Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
U.S. warfare takes shape like nothing ever before; special units train for varied fronts
The U.S. faces a "decisive decade" as it stares down great power challenges from China and Russia, regional threats from Iran and North Korea, and the resurgence of extremist groups such as ISIS and al Qaeda -- and U.S. Special Forces will play a central role in confronting each, said Army Gen. Bryan P. Fenton, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command. Published May 8, 2024
For warriors, Israel-Hamas clash provides case study for 21st-century urban battles
Robotics will play a key role in 21st-century conflicts but face limitations in urban environments or underground operations. Real-time communication between field commanders and air support has been a game-changer, and social media narratives can have a greater influence on the trajectory of war than perhaps anyone expected. Published May 6, 2024
Biden administration stopped shipment of ammunition to Israel: Report
The Biden administration reportedly stopped a shipment of American ammunition to Israel, the latest development in a growing rift between the two allies over Jerusalem's war against the terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip Published May 5, 2024
‘An exceptional meal’: Vladimir Putin cut out a deer’s heart, presented it to Silvio Berlusconi
Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013 shot and killed a deer, cut out the animal's heart, presented it to former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and said it would make an "exceptional meal." Published May 5, 2024
Israel to close Al Jazeera, confiscate news channel’s broadcast equipment, block website
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his government will close the Qatar-based news channel Al Jazeera's operations inside Israel, confiscate the network's broadcast equipment, and block access to its website. Published May 5, 2024
Trump suggests he may pull U.S. troops from South Korea without more cost-sharing
South Korea is "paying very little" for the U.S. troops stationed on the Korean Peninsula and the "very wealthy country" must pay more for continued American military presence there, former President Donald Trump said in an interview released this week. Published May 1, 2024
Amid growing threats from China and Russia, Biden signs new infrastructure security memo
President Biden on Tuesday signed a national security memorandum laying out an updated, government-wide plan to protect critical American infrastructure in the face of growing cyberthreats posed by China, Russia and other U.S. adversaries. Published April 30, 2024
‘Over the horizon’ too far to fight terrorists in Afghanistan; ISIS-K emerges as deadly threat
Critics say the rise of ISIS-K -- and America's limited ability to do anything about it -- illustrate the fundamental flaws of banking on an over-the-horizon strategy as an adequate replacement for boots on the ground. Published April 26, 2024
U.S. denies involvement in attack on Iran, emphasizes de-escalation priorities
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said the U.S. had no involvement in the apparent attack on Iran. Published April 19, 2024
Apparent Israeli strike targets Iranian military base in limited attack
Iranian media reported explosions near an airport in the Iranian city of Isfahan early Friday local time in what appears to have been direct military retaliation by Israel against the Islamic republic -- though the attack seems to have been limited in scope and perhaps a sign that both nations want to pull back from the brink of war. Published April 18, 2024
Israel’s war against Hamas posts lower civilian-to-combatant death ratio than other urban battles
It's been described as an unspeakably brutal "massacre," even a "genocide" perpetrated by Israel's powerful military machine against innocent civilians trapped in the Gaza Strip. In reality, data show, Israel's campaign to defeat Hamas in the densely populated Palestinian enclave is one of the most careful and surgical operations in recent human history. Published April 18, 2024
War-wary Iran keeps tensions stirring; proxies carry out most of death, unrest, destruction
Does Iran, beneath all of its tough talk and its anti-Israel, anti-U.S. bluster, actually want to go to war? Published April 16, 2024
Israel vows Iranian attack ‘will be met with a response’
Israeli leaders vowed Monday that the weekend's Iranian attack "will be met with a response" as Jerusalem appears poised to brush aside the Biden administration's call for diplomacy and de-escalation and instead opt for more aggressive retaliation against Tehran. Published April 15, 2024
Biden administration pushes for ‘diplomatic response’ after Iran’s attack on Israel
Top Biden administration officials on Monday doubled down on their calls for a measured, de-escalatory response from Israel to the massive Iranian attack on the Jewish state over the weekend. Published April 15, 2024
Iran launches major drone attack against Israel
Iran on Saturday launched a coordinated drone attack on Israel, according to Israeli and U.S. officials, as Tehran brushed off warnings from the Biden administration and appeared willing to escalate its standoff with Jerusalem. Published April 13, 2024
Bold move or reckless escalation? Debate flares on Western boots on the ground in Ukraine
It has been a red line for President Biden since the U.S. and its NATO allies first rushed to Ukraine's defense after the Russian invasion of early 2022, but the prohibition on U.S. and Western combat boots on the ground in the war is itself under fresh attack. Published April 5, 2024
Biden’s opportunity? Some see opening for U.S. in warming North Korea-Russia ties
Direct U.S.-North Korea diplomacy appears nearly nonexistent as Pyongyang rapidly deepens its military and political relationships with Russia, one of Washington's leading geopolitical adversaries. Published April 2, 2024
Former U.S. officials say Russia probably could have stopped ISIS-K attack
The U.S. likely provided Russia with enough information to help avert the recent ISIS-K attack on a Moscow concert that killed more than 130 people, a former American military official said Sunday, as questions swirl about whether the Kremlin knew the assault was coming and allowed it to happen. Published March 31, 2024
Netanyahu pressured from all sides amid mass protests, strained relations with Biden White House
Protests across Israel on Sunday put even more political pressure on embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose approval numbers among the public keep dropping and whose relationship with the Biden administration has reached an all-time low. Published March 31, 2024
‘I could kill someone’: Most U.S. troops aren’t getting enough sleep, report warns
Most U.S. troops need to get more sleep. That's the big-picture takeaway from a sweeping Government Accountability Office study that found a sizable majority of service members get six or fewer hours of sleep each night -- less than the minimum of seven hours recommended by the Defense Department. Published March 27, 2024
