Rowan Scarborough

French Islamist mini-states grow into problem out of government control

A backdrop to the massacre in Paris on Wednesday by self-professed al Qaeda terrorists is that city officials have increasingly ceded control of heavily Muslim neighborhoods to Islamists, block by block.

January 7, 2015

Air Force clears crew in ‘friendly fire’ deaths

The Air Force said Tuesday that mistakes by its B1-B air crew when they targeted American soldiers did not directly cause the Afghanistan war's worst case of "friendly fire" fatalities.

January 6, 2015

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula adapts to avoid Predator drones

The most dangerous al Qaeda affiliate to the U.S. homeland is teaching fighters how to avoid detection by the Predator drone, the terrorist group's feared assassin flying over Yemen.

January 4, 2015

Army chaplain rebuked for citing Christian faith in suicide prevention effort

Traditional values groups are rallying around an Army chaplain who was rebuked by his commander for distributing information on Christianity during mandatory suicide prevention training.

January 1, 2015

Green Berets cleared in Afghanistan friendly fire deaths

The Army's top special operations officer has cleared two Green Berets of wrongdoing in the worst case of "friendly fire" fatalities in the long Afghanistan war.

December 28, 2014

Osama bin Laden capture: CIA harsh interrogations crucial, Republicans say

Senate Democrats' argument that harsh CIA interrogations played no role in finding Osama bin Laden revolves in crucial ways around the life of Hassan Ghul, who turned out to be the most informative biographer of Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, who eventually led the CIA to bin Laden's home address in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

December 25, 2014

Bowe Bergdahl: Four-star general Mark Milley handed soldier’s court martial case

The Army announced Monday that it is referring the case of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to a four-star general who will decide whether to charge him criminally for leaving his base in 2009 in Afghanistan.

December 22, 2014

Bowe Bergdahl court-martial would require an honorable discharge

The Army would have to give Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl an honorable discharge because he is past his active duty commitment, unless it proceeded with a court martial, a legal expert says.

December 21, 2014

Special operations forces tactics compromised by Hollywood, media reports

Special operations forces' three most recent attempts to rescue American hostages failed. Some believe Islamic extremists have gone to school on U.S. tactics — and the classroom is the American media.

December 17, 2014

Islamic militant groups mum on ‘torture report’ detailing CIA interrogation tactics

Prominent Islamic extremist groups are so far not reacting to the Senate Democrats' explosive report on CIA interrogation of al Qaeda operatives, leaving responses to a smattering of their jihadi supporters on social media.

December 14, 2014

Pentagon: Sexual assault accuser inconsistent statements don’t indicate lies

The Pentagon is telling investigators that just because a sexual assault accuser gets mixed up on facts does not mean she or he is lying.

December 11, 2014

Former CIA officals refute ‘torture’ report, claim interrogations led to bin Laden

Former CIA bosses have put out an open letter spelling out step-by-step how enhanced interrogations after the 9/11 attacks led to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

December 10, 2014

George Tenet, Michael Hayden — other former CIA chiefs — say enhanced interrogations helped

Former CIA bosses have put out an open letter spelling out step-by-step how enhanced interrogations after the 9-11 terror attacks led to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

December 10, 2014

Pentagon bureaucracy cut to improve efficiency proves daunting

Just how daunting a battle it can be to reform a bureaucracy as large and as stubborn as the Department of Defense can be seen in the survival of a secretive club whose membership comprises boards that handle security clearances.

December 7, 2014

Drones in demand: Congress eyes more surveillance aircraft for Islamic State fight

Congress is blocking the Air Force from retiring next year any of its most famous drone assassins, and is increasing procurement of a second bomb-dropping and surveillance unmanned aircraft.

December 7, 2014

Pentagon: Sexual assault claims drop among military women

A Pentagon-commissioned Internet survey shows a drop in the number of military women who say they were the victims of sexual assault.

December 4, 2014

A-10 Warthog retirement debated after replacement’s role in ‘friendly fire’ deaths

A large association of battlefield target spotters has written to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to oppose the planned retirement of A-10 Warthog strike jets — a debate that now encompasses the "friendly fire" deaths of five American soldiers in Afghanistan.

November 30, 2014

Michele Flournoy forgoes defense secretary bid, may wait for President Hillary Clinton

Speculation inside the Pentagon is that Michele Flournoy is waiting for a chance at the job from a President Hillary Rodham Clinton, with whom she has close ties.

November 26, 2014

Obama’s inner circle seen as awkward fit for Flournoy

Passing muster in President's Obama's protective inner circle could have been daunting for Michele Flournoy, whose ranking as defense secretary frontrunner collapsed in 24 hours.

November 26, 2014

Chuck Hagel: George W. Bush was the worst commander-in-chief

The sudden fall of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was unexpected because he spent years in Washington getting close to Barack Obama while upbraiding the president's predecessor.

November 24, 2014