Surplus equipment that the United States and other countries send to Ukraine might be battle-ready earlier if one retired Army officer gets his way. As a private citizen over the past year, Vindman watched the slow Russian buildup along Ukraine’s borders and, he said, became concerned about how Kyiv would support and sustain a long conflict. Vindman and his twin …

All five major types of combat-related military contractors play prominent roles in the DoD’s worldwide strategy. All five kinds are in demand. In 2022, the DoD paid private military contractors over $400 billion, which is more than a third of its budget.  Private military contractors play diverse roles and serve in diverse places. During the Iraq War, contractors often fought …

Once again, Qatar’s foreign ministry has gone beyond the borders of this Gulf Coast country in an attempt to resolve a regional crisis that could become an international crisis. Speaking during a media briefing held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha, Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari highlighted Qatar’s involvement in facilitating constructive dialogue between Iran and the international community. …

Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Dustin W. Cammack said that four prisoners diagnosed with COVID-19 are “experiencing minor symptoms and are improving.” Two of the prisoners who tested positive were identified by people with knowledge of the situation as defendants in death penalty cases: Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, who is accused of plotting the suicide bombing of the destroyer Cole in 2000, …

Department of Defense officials confirmed that a drone strike in northeast Syria killed a contractor and five regular servicemembers. The U.S. retaliated with airstrikes on Iranian-linked targets in Syria, which hit buildings that housed drone/aviation assets and vehicles used by groups affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). One activist group said the U.S. strikes killed fighters on the …