Trump’s Defense Secretary Cites Climate Change as National Security Challenge
Our story on March 13 concerning Secretary of Defense James Mattis’ views on the relationship between climate change and national security was based on excerpts from unpublished written exchanges between Mattis and several Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee following his Jan. 12 confirmation hearing.
Bannon’s Dangerous Domination of National Security
Bannon’s unprecedented role as a statutory member of the NSC where he speaks as an equal with the Secretaries of Defense and State is “bizarre,” said Daniel Benjamin, a former State Department official, in an email to AlterNet.
The Nuclear Danger Posed by Trump Has Only Grown
Before the 2016 election, author Eric Schlosser said the notion of Donald Trump “with the launch codes, capable of devastating cities and countries, is extraordinary. It’s like the plot out of a science-fiction film.” Now that film has become reality and the opening scenes are already scary.
Trump’s Response To 50 Republican National Security Officials: ‘They Don’t Feel Relevant’
“They don’t feel relevant because of that and they form a group and they go out and try to get some publicity for themselves and they hope that somebody else other than Trump wins because that way they can get a job.”
Republicans And Democrats Reside In Different Galaxies
It’s often noted that liberals and conservatives tend to see the world differently. But if the Republican National Convention is any indication, liberals and conservatives inhabit not just different worlds but different galaxies—far, far away from each other.
Orlando Is Why We Need Surveillance
The FBI had the Orlando gunman under watch — twice — and, after much consideration, decided to stop following him. Was this a mistake? Obviously, tragically so. But in this massive lost opportunity to prevent a slaughter dwells a positive sign for our ability to stop future attacks. Law enforcement at least had its eye on him. Scarier would have been that it had never heard of Omar Mateen.
The Hangover Issues For 2016 Elections
Not too long after the New Year’s champagne is popped and the parties have ended and it’s back to the business of the 2016 elections, candidates and voters will wake up to a slate of issues that have hung over from the year before.
ACLU Pushes For More Transparency On No-Fly List
In a case that could help demystify how the FBI deems somebody a terror threat, the ACLU argued in federal court here Wednesday that the government has failed to comply with an earlier court order to tell people how they wound up on the no-fly list.
Post-Paris: Which Candidates Gain, Which Don’t
Is Paris making voters think more about the commander in chief part of the job of president?If so, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton are up.
Pro-Israel Groups Divided Over Iran Going Into 2016
The Israel lobby — one of the most powerful in Washington — is divided over how to deal with Iran and leaders say the 2016 elections will focus more on national security than the previous few have.
Appealing To Hawks, Lindsey Graham Jumps Into The 2016 Presidential Ring
Sen. Lindsey Graham formally launched his presidential bid with a predictably foreign policy-heavy speech in his hometown of Central, South Carolina.
GOP Campaign Slogan: Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.
“Republicans have always been trusted more on national security,” said Republican pollster Whit Ayres, “and Obama has been a weaker leader than people expected.”
Privacy vs. Security: How The Debate Changes
Can we ever be truly secure without giving up some privacy?
Obama Defends $4-Trillion Budget, Cites National Security
President Obama is warning Republicans not to play politics with America’s security.
6 Takeaways From Obama’s State Of The Union Speech
Here are six key points from President Obama’s big speech.
In New Book, Guantanamo Inmate Describes Beatings, Death Threats, And Mock Execution
One of Guantanamo’s longest-held prisoners shares his experience in a new book.
Administration: Few Guantanamo Detainees Turn To Terrorism After Release
Are Republicans overstating the dangers of releasing detainees from Guantanamo?
Sony Hack Leaves U.S. In Quandary On How To Deal With North Korea
How do you punish the most heavily sanctioned country in the world?
FBI Says North Korea Played Role In Sony Hacking Case
The U.S. has officially acknowledged North Korea’s role in the cyber attack against Sony.
White House: Sony Hack A ‘Serious National Security Matter’
The federal government is taking the cyber attack very seriously.
Senate Report Confirms CIA Had ‘Black Site’ At Guantanamo, Hid It From Congress
Inside one of the most shocking revelations from the CIA torture report.
Intelligence Gleaned From CIA Torture Focus Of Debate
CIA officials are pushing back against the Senate’s conclusion that torture made America no safer.
CIA Chief Acknowledges Some ‘Abhorrent’ Terror Interrogations
Find out what John Brennan had to say in his first press conference since the release of the Senate torture report.
Will We Torture Again?
The reaction to the Senate’s shocking torture report raises troubling questions about the future.
CIA Struggled To Keep Rationalizing Brutal Interrogations, Report Shows
The CIA kept finding new reasons to keep torturing prisoners.