A bipartisan group of senators led by Bernie Sanders (I-VT) asked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to look into allegations of defense contractor fraud that 60 Minutes investigators claimed they discovered. “Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and TransDigm are among the offenders, dramatically overcharging the Department and U.S. taxpayers while reaping enormous profits, seeing their stock prices soar, and handing out massive …
The Five Types of PTSD
For many generations, misconceptions about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder effectively prevented victims from getting treatment. For example, in the American Civil War, doctors concluded that soldiers with depression and other PTSD symptoms had nostalgia, which was essentially advanced homesickness. The cure, according to doctors, was a vigorous offensive campaign that would take their minds off their homesickness. Ironically, of course, …
Hostilities Expanding in Syria
Syria’s foreign minister condemned an Israeli rocket attack that targeted Damascus, damaged some military facilities, and seriously injured two people. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said it was the fifth Israeli strike on Syria this month. Israeli authorities declined to comment. An opposition source with contacts on the ground said the strikes hit a car …
DoD Vows to Block Chinese Influence at Diego Garcia
The UK plans to hand over the Chagos Islands, which includes Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. But officials worry that Chinese investment in Mauritius could affect the vital U.S. military base on Diego Garcia. China has invested more than a billion dollars in Mauritius. The fact that Diego Garcia is home to such a vital military installation is probably not a …
The New Frontier for Private Military Contractors
Black Skills, a shadowy organization with no known affiliation with any government, is a military contractor that focuses exclusively on cyber warfare. The name “Private Military Hacking Company” is a clear riff on the growing presence and cult of private military companies in Russia (primarily the Wagner Group). It is also likely a not-so-subtle invitation to the Russian government to …
The Next Wagner Group?
Convoy, a private military company in Crimea with connections to the Cossacks, serves the interests of its Russian-appointed governor, Sergey Aksyonov. A former Convoy fighter said that while he was with the group, he earned almost 200,000 rubles (around $2,588) a month, and commanders earned 300,000 rubles ($3,882). In March 2023, the Russian state-owned television network Crimea 24 aired reporting …
Cubans Demand That Americans Leave Guantanamo Bay
In the run-up to International Day of Action Against U.S. and NATO Military Bases, several Cubans spoke out against what they called “a place of arbitrariness, torture, and abuse where laws have been suspended and justice rejected.” “As long as this territory remains occupied, the possibility of justifying an aggression or military intervention against Cuba is latent. The U.S.-Cuban relations …
Baby Steps Toward Stability in Afghanistan
Four days after Taliban officials abruptly closed a key border crossing with Pakistan, the two countries worked out an agreement to reopen it. Torkham, one of several crossings on the nearly 2,600-kilometer frontier separating the two countries, was closed by the Taliban on Sunday, accusing Pakistani immigration authorities of “misbehaving” with Afghan travelers, including those seeking medical care in Pakistan. …
Low Tech Takes Out High Tech in Niger
Base Aerienne near Agadez is a $120 million security hub with some of the most advanced weapons on earth. Despite all this, four guys in a pickup truck essentially walked off the base with over $40,000 in cash. Officials have provided few details about the robbery or its aftermath. Some people with ties to the base suggested that poor operational …
Russia on the Move in the Sahel
During a recent visit to Mali, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia would continue delivering military support, in addition to development assistance and humanitarian aid, to Mali. Lavrov also indicated that Russia would extend counterterrorism assistance to Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, and other countries in the broader Sahel region. The visit to Mali was Lavrov’s third trip to the …
Wagner Group Predicts Protracted War in Ukraine
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, military planners expected the fighting to last a few weeks. Now, Wagner Group mercenaries say the fighting could last three years or more. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group’s owner, said in a video interview that it could take 18 months to two years for Russia to fully secure control of Ukraine’s eastern industrial …
Biden Urges Burn Pit Veterans to Apply for Relief
The President became emotional when he spoke about the PACT Act in his home state of Delaware. “I made it real clear to the United States Congress that if they didn’t pass this damn burn pit bill, I was going to go on holy war,” he remarked. Biden made these comments at a New Castle National Guard and Reserve center …












