Operations

Scores of containers holding tons of U.S. military equipment began filtering across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on Monday, representing the initial signs of the massive American withdrawal from the country, set to wrap up by next year.

The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee says his panel should have access to the classified legal documents. 

The Defense secretary tells Congress the Pentagon's response to the 2012 attack was hampered by "distance and time.” 

The Defense Department has begun funneling intelligence assets into the west African nation of Nigeria, to assist local efforts to battle back against the al Qaeda-affiliated terror group based in the country. 

U.S. aerial refuelers have pumped over 300,000 pounds of jet fuel into French fighter planes over the past week, allowing those forces to continue their aerial attack against al Qaeda fighters in West Africa. 

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The lack of resources has forced U.S. officials to depend on cooperation and support from local governments in Africa.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday about last year’s attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) had announced the hearing last week, and committee aides confirmed Panetta would be testifying, but the hearing was not finalized by the committee until Monday.

Thursday’s hearing also means that the committee vote on Panetta’s successor, former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), could take place this week. Levin said last week that Hagel’s confirmation could happen after the Benghazi hearing if everything lines up correctly.

Leon Panetta will make what could be his final appearance Capitol Hill as Defense secretary this week to testify on last year’s attack in Benghazi, Libya.

Panetta will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. facility in Benghazi, according to committee aides.

The hearing has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) announced, although he said that has not been finalized.

“You cannot just simply call and expect within two minutes to have a team in place," Panetta said Sunday.

A suicide bomber attacked the side entrance to the U.S. embassy, killing a guard and a Turkish citizen.