Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Rebuild military, limit foreign wars, unleash AI: GOP platform lays out Trump’s security priorities
The construction of an Israel-style Iron Dome missile shield over America. A new -- and less regulated -- approach to artificial intelligence. Those are a few of the key foreign policy and national security planks inside the Republican Party's official 2024 platform, a document that's light on many policy specifics but heavy on the broad "America First" principles that have come to define Donald Trump's GOP. Published July 16, 2024
Polish leader seeks quick entry for Ukraine, repudiates call to cede territory for peace with Russia
The president of Poland sharply rejected the notion of any cease-fire deal that would require Ukraine to cede territory to Moscow -- drawing a clear line in the sand while China, fellow NATO ally Hungary and some leading American politicians are amplifying calls for a rapid negotiated end to the conflict. Published July 9, 2024
Ukraine faces moment of truth as NATO allies gather to mark 75th anniversary
The overarching question hanging over NATO leaders as they gather in Washington to mark the alliance's 75th anniversary this week is how and when -- and perhaps, even if -- they will formalize a clear, irreversible pathway to Ukraine's eventual membership in the alliance, even while its grueling war with Russia grinds through its third year. Published July 7, 2024
‘There’s a price for being Russia’s enemy’: Putin, Kim aim to intimidate U.S.
Russian President Vladimir Putin needs North Korea -- not just for its weapons, but also to help deliver a warning to the U.S. and its allies: There will be a significant price to pay for any nation that gets on the Kremlin's bad side. Published July 2, 2024
From the limelight to shadows of doubt: Faith in Zelenskyy drops as war drags on
From Europe to Asia, and even at home, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's stock is plummeting. Published July 2, 2024
Moderate, hard-liner candidates set for run-off in Iranian election; critics say contest is a sham
Cardiologist Masoud Pezeshkian, considered the lone moderate in Iran's snap presidential elections, finished in first place over the weekend, but he'll need plenty of help to overcome a well-known Iranian hard-liner in a candidate runoff set for July 5. Published June 30, 2024
The world is watching: Foreign press pans Biden’s debate performance as ‘unmitigated disaster’
An "unmitigated disaster." An "incoherent" performance. A "horrific" showing that underscored the questions swirling around the world about whether President Biden is fit to serve another four years in the White House. Published June 28, 2024
As Iran braces for vote, regime foes plan major ‘free Iran’ rally Saturday in Berlin
Iranian voters will go to the polls Friday to choose their next president, with anti-U.S. hard-liners dominating the list of major candidates. Published June 27, 2024
Netanyahu out on a limb over Gaza; Israel ends unity war Cabinet, raising calls for new elections
Israel's three-man unity war cabinet was formally dissolved Monday, sparking fresh questions about the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ongoing and increasingly controversial war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and adding fuel to growing public calls across Israel for new elections and a new government. Published June 17, 2024
Trump would not leave South Korea ‘undefended,’ former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says
Former President Donald Trump's seemingly tough public stance on U.S. troops in South Korea is part of a negotiating strategy and does not mean Mr. Trump would pull all American forces from the Korean peninsula, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Tuesday. Published June 5, 2024
Nuclear war risk ‘goes up a little bit every year,’ ex-House Speaker Gingrich tells Times’ forum
The likelihood of a nuclear war "goes up a little bit every year," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Tuesday, warning that the amount of conflicts now raging across the globe coupled with the sheer number of nations equipped with the world's deadliest weapons constitutes a uniquely dangerous dynamic. Published June 4, 2024
Biden approval of U.S. weapons in Russia seen as latest costly delay
The Biden administration has finally given Kyiv the green light to use American-provided weapons for limited strikes on Russian territory. For the embattled Ukrainians, it may be too late. Published June 3, 2024
Iran-backed Houthis vow ‘escalation,’ fire missiles at U.S. warship in Red Sea; no Americans hurt
Houthi rebels in Yemen fired anti-ship ballistic missiles at an American vessel in the Red Sea late Saturday, Pentagon officials said, as clashes between the Iran-backed militant group and U.S. forces heat up. Published June 2, 2024
Far-right Israeli officials threaten to ‘dismantle government’ if Netanyahu accepts Biden cease-fire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced immense pressure from all sides Sunday as the Biden administration urged him to accept a cease-fire deal that would wind down the war in the Gaza Strip -- but some of Mr. Netanyahu's far-right allies threatened to "dismantle the government" if the Israeli leader agrees to the proposal. Published June 2, 2024
‘Keep on fighting’: Trump gets words of support from Hungary’s Orban, other foreign leaders
Some top officials in Europe raced to the defense of Donald Trump on Friday, a day after the former president was convicted by a New York jury on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. Published May 31, 2024
From counterterrorism to Haiti, Biden and Ruto to enlist the other’s help during key meeting
President Biden and Kenyan President William Ruto need each other's help. The two men will meet at the White House on Thursday and hold a joint press conference ahead of a formal state dinner in the evening, the first such event for an African leader in more than 15 years. Published May 22, 2024
Russia launched counter-space weapon capable of attacking U.S. satellites in orbit, Pentagon says
Russia recently launched a counter-space weapon capable of attacking U.S. satellites in low-earth orbit, Defense Department officials said Tuesday, and they stressed that the American military is "ready to protect and defend the domain" of space if necessary. Published May 22, 2024
‘Dirty end of the stick’: Nuts and bolts of Special Forces missions on display at Tampa gathering
Guns, bombs, drones and artificial intelligence tend to steal today's headlines. But there's another side -- albeit a much less sexy one -- to the world of U.S. Special Forces, one that's central to accomplishing missions quickly, effectively and safely. Published May 17, 2024
Terrorist groups regain strength in Afghanistan; Critics question Biden ‘over the horizon’ strategy
The power vacuum that America left behind in Afghanistan is fueling a resurgence of Islamist terrorists who have the will, and perhaps the capability, to target the U.S. and its interests abroad, according to a major report by the United States Institute of Peace, which argues that the Biden administration should consider unleashing more military strikes against terrorist targets in the country. Published May 14, 2024
Joint Chiefs head eyes tough choices in unsettled threat environment: ‘I might p— some people off’
The U.S. faces an "incredibly complex" threat environment and a fast technological revolution at home. Under these conditions, the U.S. will need a tougher, unapologetic approach to identifying, buying and fielding military capabilities, said Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. Published May 9, 2024
