Biden goes far in calming nerves in central Europe with short visit to the region

PRAGUE — Vice President Joe Biden made significant strides during a trip to Central Europe this week in relieving anxieties the Obama administration stirred up last month when it scrapped a Bush-era plan for missile defense.

US Defense Secretary Gates finds NATO allies’ commitment to supporting Afghan war ‘heartening’

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Top NATO and United Nations officials signaled Friday they may request more international troops to join American forces in Afghanistan as the top U.S. defense official said President Barack Obama is still weeks away from deciding on a shift in war strategy.

Czech prime minister, NATO endorse new missile defense plan

PRAGUE — The Czech Republic and NATO said Friday that they backed a reworked U.S. missile defense plan meant to defend against threats from Iran and other nations.

US Defense Secretary Gates ‘heartened’ by allies long-term commitment to conflict

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that NATO allies are moving toward sending more troops and civilian aid to Afghanistan.

NATO chief welcomes Obama’s new missile defense plan and wants to bring it fully into NATO.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — NATO’s top official says the alliance welcomes President Barack Obama’s revamped plans for a missile defense system in Europe and hopes to bring it fully into NATO.

NATO allies: no more troops to Afghanistan until after runoff vote, Obama strategy decision

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — NATO members the Netherlands and Denmark said Friday they will not send more troops to Afghanistan unless its Nov. 7 presidential runoff creates a legitimate government and until President Barack Obama decides on a new strategy.

2 NATO allies: no more troops to Afghanistan until after runoff vote, Obama strategy decision

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Two NATO members say they won’t be willing to send new troops to Afghanistan until a presidential runoff election Nov. 7 delivers a legitimate government and President Barack Obama has decided on a new strategy there.

NATO preparing to approve transition of war control to Afghan security

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan planned an unexpected appearance Friday at a meeting of NATO defense ministers focused on making Afghan security forces responsible for fighting the war there.

White House rejects Cheney Afghanistan criticism; questions why he didn’t do more during term

WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday forcefully rejected criticism from former Vice President Dick Cheney and other Republicans that President Barack Obama’s Afghanistan decision is taking too long.

White House rejects claims from Cheney, GOP that Obama’s Afghanistan decision taking too long

WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday forcefully rejected criticism from former Vice President Dick Cheney and other Republicans that President Barack Obama’s Afghanistan decision is taking too long.

White House: New presidential balloting won’t answer all questions about Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday forcefully rejected criticism from former Vice President Dick Cheney and other Republicans that President Barack Obama’s Afghanistan decision is taking too long.

NATO defense ministers watching Afghan runoff elections to prevent another fraud-tainted vote

SEOUL, South Korea — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday he will prod NATO allies this week for more economic and security aid to Afghanistan while trying to sidestep the simmering international debate over sending more troops to the fight.

Election authorities begins distributing Afghan ballots ahead of Nov. 7 runoff election

KABUL — Election authorities began delivering ballots with U.N. assistance across Afghanistan on Thursday, as hurried preparations for the Nov. 7 runoff in the insurgency-plagued nation’s presidential election got under way.

Slovak host at NATO meeting says US-led war in Iraq was ‘motivated by oil’

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — The host of a meeting of NATO defense ministers is harshly criticizing the U.S. over its 2003 invasion of Iraq.

NATO chief says alliance must remain focused on Afghan effort

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Afghanistan is the most complex challenge that NATO has ever undertaken, but the alliance must remain engaged there to prevent the country from turning back into an al-Qaida training ground, the organization’s top official said.

UN begins distributing Afghan ballots ahead of Nov. 7 runoff election

KABUL — The United Nations began delivering ballots and voting kits across Afghanistan on Thursday, as hurried preparations for the Nov. 7 runoff in the insurgency-plagued nation’s presidential election got under way.

Gates says NATO watching Afghan runoff elections to prevent another fraud-tainted vote

SEOUL, South Korea — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that NATO officials will be closely watching how Afghanistan prepares for upcoming runoff presidential elections to prevent fraud and other problems that plagued the nation’s August voting.

NATO defense ministers to discuss Afghanistan war, new US missile defense plan

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — NATO defense ministers will meet here Thursday to discuss the war in Afghanistan and the growing support for President Barack Obama’s plans for a new missile defense system in Europe.

Gates says Obama admin. needs to decide on Afghanistan war strategy before elections resolved

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY JET — The Obama administration needs to decide on a war strategy for Afghanistan without waiting for a government there to be widely accepted as legitimate, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday.

Gates signals White House may need to settle Afghan war strategy before elections are resolved

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY JET — The Obama administration needs to decide on a war strategy for Afghanistan without waiting for a government there to be widely accepted as legitimate, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday.

NATO chief says time is not on alliance’s side in Afghanistan

BRUSSELS — NATO’s 28 member states must quickly endorse U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s recommendation to send reinforcements to Afghanistan because time is not on the alliance’s side, its chief said Monday.

Pentagon chief seeking help from allies in Asia, NATO in remaining committing to Afghan fight

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s chief is undertaking the tricky task of trying to persuade allies to remain committed to the war in Afghanistan even as the Obama administration debates whether to send more troops to fight.

Overseas appeals for Afghan help puts Gates in difficult role with Japan, Korea & NATO allies

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s chief is undertaking the tricky task of convincing allies to remain committed to the war in Afghanistan even as the Obama administration continues to debate whether to send more troops to fight.

NATO military chiefs back reinforcements, more resources for Afghanistan force

BRUSSELS — NATO military chiefs called Saturday for reinforcements and more resources for Afghanistan’s national security forces, an alliance spokesman said.

UN chief, Netherlands, Slovakia admonish Iran for new secret nuke program

UNITED NATIONS — Iran’s sudden revelation of a formerly secret uranium enrichment plant brought more condemnation Saturday at the U.N. General Assembly, with the Netherlands calling Tehran’s presumed weapons program “a major challenge to international peace and security.”

Ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia feeling bullied by new law that curbs minority tongues

NOVE ZAMKY, Slovakia — In a borderless European Union that boasts 23 official languages, one member, Slovakia, has enacted a law that limits the use of the languages of some fellow EU members.

Dalai Lama receives international award for his peaceful promotion of human rights

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — The Dalai Lama received an international award on Wednesday for his promotion of human rights and his leadership in the nonviolent campaign by Tibetans seeking autonomy from China.

Dalai Lama receives rights award in Slovakia

BRATISLAVA - Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, Wednesday received a human rights award in a highlight of his three-day visit to Slovakia, local reports said.

Slovakia observes day of national mourning for 20 killed in coal mine blast, fire

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovakia observed a day of mourning Wednesday for 20 victims of a fire and explosion in a coal mine, one of the worst accidents in the country’s history.