Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Boris Johnson South China Sea carrier deployment to project Britain power
Post-Brexit Britain is thrusting itself into 21st-century great power competition with the deployment of a massive carrier strike group through Asia and the bitterly contested South China Sea this month, marking the Royal Navy's most ambitious mission since the Falklands War of the early 1980s. Published May 4, 2021
Trump may have cleared Biden’s path to check NKorea, experts tell Washington Times Foundation event
Former President Trump's historic meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have opened a key door for the Biden administration as it eyes diplomacy with Pyongyang, former U.S. officials and regional experts said Tuesday, arguing that President Biden may have been given a unique opportunity to strike a denuclearization deal that's eluded Washington for decades. Published May 4, 2021
Pentagon’s top general open to taking sexual assault cases out of chain of command
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley is now open to taking sexual assault cases out of the military's chain of command, marking a potentially major shift in how the Pentagon handles the issue. Published May 3, 2021
AMVETS slams Pentagon after denial to use DoD parking lots for ‘Rolling to Remember’ rally
The Pentagon has denied a request from American Veterans (AMVETS) to use Defense Department parking lots for its "Rolling to Remember" motorcycle rally later this month, the veterans group said in a statement Monday, slamming Pentagon officials for allegedly refusing to engage in a dialogue about how to hold the event safely in the era of coronavirus. Published May 3, 2021
Message to Russia: U.S. Army kicks off major artillery drills across Europe
The U.S. Army this week will kick off a series of major artillery drills across Europe and northern Africa, sending a clear message to Moscow amid a buildup of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border. Published May 3, 2021
White House denies Iran’s sanctions, prisoner deal claims
Biden administration officials on Sunday morning denied reports from Iranian state-run media that the U.S. and Britain have agreed to free up $7 billion in frozen Iranian funds in exchange for the release of American prisoners held in the Islamic republic. Published May 2, 2021
U.S. base in Afghanistan hit by rocket fire as troops begin withdrawal
In an ominous kickoff to the mission to leave, U.S. forces returned fire over the weekend after rockets hit a key air base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while America's top general on Sunday warned of "bad possible outcomes" in the country after all U.S. and NATO troops complete their withdrawal. Published May 2, 2021
19 GOP senators call for investigation into John Kerry’s alleged intel-sharing with Iran
The furor over claims that John Kerry may have disclosed intelligence secrets about Israeli military strikes to the Iranians escalated again Thursday, as 19 Republican senators Thursday demanded an investigation into the charges and that President Biden must fire Mr. Kerry as his top climate policy aide if the charges prove true. Published April 29, 2021
Joe Biden defends plan to pull troops from Afghanistan
President Biden on Wednesday night defended his controversial decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by September 11, arguing that America has accomplished its goals in the 20-year "forever war." Published April 28, 2021
Judge sides with Amazon; court to consider whether Trump interfered in Pentagon ‘war cloud’ contract
Amazon Web Services won a major battle in the clash over the Pentagon's massive $10 billion "war cloud" computing contract Wednesday, as a federal judge ruled its legal challenge citing interference by President Trump in the deal can go forward, opening the door to a potentially ugly fight and even a possible deposition of the former president. Published April 28, 2021
USS Firebolt fires warning shots at Iran Revolutionary Guard vessels
A U.S. warship fired warning shots after Iranian speedboats came within 68 yards of American vessels in the Persian Gulf, Pentagon officials said Wednesday, detailing the latest close encounter between the two nations' militaries. Published April 27, 2021
John Kerry denies sharing secret intelligence with Iran as calls for resignation grow
John Kerry's backroom conversations with foreign officials have sparked a fierce backlash in Washington again as the former secretary of state and President Biden's point man on climate issues faced growing calls to resign Tuesday over reports that he fed Iran sensitive information about Israeli military strikes. Published April 27, 2021
U.S., Iranian ships had 3-hour encounter in the Persian Gulf this month
Iranian ships conducted "unsafe maneuvers" and ignored U.S. military warnings for three hours during a dangerous encounter in the Persian Gulf earlier this month, Pentagon officials said. Published April 27, 2021
John Kerry told Iranians about secret Israeli operations in Syria: Report
Former Secretary of State John Kerry kept Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif informed about secret Israeli military actions in Syria, the Iranian diplomat said in recently leaked audio, casting new light on communication between the two men after Mr. Kerry returned to life as a private citizen in 2017. Published April 26, 2021
Leaked recording of Iran’s top diplomat offers blunt talk
President Biden's effort to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran may be in jeopardy after a leaked tape exposed deep divisions between military leaders and diplomats inside Iran, with the credibility of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif now in doubt at a crucial moment in negotiations. Published April 26, 2021
Afghanistan exit creates hurdles for counterterrorism operations
Top Pentagon officials say the U.S. will retain the ability to find and kill terrorist targets, including al Qaeda militants who could resurface if the Taliban gains more power in Afghanistan, but they readily acknowledge that the next-generation counterterrorism strategy is still a work in progress with many life-and-death questions yet to be answered. Published April 25, 2021
Congress may pull plug on troubled $1.7 trillion F-35 jet program
Lawmakers turned their fire on the Pentagon's troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program Thursday, telling lead contractor Lockheed Martin and other stakeholders that they may pull the financial plug soon on the next-generation fighter jet unless they see dramatic production and performance improvements. Published April 22, 2021
Iran captures detailed drone footage of U.S. aircraft carrier
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed late Wednesday to have captured "precise" drone footage of a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. Published April 22, 2021
Air Force Maj. Gen. William Cooley faces sexual assault charge in rare court-martial
The former commander of the Pentagon's Air Force Research Laboratory will face court-martial over a sexual assault charge, military officials said Wednesday, marking a rare instance in which an Air Force general has faced such serious discipline. Published April 22, 2021
‘Grave doubts’ about whether Taliban can be trusted, says top U.S. general in Middle East
The Pentagon's top commander in the Middle East said Tuesday he has "grave doubts" about whether the Taliban will live up to its word after U.S. forces leave Afghanistan this fall, fueling questions about whether the country is headed toward full-blown chaos. Published April 20, 2021
