Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
‘Behind schedule’ and ‘far below’ goals: Pentagon must rethink F-35 strategy, watchdog says
The number of F-35 fighter jets capable of performing their missions is "far below program goals," and the Defense Department and its private-sector partners are "behind schedule" with their maintenance of the cutting-edge aircraft, a congressional watchdog said in a major report released Thursday. Published September 21, 2023
Pentagon pushes ‘don’t ask/don’t tell’ veterans to correct service records
The Pentagon will ramp up efforts to identify service members discharged because of their sexual orientation during the "don't ask/don't tell" era, with the goal of helping them correct their military records, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday. Published September 20, 2023
‘Obsolescence’: America’s global leadership waning, Iranian president says in fiery U.N. speech
The U.S.-led international order is rapidly fading and Western-style capitalism is being "relegated to obsolescence," a defiant Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Tuesday, using a speech to the United Nations General Assembly to predict that the post-World War II global framework is in the midst of a historic shift. Published September 19, 2023
Putin pauses before his ruthless revenge; calculating pattern shows timing critical to take action
Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggressive crackdown against his domestic critics has reached military and political circles, outspoken academics and influential bloggers who build followings on social media with their blunt takedowns of Kremlin power players. Published September 12, 2023
‘Paralyzing’ the Pentagon: Key House Republican blasts Tuberville’s defense nominations hold
A leading House Republican said Sunday that Sen. Tommy Tuberville is "paralyzing the Department of Defense" with his hold on military nominations and promotions in protest of the Pentagon's abortion policy. Published September 11, 2023
‘Apex predator’: Army overhauls M1 Abrams tank upgrade plan, will build quicker battlefield vehicle
The Army announced plans to scrap the original upgrade to its M1 Abrams tank in favor of a new version that the service is calling an apex predator of 21st-century ground combat vehicles. Published September 7, 2023
Russian missile strike on market kills 17 as Blinken makes surprise Ukraine visit
A suspected Russian ballistic missile strike on an outdoor market in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday killed at least 16 people just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit to project American solidarity with the war effort. Published September 6, 2023
‘Lack of need’ for U.S. talks spurs North Korean move to Russia, China, ex-intel officer
Pyongyang's motivation to strike a denuclearization deal with the U.S. seems to have dropped dramatically in recent years, America's former top intelligence officer for North Korea said Tuesday, warning that the country's deepening relationships with Russia and China have dimmed the prospects for any diplomatic breakthrough in the near term. Published September 5, 2023
Putin demands Western concessions before Russia will restart vital grain deal
Moscow will reenter a key grain export deal only if the West lifts banking and other restrictions that are hurting the Russian economy, President Vladimir Putin said Monday after a widely anticipated meeting with his Turkish counterpart. Published September 4, 2023
Zelenskyy calls for new defense minister, says Ukraine needs ‘new approaches’ amid counteroffensive
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday announced a major shake-up at the highest levels of his government, outlining plans to oust Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov just as Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia's invading army begins to gain steam. Published September 3, 2023
Ukraine accuses Russia of trying to ‘provoke a food crisis’ after strikes on Odesa port
Ukrainian officials on Sunday accused Moscow of trying to "provoke a food crisis" after the Russian military launched drone strikes against a key port in the Odesa region. Published September 3, 2023
North Korea holds ‘tactical nuclear’ drills, warns U.S. and South Korea of ‘real nuclear crisis’
North Korea over the weekend staged a "tactical nuclear attack virtual launch drill" and warned Washington and Seoul of a potential "real nuclear crisis," North Korean state-run media reported Sunday. Published September 3, 2023
‘An absolute lie’: Kremlin angrily rejects accusations Putin behind Prigozhin plane crash
Top Kremlin officials on Friday angrily rejected suggestions that the death of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was an assassination ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite widespread belief in the West that the Russian leader ordered a hit against his most powerful rival. Published August 25, 2023
‘A targeted hit’: Suspicion widespread that Putin ordered Prigozhin killing in plane explosion
Early U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that an intentional explosion led to the plane crash that apparently killed Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, Western officials said Thursday amid widespread suspicion that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the assassination of another rival. Published August 24, 2023
Putin breaks silence on apparent Prigozhin death; plane crash possibly caused by explosion
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday finally spoke about the apparent death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the mercenary Wagner Group, who is believed to have died a day earlier in a plane crash. Published August 24, 2023
From liberal ‘dove’ to Kremlin’s bomb-thrower: Dmitry Medvedev’s curious evolution
Moscow is waging war against "crazy Nazi drug addicts" and perhaps even against Satan, "the supreme ruler of hell," himself. Published August 18, 2023
Mystery deepens as Biden’s Iran envoy-in-limbo Malley takes Princeton teaching job
A top Biden administration diplomat reportedly under investigation on suspicion of mishandling classified information has been hired to teach foreign policy classes at Princeton University, the New Jersey school announced this week. Published August 17, 2023
Caught in the crossfire: Milley’s tenure bedeviled by clash over values, ‘woke’ debate
His critics see a "woke" military that's losing its edge as left-wing social activism and an obsession with diversity and political correctness take root inside the Pentagon. But Gen. Mark A. Milley sees a fighting force that is by far the most well-prepared, efficient and deadly on the planet -- a reality that he says even America's most determined enemies must acknowledge. Published August 10, 2023
‘Acceptable levels of risk’: Backing Ukraine won’t deplete U.S. arsenal, Milley says
U.S. weapons stockpiles will not drop below "acceptable levels of risk" despite the constant flow of arms to Ukraine, said Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Published August 8, 2023
‘Weird and unexplainable’: America’s top general on UFOs, the Pentagon’s search for answers
Some UFO sightings by military personnel are "difficult to explain," according to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark A. Milley, but the nation's top general insists he has seen no evidence to back up recent public allegations that the Pentagon has recovered extraterrestrial beings or has engaged in a decades-long cover-up to hide the truth from the American public. Published August 6, 2023
