Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s 9/11 trial date delayed indefinitely
Despite having been captured in 2003 and first charged more than a decade ago in the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has yet to receive a trial date. Defense Department officials overseeing the military commission proceedings can offer little in the way of a timeline. Published August 5, 2018
Marines lead other services in number of sexual partners, unprotected sex: Report
Marines tend to have more sexual partners and are more likely to engage in unprotected sex than their colleagues in other branches of the military, a new study shows. Published August 1, 2018
Amazon vies for Pentagon $10 billion cloud data contract
President Trump's favorite corporate punching bag is on the verge of landing a breakthrough 10-year, $10 billion Pentagon contract that would transform how the military shares information. Published July 31, 2018
Russia slams U.S. ‘ultimatums and threats’ toward Turkey over missile system deal
A top Russian official on Monday slammed the U.S. for interfering in foreign arms deals, castigating the Trump administration for pressuring Turkey to abandon its plans to buy a Russian-made S-400 missile defense system. Published July 30, 2018
U.S. military confirms it has armed drones in Niger
Months after an extremist attack killed four U.S. soldiers, the American military began arming drones in Niger in the latest example of how the use of lethal unmanned aircraft continues to extend across Africa and the Middle East. Published July 30, 2018
Questions hover over U.S. ties as Imran Khan prepares to take over
Pakistan's cricket star-turned-incoming prime minister said over the weekend he's ready to move the nation past its tumultuous election and form a coalition government — but deep questions remain about the controversial Imran Khan's seemingly pro-Taliban sympathies and whether he can be trusted to crack down on terrorists operating within his borders. Published July 29, 2018
U.S. begins retrieving troops remains from North Korea: Report
U.S. aircraft on Thursday night flew to North Korea to begin retrieving the remains of American troops killed during the Korean war, the White House announced. Published July 26, 2018
Reporters’ frustration over press access at Pentagon boiling over; another media briefing scrapoed
Frustration among journalists covering the Pentagon reached a boiling point Thursday after yet another media briefing was canceled at the last minute, and veteran reporters say the climate for reporters inside the Defense Department continues to deteriorate. Published July 26, 2018
North Koreans dismantle ballistic missile test site
New satellite imagery suggests that President Trump's landmark summit last month with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has returned its first significant dividend, providing evidence that Pyongyang has begun to dismantle portions of a key missile test site. Published July 24, 2018
Army Corps of Engineers, environmentalists fights over Sandy rebuilding
Six years after Superstorm Sandy battered the Atlantic Coast, the Army Corps of Engineers this summer rolled out its plans to secure the New York shoreline -- and once again found itself in a bitter fight with environmentalists who say the blueprint is an ecological disaster waiting to happen. Published July 24, 2018
Israel shoots down Syrian jet that crossed into its airspace
Israel shot down a Syrian fighter jet that crossed into its airspace Tuesday morning, military officials said, and the entire country remains on "high alert" amid increased fighting in Syria. Published July 24, 2018
Pentagon says it’s unaware of any U.S.-Russia military agreement in Syria
Top Pentagon officials said Thursday they've received "no direction" about military cooperation with the Russians in Syria, throwing cold water on reports that President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had reached a wide-ranging agreement during their Helsinki summit earlier this week. Published July 19, 2018
Donald Trump’s Vladimir Putin charm offensive aims to detach Russia from China, experts say
While the administration is taking clear actions to counter Moscow, some regional experts argue President Trump is simultaneously engaged in a careful strategic dance to decouple Russia from China, which the White House sees as the more serious long-term threat to the U.S. Published July 17, 2018
Vladimir Putin, Russia can’t be trusted on Israel security pledge, analysts warn Donald Trump
President Trump and Vladimir Putin hinted Monday that they had reached an agreement in principle to crack down on Iranian proxy groups in war-torn Syria and to guarantee Israel's security in the process -- but experts warned that Moscow can't be trusted and said the White House is in danger of being played by the Russian president on the world stage. Published July 16, 2018
Austin, Texas, selected for Army Futures Command
Leaders in Austin, Texas, say their city is ready to play a central role in the Army's biggest reorganization effort in over more than decades and that the "unique combination of resources" in and around the state capital make it the ideal partner for the Pentagon. Published July 15, 2018
Pentagon picks Austin, Texas, to host Army Futures Command
Defense Department leaders will announce Friday morning they've picked Austin as the epicenter of the Army's biggest reorganization effort in over four decades, according to The Associated Press, tapping the Texas capital to host the prestigious Army Futures Command. Published July 13, 2018
Plurality of Germans want U.S. troops out of their country: Poll
As President Trump spars with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the world stage this week, a new survey shows that a plurality of Germans want U.S. troops out of their country. Published July 12, 2018
Donald Trump’s Nord Stream objection divides NATO
President Trump on Wednesday stoked divisions in Europe by wading into the middle of an intense fight over the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, a project that critics fear will give Moscow new leverage in the region and could create a geopolitically dangerous Russian-German economic alliance. Published July 11, 2018
China dominates armed-drone market with sales in terrorist hotbeds
China's no-rules approach to armed drone exports has Beijing positioned to dominate the rapidly growing multibillion-dollar market, frustrating American companies while presenting real national security dangers for the Trump administration. Published July 9, 2018
Marines move to stop recruitment via Bumble, other dating apps
"Kaitlin Robertson" may or may not exist, but either way the Marine Corps wants to make sure she stops trying to lure new recruits. Published July 3, 2018
