North Korea reversed itself and blamed South Korea’s “improper control of the citizen” for the shooting death of a Seoul fisheries official in disputed waters. According to the state news agency KCNA, Northern soldiers shot the official at least 10 times when his craft drifted into North Korea’s territorial waters. Initially, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he was …
Lawmakers Seek to Expand Burn Pit Benefits
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) recently introduced the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020. If approved, the measure would greatly expand access to VA benefits and bolster the claims for private military contractors seeking such benefits. Under current law, veterans must establish an independent link between …
New PTSD Treatments Show Promise
The proper combination of cutting-edge psychotherapy and pharmacological treatments significantly improves the prognosis for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder patients, according to some recent research. MDMA, the street drug Ecstasy, has shown some great potential. Ketamine, a recently-approved antidepressant, has shown promise as well. So have some new treatments, including transcranial magnetic stimulation. Significantly reducing PTSD symptoms has a significant impact …
Coronavirus Deals Blow to Syria Rebuilding Efforts
The Syrian Civil War is much less intense than it was a few years ago, but there are serious questions as to whether the war-torn country can become a viable nation again. The crisis is particularly acute in the Shehba triangle in northwestern Syria. The United States, Russia, and Turkey have all battled Islamic militants in this area. The region …
Is a New War Brewing in Iraq?
If war comes between Iran and the United States, Iraq will almost certainly be a battleground. Since the State Department does not want its people caught in the crossfire, they might be leaving the country. In recent years, Iraq has tried to cultivate relationships with Iran and the United States, a policy which might soon backfire. As rocket and IED …
Stability in Afghanistan Reaches a New Statistical Height
Sunday, September 20, 2020, was a red letter day in Afghanistan. That date marked a record-breaking 232 days without a U.S. combat-related death in Afghanistan, the longest stretch since 2016. The last American combat death was in February 2018, shortly before all sides agreed to a cease-fire while peace talks continued. However, the lack of combat deaths does not mean …
What do Mali, Libya, and Mozambique Have in Common?
These seemingly diverse African nations are all dealing with Salafi-jihadi insurgencies, a new wrinkle in the ongoing Global War on Terror. Recent unrest in Mali has focused attention on the nation’s capital. Islamic militants, who now work in the shadows, often face little opposition. Some observers fear that these groups could expand into other parts of west Africa. If that …
Damaged Refinery Threatens Iraq’s Shaky Economy
The sprawling Baiji Refinery in central Iraq should be refining about 300,000 barrels of oil a day while employing hundreds of people in this war-torn country. But instead, it is almost completely idle. In 2015, an ISIS attack significantly damaged this facility. A subsequent military operation drove ISIS forces away, but caused even more damage. Of the plant’s three major …
Syrian Civil War Expands Again
A conflict which seemed to be winding down may have instead entered another and more dangerous phase, after Israeli warplanes reportedly struck Syrian army positions near Damascus. The attack targeted Syrian Defense Forces and some supporting Hezbollah fighters in the southern province of Daraa, which is near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Syrian news agency SANA reported that “the Zionist …
Remembering the Japanese Surrender
Seventy-five years ago, representatives of the dying Japanese Empire signed surrender documents in Tokyo Bay, officially ending World War II. On September 2, 1945, representatives of the Empire of Japan and ten Allied nations assembled on board the USS Missouri. During the ceremony, part of the U.S. First Cavalry Division was preparing to enter Tokyo. Roughly 1.5 million American soldiers …
Fatal Training Accident in South Korea
Four South Korean civilians died after an SUV collided with an armored car near the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex. The wreck, which happened near Pocheon, prompted the U.S. Eighth Army to “temporarily suspend training in the area,” per a statement. According to investigators, an SUV carrying four people in their 50s rear-ended an armored vehicle. Investigators believe that one driver …
Mozambique Extends DAG Contract
As further evidence of the mounting Islamic militant activity in Mozambique, the government recently announced that Dyck Advisory Group contractors, who were slated to stand down in July, would remain in-country through at least the end of 2020. DAG has lost two aircraft during operations in the country. Additionally, DAG helicopter gunships supposedly fired on civilians during a recent operation. …












