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...

Privatize the VA? Senators Get Behind a Radical Program for Vets that Could Cost Billions

By Martin Matishak

In feat of crisis management last year, Congress almost unanimously approved a $16.3 billion overhaul of the Veterans Affairs Department that set aside $10 billion in emergency funding for a three-...
Schumer’s Iran Deal ‘No’ Vote Could Cost Him with Senate Dems

By Eric Pianin

By opposing the U.S.-Iran nuclear deal, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is threatening to topple President Obama’s signature foreign policy just as Schumer prepares to accept the mantle of the Senate...
Why Congress Is Neglecting the War on ISIS

By Eric Pianin

One year ago this week, President Obama formally launched a U.S.-led assault on ISIS, vowing to “degrade and eventually destroy” the blood-thirsty, highly expansionistic Islamic jihadist group in...
Robert Gates Says U.S. Got ‘Out-Negotiated’ on Iran Deal, Backs It Anyway

By Eric Pianin

Robert Gates, who served as Secretary of Defense for both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, has delivered an important if not ringing endorsement of the U.S.-Iran nuclear deal. His support might help...
Iran Nuclear Dispute Triggers Saber Rattling on Both Sides

By Eric Pianin

The debate over the Iran nuclear deal doesn’t formally begin until September, but the public already is being treated to extraordinary saber rattling and scare tactics from both sides of the...

Search form