Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Mark Esper fired as defense secretary
President Trump unceremoniously fired Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper via Twitter on Thursday, sparking yet another round of upheaval at the Pentagon and injecting even more drama into an already tense, uncertain post-election period for the administration and the military. Published November 9, 2020
Pentagon: Taliban violence ‘could undermine the agreement’ with U.S.
Continued Taliban attacks across Afghanistan "could undermine the agreement" the insurgent group struck with the Trump administration earlier this year that would allow U.S. troops to come home next year, a key Pentagon watchdog reported Thursday. Published November 5, 2020
Trump-Biden election cliffhanger robs global mandate from victor
In a testament to America's staying power as the leading global superpower, the fight for the White House contest is being greeted with interest and enthusiasm befitting a heavyweight "pay-per-view" fight -- with world leaders and citizens alike gobbling up each new twist. Published November 4, 2020
North Korea laid landmines along China border to stop COVID-19: report
North Korea was so concerned about the spread of COVID-19 from China that it laid landmines along the border between the two countries, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday. Published November 3, 2020
Presidential election winner faces complex geopolitical puzzle
North Korea and its nuclear ambitions were the greatest threat to world stability and must be atop the new commander in chief's priority list, President Trump recalls being told during a closed-door White House transition meeting with then-President Barack Obama in late 2016. Published November 2, 2020
Gunmen kill 19 at Kabul University, Taliban denies involvement
Islamic State gunmen launched a brazen attack on Kabul University on Monday, killing at least 22 students and wounding more than 20 others in what Afghan government officials described as a "despicable act of terror" at a time when the Trump administration is hoping to cut a peace deal that will end the U.S. combat mission there. Published November 2, 2020
Drone wars: U.S. military maneuvers to defeat enemy unmanned aircraft
The U.S. military radically changed warfare over the past two decades with its pioneering use of armed drones on the battlefield. Published November 1, 2020
U.S. military rescues American citizen held hostage in Nigeria
U.S. special forces on Saturday carried out a daring raid in Nigeria to rescue Philipe Walton, a 27-year-old American citizen taken hostage by armed gunmen earlier this week, Pentagon officials said. Published October 31, 2020
NORAD intercepts plane over Trump Arizona rally
A U.S. fighter jet intercepted a civilian aircraft that entered restricted airspace during President Trump's campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, on Wednesday, according to Pentagon officials. Published October 28, 2020
General Motors returns to battlefield with new Army infantry vehicle
GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, this week delivered its first Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) to the U.S. Army, marking a major milestone for the company in its revived partnership with the Pentagon. It's the first major vehicle delivery since GM Defense was reestablished in 2017, the company said. Published October 28, 2020
Drones arms race under way as rivals deploy cheap UAVs
As "unmanned aerial vehicles" become exponentially faster, cheaper, more deadly and more widespread around the globe, U.S. military planners are racing to develop a viable defense for suddenly vulnerable troops, tanks and ships. Published October 27, 2020
Navy destroyers to be equipped with hypersonic weapons, White House says
More than 60 U.S. Navy destroyers eventually will be outfitted with hypersonic weapons, White House National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said Wednesday as he laid out a massive logistical undertaking but one that the Pentagon believes is necessary for 21st-century warfare. Published October 21, 2020
Russia to use Arctic Council chairman role to push back on U.S. interests
The Arctic Council was designed as a forum for its eight member nations to discuss development and environmental protections and find common ground in the icy region. Published October 20, 2020
Mark Esper, Pentagon chief, says Trump’s push on NATO defense spending has worked: ‘No free riders’
U.S. leadership under President Trump has spurred major increases in NATO defense spending, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday, with the number of countries pitching in at least 2% nearly doubling from four years ago. Published October 20, 2020
American airstrikes violate peace pact, Taliban says; U.S. denies
U.S. airstrikes in Helmand province violate a peace agreement struck earlier this year, Taliban officials said Sunday in a sharp war of words with the Pentagon. Published October 18, 2020
U.N. arms embargo on Iran expires
An international arms embargo on Iran expired Sunday, marking a defeat for the Trump administration and opening the door for Tehran to potentially buy foreign weapons. Published October 18, 2020
U.S. Army eyes next-generation vehicle to dominate the battlespace: The drone tank
Army leaders have fast-tracked a next-generation tank program that is expected to produce huge leaps in survivability and maneuverability, along with perhaps the most widely anticipated advancement: vehicles that are "optionally manned." Published October 18, 2020
Tanks future on battlefields in doubt due to drones, rockets
Specialists argue that the changing nature of war could limit tanks' effectiveness and mean a major demotion in how they are fielded in the face of more effective rocket fire, advanced radar systems that make it easier to spot and target the vehicles, and the proliferation of small, deadly drones that can rain destruction on armored columns. Published October 14, 2020
U.S. forces conduct ‘targeted strikes’ to slow Taliban advance
U.S. forces over the past two days have conducted "targeted strikes" to slow a Taliban advance on Afghanistan's Helmand Province, Pentagon officials said Monday in the latest sign that violence continues despite a peace deal struck earlier this year. Published October 12, 2020
Gen. Mark Milley won’t confirm Donald Trump’s Afghanistan withdrawal timeline
The Pentagon is pushing back at President Trump's recent campaign trail claim that all American troops could be out of Afghanistan by Christmas, fueling fresh questions about the war zone exit plan at a moment when U.S. forces continue to engage in direct clashes with an emboldened Taliban. Published October 12, 2020