Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
‘Almost insurmountable’ task: Africa emerges as unstable hot spot for terror, coups
The toxic cocktail of terrorism and political instability sweeping across Africa is reaching a new peak. And hope that the tide can be turned is hitting a new low. Published September 28, 2023
F-35 crash: More questions than answers as investigation drags on
Questions swirled Tuesday about the doomed, pilotless F-35B fighter jet that went down in South Carolina, with neither the Pentagon nor the aircraft manufacturer offering any firm clues more than a week after the mysterious crash. Published September 26, 2023
Iranian president downplays growing Israeli-Arab ties
The effort to foster diplomatic ties between Israel and the Arab world will ultimately fail, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in an interview that aired Sunday, calling the normalization push little more than a charade perpetrated by Washington. Published September 24, 2023
U.S. ‘directly at war’ with Russia, using Ukraine as ‘fodder,’ says Russian foreign minister
The U.S. and its European allies are "directly at war" with Moscow and are using Ukraine as "fodder" in that conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said recently. Published September 24, 2023
Listen to stunning 911 tape after F-35 pilot parachuted into backyard: ‘We had a military jet crash’
A stunning 911 audiotape released late Thursday offered a window into the frantic minutes immediately after the crash of an F-35 fighter jet last Sunday, with the plane's pilot and the homeowner whose yard he parachuted into pleading with emergency dispatchers to send help immediately. Published September 22, 2023
Troubled assembly: Critics bash ‘dying organization’ as U.N. faces reform calls
It was hailed as a "one-of-a-kind moment" for world leaders to come together and tackle the world's most pressing challenges. Published September 21, 2023
‘Behind schedule’ and ‘far below’ goals: Pentagon must rethink F-35 strategy, watchdog says
The number of F-35 fighter jets capable of performing their missions is "far below program goals," and the Defense Department and its private-sector partners are "behind schedule" with their maintenance of the cutting-edge aircraft, a congressional watchdog said in a major report released Thursday. Published September 21, 2023
Pentagon pushes ‘don’t ask/don’t tell’ veterans to correct service records
The Pentagon will ramp up efforts to identify service members discharged because of their sexual orientation during the "don't ask/don't tell" era, with the goal of helping them correct their military records, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday. Published September 20, 2023
‘Obsolescence’: America’s global leadership waning, Iranian president says in fiery U.N. speech
The U.S.-led international order is rapidly fading and Western-style capitalism is being "relegated to obsolescence," a defiant Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Tuesday, using a speech to the United Nations General Assembly to predict that the post-World War II global framework is in the midst of a historic shift. Published September 19, 2023
Putin pauses before his ruthless revenge; calculating pattern shows timing critical to take action
Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggressive crackdown against his domestic critics has reached military and political circles, outspoken academics and influential bloggers who build followings on social media with their blunt takedowns of Kremlin power players. Published September 12, 2023
‘Paralyzing’ the Pentagon: Key House Republican blasts Tuberville’s defense nominations hold
A leading House Republican said Sunday that Sen. Tommy Tuberville is "paralyzing the Department of Defense" with his hold on military nominations and promotions in protest of the Pentagon's abortion policy. Published September 11, 2023
‘Apex predator’: Army overhauls M1 Abrams tank upgrade plan, will build quicker battlefield vehicle
The Army announced plans to scrap the original upgrade to its M1 Abrams tank in favor of a new version that the service is calling an apex predator of 21st-century ground combat vehicles. Published September 7, 2023
Russian missile strike on market kills 17 as Blinken makes surprise Ukraine visit
A suspected Russian ballistic missile strike on an outdoor market in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday killed at least 16 people just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit to project American solidarity with the war effort. Published September 6, 2023
‘Lack of need’ for U.S. talks spurs North Korean move to Russia, China, ex-intel officer
Pyongyang's motivation to strike a denuclearization deal with the U.S. seems to have dropped dramatically in recent years, America's former top intelligence officer for North Korea said Tuesday, warning that the country's deepening relationships with Russia and China have dimmed the prospects for any diplomatic breakthrough in the near term. Published September 5, 2023
Putin demands Western concessions before Russia will restart vital grain deal
Moscow will reenter a key grain export deal only if the West lifts banking and other restrictions that are hurting the Russian economy, President Vladimir Putin said Monday after a widely anticipated meeting with his Turkish counterpart. Published September 4, 2023
Zelenskyy calls for new defense minister, says Ukraine needs ‘new approaches’ amid counteroffensive
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday announced a major shake-up at the highest levels of his government, outlining plans to oust Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov just as Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia's invading army begins to gain steam. Published September 3, 2023
Ukraine accuses Russia of trying to ‘provoke a food crisis’ after strikes on Odesa port
Ukrainian officials on Sunday accused Moscow of trying to "provoke a food crisis" after the Russian military launched drone strikes against a key port in the Odesa region. Published September 3, 2023
North Korea holds ‘tactical nuclear’ drills, warns U.S. and South Korea of ‘real nuclear crisis’
North Korea over the weekend staged a "tactical nuclear attack virtual launch drill" and warned Washington and Seoul of a potential "real nuclear crisis," North Korean state-run media reported Sunday. Published September 3, 2023
‘An absolute lie’: Kremlin angrily rejects accusations Putin behind Prigozhin plane crash
Top Kremlin officials on Friday angrily rejected suggestions that the death of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was an assassination ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite widespread belief in the West that the Russian leader ordered a hit against his most powerful rival. Published August 25, 2023
‘A targeted hit’: Suspicion widespread that Putin ordered Prigozhin killing in plane explosion
Early U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that an intentional explosion led to the plane crash that apparently killed Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, Western officials said Thursday amid widespread suspicion that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the assassination of another rival. Published August 24, 2023
