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Rowan Scarborough

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Rowan Scarborough

rscarborough@washingtontimes.com

Rowan Scarborough spent over 30 years at The Washington Times covering national security, including the Democrats' "Russia Hoax." He wrote two books, "Rumsfeld's War" and "Sabotage." A Navy veteran, Mr. Scarborough graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland. He reported for The Salisbury (Md.) Daily Times, Wilmington (Del.) News Journal and Defense Week.

Articles by Rowan Scarborough

Syrians inspect the rubble of a damaged house following a Syrian government airstrike in the city of Raqqa. In order to assist with uprooting the Islamic State, President Obama may need to up U.S. airstrikes and target specifically the terror group's leaders. (associated press)

Islamic State leaders to be targeted in new U.S. strategy against terrorists

President Obama's monthlong, limited air war against the Islamic State so far has spared assassination strikes on its leaders, a policy that experts say must be reversed if the White House now plans to destroy the American-killing terrorist group.

September 7, 2014

In this image made from video released by WikiLeaks on Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, former National Security Agency systems analyst Edward Snowden speaks during a presentation ceremony for the Sam Adams Award in Moscow, Russia. (AP Photo) ** FILE **

Islamic State using Edward Snowden leaks to evade U.S. intelligence: NSA official

A former top official at the National Security Agency says the Islamic State terrorist group has "clearly" capitalized on the voluminous leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and is exploiting the top-secret disclosures to evade U.S. intelligence.

September 4, 2014

President Barack Obama holds a bobblehead doll of himself in the Outer Oval Office, May 14, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.

Obama underestimated Islamic State, misread motives of Putin, Assad: critics

From Russia to Syria to Iraq to al Qaeda, President Obama and his aides have underestimated the motives and capabilities of U.S. adversaries.

September 2, 2014

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (Associated Press)

Islamic State employs brutality, threats in effort to entrench caliphate without interference

The Islamic State terrorist army's brutality and threats against America on Aug. 19 are signs it's focusing on entrenching its so-called Muslim caliphate — without interference.

August 24, 2014

** FILE ** In this April 12, 2013, file photo, a U.S. Marine F/A-18 Hornet jet flies low pass during Philippines-U.S. joint military exercise in northern Philippines. President Barack Obama authorized U.S. airstrikes in northern Iraq, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, warning they would be launched if needed to defend Americans from advancing Islamic militants and protect civilians under siege. Obama said American military planes already had carried out airdrops of humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of Iraqi religious minorities surrounded by militants and desperately in need of food and water. The Pentagon said the airdrops were performed by one C-17 and two C-130 cargo aircraft that together delivered a total of 72 bundles of food and water. They were escorted by two F/A-18 fighters. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

A war by any other name? U.S. military action in Iraq still lacks a moniker

Guns, troops, bombs — the U.S. military action against the Islamic State has everything, except a name.

August 22, 2014

The Islamic State, which controls large portions of Iraq and Syria, "seems to be absolutely certain they will be trying to kill as many Americans as possible in the United States as well as elsewhere," said Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch. (Raqqa Media Center Via Associated Press)

Islamic State targets Americans at home and abroad

The vicious Islamic State group now is vowing to broaden its war campaign to include killing Americans wherever and whenever it can.

August 20, 2014

munitions: National Guard Sgt. Larry J. Isbell fires at targets with his M4A1 carbine rifle. The Army is looking to phase out the longstanding weapon, but the potential suppliers to do so, as well as the competition results, remain shrouded in secrecy. (photo by spc. venessa hernandez)

Army quits tests after competing rifle outperforms M4A1 carbine

EXCLUSIVE: A competing rifle outperformed the Army's favored M4A1 carbine in key firings during a competition last year before the service abruptly called off the tests and stuck with its gun, according to a new confidential report.

August 19, 2014

** FILE ** Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. (Associated Press)

Critics of George W. Bush’s foreign policy now taking heat themselves

Dogged critics of President George W. Bush's foreign policies suddenly have found that managing the world, and radical Islam, is not as easy as it looked from the outside six or more years ago.

August 17, 2014

U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets prepare to take off for Iraq from the flight deck of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the Persian Gulf. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)

Airstrikes can’t break momentum of Islamic State in Iraq: Pentagon

The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that its limited airstrikes in northern Iraq have done nothing to slow the overall operational goals of an al Qaeda spinoff group, the Islamic State.

August 11, 2014

U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets take off for mission in Iraq from the flight deck of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, in the Persian Gulf, Monday, Aug. 11, 2014. U.S. military officials said American fighter aircraft struck and destroyed several vehicles Sunday that were part of an Islamic State group convoy moving to attack Kurdish forces defending the northeastern Iraqi city of Irbil. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)

Pentagon: Airstrikes haven’t slowed Islamic State’s goals in Iraq

The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that its limited airstrikes in northern Iraq have done nothing to slow the overall operational goals of the al Qaeda spinoff group, the Islamic State.

August 11, 2014

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State, practices spycraft that includes passing off cellphones after limited use and dispensing fake information about his whereabouts. (Associated Press)

Islamic State builds forces, targets for Baghdad bomb attacks

The al Qaeda offshoot terrorizing Iraq is in the process of consolidating territorial gains and increasing the target list in Baghdad, a U.S. official and defense analysts say.

August 3, 2014

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit Fort Stewart. (White House photo)

Obama military strategy too weak for future security, panel reports

An independent panel appointed by the Pentagon said Thursday that President Obama’s military strategy for sizing the force is too weak to meet growing national security threats.

July 31, 2014

Family of Marine killed in Afghanistan pushes back against cover-up

The family of a Marine murdered in Afghanistan as he worked out in a gym is accusing the Corps of a cover-up by refusing to turn over documents that would show the dangerous environment inside Forward Operating Base Delhi.

July 27, 2014

A Marine carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Lance Cpl. Gregory T. Buckley, 21, of Oceanside, N.Y., Monday, Aug. 13, 2012, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. According to the Defense Department, Buckley, died Aug. 10 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) ** FILE **

Afghan who killed three U.S. Marines in 2012 to serve over 7-year prison sentence

An Afghanistan man has been given a 7-1/2 year prison sentence for murdering three U.S. Marines in a forward operating base in Helmand Province in August 2012.

July 25, 2014

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki meets with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Baghdad, Monday, June 23, 2014. Kerry flew to Baghdad on Monday to meet with Iraq's leaders and personally urge the Shiite-led government to give more power to political opponents before a Sunni insurgency seizes more control across the country and sweeps away hopes for lasting peace. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool)

State Department indicates Nouri al-Maliki’s days numbered as Iraq prime minister

The State Department on Thursday all but showed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the door, saying he had been particularly hard to work with.

July 24, 2014

** FILE ** Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos ordered the officer overseeing a Taliban desecration case to "crush" the defendants shown in a video, court-martial all of them and kick them out of the Corps, according to witnesses. (Associated Press)

Marine Corps whistleblower lands new Pentagon position

A Marine Corps officer who took on the top brass, and lost, has started a new career path in a legal job under the Pentagon's Joint Staff, not the Corps.

July 23, 2014

** FILE ** Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the shadowy leader of the Islamic State, delivers a sermon posted on social media outlets that the militants use. (Associated Press)

Elusive target: U.S. believed Iraq terror mastermind al-Baghdadi killed 3 times

A special intelligence adviser to Army Gen. David H. Petraeus during the 2007 troop surge says the terrorist leader now ruling over large swaths of Iraq and forcing Christians to convert to Islam has long been the most elusive big game for the U.S.

July 20, 2014

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds execute a maneuver while visitors watch from Falcon Stadium after the graduation ceremonies of the Class of 2009. This was the 51st graduating class, and consisted of 1,046 newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenants (US Air Force photo by Dennis Rogers)

Air Force command nominee is 1st woman, non-pilot

The White House has picked the first female general to head the Air Force in the Pacific, which will make her the first non-pilot to command air power in such a large theater of operation.

July 17, 2014

** FILE ** Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the al Qaeda splinter group the Islamic State, has rarely been photographed. (Associated Press)

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi formerly a U.S. captive

The U.S. held him captive for a time in 2004 before an unconditional release put him back into Iraq's growing Sunni insurgency.

July 13, 2014

Iraqis sign up for military service to help battle an al Qaeda-inspired militant army intent on capturing Baghdad International Airport and eventually the capital itself. (Associated Press)

Islamic militants aim to take Baghdad airport

The al Qaeda-inspired terrorist army in Iraq ultimately wants to capture Baghdad International Airport and begin a campaign to destabilize neighboring Jordan, an important U.S. ally, analysts say.

July 9, 2014