On Wednesday the United Nations General Assembly voted on a resolution condemning the Syrian government’s forces while praising the opposition. Although the resolution passed, the non-binding text received less support than last year’s resolution condemning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. With support for Syria’s rebels waning, it is clear that the …
Cuts in President Obama’s fiscal year 2014 defense budget submission are troubling, according to Mike Rogers (R–AL), Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, House Armed Services Committee. While the President proposes to reduce the defense budget by about $120 billion in the next 10 years, the world is not getting …
Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based Shia terrorist organization, engages in numerous illicit activities around the world, particularly in the Middle East, Europe, South America, and the United States. A close observer of Hezbollah, the Washington Institute’s Matthew Levitt, discussed how Hezbollah’s criminal network is expanding: An extensive 2011 Drug Enforcement Agency investigation …
Even as the U.S. withdraws from Iraq and Afghanistan, the world has certainly not become a safer place. North Korea continues to advance its ballistic missile capabilities, the conflict in Syria has grown increasingly violent, and Iran threatens the U.S. constantly with its developing nuclear program and its daily barrage …
In a recent article in National Review, Heritage distinguished fellow and former Senator Jim Talent (R–MO) explains that the U.S. military is facing a troubling future. Talent describes how “every category of primary risk to American security is growing.” China is displaying increasing boldness in defense of its disputed territorial …
James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, recently told the Senate Armed Services Committee, “In my almost fifty years in intelligence, I do not recall a period in which we confronted a more diverse array of threats, crises, and challenges around the world.” Clapper and Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, Director of …
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Wednesday that he has ordered the deployment of U.S. troops to work with Jordan’s military to “improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios” related to Syria. The Army will send up to 200 personnel, including intelligence and communications specialists, from the headquarters of …
Just days before President Obama released his fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget request, the Air Force reported that it will have to ground one-third of its aircraft due to budget constraints. Operations and maintenance accounts will be hit particularly hard, causing the Air Force to severely restrict which of its …
The leader of al-Qaeda’s Iraq branch, the Islamic State of Iraq, announced on Tuesday the formal merger of his organization and Jabhat al-Nusra (“Victory Front”), an al-Qaeda-controlled front group that has played a growing role inside Syria. Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared, “It’s now time to declare in front of …
