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...

Are Cuban Troops Backing Up Putin and Assad in Syria?

By Martin Matishak

The armed conflict in Syria has managed to become even more mind-bogglingly complex in recent weeks, with Russia launching waves of air strikes on anti-Assad regime forces, including some backed by...
House GOP Hatches Harebrained Debt Ceiling Fix

By Rob Garver

With the government on the edge of fiscal crisis, House Republicans are floating a scheme to allow the government to claim – in the narrowest possible technical sense – that when it stops making...
Putin Is Learning a Hard Lesson in Syria, but Pretends Easy Victory

By Rob Garver

The Russian media continues to be filled with images of Russian fighter jets and bombers pounding targets in Syria, but an analysis by a Washington-based think tank argues that Russian weaponry and...
Here’s How Much It Will Cost to Keep U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

By Martin Matishak

President Obama’s announcement that he is altering long-planned drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan could have a serious impact on the already strained federal budget.
Should the U.S. Spend $1 Billion to Help Syrian Refugees?

By Martin Matishak

An estimated four million people have fled Syria to escape the country’s civil war and a growing chorus of congressional lawmakers say the U.S. should spend $1 billion to help resettle displaced...

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