All Security
- Afghan war: Did US commanders cover up 'horrific' conditions at hospital?A House subcommittee hears testimony of 'horrific' conditions at the US-funded Dawood Military Hospital in Afghanistan, including bribery and surgery without anesthesia. Retired officers say there was an attempt to block an investigation.
- Defense cuts: three things Americans should know The US House approved a bill in July that’s likely to spark a showdown on military spending.
- Why a grateful father helped raise $1.1 million to help veteransPhillip Green did not have to send his children to Iraq or Afghanistan, so he wanted to thank the troops that did go. He's part of a group trying to convince some rich families to pledge 1 percent of their net worth to helping vets.
- Pentagon warns that US faces IED threat at homeThe roadside bombs (improvised explosive devices) so deadly to US troops in Afghanistan are also being deployed against Americans at home, as the Pentagon adapts wartime strategies to help counter the threat.
- Cyberdefense: Should Americans be concerned about their privacy?As Congress weighs information-sharing among government agencies, including the NSA, in the name of cyberdefense, the Pentagon is seeking to allay Americans' privacy concerns.
- US quietly prepares for naval clash with Iran in Strait of HormuzIran is ramping up its production of mini-submarines, which are 'a huge problem' for US naval power. The US has countered by sending minesweepers to the region.
- Army uses 'Xena: Warrior Princess' as inspiration for new body armor for womenMaking body armor that better fits the bodies of female troops is a considerable engineering challenge. The Army is forging ahead with improvements after a decade of women serving on the front lines.
- CIA's harsh interrogation techniques: three key memos now online The most detailed documents describing the Central Intelligence Agency’s secret interrogation, rendition, and detention program are now online in the American Civil Liberties Union’s new Torture Database. Here are three of the most important memos of the 5,000-plus that the ACLU obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and legal challenges going back to 2003, according to Alexander Abdo, staff attorney for the ACLU’s National Security Project.
- Cover StoryWomen in combat: US military on verge of making it officialWomen in combat: De facto warriors in Afghanistan and Iraq, women are now closer than ever to the "profession of combat arms." The US military is opening jobs to them closer to the battlefield, and they are pushing to abolish job limits through legal battles.
- Pentagon celebrates gay pride month, but can it really make gays equal?The repeal of 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' has exposed some inequalities – between spousal benefits for heterosexual troops and those for homosexual troops who are also in legal partnerships.
- After sex scandal, Air Force mulls using only women to train female recruitsDozens of young female cadets were the victims of sexual misconduct by their basic training instructors. In response, the Air Force is considering using more, or only, women to train women.
- Pentagon dilemma: More privacy in barracks linked to more sexual assaultPentagon upgrades in troops' living quarters sought to ease rigors of persistent conflict, but lax regulations are also producing more high-risk situations for young servicemen and women.
- Taliban attacks on US bases in Afghanistan: enabled by Pakistani forces?The volume of explosives used in attacks on US military bases in Afghanistan in recent days fuels concern that Pakistani security services are taking a stronger hand in backing insurgent groups.
- US plans to base regional force in Kuwait. Will Iran get the message?As the Pentagon exits Afghanistan it is looking to Kuwait to base a sizable force. One aim, to dispel the perception in the Mideast, disseminated by Iran, that the US is pulling back in the region.
- How a US strike on Syria might look: cyberwar could play key roleThe Pentagon is planning for a military operation in Syria, which could include a cyberattack on its air defenses. But analysts warn that intervention could spark a costly civil war.
- Body armor for women: Pentagon is pushed to find something that fitsBody armor for US troops in Iraq was often of poor quality. Men could buy a better product online, but for women exposed to war's dangers, there was nothing that fit.
- Unemployed veterans skilled in doing jobs, not in finding themA Monster.com survey finds employers and veterans agree: Departing military personnel have civilian job skills. Language, however, is a problem. One hurdle is translating military jargon.
- Vietnam War: Beginning 13 years of commemorating a divisive conflictAt the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monday, President Obama began a national commemoration of the 50-year anniversary of the Vietnam War. To Vietnam veterans he said, 'You made us proud, and you have earned your place among the greatest generations.'
- This Memorial Day, many Vietnam vets, long silent, are finding a voiceThis year marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the Vietnam war, and President Obama will pay tribute Monday. It's a sign that, at last, Vietnam vets are being and feeling embraced.Â
- Memorial Day: Among post-9/11 veterans, deepening antiwar sentimentThis Memorial Day the Iraq war is over and the Afghanistan war is winding down, but they're weighing heavily on post-9/11 veterans, 33 percent of whom said they weren't worth the cost.