For the president, commando raids and drone attacks are part of a new focus on "low-cost, small presence" military tactics. There have been several recent successes, though analysts are still debating the legality and long-term effectiveness.

More than two dozen commandoes from the Navy's SEAL Team 6 swept into an encampment in northern Somalia Tuesday, rescuing American Jessica Buchanan and her Danish colleague some three months after they were taken hostage. The two were in the country as aid workers. The SEALs killed nine of the captors and apprehended three others. NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman tells Robert Siegel the latest.

A former CIA agent is facing criminal charges for allegedly leaking classified information to reporters. The Justice Department accuses John Kiriakou of violating the Espionage Act by telling reporters about some of the agency's most sensitive counter-terrorism operations.

A former CIA officer has been charged with leaking classified information to reporters. The Justice Department alleges that John Kiriakou, 47, leaked the name of a covert CIA operative and confirmed that another was involved in a counterterrorism operation.

A plea deal has been reached in the court martial case of Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich. He was the last person facing charges in the killings of 24 Iraqis at the village of Haditha in 2005. Monday, he admitted to one charge of dereliction of duty. The case became a touchstone for criticism of the Iraq war. Originally, several Marines were charged with murder in the case. But the Marines who killed the Iraqi civilians that day claimed that their actions were tragic — but legal under the official rules of engagement in a complex war fought in and among the people. Melissa Block talks to NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman for the latest.