Defense Secretary Robert Gates today defended a Pentagon proposal to provide military aid to Panama despite objections from lawmakers who note Panama has no military. While taking questions from reporters at the Pentagon, Gates characterized the proposal as an appropriate use of the nascent global-train-and-equip authority, also known as the Section 1206 program set up by Congress, which lets the Defense Department boost the capacity of foreign militaries, a task traditionally handled by the State Department. As Inside the Pentagon...
