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Strategy is seen as a tolerable one for Beijing while it focuses on bigger issues like overhauling its economy and managing competition with Washington ‘There is still no incentive for Beijing to provoke a war over Taiwan, since war would only make all of China’s problems far worse’ China is pushing a new strategy to carefully step up military pressure on self-ruled Taiwan, but not to the point of provoking a real war, analysts said. Recent moves include military drills conducted by the People’s Liberation Army near the Taiwan Strait, which included an island invasion drill during Taiwan’s “Double Tenth”...

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct 19, 2012 — President Obama has nominated Army General David M. Rodriguez to succeed Army General Carter F. Ham as the commander of U.S. Africa Command, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said, October 18, 2012. U.S. Africa Command is the newest combatant command, and its headquarters is in Stuttgart, Germany. The command encompasses all of Africa and its adjacent waters except for Egypt. The Senate must confirm Rodriguez, who currently is commander of U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. "He has served in a variety of key leadership roles on the battlefield," Panetta said in...