Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
U.S. Navy finds systemic deficiencies in seamanship skills of junior officers
The Navy has identified deep deficiencies in seamanship among its junior officers, with just 27 of 164 first-tour officers passing competency checks with "no concerns," according to an internal review obtained Wednesday by The Washington Times. Published June 6, 2018
Pentagon climate change plans avoid Trump politics
The U.S. military is forging ahead with comprehensive, detailed plans to deal with climate change under the radar of political debate in the Trump administration Published June 3, 2018
Gen. Austin ‘Scott’ Miller to lead Afghanistan War under Donald Trump
The Trump administration is putting its own aggressive stamp on the Afghanistan War by tapping a career Special Forces operative to lead American troops there. Published May 30, 2018
China ‘out of step’ with international law, U.S. Navy will push back, James Mattis says
As he heads to Singapore for a key meeting with fellow military leaders, Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters late Tuesday that the U.S. intends to challenge China on the high seas and will use its Navy to push back against Beijing's maritime expansion. Published May 30, 2018
Afghan security forces repel attack on Interior Ministry; 8 killed in Kabul clash
Afghan security forces on Wednesday turned back an attack on the nation's Interior Ministry in Kabul, officials said, after militants blew up a car bomb outside the complex and allowed gunmen to stream inside. Published May 30, 2018
Poland wants permanent U.S. military base, willing to pay $2 billion for it: Report
Poland is willing to pay up to $2 billion for a permanent U.S. military base within its borders, arguing that having American troops stationed there would act as a check against Russian aggression in the region. Published May 28, 2018
USS Frank E. Evans Association: Add sailors to Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Nearly 49 years after surviving a maritime collision that claimed the lives of 74 fellow sailors, Steve Kraus remains locked in a bitter battle with the Pentagon over how those Vietnam-era casualties should be honored -- and he finally may be on the verge of a major breakthrough thanks to renewed efforts on Capitol Hill. Published May 27, 2018
Pentagon’s blistering assessment of North Korea casts doubt on Kim’s willingness to give up nukes
The Pentagon this week issued a blistering assessment of North Korea, arguing that simply staying in power while building up a powerful nuclear arsenal for an expected military confrontation with the U.S. are Kim Jong-un's only real objectives. Published May 24, 2018
James Mattis says number of Americans qualified for military service continues to drop
The number of Americans qualified for military service is dropping, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis warned late Wednesday, citing drug abuse, obesity and a lack of "morals" as key reasons why nearly three-quarters of young people can't meet the minimum requirements. Published May 24, 2018
Muqtada al-Sadr, Iraqi Shiite cleric, feared to be Iranian puppet
With nationalist Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his political allies now in the driver's seat in Iraq's parliament, U.S. military planners and diplomats are grappling with what the former militia leader's dramatic rise to power means for U.S. policy -- and whether he turns out to be the Iranian puppet many had feared. Published May 23, 2018
Pentagon kicks Chinese navy out of massive maritime wargame in the Pacific
Pentagon officials have kicked out the Chinese navy from participating in the world's largest annual maritime military exercise in the Pacific, citing Beijing's continued militarization of territories in the hotly contested South China Sea. Published May 23, 2018
50-year-old military plane crashes during training exercise in Mississippi; both pilots safe
A military plane manufactured in 1968 crashed Wednesday morning during a routine training exercise near Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, officials said. Published May 23, 2018
Pentagon stiffens cellphone policy but avoids full ban
The Defense Department this week stiffened its policy on cellphone use inside the Pentagon but stopped short of the complete ban that had been under consideration and which would've marked a major day-to-day change for the tens of thousands of employees who work inside the sprawling facility. Published May 23, 2018
House members push tough AUMF bill; measure would expire after 5 years
A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled a bill that would give the president explicit authority to fight al Qaeda and the Islamic State -- but the measure would expire after five years and would force Congress to routinely revisit U.S. military strategy. Published May 22, 2018
Pentagon stands firm: No talk of scaling back U.S.-South Korean military drills
Despite threats from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to cancel a planned summit with President Trump set for next month, the Pentagon on Thursday insisted there's absolutely no discussion of scaling back the joint U.S.-South Korean military drills that have put that landmark meeting in jeopardy. Published May 17, 2018
AUMF update could give Trump green light for Iran attacks, Democrats fear
The Pentagon's ability to carry the fight to the Islamic State, al Qaeda and other terrorist groups around the world was on the line Wednesday as a key Senate committee struggled to define -- and possibly limit -- President Trump's legal authority to wage war. Published May 16, 2018
U.S. has spent $2.8 trillion to fight terrorism since 2002: Report
Over a 15-year period after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the U.S. spent a whopping $2.8 trillion on counterterrorism efforts, a leading Washington think tank said Wednesday in a study that sheds new light on the true extent of American government spending to fight terror. Published May 16, 2018
Pentagon undersold number of Afghan Security Forces: SIGAR
With the Taliban mounting a major offensive in western Afghanistan, a government watchdog said Tuesday that the Pentagon has underestimated the strength of Afghan Security Forces, selling the fighting force short by about 17,000. Published May 15, 2018
Lindsey Graham wants White House to apologize for John McCain remark
A White House aide's remark last week that Sen. John McCain's political positions don't matter because he's near death was "disgusting" and the White House should issue an apology, Sen. Lindsey Graham told CBS News in an interview that aired Sunday morning. Published May 13, 2018
John Bolton says Donald Trump may submit North Korea nuclear deal for Senate approval
Unlike the path taken by President Obama with the Iran nuclear deal, a top Trump administration official said Sunday the White House is open to submitting any denuclearization deal with North Korea to the Senate for formal approval. Published May 13, 2018
