Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Bloody clash over Bakhmut paying dividends for Kyiv, analyst says
The bloody battle for Bakhmut earlier this year proved costly for the Ukrainian military, with some Western observers questioning why Kyiv would dedicate so many troops and so much of its precious firepower for a city of relatively little strategic value. Published July 9, 2023
Ukraine’s gamble in Bakhmut paid off, fueled Putin-Prigozhin feud: Former CIA officer
The bloody battle for Bakhmut earlier this year proved costly for the Ukrainian military, with some Western observers questioning why Kyiv would dedicate so many troops and so much of its precious firepower for a city of relatively little strategic value. Published July 7, 2023
Abe’s influence still felt at home and abroad a year after his death
It was an idea ahead of its time and one that's paying geopolitical dividends in America's growing Cold War with China. Published July 6, 2023
‘Woke’ Pentagon in the crosshairs: GOP wields leverage in spending, policy bills
Conservatives have singled out left-wing military policies that they say have taken hold under President Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Published June 29, 2023
Crippled Russia refocuses needs for U.S. military; crisis reduces Putin’s status of ‘great power’
Analysts say the short-lived mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenary Wagner Group has cast an even harsher spotlight on the reality of the Russian state. They say it resembles a declining empire grappling with its slow, painful death -- less of a modern-day global leader and more of a zombie superpower. Published June 26, 2023
Putin image fades in face of rebellion
Blowback from a powerful Russian mercenary group's insurrection against the Kremlin swirled in Moscow on Sunday, laying bare the depths of an internal crisis facing Vladimir Putin and fueling speculation the war in Ukraine will eventually lead to his downfall. Published June 25, 2023
Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? Ex-convict dubbed ‘Putin’s chef’ leading Wagner Group rebellion in Russia
Yevgeny Prigozhin in the early 2000s earned the nickname "Putin's chef" after his restaurants and catering companies became favorites of the Russian president and Kremlin leadership. Published June 24, 2023
Wagner Group chief calls off rebellion in Russia, troops stop advance on Moscow
Russia's mercenary Wagner Group will abandon its march toward Moscow and return to the fight in Ukraine, the group's chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said Saturday as a major crisis that seemed to threaten President Vladimir Putin's grip on power has been averted. Published June 24, 2023
Watchdog finds corrosion, upkeep woes at key U.S. missile defense sites
Key sites in America's vast missile defense system network are plagued by seawater corrosion, inadequate running water in the bathrooms, poor heating and air conditioning, a lack of storage facilities and other problems, a government watchdog said, pointing to shortfalls in the system at a crucial moment for U.S. national security. Published June 22, 2023
As U.S. military recruiting crisis worsens, armed forces find competition around every corner
The U.S. military is in a bitter fight to attract and retain new recruits. And its most potent enemies are around every corner. Published June 21, 2023
Olive branch? Blinken offers Biden’s conciliation to China
If China was waiting for an olive branch from the Biden administration, Secretary of State Antony Blinken seemed to deliver one Monday. Published June 19, 2023
Beijing offers no red carpet for arrival of top U.S. diplomat Blinken on trip to ease tensions
Secretary of State Antony Blinken received a frosty reception late Saturday as he arrived in Beijing, with virtually no fanfare and no red carpet ceremony as the top U.S. diplomat kicked off a series of high-stakes meetings with his Chinese counterparts. Published June 18, 2023
House GOP uses policy, spending bills to target ‘woke’ Pentagon
House Republicans on Thursday cleared a major spending bill that takes direct aim at so-called "woke" Pentagon policies, from drag shows on military bases to gender-transition surgery and the use of taxpayer money to facilitate abortions, setting the stage for a high-stakes culture-war clash with President Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress. Published June 15, 2023
U.S. sends F-22 fighters to Middle East amid ‘unsafe’ Russian behavior in Syria
The Pentagon will send F-22 Raptor fighter jets to the Middle East in direct response to increasingly "unsafe" behavior by Russian aircraft in the skies over Syria, U.S. officials said Wednesday, marking the latest escalation of tensions between the nations. Published June 15, 2023
Hypersonic or just overhyped? Amid Russian failures, U.S. doubles down on super-fast missiles
The long-awaited battlefield debut of hypersonic weapons was largely a bust. But experts say it had much more to do with who pulled the trigger than underlying problems with the technology itself. Published June 11, 2023
Pentagon denies report that China setting up spy station in Cuba
Pentagon officials on Thursday shot down news reports that China is preparing to build a spy station in Cuba, even as the claims gained traction on Capitol Hill and sparked an angry reaction from lawmakers of both parties. Published June 8, 2023
Empowering N. Korean people best path for real change in Pyongyang, top human rights activist says
America's decades-long effort to halt North Korea's nuclear program has failed and the U.S. needs a new approach if it wants to see real change in Pyongyang, a leading human rights activist and foreign policy scholar said Tuesday. Published June 6, 2023
No survivors found in Virginia crash of plane that caused military jets to scramble
The Pentagon scrambled F-16 fighter jets Sunday afternoon to intercept an unresponsive plane that flew over Washington and later crashed in a rural Virginia forest, officials said, with the military aircraft causing a loud sonic boom heard in and around the city. Published June 4, 2023
Biden ‘heartbroken’ after India train derailment kills 275 people
President Biden said late Saturday he and first lady Jill Biden are "heartbroken" over a train derailment in eastern India that killed at least 275 people, with local officials blaming an electronic signaling system malfunction for the tragedy. Published June 4, 2023
Kremlin: Putin open to peace talks to end Ukraine war, but only if West offers concessions
Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to negotiations to end his country's war in Ukraine, Kremlin officials said Saturday, though the prospects for talks remain dim amid Moscow's insistence that any resolution includes recognition of its territorial claims in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. Published June 4, 2023
