Rowan Scarborough
Articles by Rowan Scarborough
Afghan National Army decimated by dwindling personnel
The Afghan National Army is shrinking at the very time it is being called on to conduct all combat operations as American troops head toward a complete exit by 2017, a new audit shows. Published March 3, 2015
U.S. won’t provide airstrikes for Iraqi offensive against Islamic State: Pentagon
The U.S. is not providing airstrikes to help the Iraqi government's new counteroffensive to again try to take back the Sunni Muslim stronghold of Tikrit from the Islamic State terror army. Published March 2, 2015
Haider al-Abadi of Iraq, Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan amenable U.S. war partners
The U.S. suddenly has two amenable war partners leading Iraq and Afghanistan after years of tempestuous relationships with their predecessors, who openly complained about and — in some cases — defied Washington. Published March 1, 2015
Mission to retake Mosul from Islamic State doomed, general says
The Army general who oversaw training of Iraqi troops says the rushed mission to retake Mosul from the Islamic State this spring is doomed. Published February 25, 2015
U.S. military decimated under Obama, only ‘marginally able’ to defend nation
The U.S. military is shedding so many troops and weapons it is only “marginally able” to defend the nation and falls short of the Obama administration’s national security strategy a shocking new study reveals. Published February 24, 2015
Islamic State expands beyond Syria, Iraq as recruits create global network of terror cells
The Islamic State terrorist army is collecting an increasing number of followers outside its home in Syria and Iraq in what is shaping up as a global enterprise to commit mass killings and destabilize governments. Published February 22, 2015
Robert O’Neill, SEAL who shot bin Laden: Women ‘absolutely’ can make the cut
The Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden says there is a welcome mat out for women SEALs if they can meet the grueling physical and mental standards that exist today. Published February 21, 2015
Robert O’Neill, Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden, foresees U.S. troops in Islamic State fight
NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW: The Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden predicts that President Obama will reverse course and order American ground troops into Iraq to fight the Islamic State terrorist army. Published February 19, 2015
World War II Marines return to Iwo Jima on 70th anniversary of famed battle, flag raising
Hershel "Woody" Williams is returning after 70 years to Iwo Jima, where a flamethrower saved him from Japanese bayonets and where he earned the Medal of Honor. Published February 18, 2015
John McCain pressures Air Force on scrapping A-10 jet
Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain does not think much of the raw data the Air Force recently released on the A-10 attack jet, which the service is trying to shelve and which he wants to keep. Published February 15, 2015
Obama downplays Islamic State threat, changes objective from ‘destroy’ to ‘defeat’
President Obama and his aides have begun to diminish the threat they see posed by the Islamic State, in sharp contrast to rhetoric last year that depicted the terrorist army as an unprecedented force and a danger to the U.S. Published February 8, 2015
Obama changes objective in war on ISIS from ‘destroy’ to ‘defeat’
The White House released its new national security strategy that says, “We have undertaken a comprehensive effort to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL.” Published February 6, 2015
Obama denied request from Jordan for Predator drones in Islamic State fight
The Obama administration this year turned down a request from Jordan for Predator spy drones that would help it locate targets in the war against the Islamic State. Published February 5, 2015
ISIS vows Jordanian pilot won’t be last hostage burned alive
The Islamic State is signaling that its execution by fire of a captured Jordanian pilot will not be its last immolation. Published February 5, 2015
Gen. Vincent Stewart, DIA chief, calls Taliban ‘terrorists’ despite others’ reluctance
The U.S. military's top intelligence officer on Tuesday, unlike the White House, had no trouble designating the Taliban as "terrorists." Published February 3, 2015
‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle essential in 2004 Fallujah liberation
The importance of military sharpshooters such as "American Sniper" Chris Kyle was never better demonstrated than during the 10-month struggle to take Fallujah in 2004. Published February 1, 2015
Obama lacks strategy to stop Islamic State expansion
As the U.S. fights the Islamic State to a stalemate in Iraq, the terrorist army also is looking elsewhere, gaining ground in Syria and attracting more followers across the Middle East, analysts and officials say. Published February 1, 2015
France’s ethnic apartheid: ‘Separate Islamic societies’ breed discontent, radicalism
In 2011, as the Charlie Hebdo killers were learning their jihadi trade, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told his country that it had suffered a major societal defeat. Multiculturalism, Europe's grand experiment in expanded immigration, had failed in France -- or, as Mr. Sarkozy put it, "It's a defeat." Published January 25, 2015
Dianne Feinstein’s CIA hacking narrative countered by board review
The Evan Bayh report's bottom line: The unnamed CIA officers acted reasonably when trying to confirm their suspicions that the Feinstein cadre took documents that the CIA had designated as privileged, a designation the White House counsel backed up. Published January 21, 2015
Army battlefield intelligence network for Afghanistan War met only ‘minimum capabilities’
The Army's much-criticized battlefield intelligence network met only "minimum capabilities" when it was sent to the Afghanistan War, an audit says. Published January 18, 2015
