The Pentagon’s new Inspector General, Claude Kicklighter, took office April 30, replacing Thomas Gimble, who has served as acting IG since September 2005. Kicklighter, who received his Senate confirmation on April 12, is a retired Army lieutenant general and previously served as chief of staff for Veterans Affairs. Earlier his served on State Department and DOD joint teams dealing with stabilization efforts in Southwest Asia.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.