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...

Schumer Bucks Obama, Gives GOP Iran Plan a Green Light

By Eric Pianin

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) a Tea Party conservative and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) a liberal Democrat rarely see eye-to-eye on political matters. But they appear to be in full agreement on an issue that...
Cost of Fighting ISIS Nears $2 Billion

By Eric Pianin

There have been bits of good news here and there regarding the U.S.-led war against ISIS. Last week, for example, Iraqi government forces with the help of allied Shiite militias liberated the city of...
Why Only Ground Forces Can Truly Destroy ISIS

By Riyadh Mohammed

Over the past week in the Middle East, watching several key cities change hands from government forces to rebel groups and vice versa was like seeing a ping pong match. What this demonstrates is a...
The Biggest Obstacle to Rand Paul’s 2016 Campaign

By Eric Pianin

If there were any lingering doubts that Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is still looked askance as a potential commander-in-chief by many within his own party, they were dispelled over the weekend by Sen...
Obama Turns to Corker to Sell His Iranian Nuke Deal

By Eric Pianin

President Obama began a charm offensive over the weekend in search of support for his tentative nuclear deal with Iran, but wasted little time trying to win over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin...

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