Rowan Scarborough
Articles by Rowan Scarborough
Putin has transformed Russian army into a lean, mean fighting machine
President Vladimir Putin has turned a once-moribund Russian military into a lean, quick-strike force that can invade Chechnya, Georgia and now Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. Published March 6, 2014
Gates’ book backs up grieving dad’s case
Citing former Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' memoir, the father of a National Guardsman whose son was killed in Afghanistan is blaming White House leaks about the Osama bin Laden raid for the Taliban's downing of a transport helicopter that killed his son, 17 members of SEAL Team 6 and 12 other U.S. troops. Published March 3, 2014
Unasked questions fog facts on Benghazi
Republican lawmakers have failed to pin down senior military officials on how they characterized the Benghazi attack to the White House and President Obama on Sept. 11, 2012, the day terrorists stormed a U.S. diplomatic mission and bombed a CIA annex in the eastern Libyan city. Published March 2, 2014
Pentagon official defends ill-fated SEAL mission
A senior Pentagon official testified Thursday that commanders failed to achieve the element of surprise "that was planned and anticipated" on Aug. 6, 2011, when the Taliban shot down a transport helicopter in Afghanistan, killing 30 U.S. troops, including 17 members of the Navy's SEAL Team Six. Published February 27, 2014
Pentagon budget from Defense Secretary Hagel erodes his legacy as a defense hawk
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's about-face — from hawkish war veteran senator to Pentagon budget cutter and liberal comrade — came full circle this week as he announced plans to make a shrinking armed forces even smaller. Published February 26, 2014
Army strong? Pentagon looks to field 50,000 fewer soldiers
The Obama administration is taking another huge chunk out of the soldier force just a few months after Gen. Raymond Odierno, Army chief of staff, presented a carefully planned three-year drawdown that called for 50,000 more troops. Published February 25, 2014
Pentagon reverses course on costly futuristic warship
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel last year hailed the littoral combat ship as the Navy's future but now says it's inadequate to compete against China's naval forces. Published February 25, 2014
Defense Secretary Hagel reduces buy on Navy’s futuristic littoral ship
One of the Navy's prized futuristic ships has been put on probation by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Published February 24, 2014
Army historian says report on deadly Afghan battle was altered to absolve faulty gun
A former Army historian who chronicled the infamous Battle of Wanat in Afghanistan, where nine U.S. soldiers died after their M4 carbines jammed, tells The Washington Times that his official account was altered by higher-ups to absolve the weapons and senior officers. Published February 20, 2014
Troops left to fend for themselves after Army was warned of flaws in M4 carbine assault rifle
Army Senior Warrant Officer Russton B. Kramer, a 20-year Green Beret, has learned that if you want to improve your chances to survive, it's best to personally make modifications to the Army's primary rifle — the M4 carbine. Published February 19, 2014
Soldiers say intel tool is too difficult; Congress cuts funds for Army’s system
An internal memo from the U.S. command in Afghanistan says soldiers are voicing strong complaints about the Army's battlefield intelligence network, for which Congress just slashed spending by 60 percent. Published February 9, 2014
Army mulls funding for controversial intel network
The Army is assessing development plans for its battlefield intelligence network after Congress made it one of the largest budget-slashing victims in the new defense budget. Published February 4, 2014
Terrorist attacks up in Russia as Winter Olympics near
Russia has suffered a huge increase in terrorists attacks the past 10 years, says a new report that underscores the threat athletes and tourists face at next week's Winter Olympics in Sochi. Published January 30, 2014
Delta Force commando who saved ‘numerous lives’ in Benghazi seige honored
An Army Delta Force commando who infiltrated Benghazi to rescue U.S. diplomats, spies and security officers during a 2012 terrorist attack “was critical to the success of saving numerous lives,” according to a citation awarding him the military’s second-highest honor. Published January 25, 2014
Gen. Dempsey is a failed leader, scathing Senate review found
Members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led by Vice Chairman Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, have issued a blistering criticism of Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, who as Joint Chiefs chairman is the nation’s highest-ranking officer and chief military adviser to President Obama. Published January 23, 2014
Olympics host Sochi remains a volatile region
Russia has erected a "ring of steel" and the U.S. military is planning for evacuations, but the fact remains that Sochi, the site of next month's Winter Olympics, is within striking distance of Dagestan and Chechnya — volatile regions that form a caldron for Islamic militants. Published January 20, 2014
NY TIMES WRONG: Jihadists from at least four Al Qaeda groups in on Benghazi attack
The militants who gathered on the night of Sept. 11, 2012, to torch and kill inside the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, were a who's who of the modern al Qaeda movement, newly declassified documents show. Published January 19, 2014
China encroaching on U.S. military dominance in Pacific, says top admiral
While Adm. Sam Locklear said it was obvious Chinese military power is growing, he suggested it remains unclear whether China will seek in the long-term to be a hard adversary to the U.S. — so Washington should be working overtime on steering Beijing toward a cooperative security posture. Published January 16, 2014
State Department chose flight over fight in Benghazi, Senate report says
Armed State Department security agents retreated rather than fire on terrorists who were invading the U.S. mission in Benghazi, says a Senate Intelligence Committee report. Published January 15, 2014
Chaos in Iraq could be omen for Afghanistan without U.S. troops
Afghanistan's war planners trying to picture their country without U.S. troops next year might want to cast an eye toward Iraq. Published January 12, 2014
