William Calley, 1943-2024

One of the most notorious war criminals in American history is dead at 80.

Wounded Knee Medals Redux

New information has changed my thinking on this.

Defense Department to Review Wounded Knee Medals

An understandable but wrongheaded action.

Biden to Pardon Veterans Convicted for Gay Sex

A long overdue move.

Assange Pleas Guilty and Will Be Freed

The only let him go so long out of kindness I suppose.

Israel Hostage Rescue Creates Outrage

Joy of four returned safe is mixed with the reality of scores of dead Palestinians.

Spies Unlike Us

Our natural instincts in hiring are wrong.

Why the IDF Fights As It Does

A small, conscript-driven military has very different training and doctrine than ours.

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War, Maturity, and Necessity

Are we avoiding facing hard truths?

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Real Military Spending

An interesting analysis by The Economist.

Hamas, Human Shields, and International Law

War crime does pay.

"Speaker Mike Johnson and I just had a great meeting. We’re committed to meeting our nation’s biggest challenges with strong Republican leadership." - 26 October 2023 "Speaker Mike Johnson and I just had a great meeting. We’re committed to meeting our nation’s biggest challenges with strong Republican leadership." - 26 October 2023

A Return of National Security Republicans?

Several glimmers of hope from the Ukraine funding bill.

TikTok Ban Close. Is it Constitutional?

The courts would likely allow restricting a Chinese data mining operation popular with American teenagers.

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Republicans Are Again Threatening To Remove Their Speaker

It must be another day that ends in a “Y”

Iran Attacks Israel

Some initial thoughts.

Colonel Ralph Puckett, 1926-2024

A legendary soldier is gone at 97.

Israel Used AI Machine ‘Lavender’ To Target Hamas

But humans made all the decisions that matter.

Israel Kills Qud Force Leaders; Iran Vows Revenge

Another escalation in the longstanding “shadow war.”

US-Japan Unifying Command Structure

A long overdue strengthening of a key alliance.

Islamic State Attacks Moscow Concert Venue

Putin ignored warnings from US intelligence.

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Afghanistan Blame Game

Congressional Republicans are reminding voters of a dark hour in the Biden presidency.

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Congress Spills the Beans on Russian Capability

The White House is doing damage control.

Joint Chiefs Chair Caught in the Middle

In the Trump era, it’s all politics.

Trump Would Encourage Russia to Attack NATO Members Who Don’t Pay Up

Yet more evidence the man is unfit to serve as Commander-in-Chief.

A Proportional Response

It’s what we do. I mean this is what we do.

U.S. Strikes Against Iranian Targets Coming

The Secretary of Defense has outlined the parameters.

Israeli Forces Storm Hospital Dressed as Civilians

A disturbing report.

US Warned Iran Ahead of ISIL Attack

The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy.

President Joe Biden participates in a joint press conference with United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Thursday, June 8, 2023, in the East Room of the White House. President Joe Biden participates in a joint press conference with United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Thursday, June 8, 2023, in the East Room of the White House.

US-UK Strike Houthi Targets

The inevitable response to attacks on international shipping.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III briefs the press from the Pentagon Briefing Room, Arlington, VA, Feb. 19, 2021. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III briefs the press from the Pentagon Briefing Room, Arlington, VA, Feb. 19, 2021.

Austin Hid Cancer Diagnosis

“This is not the way it is supposed to go,” indeed.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 19, 2023 Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 19, 2023

The Case of the Missing SECDEF

A truly weird story.

Israel-Hamas War’s Massive Destruction

The 21st century’s most brutal conflict and the laws of war.

Senate Approves Back Pay For Delayed Military Promotions

Doing the right thing after doing the wrong thing.

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Tuberville (Mostly) Ends Military Promotion Hold

400-plus general and flag officer promotions went through almost instantaneously.

Pope Calls Israel-Hamas War ‘Terrorism’

A bizarre statement by the head of the Roman Catholic church.

The free high-resolution photo of street, bicycle, asphalt, vehicle, hat, park bench, homeless, stockholm, packing, baby carriage, drifter, norrm larstrand , taken with an DMC-FS10 01/29 2017 The picture taken with 10.0mm, f/3.8s, 1/640s, ISO 80 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. The free high-resolution photo of street, bicycle, asphalt, vehicle, hat, park bench, homeless, stockholm, packing, baby carriage, drifter, norrm larstrand , taken with an DMC-FS10 01/29 2017 The picture taken with 10.0mm, f/3.8s, 1/640s, ISO 80 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

Israel’s Evacuation Orders

An extraordinary look into warning civilians about impending attacks.

Congress and Military Promotions

Why is the Senate pretending to do that which it can’t possibly do?

Lisa Franchetti Becomes First Woman to Lead Military Service

We finally have a Chief of Naval Operations but the crisis in the top ranks continues.

Israelis Divided on Ground Offensive

A poll on Israeli support.

Ezra Klein on Israel and Hamas

The best statement on the complexity of the Israel-Hamas conflict that I have heard/read.

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Senate Confirms Army, Marine Chiefs

Congress is doing something, at least.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. delivers remarks during a transition ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Aug. 14, 2020. (U.S. Air Force/Eric Dietrich) Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. delivers remarks during a transition ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Aug. 14, 2020. (U.S. Air Force/Eric Dietrich)

Charles “CQ” Brown Confirmed as Joint Chiefs Chairman

The Senate is voting one-by-one in the face of the Tuberville hold on top nominees.

Colombia’s President Calls for End of War on Drugs

He is seeking a new regional consensus.

Fight Over Military Promotions Intensifies

There’s no end in sight to an absurd standoff.

Russia Laundering Propaganda Through Western Media

The US government is fighting back, albeit subtly.

Righting Past Wrongs

Thousands of LGBTQ veterans are seeking to have their discharges upgraded.

Public Confidence in Military Lowest in Decades

There has been a steady decline the last five years.

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House and Senate on Defense Bill Collision Course

A standoff over social issues may derail a $900 billion budget bill.

US to Cooperate with Hague on Russia War Crimes

President Biden has ended a months-long impasse.