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...

From Bombers to Subs, Inside Bush’s Costly Plan to Expand the Military

By Martin Matishak

The same day he called for U.S. troops on the ground in the Middle East to combat ISIS, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush also offered a detailed – potentially very costly – plan for how he would “...
Lindsey Graham Wants to Declare War on ISIS, but Is Anyone Listening?

By Rob Garver

Lindsey Graham has been sounded like a one-note presidential candidate at times, with his almost obsessive focus on ISIS. But now the news cycle is playing his tune. Will he be able to capitalize?
Jeb Bush: We Need U.S. Ground Troops to Fight ISIS

By Rob Garver

Joining many of his fellow candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, Jeb Bush on Wednesday used the recent terrorist attacks in Paris as a springboard to launch a call for intensified U...
A Testy Obama Warns Republicans: Your Rhetoric Is Helping ISIS

By Martin Matishak

After months of criticism by Republican presidential hopefuls over his administration’s efforts to combat ISIS, and critiques about his demeanor in the wake of last week’s terrorist attack in Paris...
Congress Wants to Slam the Door on the Syrian Refugee Program

By Martin Matishak

Days after the massacre in Paris, the Republican-controlled Congress is uniting around a strategy to freeze the resettlement program for Syrian refugees inside the United States. On Tuesday, House...

Search form