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Fight against Islamic State: what Pentagon officials say are challenges aheadAirstrikes alone will not be enough, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday. The fight in Syria against the Islamic State promises to be particularly complex, with a need for as many as 15,000 trained rebel fighters.
Pentagon says it will take years to retrain Iraqi forces. Why so long?The assassination and intimidation campaign waged by Islamist militants, as well as the cronyism practiced by the former Iraqi prime minister, have led to an erosion of confidence, says the retired general who took command of the training effort for Iraqi security forces in 2007.
Fighting Islamic State: Why US training of Iraqi forces will be harder this timeFully half of all current Iraqi security forces 'are not trainable,' because they are too sectarian, says Army Chief of Staff Ray Odierno. And it could take years to win back the trust of Sunni tribes.
Air Force does quick about face on 'So help me God'When an atheist enlisted man scratched out 鈥楽o help me God鈥� on his reenlistment document, the Air Force said he couldn鈥檛 reenlist. That decision was quickly reversed when embarrassment and the threat of a lawsuit based on the US Constitution followed.- Chinese hackers penetrating key computer networks for PentagonA Senate investigation focused on the 鈥榮ophisticated鈥� cyberincursions into the computer systems of contractors for US Transportation Command, which plays a crucial role in the military鈥檚 response to global crises.
Vietnam War soldiers receive Medal of Honor: Why so late?Command Sgt. Major Bennie Adkins was wounded 18 times and killed up to 175 enemy soldiers. Spc. Donald Sloat was killed in 1970, saving his fellow soldiers' lives by picking up a live enemy grenade and drawing it to his body.
Can the Air Force require airmen to swear 鈥楽o help me God鈥� to reenlist?An atheist airman scratched out 鈥楽o help me God鈥� on his Air Force reenlistment document. The Air Force alone among US military services requires that phrase, which has raised legal questions about freedom of 鈥� and from 鈥� religion.
Navy jets crash in Pacific: One F-18 fighter pilot still missingTwo days after Navy jets crashed in the Pacific, the result of an apparent mid-air collision, one of the pilots remains missing. Navy officials have yet to reveal any details about the accident involving two F/A-18C Hornet fighters.
To combat terror, Pentagon should help fight Africa poaching, ex-general saysThe Pentagon should join the battle against the illegal wildlife trade amid evidence that terror groups are profiting from poaching, the former head of US Africa Command said at a Capitol Hill briefing.
Two Navy jets crash into Pacific: Was mid-air collision to blame?Two US Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter jets crash into Pacific while on a training flight, the result of an apparent mid-air collision. One pilot was rescued, but the other has not been found.
Pentagon to send 500 more troops to Iraq, prepare for 'direct action' in SyriaThe US military 'is ready to conduct direct action against ISIL targets in Syria,' said a senior defense official Thursday.
Ferguson fallout: Do the police really need 12,000 bayonets?On Tuesday, the Senate weighed police use of military hardware provided for free by the Pentagon. The program, known as 1033, came to national attention in the wake of the Ferguson protests.
How big a threat does Islamic State pose to the US homeland?Many have argued that the Islamic State now represents a far greater prospect of peril to US interests than Al Qaeda does. But experts see differences between IS and the Al Qaeda of pre-9/11.
What has been the impact of US airstrikes on the Islamic State?US officials have promised that the military airstrikes will not abate. President Obama said Wednesday that Islamic State brutality toward American journalists will only strengthen US resolve to fight the group.
Army war-gamers name top 3 threats facing military in 2025 and beyondPentagon war-gamers are looking ahead to how war will evolve. It鈥檚 likely to be fought in megacities where resources are being fought over and enemies could be aided by bio and nanotech advances.
Douglas McAuthur McCain: What was lure of Islamic State for him 鈥� and others?Douglas McAuthur McCain, who was killed while battling rebel forces in a Syrian suburb, made it clear on social media that he found camaraderie and a sense of conviction in the Islamic State.
US spy flights over Syria: Preparing for airstrikes on the Islamic State?Senior US military officials have been increasingly vocal about the need to treat the Islamic State as a regional threat, which could involve US military action in Syria.
Pentagon struggles to defend 'militarization' of police forcesThe Pentagon is pushing back against the notion that their 1033 program is 'militarizing' local police forces. But officers there acknowledge that some police departments have misused some equipment more suited for combat.
Why US special forces failed to rescue James FoleyUS intelligence officials still know relatively little about the workings of Islamic State militants. James Foley may have been traded by insurgent groups before ending up in IS hands, which complicates the intelligence picture.
Ferguson: In calling the National Guard, emphasis is on 'limited' rolePresident Obama said he hoped that the role of the National Guard would be limited, and suggested聽that local police departments reexamine their use of heavy military equipment when confronting protesters.