Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
U.S. isn’t helping Ukraine hit targets inside Russia, officials say
The U.S. is not actively aiding or encouraging Ukraine to hit targets inside Russia, Biden administration officials said late Tuesday as Washington distanced itself from a series of apparent drone strikes on key Russian military targets over the past several days. Published December 7, 2022
Democrats join Republicans in move to repeal military’s vaccine mandate
Congressional Democrats have included a Republican-backed measure to repeal President Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for service members in the annual Pentagon policy bill, dealing a severe blow to the White House. Published December 6, 2022
Navy uses ‘non-lethal lasers’ to ward off Iranian ship in dangerous Strait of Hormuz encounter
U.S. Navy ships employed "non-lethal lasers" to ward off an Iranian vessel that passed within 150 yards of the American craft in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, military officials said. Published December 6, 2022
‘We need the truth’: Lankford to block Pentagon nominees over COVID-19 vaccine rules
Sen. James Lankford said Tuesday he plans to block all confirmation votes on Defense Department nominees until the Pentagon explains why it has granted so few religious waivers for troops seeking to avoid the COVID-19 vaccine. Published December 6, 2022
End of the road? Pentagon’s COVID vaccine mandate in danger as opposition mounts
Nearly four months ago, the Biden administration drove past an off-ramp that offered a chance to rethink and possibly scrap its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for U.S. troops. Published December 6, 2022
Darkest hour: Cold, brutal winter awaits Ukraine as Russia relentlessly hits civilian targets
The war in Ukraine is entering its darkest hour, with Kyiv and its Western allies racing to repair energy and water infrastructure destroyed by Russian missiles and to deliver basic cold-weather supplies such as heaters and blankets to a population bracing for a brutal, trying winter. Published November 30, 2022
Collateral damage: Ukraine war derails diplomacy as Russia scraps nuke talks with U.S.
The Kremlin on Tuesday confirmed it has called off scheduled nuclear arms talks with the U.S. in what analysts call a dangerous, "irresponsible" move, one that marks the latest example of how the fallout from Russia's war in Ukraine has spilled over into other arenas with potentially far-reaching repercussions. Published November 29, 2022
Build the wall? Finland plans border fence with Russia as NATO membership looms
It's shaping up to be far less imposing than the Berlin Wall and not nearly as politically divisive as President Trump's coveted barrier between the U.S. and Mexico, but Finland's planned border fence with Russia looks to be a major geopolitical statement. Published November 27, 2022
House Republicans see ‘obstruction’ in Biden administration’s freeze-out of Afghan watchdog
An under-the-radar fight between the Biden administration and an independent Afghanistan IG will soon be thrust into the spotlight. Published November 24, 2022
Morale matters: Russian failures in Ukraine show how motivation, conviction determine winners in war
Morale and motivation have been deciding factors in battles throughout human history -- and they could ultimately spell doom for Russia's war in Ukraine. Published November 21, 2022
Iran to face Western geopolitical rivals in World Cup as backlash mounts over its protest crackdown
Iran and its soccer team are in the international spotlight ahead of World Cup soccer games this month against Western rivals England, Wales and the U.S., with Tehran's brutal crackdown on domestic protests sparking blowback abroad and potentially fueling tension between its athletes and government leaders at home. Published November 17, 2022
‘Treacherous attack:’ Bomb attack in Istanbul kills 6, wounds more than 50
An explosion rocked a busy street Sunday in Istanbul, killing six and wounding dozens more in what Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called a "treacherous attack." Published November 13, 2022
Ukraine celebrates, Russia reels as Kherson re-capture may mark war’s turning point
Ukrainians ramped up a weekend-long celebration Sunday after Russian troops fled the strategic regional capital of Kherson following a nearly nine-month occupation, but city officials now face a monumental task to restore electricity and clean water services amid the "humanitarian catastrophe" left behind by the retreating Russians. Published November 13, 2022
Biden scrambles for a Plan B with Iran nuclear deal on life support
The global push to constrain Iran's nuclear program has entered uncharted territory as the U.S. and its allies signal that negotiations with Tehran are all but dead, and it's unclear whether the Biden administration has a viable Plan B to keep Iran's theocratic regime from getting a nuclear bomb that the agreement was supposed to prevent. Published November 12, 2022
Russian forces retreat from key city of Kherson in embarrassing setback
Russian military commanders said Wednesday their troops will retreat from the Ukrainian city of Kherson and set up defensive lines on the other side of the Dnieper River, marking perhaps the most embarrassing defeat for Moscow so far in the eight-month war and fueling hope that Ukraine may actually be able to recapture the bulk of its territory now in the hands of Russia and pro-Moscow separatist groups. Published November 9, 2022
Putin’s power play: Russia’s rebuke neuters U.N. push to end war in Ukraine
It was one of the sharpest, most sweeping rebukes in the recent history of the United Nations. On Oct. 12, 143 countries led by the U.S. and its allies voted to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and demand that Russian President Vladimir Putin withdraw all of his troops from Ukrainian territory. Published November 6, 2022
‘Terror weapon’: With starring role in Ukraine, Iran’s drones poised to become even more lethal
Iran is poised to emerge from the Russia-Ukraine war as a much more dangerous adversary, analysts and national security insiders warn, as its military drone program is transforming into a lethal "terror weapon" that could eventually challenge some of the world's most advanced defensive systems. Published November 5, 2022
Failures of Afghanistan pullout fade for voters
It dominated the headlines in the summer of 2021 and raised serious questions about the Biden administration's basic competence. President Biden's approval rating took a sharp hit and it looked to be a potential political liability for Democrats. Published November 3, 2022
Russian roadblock: U.N.’s role in Ukraine sharply limited by Moscow’s veto power
It was one of the United Nations' sharpest, most sweeping rebukes in recent history. Led by the U.S. and its allies, 143 countries on Oct. 12 voted to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and demand that Russian President Vladimir Putin withdraw all of his troops from Ukrainian territory. Published November 1, 2022
A dangerous alliance: Iran sides with Russia in Ukraine war, raising stakes for West
Iran has rapidly and unexpectedly emerged as Russia's most reliable wartime partner, providing drones and missiles for its brutal attacks on Ukrainian civilians, on-the-ground technical support for its flight operators and even turbines to help Russia's gas industry skirt Western economic sanctions. Published October 26, 2022
