WASHINGTON (IPS) — CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus, supported by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, tried to convince President Barack Obama that he had to back down from his campaign pledge to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months at an Oval Office meeting Jan. 21.

WASHINGTON — Congressman Dennis Kucinich on Wednesday convened a briefing on Capitol Hill with two humanitarian workers to discuss the state of the Gaza Strip.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama sees expansion of government health insurance to millions of lower-income children as a first step of several to come in providing coverage for all Americans.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. switch to digital television signals will be delayed four months until June under legislation that cleared Congress on Wednesday and now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature into law.

WASHINGTON — Congressman John Olver this week released a letter he sent with 61 other members of Congress to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requesting immediate action by the United States to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

WASHINGTON — A series of unexpectedly swift moves to begin addressing the Arab-Israeli conflict taken by Barack Obama in the week since he was sworn in as the U.S. president is being hailed by many regional specialists here.