Rowan Scarborough
Articles by Rowan Scarborough
U.S. Navy sailors harbor widespread distrust of senior leadership: report
Navy sailors harbor "widespread mistrust" in the admirals who command them, complaining of poor leadership and a disciplinary environment that tolerates absolutely no mistakes, says a survey of the fleet. Published September 30, 2014
U.S. military limits warplanes used for ISIS bombing in Iraq, Syria
The U.S. is relying mostly on warplanes already positioned in the region for its air war against the Islamic State, as opposed to dispatching a major buildup of aerial forces that happened in previous campaigns. Published September 28, 2014
U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State and Khorasan Group insufficient, critics say
President Obama is playing too nice in the air war against the Islamic State and the Khorasan Group, critics say, pointing to a spared bombing target in Syria as an example. Published September 24, 2014
NSA scores victory in foiling Khorasan Group’s U.S. terror plot
The U.S. ability to pinpoint with airstrikes the operational hubs of the al Qaeda offshoot Khorasan Group in Syria and penetrate one of its bombing plots shows the importance of the much-maligned National Security Agency, defense analysts said Tuesday. Published September 23, 2014
President Obama’s war advisers not instilling confidence on Islamic State strategy
President Obama's war Cabinet is not instilling confidence in the public about his "no boots on the ground" strategy to defeat the Islamic State now anchored in two countries and in more than a dozen towns. Published September 21, 2014
Iran’s Quds force aiding Iraqi Shiites with Obama administration’s blessing
The battle for Mosul Dam in northern Iraq could be the first clash in which Americans fought on the same side with Iranians. Published September 20, 2014
CENTCOM leader sought ground troops in Iraq
The top U.S. commander for the war against the Islamic State wanted to insert air controllers on the ground in Iraq to help warplanes locate targets, but he was discouraged by higher-ups. Published September 16, 2014
Obama sought repeal of Bush war statute now used to justify Islamic State strikes
President Obama's first initiated war against an Islamic terrorist group is authorized, the White House says, by George W. Bush-signed legislation that Mr. Obama has criticized and wanted to repeal since last year. Published September 14, 2014
Pentagon downplays role in destroying Islamic State: ‘It’s about defeating its ideology’
The Pentagon on Friday downplayed the U.S. military's role in defeating the Islamic State, saying the prime target is not it's army, but its ideology. Published September 12, 2014
Obama inevitably will need to use U.S. ground troops to defeat Islamic State, experts warn
Trying to uproot and destroy the Islamic State's army of terrorists in Iraq without American ground troops, as President Obama promoted Wednesday night, is doomed to failure, national security experts say. Published September 11, 2014
Islamic State leaders to be targeted in new U.S. strategy against terrorists
President Obama's monthlong, limited air war against the Islamic State so far has spared assassination strikes on its leaders, a policy that experts say must be reversed if the White House now plans to destroy the American-killing terrorist group. Published September 7, 2014
Islamic State using Edward Snowden leaks to evade U.S. intelligence: NSA official
A former top official at the National Security Agency says the Islamic State terrorist group has "clearly" capitalized on the voluminous leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and is exploiting the top-secret disclosures to evade U.S. intelligence. Published September 4, 2014
Obama underestimated Islamic State, misread motives of Putin, Assad: critics
From Russia to Syria to Iraq to al Qaeda, President Obama and his aides have underestimated the motives and capabilities of U.S. adversaries. Published September 2, 2014
Islamic State employs brutality, threats in effort to entrench caliphate without interference
The Islamic State terrorist army's brutality and threats against America on Aug. 19 are signs it's focusing on entrenching its so-called Muslim caliphate — without interference. Published August 24, 2014
A war by any other name? U.S. military action in Iraq still lacks a moniker
Guns, troops, bombs — the U.S. military action against the Islamic State has everything, except a name. Published August 22, 2014
Islamic State targets Americans at home and abroad
The vicious Islamic State group now is vowing to broaden its war campaign to include killing Americans wherever and whenever it can. Published August 20, 2014
Army quits tests after competing rifle outperforms M4A1 carbine
EXCLUSIVE: A competing rifle outperformed the Army's favored M4A1 carbine in key firings during a competition last year before the service abruptly called off the tests and stuck with its gun, according to a new confidential report. Published August 19, 2014
Critics of George W. Bush’s foreign policy now taking heat themselves
Dogged critics of President George W. Bush's foreign policies suddenly have found that managing the world, and radical Islam, is not as easy as it looked from the outside six or more years ago. Published August 17, 2014
Airstrikes can’t break momentum of Islamic State in Iraq: Pentagon
The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that its limited airstrikes in northern Iraq have done nothing to slow the overall operational goals of an al Qaeda spinoff group, the Islamic State. Published August 11, 2014
Pentagon: Airstrikes haven’t slowed Islamic State’s goals in Iraq
The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that its limited airstrikes in northern Iraq have done nothing to slow the overall operational goals of the al Qaeda spinoff group, the Islamic State. Published August 11, 2014
