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An aerial view of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia
Image: Jen Golbeck/SOPA Images/IMAGO

Pentagon

The Pentagon is a building located outside of Washington, DC that houses the US Department of Defense. It is one of the largest office buildings in the world.

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All Content on this topic

Verteidigungsminister Ash Carter in Kuwait bei Verteidigungsminister Sheikh Khalid al-Jarrah al-Sabah

Kuwait to host US anti-'Islamic State' talks

US commanders to assess anti-IS campaign at Kuwait talks
February 22, 2015
Ashton Carter, US Senate

US: Carter latest Pentagon boss

The Senate confirms Ashton Carter as the next US defense secretary.
February 12, 2015
Kipprotor Wandelflugzeug Typ V22 Osprey

UAE suspends anti-IS airstrikes

UAE reportedly demanding closer rescue aircraft after IS murder of Jordanian pilot.
February 5, 2015

In the hands of a scholar

The trajectory of Ashton Carter's career has taken him from particle phyics to the top of the Pentagon
February 4, 2015
Symbolbild Guantanamo

Pentagon: US frees five Guantanamo prisoners

The Pentagon has released five men from Guantanamo Bay after more than a dozen years in captivity.
January 15, 2015
US-Kaserne in Katterbach

America's military shift

The decision to close 15 military bases across Europe amid ongoing Western tensions with Russia over
January 9, 2015
Aus für US-Militär-Standorte Schweinfurt und Bamberg

US military cuts European air bases

The US military will close 15 air bases in Europe, including several in Germany, and a major base in Britain.
January 8, 2015
MQ-9 Reaper Drohne Drohnenkrieg Ziel Drohnenangriff

US confirms drone strike killed al-Shabab chief

The Pentagon says it has confirmed that an unmanned US aircraft has killed a leader of al-Shabab. Washington officials claim the death will significantly impede the Islamist group's ability to carry out attacks.
December 31, 2014
A group of detainees kneels during an early morning Islamic prayer in their camp at the U.S. military prison for "enemy combatants" on October 28, 2009 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)

US repatriates four Gitmo detainees to Afghanistan

The Pentagon has confirmed the release of four Afghan detainees from the Guantanamo military prison. Nineteen prisoners have been freed so far this year, and President Obama has vowed to shut the controversial facility.
December 20, 2014
USA: Ashton Carter

Obama picks Carter for Pentagon

US President Barack Obama has nominated Ashton Carter as his next defense secretary, following Chuck Hagel's resignation last month. After the appearance of the "Islamic State," Obama and Hagel found themselves at odds.
December 5, 2014
F4 Phantom fighter jet

Iran airstrikes against 'IS'

The Pentagon has said that Iranian fighter jets have struck Islamic State militants in eastern Iraq. The attacks, however, were "not coordinated" with the US.
December 3, 2014
USA Präsident Barack Obama entlässt Verteidigungsminister Chuck Hagel in Washington

Acceptable exit

The ouster of US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is justified, writes DW's Michael Knigge.
November 24, 2014
USA Präsident Barack Obama entlässt Verteidigungsminister Chuck Hagel in Washington

Obama hails outgoing Hagel

President Barack Obama has thanked Chuck Hagel for his "exemplary" service, announcing that he has accepted his defense secretary's resignation. Hagel confirmed that he would remain in his role until a successor emerges.
November 24, 2014
US-Verteidigungsminister Hagel

US Defense Secretary Hagel resigning

Multiple sources are reporting that Chuck Hagel is quitting his post at the head of the Pentagon, with an announcement from US President Barack Obama scheduled in a matter of hours.
November 24, 2014
US-Verteidigungsminister Hagel

Pentagon chief Hagel orders overhaul of nuclear program

The US military has launched reforms for its nuclear weapons program. Scandals surrounding the program revealed mismanagement and a record low morale among its personnel, problems which posed great security risks.
November 14, 2014
Washington Post Logo Redaktionsgebäude Washington D.C. USA

Washington Post 'Watergate' editor dies

Former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, who led the paper's coverage of the Watergate scandal, has died at the age of 93. Bradlee oversaw the journalistic investigation that brought down US president Richard Nixon.
October 22, 2014
Ebola Opfer Angehörige 10.10.2014 Liberia

Ebola: more US troops on standby

The US has authorized that military reservists can join humanitarian efforts to combat Ebola in West Africa if needed. Meanwhile, EU health ministers have met in Brussels to work out a common strategy to fight Ebola.
October 17, 2014
F/A-18 Super Hornet US-Kampfjet USA Irak Islamischer Staat Symbolbild Angriff

US, partners strike Syria

The United States military and its partner nations have begun launching airstrikes inside Syria, according to the Pentagon. The operation is targeting fighters from the militant group "Islamic State."
September 23, 2014
Al-Shabab militants near Mogadishu

US strikes Somali militants

The Pentagon has confirmed that it launched an operation against al-Shabab militants in Somalia. Washington targeted the al Qaeda-linked group's leader, according to Somali officials.
September 2, 2014
Supplies being loaded onto a US plane. REUTERS/Vernon Young Jr./U.S. Air Force/Handout

Aid dropped to Iraq's Amerli

Aircraft from a number of countries have carried out an airdrop of humanitarian supplies over the besieged Iraqi town of Amerli. The town is trying to fight off jihadist fighters who have surrounded it.
August 31, 2014
Chuck Hagel

An 'imminent threat'

In a press conference after the killing of US journalist James Foley, Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel said IS terrorism posed an 'imminent threat' to US interests.
August 21, 2014
Peshmerga

Fresh strikes in battle for dam

The US has conducted fresh airstrikes on the "Islamic State." President Barack Obama says the assistance to Iraqi forces fighting to regain control of the Mosul Dam are in line with objectives to protect US interests.
August 18, 2014
Ukraine MH17

Russia moves weapons to border

The US has reported that Russia could soon move heavy weaponry into Ukraine. EU officials have proposed new sanctions in the wake of recent allegations that Russia had a hand in bringing down a Malaysia Airlines flight.
July 25, 2014
The Military Sealift Command container ship MV Cape Ray (T-AKR 9679) arrives at Naval Station Rota, Spain for a scheduled port visit. 140213-N-TM034-066 ROTA, Spain (Feb. 13, 2014) The Military Sealift Command container ship MV Cape Ray (T-AKR 9679) arrives at Naval Station Rota, Spain for a scheduled port visit. The vessel was modified to contribute to the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons joint mission to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons materials.

Syria chemicals 'transferred'

A US vessel loaded with deadly material from Syria's chemical weapons program has left an Italian port to destroy the arms at sea as part of a disarmament plan. The transfer took place amid tight security.
July 3, 2014
Symbolbild - Militärflugplatz Ramstein

Bergdahl leaves Germany for US

Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl has left the US air base in Ramstein, heading for San Antonio in Texas. He will receive further medical attention and "reintegration care" after five years as a Taliban hostage in Afghanistan.
June 13, 2014
Putin Russische Luftstreitkräfte Kampfflugzeug Test 2010

US: Ukraine airspace violated

Russian warplanes have violated Ukrainian airspace several times, according to the US Defense Department. The alleged incursions come as Moscow has conducted military exercises near Ukraine's eastern border.
April 26, 2014
US army troups withdraw from Afghanistan

American leadership

Obama's foreign policy strategy is shifting. Experts say he wants a light military footprint.
March 22, 2014
Chuck Hagel raises his finger emphasize a point while speaking during a White House press conference.

Hagel's Pentagon plan

Hagel's 2015 Pentagon plan calls Congress' budget bet and raises it a pair of base closures.
February 26, 2014
Symbolbild Afghanistan USA Truppenabzug

Obama's warning to Afghanistan

President Barack Obama has told the Pentagon to plan for a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan should Kabul not sign a security agreement with the US. Delay in reaching a deal has strained Kabul-Washington relations.
February 25, 2014
Symbolbild Afghanistan USA Truppenabzug

Major cuts to US army proposed

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has proposed shrinking the US Army's size to its lowest level since before the start of World War II. The reduction comes as Washington winds down more than 13 years of war in Afghanistan.
February 24, 2014
USA Senator Chuck Hagel

US nuclear forces under scrutiny

US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of the country's nuclear forces, citing security concerns. A series of scandals this month pointed to drug use and cheating among some of the mission's personnel.
January 23, 2014
Brarack Obama Jahrespressekonferenz

Obama signs budget deal

US President Barack Obama has signed a long-awaited budget deal into law that eases automatic spending cuts. He also approved a new defense bill that includes new provisions for Guantanamo detainees.
December 27, 2013
Konflikt zwischen Christen und Muslimen in Zentralafrikanischer Republik 9.12.2013

US to assist in troop transport

The US will help fly African Union peacekeeping troops to the Central African Republic as part of a French-led intervention. President Obama has urged calm in the country that has been in turmoil since a March coup.
December 10, 2013
Philipps-University Marburg

War research

An investigative report reveals German universities are researching for the US military.
November 26, 2013
U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the government funding impasse (Photo: REUTERS/Jason Reed)

'Stop this farce'

US President Barack Obama has called on Republicans to vote to end the government shutdown. While the House of Representatives voted to pay workers whose salaries were withheld, the Pentagon recalled most of its staff.
October 5, 2013
U.S. President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, his wife Jill Biden, and White House staff observe a moment of silence to mark the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks September 11, 2013 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. (photo via Getty Images)

US ceremonies mark 9/11

Ceremonies have been held marking 12 years since the attacks on September 11, 2001. Almost 3,000 people were killed when hijacked airliners crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field.
September 12, 2013
French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius (R) and US Secretary of State John Kerry give a press conference at the ministry in Paris, on September 7, 2013. Kerry traveled to Europe to court international support for a possible strike on the Syrian regime for its alleged use of chemical weapons while making calls back home to lobby Congress where the action faces an uphill battle. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)

Paris scene of Syrian pro-contra

Syrian activists say rebels, including jihadists, have taken the historic Christian town of Maaloula. Arab League ministers visiting Paris are hearing the US case for military strikes in Syria from the top US diplomat.
September 8, 2013
This file photo taken on April 26, 2010 shows a US Marines' CH-46E helicopter taking off from the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa prefecture. (Photo: TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

A long good-bye

Despite demands and agreements, the US military still has a large presence in Okinawa.
July 8, 2013
FILE -This undated photo provided by Northrop Grumman Corp., shows a pre-production model of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Pentagon on Friday grounded its fleet of F-35 fighter jets after discovering a cracked engine blade in one plane. The problem was discovered during what the Pentagon called a routine inspection at Edwards Air Force Base, California, of an F-35A, the Air Force version of the sleek new plane. The Navy and the Marine Corps are buying other versions of the F-35, which is intended to replace older fighters like the Air Force F-16 and the Navy F/A-18. All versions , a total of 51 planes , were grounded Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 pending a more in-depth evaluation of the problem discovered at Edwards. None of the planes have been fielded for combat operations; all are undergoing testing.AP Photo/Northrop Grumman, File) no sales

Virtual balance of power

The US directly accuses China of cyber espionage for the first time, sparking protest in Beijing.
May 8, 2013
Riegert, Bernd Deutschland/Chefredaktion REGIONEN, Hintergrund Deutschland. Bernd Riegert war am 11. September 2001 DW-Korrespondent in Washington, D.C., USA. DW3_8233. Foto DW/Per Henriksen 19.04.2013

My longest day

Bernd Riegert remembers the only time he ever was so overcome he couldn't talk while on air.
April 29, 2013
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel gives a speech on fiscal defense spending at Ft. McNair in Washington April 3, 2013. REUTERS/Gary Cameron (UNITED STATES - Tags: MILITARY POLITICS BUSINESS)

US defense chief warns of cuts

Chuck Hagel calls on the Pentagon to brace for cuts while confronting North Korea.
April 4, 2013
South Korean marines patrol on Yeonpyeong island near the western maritime border between the two Koreas, 11 km (7 miles) from the North, about 115 km (71 miles) northwest of Seoul March 12, 2013. North Korea fired dozens of artillery shells at the border island on November 23, 2010, killing two civilians and South Korean soldiers in the heaviest attack on its neighbour since the Korean War ended in 1953. The White House on Monday expressed concern at what it called North Korea's latest provocations aimed at raising tensions and instability in Northeast Asia. REUTERS/Yoon Tae-hyun/Yonhap (SOUTH KOREA - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) NO SALES. NO ARCHIVES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA

New US, South Korea pact

The United States has signed a new military agreement with South Korea that would see US troops come to Seoul’s aid in the case of a low-level provocation by the North. This comes amid heightened tensions in the region.
March 25, 2013
Newly sworn in U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel greets service members and employees of the Department of Defense during a daily staff meeting at the Pentagon February 27, 2013 in Arlington, Virginia. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Hagel redefines policy

The newly inaugurated US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has told Pentagon staff that America cannot "dictate to the world" but must instead "build" relationships. Hagel begins his job facing budget cuts worth billions.
February 27, 2013
Former US Senator Chuck Hagel

US defense secretary approved

The US Senate has voted to confirm Chuck Hagel as President Obama's Secretary of Defense. His nomination passed despite strong opposition from Republican Senators, who had previously succeeded in delaying the vote.
February 26, 2013
U.S. Army soldiers with Charlie Company, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division walk past a puddle at Command Outpost Pa'in Kalay, in Maiwand District, Kandahar Province, February 3, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Burton

Talks on Afghan troop figures

Germany's defense minister has said at a NATO summit that the US was planning to keep several thousand of its troops in Afghanistan beyond the 2014 end of a combat mission. His US counterpart disputed the figures.
February 22, 2013
A combination photograph shows John Brennan and Chuck Hagel in Washington REUTERS/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: HEADSHOT POLITICS)

Political wrangling

Republicans wrangle with Obama over nominations for defense secretary and CIA chief.
February 21, 2013
A U.S. Army Pacific soldier, center, and Chinese People?s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers chat at a PLA facility in Chengdu in China's southwest Sichuan province Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. The U.S. and Chinese militaries on Friday wrapped up a modest disaster-relief exercise hailed as a tentative step in building trust between armed forces that often view each other as adversaries. (Foto:Peter Parks, Pool/AP/dapd)

Defense diplomacy

The US needs to tackle developing military-to-military ties with China, says Richard Weitz.
January 25, 2013
US General John Allen, commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Photo: REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail/Files)

US Afghan chief Allen 'cleared'

The top US commander in Afghanistan has been cleared of "inappropriate communications" linked to the Petraeus adultery scandal, officials say. The decision frees him up to lead NATO forces in Europe.
January 23, 2013
A US drone

Iran planes fired on aircraft

Following a Pentagon revelation that one of its unmanned planes had been targeted over the Gulf, Iran has confirmed that its warplanes did open fire on an aircraft. However, Tehran did not say where the drone came from.
November 9, 2012
A file 23 August 2011 photograph issued by the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS) released 17 March 2012 shows US Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California. Bales, the US soldier who allegedly shot and killed civilians in Afghanistan, and was identified 16 March 2012. EPA/Spc.

US soldier on trial

The US soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians has gone on trial for the first time. Prosecutors said he was "lucid" during the attack and admitted to his crimes.
November 6, 2012