Topic: U.S. Armed Forces
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Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile
Word from the White House that Syria probably resorted to small-scale use of chemical weapons against rebel forces in the country's civil war draws new attention to the internationally-banned nerve agent sarin.Perhaps the best-known recent use of sarin previously was in the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, in which at least 13 people died. But sarin’s legacy is about to get an update and henceforth seems likely to be associated with Syria and its besieged president, Bashar al-Assad.
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CSMonitor editors share their favorite people to follow on Twitter
Twitter turned 7 this week. In celebration of the social network's birthday, The Christian Science Monitor compiled a list of favorite Twitter accounts. Each is informative and useful in its own way. Find out what each section recommends for you.
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Top 3 threats to the United States: the good and bad news
The annual Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community is out this week, a widely-anticipated report compiled by the nation’s intelligence agencies. Here is the good and bad news about the top three threats facing the United States, according to an unclassified version of the report.
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Bestselling books the week of 3/10/13, according to IndieBound*
See what's selling in bookstores across America.
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North Korea abandons armistice: 4 key questions answered
Tensions on the Korean peninsula are ratcheting up. The US has started its annual war games with South Korean forces, and North Korea has used that fact to declare that it is invalidating the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War in 1953. What really has North Korea upset, though, is the tough, new sanctions passed by the United Nations in response to the North's nuclear test last month.Here are the top four questions analysts are wrestling with on the heels of these developments.
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Medal of Honor recipient: Taliban 'simply couldn't have' outpost
Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha was awarded the Medal of Honor for preventing the Taliban from overrunning his outpost in 2009. Tuesday he was inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.
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Outgoing general predicts an Afghanistan liberated from foreign intrigue
The remarks from Gen. John Allen came at a change-of-command ceremony. American Gen. Joseph Dunford now leads NATO's mission in Afghanistan.
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Obama will pivot back to jobs in State of the Union
President Barack Obama is expected to readdress job creation and the economy in his State of the Union address Tuesday, speaking on how improvements to education, clean energy production, and reducing the deficit could lead to economic growth.
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Trumpeting technological strength, Iran releases video it says is from downed US drone (+video)
The release of the video comes as Iran showcases a slew of scientific and technological advances to herald the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which will be celebrated on Feb. 10.
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Pentagon leaders: We support plan to arm Syrian rebels
Senator John McCain (R) of Arizona has championed greater US involvement and chided the Obama administration at a hearing, pressing Panetta and Dempsey about whether they backed the recommendation by the State Department and CIA chiefs last year to arm the Syrian rebels.
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Boy Scouts delay decision on gay membership (+video)
The board of the Boy Scouts determined it needed more time to consider its policy banning gay people from participating. The board delayed the policy vote until a national meeting scheduled for May. A coalition of faith-based groups pushed for the delay.
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Backchannels So, this is the office that will investigate Afghanistan's Kam Air?
Key questions about the credibility of the Afghan attorney general's office as it prepares to investigate accusations that Kam Air is involved in drug-smuggling.
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Can drone strikes target US citizens? Critics say rules are vague.
Criticism of the leaked Justice Department document – which allows for drone strikes against top level terrorists who are US citizens – is piling up from both the right and left, with critics charging that its language is too permissive.
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Backchannels Afghan corruption, opium, and the strange case of Kam Air
Kam Air, an airline owned by a politically-connected Afghan businessman, was blacklisted by the US military in Afghanistan for opium smuggling. Then the Afghan government complained.
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Opinion: A better way to keep Islamists at bay in Mali
France says it will withdraw from Mali once an African peacekeeping force is in place. To keep Islamists at bay, the US is considering increasing its military presence in the region. A better approach is to focus on fixing the governance issues that fuel radicalism to begin with.
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Cybersecurity: how preemptive cyberwar is entering the nation's arsenal
In addition to authorizing the use of cyberweapons, the White House is preparing an executive order to beef up cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, such as the electric grid, refineries, and telecommunications.
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Man charged in fatal shooting of ex-SEAL sniper Chris Kyle
Eddie Ray Routh has been charged with murder in connection with a shooting at a Texas gun range that killed former Navy SEAL and "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and his friend.
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Obama skeet shooting: NRA says it's a ploy to confiscate guns
That photo of President Obama firing a shotgun continues to generate comment and controversy just as he’s about to leave Washington to promote his ideas about improving gun safety.
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Iran says US offer of direct talks a 'step forward, but...'
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi responded positively to the US offer, but blamed previous negotiation failures on the US.
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Politicians and guns: Why it's important that Obama shoots skeet
The White House has released a photo of President Obama firing a shotgun. In the US today, it seems important that politicians – especially men – know their way around guns. Why is that?
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Suicide bomber who attacked US embassy in Turkey was leftist
The bomber is associated with the outlawed Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front, a militant group founded on Marxist principles.
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Jackie Robinson: Hero on the field and on the battlefield
Jackie Robinson, player number 42 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, accomplished many goals in his life. He broke the color line, made MVP, entered the Hall of Fame, and fought racism at all costs.
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5 reasons why Africa is not ready to meet its own security needs – yet
Africa’s experiment in a regional approach to security is serious and laudable, but it will take time to build credible capacity. Here are five reasons why Africa is not ready to meet its own security needs – yet.
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Video: Sen. John McCain and Chuck Hagel tangle over Iraq
Sen. John McCain had a feisty exchange with Chuck Hagel about the Iraq troop surge at Senate confirmation hearings for President Obama's pick for secretary of defense.
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Opinion: Conflict in Mali shows US needs greater engagement in Africa
While I am pleased at reports of US cooperation with France to stop Islamist extremists Mali and run them out of Timbuktu, I remain concerned about the interrelated, widespread threat of terror in the region. America cannot afford to treat it as compartmentalized country-by-country issue.
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Opinion: The fall and rise of Chuck Hagel: a good sign for US-Israel relations
Chuck Hagel, President Obama's controversial nominee for secretary of Defense, faces his Senate confirmation hearing today. His rise after a wave of objections is a welcome sign that 'daylight' between US and Israeli policies may be becoming more politically acceptable in Washington.
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Pentagon's budget nightmare: How each branch would handle sequester cuts
With the threat of a mandatory, across-the-board series of cuts known as sequestration looming over the Pentagon, each of the services has begun its worst-case-scenario planning. Here is where the cuts stand now:
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Syrian activists: scores of bodies found in Aleppo
Intense clashes between rebels and government troops have raged since opposition forces launched an offensive on Aleppo in July. Between 60 and 80 bodies were reportedly found in a contested neighborhood there.
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Focus
Why combat role for US women could reverberate worldwideIn many countries, women have historically served in combat when demographics demanded it. But the US move is based on equal opportunity for women – and could become a model for others.
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Terrorism & Security Mali: French bring the troops, world now bringing the funds (+video)
International donors have pledged $455.53 million for an international campaign tackling Islamist militants in Mali.
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