Rowan Scarborough

Obama’s war plan pins hopes on peace

In dumping the Pentagon's two-war strategy, President Obama is reversing a doctrine adopted by Republican and Democratic presidents, including himself. Published January 8, 2012

Tehran warns U.S. to stay out of Gulf

Iran's stepped-up bellicosity, including a warning Tuesday that a U.S. aircraft carrier should not return to the Persian Gulf, is a reaction to increased talk in the United States and Israel of a strike on its nuclear sites, and of the West adding economic sanctions on its already struggling economy, analysts say. Published January 3, 2012

Iraq surge’s advocates fear gains will be lost

The outside advisers who worked to persuade President Bush in 2006 to send a "surge" of reinforcement troops to Iraq now fear their efforts are on the verge of being erased. Published December 28, 2011

Three months on, ‘don’t ask’ repeal gets mixed review

Three months after President Obama lifted the ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military, Pentagon officials say heterosexual troops are adjusting well to the new policy. Critics, however, say they are just following orders, and a recent survey showed many troops reporting a rise in tension. Published December 23, 2011

U.S. exit from Iraq leaves a power void

The Iraqi government lost more than a fighting ally when the last U.S. troops left the country Sunday. Published December 22, 2011

Gear galore left in Iraq as last troops pull out

If the U.S. military held a yard sale, the rummaging would look a lot like what has been going on in Iraq. Published December 15, 2011

U.S. to leave Iraqi airspace clear for strategic Israeli route to Iran

The U.S. military's fast-approaching Dec. 31 exit from Iraq, which has no way to defend its airspace, puts Israel in a better place strategically to strike Iran's nuclear facilities. Published December 14, 2011

Gingrich tough on women, gays in military

Republican presidential front-runner Newt Gingrich is siding with social conservatives on how the U.S. armed forces should treat gays and women, according to a survey released Monday. Published December 11, 2011

Pentagon conducts budget war games

The nation's highest-ranking military officers convened at the Pentagon last week to discuss the smaller armed forces they will inherit once $450 billion in cuts commence in 2013. Published December 6, 2011

U.S. ready for eviction of drones in Pakistan

Pakistan's decision to evict the United States from a Predator-drone launching base will have little impact on the CIA's ability to strike terrorists in the country's austere tribal areas because the U.S. built backup bases in Afghanistan, a senior defense official said Sunday. Published December 4, 2011

Pentagon’s inspector general finds no misconduct in briefing program

The Pentagon's inspector general has released his final report on a Donald H. Rumsfeld-era program for briefing TV and radio military analysts, concluding for a second time that there was no wrongdoing. Published December 1, 2011

For Marine, a rush to judgment and a belated vindication

As William C. Rodriguez inspected the badly decomposed bodies of two Iraqis, he was troubled by the large crowd of observers in the military's national morgue at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Published November 30, 2011

Pakistan secretly helps, publicly hits U.S. interests

Pakistan has cooperated secretly with the U.S. on several war-fighting missions in an odd-couple alliance that also sees factions in Islamabad backing the fiercest American enemy. Published November 26, 2011

House panel seeks briefing on senator’s contacts with Pentagon IG

The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has asked the Pentagon inspector general to report whether Sen. Carl M. Levin is trying to influence the wording of a report that exonerates a Pentagon war-briefing program. Published November 18, 2011

Agreement elusive on women in combat

Top defense officials are grappling to find a unified position on whether to allow women in direct ground combat, as the Pentagon prepares a landmark report to Congress on the military's coed future. Published November 17, 2011

Attack on Iran could risk Gulf oil supplies

Iran is contemplating violently shutting down shipping in the Persian Gulf as one of several counterattack options if Israel strikes its nuclear facilities, regional and intelligence analysts say. Published November 14, 2011

Military mortuary draws scrutiny

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta on Thursday ordered new reviews into mismanagement at the military's national mortuary. He said he wants the Air Force to determine if there were reprisals against whistle-blowers and if those who oversaw remains of fallen heroes were disciplined adequately. Published November 10, 2011

Critics on left hit Pentagon on talk of budget disasters

Left-leaning Pentagon critics are panning congressional testimony by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and his top officers, who warned of catastrophes if the military is forced to cut $1 trillion if congressional budget talks fail. Published November 6, 2011

Senator pushes for last word on Bush-era war briefings

The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee is intervening with a Pentagon investigator to influence the final wording of a report that exonerates George W. Bush-era officials who gave war briefings to retired military TV and radio commentators. Published November 3, 2011

Service chiefs warn $1T cut would be ‘catastrophic’

The Army's top officer told Congress on Wednesday that he would have to cancel nearly every new weapons system now planned if automatic, across-the-board spending cuts of $1 trillion-plus hit the Pentagon. Published November 2, 2011