Articles in Military-Political
Deep-rooted racism, discrimination permeate US military
For Stephanie Davis, who grew up with little, the military was a path to the American dream, a realm where everyone would receive equal treatment. She joined the service in 1988 after finishing high school …
Road to 350: What Does the US Navy Do Anyway?
As Trump promises a 350-ship fleet, a primer on the U.S. Navy today.
During his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised to increase the size of the U.S. Navy to 350 ships. Since the election, senior campaign …
How Many Military Missions Does The US Now Carry Out In Africa Every Year?
In the 2016 briefing, the U.S. Defense Department’s then chief of AFRICOM, General David Rodriguez stated that, “In fiscal year 2015, we conducted 75 joint operations, 12 major joint exercises, and 400 security cooperation activities.” …
How American Politics Became So Ineffective
Republicans and Democrats of 2016 have neither intelligible boundaries nor enforceable norms. As a result, renegade political behavior pays.
It’s 2020, four years from now. The campaign is under way to succeed the president, who is …
Crony capitalism and the rigged system
Both Democrats and Republicans are in this game together. They only differ in minor ways. That is why this year with Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump having success, it is surprising to hear from candidates …
Corporate America supports the fight for LGBT rights. It should do the same for black lives.
Demonstrators are shown during a Black Lives Matter protest last year.
When several black celebrities refused to attend the Academy Awards this year, their protest was initially dismissed as a futile gesture. Yet their boycott succeeded …
Analysts Accuse CENTCOM of Covering Up Cooked ISIS Intelligence
Allegations are mounting that senior intelligence officials at Central Command not only skewed findings on the ISIS war to please D.C., but tried to hide what they did.
In July, a group of intelligence analysts at …
Black Army officers struggle to climb ranks
The Army’s 2016 class of commanders for 31 of its top combat units has one black officer, a trend that the service is seeking to reverse with limited success.
The 2016 list of commanders for Army …
China’s trapped transition
In 2006, Chinese American scholar Minxin Pei published a book called “China’s Trapped Transition.” In it, he invoked the most established “law” in political science — that over time, countries that grow economically tend to …
The Road We have Traveled
My Comments:
I consider myself pretty apolitical. Â While fiscally conservative, I believe all things social should be left up to the individual, unless it infringes others enjoyment of their rights. Â I thinks this video was well …
Weeping for the Dear Leader
Comments:
You have got to be freaking kidding me. Â These folks cannot be serious. Â I am sure in some delusional way this makes perfect sense, but it is unbelievable. Â A total mind-F#$$% of a population. Â I …
Bahrain opposition unites to decry "police state"
In a defiant show of unity, Bahrain opposition parties have jointly denounced the Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab island as a police state and demanded a transition to a constitutional monarchy.
Five groups, including the main Shi’ite party …
Is U.S. ready for second black leader?
Is America ready to make history by electing the first black president to replace a black president?
That is the question latest polls increasingly raise these days that show Herman Cain jetting to the front of …
Retiree Benefits for the Military Could Face Cuts
As Washington looks to squeeze savings from once-sacrosanct entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, another big social welfare system is growing as rapidly, but with far less scrutiny: the health and pension benefits of military …
Lehman rocks Navy with complaints about political correctness
The Navy’s former top civilian has rocked the service in a military journal article by accusing officials of sinking the storied naval air branch into a sea of political correctness.
Former Navy Secretary John Lehman, himself …
China’s Rise Isn’t Our Demise
I FIRST visited China in 1979, a few months after our countries normalized relations. China was just beginning to remake its economy, and I was in the first Senate delegation to witness this evolution. Traveling …
How the U.S. and the world can help Iraq
As the Arab Spring drives change across our region, bringing the hope of democracy and reform to millions of Arabs, less attention is being paid to the plight of Iraq and its people. We were …
Are Military Pensions Too 'Generous'?
It sounds like a pretty good deal: Retire at age 38 after 20 years of work and get a monthly pension of half your salary for the rest of your life. All you have to …
What Will Vice President Biden Find in China?
In her latest post, my colleague, Liz Economy, asks:  What will Vice President Biden find in China? I thought I’d try out my own response to this very direct question:
1. Biden will find a China …
Bahrain Protest
MANAMA, BAHRAIN — 147 Bahraini detainees are set to be released within a matter of hours, the head of the kingdom’s independent commission of inquiry told The Washington Times in a phone interview Saturday night.
“I confirm that I have …
DoD panel calls for radical retirement overhaul
A sweeping new plan to overhaul the Pentagon’s retirement system would give some benefits to all troops and phase out the 20-year cliff vesting system that has defined military careers for generations.
In a massive change …
2014 deadline for Futenma move killed
Washington — Japan and the United States agreed Tuesday that the deadline to move the Futenma military base within Okinawa Prefecture by 2014 is no longer viable and committed to completing the relocation “at the …
The Targeted Killings Debate
The Obama administration has escalated the campaign of targeted killings against suspected terrorists worldwide, increasing the use of unmanned drone strikes (ForeignPolicy) and so-called kill/capture missions (PBS) on al-Qaeda and Taliban leadership both on and off the …
Gates Questions NATO's Future
Gates Questions NATO’s Future by JULIAN E. BARNES
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a blunt critique of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Friday, arguing the Libya operations demonstrated serious gaps in military capabilities and …
10 Q's on the Future of US Defense Spending Priorities
Defending Defense: Ten Questions on the Future of US Defense Spending Priorities for Secretary of Defense Nominee Leon Panetta Background
The Obama administration has requested that Congress provide $553 billion for the Defense Department’s base …
The Middle on the Edge: Bahrain
So the new year ushered in a new energy into the Middle East…and the young energetic masses from Tunis to Manama are lashing out in all directions. Â A few weeks ago, I was just chilling …
Lincoln's Thoughts On Slavery
In 1854, Sen. Stephen Douglas forced the Kansas-Nebraska Act through Congress. The bill, which repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, also opened up a good portion of the Midwest to the possible expansion of slavery.
Douglas’ …
Obama’s Address on the War in Afghanistan
Following is the text of President Obama’s address on a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, as released by the White House on Tuesday 1 Dec 2009; for me this is one of, if …
Astute – Newest Bristish Submarine
The Royal Navy’s biggest and most powerful attack submarine has arrived at Faslane on the Clyde.
Astute, which measures nearly 328ft (100m) from bow to stern, set sail from Barrow in Cumbria for its first sea …
Veterans Day
To my fellow Brothers in Arms – both past and present, I salute you on this day.
This Veterans Day – I want to pay special tribute e to those who fought in the Pacific theater …
