A senior Defense Department official testifying before the House Armed Services Committee last week said implementing sequestration, across-the-board budget cuts set to take effect in January, “would represent a major step toward creation of an unready, ‘hollow’ military force.” Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, the Pentagon’s second-in-command, told House members that sequestration …
The recent blackouts in India offer many lessons for the United States regarding the threat of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. The power failures plunged more than 600 million people into darkness, making it the world’s largest power failure event and affecting more than twice the total population of the …
As the debate over the size and scope of our nation’s anti-ballistic missile defense system continues, one thing remains constant: Iran continues to engage in a provocative game of military brinksmanship. Days ago, the Iranian Defense Ministry proclaimed that their nation had “successfully” launch tested an upgraded version of its …
The Global Zero Nuclear Policy Commission Report, endorsed by retired Marine Corps General James Cartwright, is calling for dramatic reductions in the number of U.S. nuclear weapons. Since its publication in May, it has stirred discussions about perceptions of today’s strategic environment and competing visions regarding U.S. strategic posture. Mark …
An ongoing sale of communications satellites to a Hong Kong–based company is attracting a great deal of attention at the moment. Space Systems/Loral, a major U.S. satellite manufacturer, contracted in 2011 to manufacture two communications satellites, AsiaSat-6 and AsiaSat-8, for Asia Satellite Telecommunications (AsiaSat). The contract was initialed soon after …
The attempt to pass a comprehensive cybersecurity bill before the summer recess failed today in the Senate, 52–46. The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 was still not ready for prime time, despite several tries at moderating its more objectionable aspects. With this vote, cybersecurity legislation is not likely to move any …
Late last week, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials announced that they had preliminarily approved Sacramento International Airport to begin moving forward with privatizing their screening workforce. The move is part of TSA’s Security Partnership Program (SPP), the nearly eight-year-old program allowing U.S. airports to opt out of federal screening and …
Tomorrow, the House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on implementing the mandated defense cuts known as sequestration. Instead of implementing the cuts, Congress should be doing everything it can to overturn them. The committee has already projected the actual consequences of these across-the-board cuts, and the Secretary of …
President Obama believes that the nation’s defense will remain strong despite a severe decrease in military resources and manpower. His optimistic view is wrong, however, as evidenced by the thousands of pink slips slated to hit the military’s industrial base within the next several months. President Obama’s unrelenting demand for …
