Rowan Scarborough
Articles by Rowan Scarborough
Army delayed Chinook helicopter’s black box until it was too late
The Army never followed through on a plan to install voice and flight data recorders on one of its main war machines, the CH-47D Chinook helicopter — such as the one that was shot down in Afghanistan in 2011, killing 22 members of SEAL Team 6. Published March 23, 2014
Families sue Karzai, Afghan security forces for downing of U.S. helicopter in 2011
Three U.S. families filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his security forces, accusing them of betraying their sons in a 2011 helicopter shoot-down that killed 30 Americans. Published March 18, 2014
Semper fi? Taliban desecration case ignites battle in top ranks of Marines
The Marine Corps' discipline proceedings in the infamous desecration of Taliban corpses has churned up deep divisions among the top brass. Published March 17, 2014
Malaysia Airlines pilots sometimes left cockpit door unlocked: U.S. businessman
An American businessman who has traveled Malaysia Airlines scores of times says the pilots did not always keep their cockpit door locked during flights. Published March 15, 2014
USAID: Afghan qualifty of life improves amid U.S. intervention
Afghanistan has made great social and economic progress since U.S. troops, U.S. money and U.S. aid workers invaded a dozen years ago. Published March 13, 2014
Special ops forces wearing thin from high demand
America's in-demand global force against terrorists is showing signs of stress and appears to be gliding toward a decline in readiness, says a Pentagon budget overview on special operations forces. Published March 11, 2014
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
