missile system from the current fiscal year through 2015, Reuters reported.

The money seeks to strengthen Israel's short-range rocket shield and it would allow Israel to build four additional batteries for the Iron Dome. The fund was earlier requested by Tel Aviv.

The new figure would be in addition to the USD 205 million that the administration of Barack Obama and Congress have agreed on in the 2011 budget.

Obama's budget sets aside USD 3.1 billion for military assistance to Israel as part of Washington’s USD 30 billion commitment to Tel Aviv for a 10-year period.

Rep. Howard McKeon, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who heads the Foreign Affairs Committee, complained in a letter to Obama that his "record low" budget request has jeopardized Israel's security.

Last month, the Pentagon reiterated that Israel’s security is a top priority of President Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.

A report published by the Congressional Research Service revealed Washington has given more than USD 67 billion in military aid to Israel over the years.

Haqqani receives threats on social networking sites

Hussain Haqqani received death threats on social networking websites.

Former Pakistani ambassador to United States, Husain Haqqani, has said that some elements are threatening him on social networking websites.

According to details, Haqqani received threats on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking websites

Former envoy has also lodged a complaint and submitted proof in US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track the culprits.

Husain Haqqani had to resign after a Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz had claimed that he was asked by Husain Haqqani to deliver a memo to the former US military chief General Mike Mullen, seeking US support to avert a military takeover following the killing of Osama bin Laden in May.

He has been denying writing and sending any secret memo to US Admiral and terms it a conspiracy against him.

US FORCES MUST LEAVE AFGHANISTAN BY SEP 2014: RUSSIA

Russia has expressed concern over the United States plans to maintain its military footprint in Afghanistan after the pullout of international troops by the end of 2014.
After a Thursday meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference that there would be no reason for the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan after the United Nations Security Council mandate ends in 2014.

“We … do not understand such [US] plans to maintain a presence …, we have questions and we would like to get answers,” RIA Novosti news agency quoted Lavrov as saying.

“So long as the Afghan side is unable to provide security in the country, any artificial deadlines for troops’ withdrawal do not seem quite correct. But when the UN Security Council mandate expires, there will be no reason for a foreign presence in Afghanistan and the region,” he added.

He also voiced concerns over drug trafficking and heroin cultivation in Afghanistan. Russia’s federal drug control watchdog has reported that the heroin production in Afghanistan rose 40-fold during the course of the last decade.

Afghan security forces, estimated to number around 330,000 , are expected to take over part of the fighting in the country, as the US pulls out 23,000 troops to reach 68,000 by the end of September.

Insecurity continues to rise across Afghanistan, despite the current presence of some 130,000 US-led forces in the country.

All foreign combat troops are scheduled to leave and hand over security operations to the Afghan Army by the end of 2014.

However, after that date, the US may keep a number of forces to train and help the Afghan army with their operations, reports say.