Latest news with #ArmySpecialForces
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Republicans echo Trump's absurd claims justifying Iran bombing
'Peace through strength.' It's one of those deliberately vague phrases that sounds like both a euphemism and a paradox, repeated so many times that it's practically lost all meaning. President Donald Trump insists that his bombing of Iran is a perfect example of this so-called strategy, despite the fact that it stands in stark contrast to the anti-interventionist image he cultivated on the campaign trail, and to the 'peacemaker and unifier' he promised to be. Republicans are happy to defend him. The most absurd of the defenses came Monday when Rep. Pat Harrigan, who represents North Carolina's 10th congressional district, appeared on Fox News to discuss the strikes. 'We're trying to lower the temperature of global conflict while simultaneously kind of raising it here in order to lower it,' Harrigan, who is a former Army Special Forces officer, said. What? When you're trying to cool down your house, do you turn up the heat before you blast the AC? When your friends are fighting, do you intentionally inflame the situation before trying to diffuse it? The answer to that, of course, is no. So it stands to reason that raising the 'temperature of global conflict' may not be the best strategy if the goal is actually to lower it. In theory, 'peace through strength' is meant to be a strategy of deterrence. The idea is that if you build up a strong enough military that's capable of delivering a swift and devastating retaliatory response, it discourages other countries from messing with you. Whether or not it's actually a good strategy, however, depends on how you define strength. If strength means investing more into the military, that's one thing. But if you define it as deliberately escalatory and violent actions, such as bombing your enemy or floating the idea of regime change on social media, that doesn't sound like a means of achieving peace. It sounds like diving into a conflict instead of trying to avoid one, especially when there was no imminent threat. Trump and his fellow Republicans have touted the strikes as a victory because of what they supposedly 'completely and totally obliterated' Iran's nuclear program. That contradicts early Pentagon assessments that reportedly found that the strikes likely only set the program back by months, so the actual success is yet to be determined. Trump also helped negotiate a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran, which he claims is 'unlimited' and will 'go forever.' A Georgia congressman has even nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Another example of Republican word salad: Vice President J.D. Vance claimed in a recent interview that 'we're not at war with Iran — we're at war with Iran's nuclear program.' That's some awfully crafty language that sounds like something straight out of '1984.' 'Peace through strength' can too easily shift into the Orwellian paradox of 'peace through war.' Rather than lauding Trump's decision, Republicans should take a more cautious approach. They should be troubled that the strikes occurred without consulting Congress and therefore may not have even been legal. They should be skeptical of Trump's claims that Iran is actively building a nuclear weapon when his own intelligence director testified that it is not. And they should be concerned about the fact that the attack may now incentivize Iran to actually develop such a weapon and make peaceful negotiation all the more difficult. Vance acknowledged the concerns of starting another war in the Middle East, but insists it's nothing to worry about with Trump. 'I understand the concern, but the difference is that back then we had dumb presidents and now we actually have a president who actually knows how to accomplish America's national security objectives,' Vance told ABC News. But there's a reason why previous presidents never made the choice that Trump did, and Trump's refusal to even acknowledge the possibility of failure is what makes his behavior so reckless. In attacking Iran, Trump took an extraordinary gamble with extraordinary risks. To cheer it on without expressing even the slightest reservation will only embolden him. Cheering, it seems, has become reflexive for Republicans who want to stay on the president's good side. We can't bomb our way to peace, and just because we were lucky enough to avoid disaster this time doesn't mean we always will.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Green Beret nominated to top Pentagon position to oversee special ops
A former Army Special Forces officer who was in charge of a team involved in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan was nominated as the Pentagon's head of special operations. Derrick Anderson was nominated Monday by President Donald Trump to serve as assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, according to a notice on His nomination was referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee for consideration. If confirmed to the largely bureaucratic position, Anderson would oversee administrative and policy issues that apply to special operations and irregular warfare units and advise the secretary of defense and other senior civilian leaders on issues like equipment, readiness and training for the force. While a captain in the Army in 2014, Anderson was the commander of a Special Forces team in Afghanistan from the 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. On June 9, 2014, his team and allied Afghan soldiers engaged in a firefight with the Taliban that ended in a wayward American airstrike that killed five U.S. soldiers and one Afghan. A U.S. Central Command investigation found that miscommunication and a lack of proper protocols among Anderson, his tactical air controller and the crew of the B-1B bomber that dropped the bombs led to the friendly fire. In a later interview with 60 Minutes about the incident, Anderson disputed that his leadership was at fault in the strike. A classified report on the strike obtained by 60 Minutes found that a central cause was the inability of the B-1's sensors to detect the strobe lights worn by the Green Berets on their equipment — an issue that neither the bomber's crew nor the ground team were aware of. 'I'm the commander of this team. This is my team. I miss my guys tremendously. But at the end of the day there's nothing that myself or my Team Sergeant did that day or failed to do that day that caused that incident to happen,' he told 60 Minutes. 'We made the decisions that we thought were best at the time on the ground for the guys that were getting shot at.' In 2024, Anderson also ran for a Congressional House seat in Virginia as a Republican but lost to Democratic candidate Eugene Vindman. Anderson grew up in Virginia and attended Virginia Tech on an Army ROTC scholarship, according to a Special Operations Association of America bio page. He went on to become an infantry officer, went to Ranger School and became a platoon leader in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division. He served on a 13-month tour during the 2007 'Iraq surge.' He also oversaw burial and memorial ceremonies with the 3rd Infantry Regiment in Arlington National Cemetery. After leaving the military, he attended law school at Georgetown University and clerked for three federal judges, according to his LinkedIn page. Navy SEAL Team 6 operator will be the military's new top enlisted leader Veterans receiving disability payments might have been underpaid, IG finds Guam barracks conditions are 'baffling,' Navy admiral says in email Navy fires admiral in charge of unmanned systems office after investigation The Pentagon wants troops to change duty stations less often
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's surprise attack shows it may take a ‘major drone strike' to change US defense policy, experts say
Ukraine's surprise Sunday attack on Russian offensive weapons caches may be a good time for the U.S. to reflect on its own weaknesses, should one of its adversaries attempt a similar strike. Col. Seth Krummrich, a retired Army Special Forces commander and vice president at the Virginia-based security firm Global Guardian, warned that the U.S. remains vulnerable to drone attacks. "Interestingly, it is not a technological gap, it is a policy/authority process to engage and deny drone attacks," Krummrich said. "I assess it will take a major drone strike in the U.S. to change policy." Drone Activity Near Trump-bedminster, Army Arsenal Spurs Nj Flight Restriction: Faa Even civilian operations have a tough time getting approval for drone-interception-authority protections, the NFL excepted, he said. Read On The Fox News App "Ukraine proved how easy it is to hide a drone swarm in a truck bed, get close to the target, then swarm and destroy targets in a minute or two. "Drones are cheap and easy to lethally modify. This know-how is readily available to all State and non-state enemy actors." America's best snipers will have trouble downing a target moving at 35mph, as quadcopter-drones can reach, according to Krummrich. He noted the panoply of threat-groups that could harness drone warfare, from China and North Korea to homegrown threats like Antifa and environmental extremists -- and laid out how a villainous actor could carry-out a strike on a sporting event from 1,000 miles away with proper planning and orchestration. Gen. David Grange, a retired veteran of the 101st Airborne, recently returned from Ukraine where his Osprey Relief Foundation team of elite military vets conducted a "point-of-need" assessment and supply delivery to field hospitals and the like. Grange said Ukraine's use of drones is a "textbook example of asymmetric warfare" – jargon depicting the proverbial David v. Goliath scenario. "If a similar drone-based attack were launched on U.S. soil, it would be extremely difficult to intercept once set forth in motion, much like the events of 9/11," Grange said. The general estimated that there are 3,000 gang members, terrorists and/or sleeper agents of hostile nations already stateside – and drone actions would be inexpensive and difficult to detect at present. But, the feds are aware there are vulnerabilities and actively working to prepare for a potential scenario, he added: "It's not a matter of complacency — it's a matter of catching up to a rapidly evolving threat landscape." Bedminster Drafts Vip Security Plan After Trump Assassination Attempt Last year, civilians and officials alike appeared flummoxed by repeated sightings of suspicious drones in the Mid-Atlantic – including near the U.S. Army garrison at Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, N.J., and President Donald Trump's nearby golf club. Several "spy balloons" allegedly launched by China crossed over the Arctic, Great Plains and sandhills in 2023. One balloon was downed and recovered off the Grand Strand, while remnants of another were scooped up in Lake Huron. Grange said the New Jersey situation was a "critical wake-up call." "Incidents like that underscore the importance of shifting from reactive posture to proactive deterrence," he said. "We're not starting from zero, but we are in a race to close the gap between emerging threats and our ability to counter them." The idea of an impenetrable North America is not sustainable, he said – warning not to panic but instead to surgically address those vulnerabilities. "Solving this challenge will require an all-hands-on-deck approach: federal, state, and local governments must work hand-in-hand with private industry, research institutions, and technology developers to close the gaps in our homeland defense posture," Grange said, adding the Ukraine-Russia conflict illustrates "the new face of warfare." At a December hearing, House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, warned that, "in the wrong hands, drone technology can negatively impact American national security while disrupting critical infrastructure." "We must secure our skies from unauthorized aerial systems, but most importantly the homeland from foreign adversaries." Pentagon brass testified NORTHCOM would've downed any drone that appeared to pose any imminent physical threat. Kelly Siegel, CEO of National Technology Management, a Michigan-based cybersecurity firm, told Fox News Digital the Ukraine operation reminds us that more than three-quarters of all drones are made in China. Drone and cyber-related threats to the homeland overlap, he said. "Just like drones have rapidly become critical weapons, causing about 65% of Russian battlefield losses, cyber threats evolve at lightning speed. Staying disciplined and ahead of emerging tech is vital." Russia has already disrupted American-supplied guided weapons by electronically jamming them – an example of something that mirrors current threats to U.S. critical infrastructure and security systems, he added. In response to the concerns, a defense department official told Fox News Digital the Pentagon "routinely conducts threat assessments as the operational environment continues to evolve." "Our objective is to enable tailored response options to protect our service members and installations. Specific implementation details are not disclosed for operational security reasons." Israel, a key U.S. ally, is known for its "Iron Dome" missile defense system – backed by more than $2 billion in U.S. funding. The system has played a crucial role in intercepting rocket attacks from Hamas and other malign actors. The U.S. currently lacks a similar system, though Trump proposed what he calls a "Golden Dome" system. Canada can join the "Golden Dome" for $61 billion, or become the 51st state and join for free," Trump quipped Friday on Truth article source: Ukraine's surprise attack shows it may take a 'major drone strike' to change US defense policy, experts say
Int'l Business Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
'Mike Waltz Left The Chat': Dems Troll Trump National Security Adviser's Ousting, Demand Axing Of Hegseth Next
Marco Rubio will replace Waltz in an interim role, Trump announced late Thursday Tim Walz, Sen. Adam Schiff, and several other Democrats celebrated Waltz's removal Democratic leaders now want Hegseth to also be removed from his Defense Secretary role Former U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has been in the headlines overnight for getting ousted from his position just over 100 days since President Donald Trump took over the White House, and Democrats wasted no time to troll the troubled official. Waltz has been trending on Google and X overnight following news that he was leaving the administration. Trump soon took to his Truth Social account to confirm that Waltz will be replaced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interim role. The ousted former Army Special Forces officer will take on another role as Trump nominated him to become his government's U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. While Trump defended his ex-security adviser, it is worth noting that the president has been criticized in recent weeks for allowing Waltz to keep his position despite the revelations around "Signalgate," wherein he and other top cabinet members used a commercial messaging app to discuss a U.S. counterattack against Yemeni Houthi rebels. Other reports revealed that Waltz's team created over a dozen Signal group chats to discuss national security topics and others on foreign policy, triggering more criticism not only toward Waltz but the broader Trump administration. Dems celebrate Waltz's removal Following Trump's confirmation of earlier reports that Waltz has been removed from the key security position, several Democrats came out to celebrate the news. "Mike Waltz has left the chat," Minnesota Gov. and former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz wrote on X. His post has gained over three million views as of early Friday as X users also called for the removal of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was also involved in the "Signalgate" debacle. Mike Waltz has left the chat. — Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) May 1, 2025 Next up is Pete Hegseth! 🤞🏽 — Lucas Sanders 💙🗳️🌊💪🌈🚺🟧 (@LucasSa56947288) May 1, 2025 Mike Nellis, a former senior advisor to ex-Vice President Kamala Harris, said Waltz's firing "is an admission of guilt by the administration about the leaking of classified war plans." Like many others, Nellis wants Hegseth to be fired next. Firing Waltz is an admission of guilt by the administration about the leaking of classified war plans. They have to fire Hegseth now—especially after he leaked to his wife, brother, and personal attorney. Complete shitshow. — Mike Nellis (@MikeNellis) May 1, 2025 Democratic lawmakers demand Hegseth's firing Sen. Adam Schiff of California criticized Trump for taking over a month before holding anyone accountable in the "Signalgate fiasco." He also wants Hegseth to be axed. It took more than a month for Trump to hold anyone accountable for the Signalgate fiasco. Next up should be Pete Hegseth.
Telegraph
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Mike Waltz's demotion threatens grave consequences for America's allies
The reassignment of Mike Waltz from his post as Donald Trump's national security adviser to the job of ambassador to the United Nations could signal a shift in Trump's foreign policy – or it may just show that infighting among the rival factions is only getting worse. A highly decorated former Army Special Forces veteran of Afghanistan and adviser to Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and Robert Gates, before succeeding Ron DeSantis in Congress, Waltz has long staked out hawkish views of the threats posed by China and Iran. That put him at odds with the increasingly vocal dovish faction in the administration, which includes vice-president JD Vance and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, as well as close Vance ally Donald Trump Jr. Waltz's demotion leaves the more hawkish Secretary of State Marco Rubio largely isolated in Trump's national security team; Rubio will now serve as interim national security adviser as well as Secretary of State, acting national archivist, and interim head of the United States Agency for International Development. Waltz wasn't necessarily demoted over his ideas. He has been on shaky ground ever since accidentally adding Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal chat in which details of an upcoming strike on the Houthis were discussed. Defence secretary Pete Hegseth, also under fire for sharing sensitive combat plans in that chat and another, has survived thus far, but over a dozen members of his inner circle have already lost their jobs amid controversies over press leaks. Although more broadly aligned with the doves, Hegseth is increasingly mistrusted by both factions.
