Topic: U.S. Department of Defense
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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China's growing military might: top 4 concerns for the Pentagon
In a report issued this week, the Department of Defense for the first time directly accused China’s military of using cyberattacks to spy on US networks. In this arena and others, “China’s military buildup shows no signs of slowing,” said David Helvey, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for East Asia, who presented the report.Here are Pentagon officials’ top four concerns as they carefully monitor the growth of China’s military.
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4 ways US can boost cyber security
The US needs a proactive cyber foreign policy that goes beyond naming and shaming. Here are four steps the US can take to bolster its diplomatic efforts to address cybersecurity threats.
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Briefing
After the 'sequester,' now what?
$85 billion in across-the-board cuts to defense and social programs took effect March 1. The cuts must occur this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Here's how things look.
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4 ways Chuck Hagel can improve cyber security
Newly sworn-in Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel must guide the Department of Defense through a few key challenges to better secure the nation’s cyber networks. His focus at the Pentagon should be on these four key areas.
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If not 'sequester,' then what? Five ideas from left and right.
Few in Washington believe that "the sequester,” $85 billion in automatic spending cuts set to hit the federal budget as of March 1, is a good idea. But what's the alternative? Here are five proposals, from the right, the center, and the left, to replace the sequester. Which do you like?
All Content
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Pentagon to federal court: Give us time to end 'don't ask, don't tell'
Its lawyers warned that the military could be 'irreparably' harmed by a court order to stop enforcing the ban on openly gay troops. Still, around Pentagon halls, it's clear an end to 'don't ask, don't tell' is coming.
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Top Picks: 'A Murder of Crows,' Sufjan Stevens' 'The Age of Adz,' Mike Wallace's 'Politics & Presidents,' and more
PBS documentary 'A Murder of Crows,' folk-rock Sufjan Stevens' new CD 'The Age of Adz,' lessons from an award winning journalist in '20th Century With Mike Wallace: Politics & Presidents,' and more recommendations.
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Democrats' bold stand: Want to trim federal debt? Cut defense.
On Wednesday, 56 Democrats and one Republican said that any effort to reduce the federal debt needs to include defense cuts. They called for an independent commission to take up the issue.
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Pentagon must stop 'don't ask, don't tell,' federal judge rules
Judge Virginia Phillips on Tuesday ordered the Pentagon to stop enforcing its 'don't ask, don't tell' ban on openly gay service members. Though experts say the ruling would likely be overturned on appeal, it is an important moment for the gay-rights movement.
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Afghanistan: Pentagon contractors entwined with 'pro-Taliban' warlords
A Senate investigation finds that Pentagon contractors in Afghanistan are inadvertently helping the Taliban and becoming ensnared in the turf wars of local warlords.
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Opinion: Want to improve US national security? Cut the defense budget.
Reining in irresponsible defense spending will combat the most significant threat to our national security: the debt.
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How long can US troops withstand rupture of Pakistan supply lines?
Latest attack in Pakistan Wednesday burns at least two dozen fuel tankers bound for US military bases in Afghanistan. Pentagon is warily watching its vital supply lines.
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Stuxnet worm: Private security experts want US to tell them more
Private sector security experts say the government’s public reports on the Stuxnet worm – the world’s first publicly-known cyber superweapon – often seem to be old news or incomplete.
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Free speech: Westboro church Supreme Court case tests First Amendment
A Supreme Court case challenging the Westboro Baptist Church anti-gay protests will test the limits of free speech, with First Amendment implications for other forms of expression such as Quran burning and racist demonstrations.
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Free speech: Some First Amendment landmarks
The First Amendment right to free speech is the most widely understood US constitutional provision.
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'Feds radiating Americans'? Mobile X-ray vans hit US streets
As an antiterror measure, the US government has deployed mobile X-ray technology to randomly scan cars and trucks. But the measure is riling privacy proponents.
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'Kill squad' fallout: How many US troops in Afghanistan use hashish?
Adm. Mike Mullen, the Pentagon's top officer, said Wednesday that the 'kill squad' allegations – that drug use could have been a factor in one unit's decision to allegedly kill Afghans for fun – raises questions about troops' use of hashish in Afghanistan.
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Operation Dark Heart joins list of banned books
Operation Dark Heart an Afghanistan war memoir penned by an Army intelligence officer and approved by the Army, was subsequently deemed too sensitive by the Defense Department, who purchased 9,500 copies of the book to have them destroyed.
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Cyber Command chief suggests Pentagon networks are vulnerable
The head of US Cyber Command, Gen. Keith Alexander, suggested that the Pentagon is 'not where we need to be' in securing networks in Afghanistan against cyberattacks.
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DREAM Act: Is Harry Reid angling for Hispanic votes?
The timing of Senate majority leader Harry Reid's push for the DREAM Act raises questions about whether it is an attempt to curry favor with Hispanic voters in his home state as he battles 'tea party' candidate Sharon Angle.
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John McCain attacks Pentagon's 'don't ask, don't tell' study
At a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. John McCain called the Pentagon's study of repealing 'don't ask, don't tell' a political ploy.
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'Stop loss' back pay for US troops goes unclaimed
US troops involuntarily kept in the military after 9/11 are eligible for special compensation. More than half of the $534 million in 'stop loss' funds has not been claimed – and the deadline looms.
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Pentagon looks to save billions with smarter spending
Pentagon officials estimate they can save $100 billion over the next five years by reining in skyrocketing contract costs.
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Russian defense minister's Washington trip brings old foes together
Russian Defense Minister Anatoyl Serdyukov comes to the Pentagon for the first time this week to meet with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a former intelligence officer once skilled in the art of Kremlinology.
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Why $60 billion in US arms to Saudi Arabia isn't causing an outcry
Israel doesn't oppose a US arms deal that would send advanced aircraft to Saudi Arabia, which is increasingly seen as essential to containing Iran's nuclear ambitions.
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Pastor's agreement to call off 9/11 Koran burning beset by confusion
Pastor Terry Jones said he would cancel his planned Koran burning and travel to New York to discuss the location of the mosque near ground zero. But it's unclear what has been agreed to.
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Will Congress really cut the budget? Top 3 acid tests.
Three spending bills this fall will determine whether Congress is really serious about cutting the budget.
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Five ways New Orleans is still struggling after Katrina
Newly elected New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu recently marked his first one hundred days in office by announcing one hundred Katrina recovery projects, including health clinics, criminal justice facilities, road reconstructions, public recreation, and more. Still, Landrieu says the city’s recovery will take another five years. Here are five critical areas of public policy which may determine whether New Orleans has a successful recovery by 2015.
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DNA tests help identify missing Vietnam War soldiers
DNA tests by the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory have helped identify the remains of two U.S. Army soldiers who had been missing in Vietnam for nearly 40 years.
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Hostage Nation
This true story of the dramatic rescue of three captive Americans raises disturbing questions about the US war on drugs in Colombia.
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