In February, during his confirmation process, CIA director John Brennan offered an unusually straightforward explanation: “Where possible, we also work with local governments to gather facts, and, if appropriate, provide condolence payments to families of those killed.”... Read more»
As “Zero Dark Thirty” rightly implies, the systematic use of enhanced interrogation techniques came at a steep moral cost while producing little to no valuable information in the hunt for Osama bin Laden.... Read more»1
Rupert Murdoch is the most powerful man in global media, which makes him a strong contender for the most powerful individual in the world. There is no good way to measure this, but the mere panoply of interests and the devil-may-care attitude his employees take toward professional ethics vastly magnifies his power and influence beyond merely giving people the news in his typical biased fashion.... Read more»
If you click on the Amazon.com page for the unfortunately titled Paula Broadwell/Vernon Loeb tome “All In: The Education of General David Petraeus,” you’ll see an interesting disjunction. Overall, the book receives an average of fewer stars from its readers than the four that adorned the general’s uniform.... Read more»1
The penis mightier than the sword. If you’ll pardon the pun.... Read more»
Staff Sgt Robert Bales’ odyssey began just over 10 years ago when he joined the military in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks... Read more»
A disturbing report into human rights abuses by the U.S. backed Afghan police force — including rape and murder — has raised serious questions about the exit plan of the West.... Read more»
David Petraeus, newly retired from the U.S. Army, was sworn in as director of the CIA in a ceremony led by Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday at the White House.... Read more»
Sometimes it helps to look back to something like the Vietnam War so we can get a clearer picture of how to move ahead, and America desperately needs to take a hard look at the truth about the war in Afghanistan.... Read more»
Liz Cheney’s group quotes U.S. military leaders out of context to attack President Obama’s Afghanistan policy.... Read more»1
As President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama make their way east, having cemented the “essential relationship” between Whitehall and the White House during their glamorous visit to London, a former diplomat is doing his best to expose the fissures between the two countries’ policies in Afghanistan.... Read more»
Now that bin Laden is gone, will the Pashtun tribal leaders in Afghanistan and their followers lose heart and be more willing to come over to the government side as some, such as Gen. John Campbell, have suggested?... Read more»
Still riding the wave of euphoria over the Abbottabad strike that took down America’s most-wanted enemy, some in the U.S. policy establishment are advocating for an increased use of Special Forces and the strategic operations they conduct.... Read more»
Pakistani officials say that the Pakistani army had full knowledge of the U.S. raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden and that it played a larger role in the operation than previously acknowledged.... Read more»
Mired in many internal problems, Afghanistan sees few changes in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death.... Read more»
Following a career of chaos and uncertainty, U.S. general looks to the future with focus and determination following a life of peril in war-torn regions.... Read more»
17544322
