Military
NORAD relocation could compromise security
A report by Michael de Yoanna and Bill Gertz of The Washington Times reveals that the relocation of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) from Cheyenne Mountain to office space at nearby Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo. could undermine national security. “According to military and defense sources familiar with the missions…
Read MoreDangerous Fakes
“The American military faces a growing threat of potentially fatal equipment failure—and even foreign espionage—because of counterfeit computer components used in warplanes, ships, and communication networks,” according to a report by Brian Grow, Chi-Chu Tschang, Cliff Edwards and Brian Burnsed of BusinessWeek. The business of salvaging microchips from computer refuse is booming in China. Old…
Read MoreArmy missteps handling chemical weapon disposal plant
Matthew D. LaPlante of The Salt Lake Tribune found that the U.S. Army made several errors in its attempts to dispose of Utah’s stockpile of lewisite, a now-illegal agent similar to mustard gas used in chemical warfare. Lewisite can be disposed of in two ways: by incineration, which can release arsenic into the air without…
Read MoreBush secretly approved orders allowing raids in Pakistan
A report by Eric Schmitt and Mark Mazzetti of The New York Times reveals that President Bush “secretly approved orders in July that for the first time allow American Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without the prior approval of the Pakistani government, according to senior American officials.”
Read MoreThe battle within
A report by Erin Emery and David Olinger of The Denver Post shows that soldiers are being sent back to Afghanistan and Iraq despite the fact that they are battling both physical and mental ailments. “Facing demands unprecedented in the history of the all-volunteer force, the Army has deployed soldiers with slings and crutches and…
Read MoreSpending on contractors in Iraq on the rise
According to federal documents, “This year, spending on contractors, who protect diplomats, civilian facilities and supply convoys, is projected to exceed $1.2 billion,” reports Peter Eisler of USA TODAY. This represents a 13% increase in spending since 2007. The increase is attributed, in part, to the fact that the focus in Iraq has shifted from…
Read MoreDemoted to Private
Seattle Post-Intelligencer investigative reporter Eric Nalder showed that political patronage, the zeal to privatize, and a failure at background checks led to disaster for taxpayers and military families. Three services gave 8,000 military houses and billion-dollar contracts to a company headed by a politically-connected Texan involved in a messy bankruptcy and a Connecticut property manager…
Read MoreSuspect Soldiers series
“A yearlong examination by The Sacramento Bee of more than 250 applicants for military service found that the Army, Navy and Marines accepted ex-felons, people with serious drug and alcohol or mental health problems and dozens of others with significant criminal backgrounds or otherwise troubling histories.” In the series, Russ Carollo reports on how trouble…
Read MoreAlcohol abuse on rise among soldiers returning from war
As part of “War Torn,” The New York Times series about veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Lizette Alvarez reports that alcohol abuse is on the rise as soldiers return home. Experts say abuse is most prevalent in individuals suffering from post traumatic stress. “For active-duty service members, the military faces a shortage…
Read MorePreparing the battlefield
New Yorker’s Seymour Hersh reports that Congress agreed late last year to President Bush’s request to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran. Quoting current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources, Hersh said the funding is designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership. He also quotes fired Admiral William Fallon, former head…
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