Defense

Factbox: What happens in a U.S. government shutdown?

By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker and Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker, Reuters

In shutdowns, nonessential government employees are furloughed, or placed on temporary unpaid leave. Workers deemed essential, including those dealing with public safety and national security, keep...
The Mysterious Threat to Pilots That the Pentagon Can’t Solve

By Ciro Scotti

Episodes of oxygen deprivation affecting the pilots of F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet — and other military aircraft including the F-35 — are on the rise and remain an unsolved mystery.
What Game Theory Tells Us About Trump’s ‘Madman’ Approach to North Korea

By Rob Garver

Is Donald Trump out of his mind? Maybe he wants North Korea to think so.
Does the Army’s $580 Million Handgun Have a Fatal Flaw?

By Ciro Scotti

Last January, the Army made a $580 million decision: It would replace its longstanding sidearm, the M9 Beretta, with a new modular handgun made by the U.S. arm of the German-controlled gunsmith Sig...
Why the Escalating Threats Between Trump and Kim Won’t End in War

By Patrick Smith

The supercharged threats volleyed between President Trump and Kim Jong Un this week bring us closer to war with the North Korea than at any time since Pyongyang tested its first nuclear device in...

Here’s the Real State of the $1 Trillion U.S. Nuclear Upgrade

By David Francis

The American nuclear arsenal is just about the same as it was when Trump took office.
Here’s Why North Korea Put Guam in Its Crosshairs

By David Francis

Hours after President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with fire and fury like the world has never known, Pyongyang announced it is "examining the operational plan" to attack Guam, a tiny U.S...
Why the Price of the F-35 Keeps Soaring

By Ciro Scotti

The most costly fighter ever built is getting even more expensive. A new General Accounting Office report says the Pentagon will spend an additional $3.9 billion over the next five years on “...
The Media Has to Stop Provoking Trump’s Worst Instincts

By Rob Garver

For a man constantly boasting about his extraordinary negotiating prowess, President Trump made a pretty obvious rookie mistake on Tuesday, with his apocalyptic-sounding promise to deliver “fire and...
Five Things You Need to Know About Plans to Privatize the Afghan War

By David Francis

The White House is actively considering a plan to turn a big chunk of the war in Afghanistan over to private contractors. That’s according to Erik Prince, founder of the Blackwater security firm, who...

How Nine GOP Rivals Attacked Trump’s Plan to Exclude Muslims

By Eric Pianin and Martin Matishak

Many of Donald Trump’s presidential rivals swiftly joined in the widespread condemnation of his call to bar all non-U.S. Muslims from entering the country until government officials -- still reeling...
The Army’s $30 Billion Humvee Replacement Program Goes Off Road

By Martin Matishak

The $30 billion effort to replace the U.S. Army’s Humvee fleet took an unexpected turn on Tuesday. The Government Accountability Office dismissed a protest by Lockheed Martin, which lost the chance...
America’s Top General Says We’re Not Ready to Defeat ISIS

By Jacqueline Leo

Destroying ISIS is job number one for President Obama and most Americans. But is the United States military set up to do it? Not according to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, America’s top...
Obama’s New Speech on Destroying ISIS Is Long on Promises, Short on Strategy

By Martin Matishak

As national security fears roil the United States, President Obama once again tried to convince the American public that he has the right plan for destroying Islamic extremists.
Obama: Faster Progress Needed Against ISIS

By Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday progress needs to speed up against Islamic State militants, calling on allies to increase their military contributions to coalition efforts to destroy the...

Search form