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...

Republicans Rip Obama for Misleading Americans on ISIS

By Eric Pianin

President Obama’s rosy assessment of the U.S. war effort against ISIS terrorists in his State of the Union address Tuesday night continues to draw sharp rejoinders from prominent Republicans and some...
Defense Department Misfires on Conference Spending

By Brianna Ehley, The Fiscal Times

How many government bookkeepers does it take to put a line item in a spread sheet named “conferences”? Pentagon officials don’t really know how much they spent on conferences in 2013 – but auditors...
Americans Sour on VA After Health Care Scandal

By Eric Pianin

Despite their low regard for Congress and President Obama, Americans generally hold positive views about large federal government agencies that have been targets of attacks by lawmakers and watchdog...
Why Republicans Are Pushing Pentagon Cuts

By Eric Pianin

Republican lawmakers are resurrecting a bill to slash the civilian workforce at the Pentagon by 15 percent over the coming years. While the proposal to save $82.5 billion over five years by shedding...
GOP Blasts Obama for ‘Listless’ Anti-Terror Strategy Against ISIS

By Eric Pianin

President Obama said on Tuesday night that he was asking Congress to approve new authorization for him in the battle against ISIS, declaring that lawmakers from both parties must “show the world that...

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