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☆ Al-Shabaab terror attack targets Mogadishu hotel
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Omar Nor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Mogadishu CNN —The al Qaeda linked terror group al-Shabaab has carried out a suicide attack and stormed a central Mogadishu hotel frequented by Somalia’s ministers and members of parliament, Somali police said Sunday. Al-Shabaab stormed the Villa Rose hotel near Somalia’s presidential palace following a suicide bombing at the gate at 8 p.m. local time (noon ET), according to police. Bishar Ahmed confirmed to CNN that a major attack occurred at the hotel, which lies in a heavily protected zone in downtown Mogadishu, where the state house, ministries and a high-security intelligence prison are also located. In May, US President Joe Biden decided to redeploy troops to Somalia in support of the local government and to counter al-Shabaab. The move reversed a decision by former President Donald Trump to withdraw all US troops from the country.

☆ Kamala Harris’ visit to the Philippines sends China a message of US intent
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

According to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, the Philippines occupies nine features in the Spratly chain while China occupies seven. In 2016, a tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a maritime dispute, concluding China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to the bulk of the South China Sea. “Philippine President Marcos appears open to the idea of pursuing pragmatic cooperation in the South China Sea, while not surrendering its long-standing position when it comes to the territorial issues in the South China Sea,” Banlaoi said. During her trip to the Philippines, Harris is expected to make a number of other announcements including tighter US cooperation with Manila on clean energy, cybersecurity, communication and agriculture. The deals show US intent in the Pacific region, but one South China Sea expert said Harris’ trip to the military base risks aggravating Beijing to the potential detriment of the Philippines.

☆ NATO could invoke Article 4 after Russian missiles struck Poland. Here's what that means.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The incident could invoke NATO Article 4, which allows any member to call for a consultation when threatened. Several NATO countries previously invoked Article 4 after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Such defiant language ostensibly appeals to the collective defense principle at the heart of NATO Article 5. As such, NATO and its members have no binding obligation to defend Ukraine against Russia's attacks. Biden has made clear that US troops thus far deployed to Eastern Europe are there to bolster NATO member countries wary of nearby Russian aggression.

☆ The Pentagon says it's testing Elon Musk's Starlink in the Arctic, which could help connect US troops
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The US military is testing Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink in the Arctic, per Bloomberg. An Air Force engineer said the Pentagon demonstrated Starlink on a moving vehicle in Alaska. Over the last two weeks, the Pentagon has used Elon Musk's Starlink on a moving vehicle in Alaska, Beal said in a statement to Bloomberg. He expected 240 more Starlink satellites to be launched in the next six months, per the report. Beal told Bloomberg the Pentagon was set to review whether the Arctic's harsh environment had an impact on Starlink's performance.

☆ Why China doesn't actually want to invade Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Biden is trying to reassure Beijing but also trying to deter them from using military force to coerce Taiwan." Biden, however, has gone further, repeatedly asserting that he would respond to a Chinese invasion by committing US troops. For China, the Taiwan threat gives them negotiating leverage with the US and influence over Taiwan's domestic politics. If Congress passes the Taiwan Policy Act, Taiwan will get $6.5 billion in taxpayer money to buy more US-made weaponry. The sanctions that would likely follow an invasion of Taiwan would quickly and severely restrict the country's supply of meat.

☆ After 40 years of safe skies, US special operators have to worry about threats from above, SOCOM commander says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AP Photo/Efrem LukatskyUkraine's military claims to have shot down over 1,000 Russian drones, but unmanned aerial systems continue to proliferate. Ukraine is also using its fair share of unmanned aerial systems. Special operators vs. dronesA member of the Iraqi federal police with a destroyed drone used by ISIS in Mosul in March 2017. "But now with everything from quad-copters that very small up to very large unmanned aerial vehicles, we won't always have that luxury." DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty ImagesGenerally, US special operators can take out unmanned aerial systems in two ways.

☆ As North Korea flexes its military muscles, some of South Korea's best submarines may be sidelined
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Nine of South Korea's submarines have defects that could sideline them for extended periods. The issue comes to light as North Korea launches scores of missiles in shows of force to its neighbors. South Korea's sub woes come as North Korea continues to issue threats over joint US-South Korean military exercises that Pyongyang claims are a rehearsal for an invasion. Aircraft in particular would be key to destroying North Korean nuclear sites, artillery emplacements, and even decapitation strikes against the North's leaders. Superior US and South Korean naval capabilities — perhaps assisted by Japanese forces — allow for amphibious landings, special-forces raids, blockades, and shore bombardment.

☆ A secretive US special-operations base in Syria is taking fire from a shadowy Middle East war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Rachel Nostrant | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

US troops at the al-Tanf outpost in Syria have been conducting counter-ISIS operations since 2016. Israeli, Syrian, and Iranian forces are also active around the base in southeastern Syria. The base was established in 2016, when US forces were in the thick of combat operations against ISIS in Syria. Al-Tanf — in southeastern Syria along the M2 Baghdad-Damascus highway and near the borders with Iraq and Jordan — was the ideal location. DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty ImagesRussia's war in Ukraine may create new problems for US troops at al-Tanf.

☆ Biden administration considers hindering military aid to Saudi Arabia in a 'punishing' response to it cutting oil production, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Biden administration is considering deliberately delaying military aid to Saudi Arabia, NBC reports. The move is being considered in response to the Kingdom's decision to cut oil production. It could include shipments of Patriot 104-E guided ballistic missiles, of which Saudi Arabia has a contract to purchase 300 of from the US. Along with hindering military aid, another option is to exclude Saudi Arabia from upcoming military exercises and regional engagements, the outlet said. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, previously suggested moving US air-defense systems from Saudi Arabia to Ukraine in response to the oil decision.

☆ Biden knows there are limits on American power, but they're nowhere to be found in his first major security strategy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Gil Barndollar | Defense Priorities | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

This month, the Biden administration released its long-delayed National Security Strategy. The brief moment of post-Cold War American hyperpower is long gone, a victim of both natural power dynamics and three decades of incessant American foreign policy hubris and error. Six months before the assault on Ukraine began, the Biden administration admitted the limits of American power in another land that defeated Russian invaders: Afghanistan. The saving grace of the National Security Strategy may be its meaninglessness. The Biden administration's actual emerging national security strategy could be far better than the document lets on.

☆ The US Army is spending $353 million on a suitcase-size weapon that can 'hear' enemy tanks and fire armor-piercing slugs at them
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US Army is working on a new landmines designed to attack the thinner armor on the top of tanks. The Army recently awarded a contract for production of the XM204, a "wide area top-attack munition." The Army sees the weapon as a way to restrict an enemy's room to maneuver its armored vehicles. Instead, XM204 is described as a "wide area top-attack munition" or a "terrain-shaping obstacle." US ArmyThe Army envisions the weapon as a way to channel the movement of enemy forces.

☆ A rout by the US in an air battle around Taiwan led Japan to adopt desperate tactics in World War II's final months
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Their goal was to destroy as much of Japan's air and naval strength before US troops landed on the Philippine island of Leyte. A diversionA Japanese heavy cruiser after being bombed by US Navy aircraft during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. But Japan's air and naval power were still major threats, and to ensure the Philippines could be liberated, they had to be degraded, if not eliminated. By 1944, Japanese military leaders recognized their situation and devised a plan to prepare for US invasions of Japanese-held territory. Japanese attempts to attack the carriers were fruitless, with 42 more Japanese planes shot down trying to conduct attack runs.

☆ Biden threatens 'consequences' for Saudi Arabia after OPEC cut, but his options are limited
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Washington has since the 1940s provided billions of dollars in military and security aid to Saudi Arabia. A file photo of cannisters containing Patriot missiles to intercept missiles fired at Saudi Arabia or its neighboring countries. We must pull all US troops out of Saudi Arabia, stop selling them weapons & end its price-fixing oil cartel." "The White House has few good options despite Biden's warning of 'consequences' after the cut," he said, noting U.S. lawmakers' threats of anti-trust legislation and removal of U.S. military assets from Saudi Arabia. While both courses of action would send a clear message, this could backfire for both the U.S. and for crude prices.

☆ PHOTOS: Russian and US troops shook hands and took pictures together when their patrols met in Syria, actions in deep contrast with Ukraine tensions
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Photos show US and Russian troops shaking hands and taking pictures together in Syria. The photos, published by AFP, were taken as both forces patrolled territory near the Turkish border. But instead of a hostile interaction between two nuclear powers, the result this time was smiles, handshakes, and group photos. Today, several hundred US troops remain in northeastern Syria, with both Washington and Moscow conducting patrols to discourage any further encroachment by Turkey, a member of NATO as well as a Russian partner. DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty ImagesAccording to AFP, the most recent encounter took place on October 8 near the town of al-Qahtaniyah.

☆ Home to 28,000 U.S. troops, S.Korea unlikely to avoid a Taiwan conflict
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

China is South Korea's largest economic partner, and Seoul could find itself on the literal front lines of any regional military conflict. But when asked whether South Korea will help the United States if China attacks Taiwan, Yoon did not directly answer. South Korean troops fought alongside Americans in Vietnam and supported the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but questions of future involvement are up to South Korea alone, LaCamera said. In response, South Korean Vice Defence Minister Shin Beom-chul told broadcaster MBC that there had been no such discussions between Washington and Seoul. Cho said North Korea could support China in a Taiwan conflict by launching an attack on South Korea, or simply use the conflict as a chance to push forward with its nuclear or missile development.

☆ How a remote lagoon and a 'secret weapon' allowed the US Navy to overwhelm Japanese forces during World War II
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In September 1944, the US Navy captured Ulithi Atoll and used it to support the Allied advance. US NavyService Squadron 10 oversaw the rearming, resupplying, and repairing of Navy ships and aircraft, and otherwise supported the war effort's logistical needs. In all, the unit had over 400 vessels, including repair ships, tankers, floating dry docks, crane ships, desalination ships, tugs, floating barracks, and floating workshops. US NavyBy the end of the war, Ulithi was the world's largest naval facility, hosting as many as 617 vessels. An airfield and a high school damaged by Typhoon Maysak on Falalop Island in Ulithi Atoll in December 2015.

☆ Ukraine's troops have been highly effective with the M777 howitzer, but US troops can turn it into a 'giant sniper rifle'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

US troops also have a new targeting system that makes the M777 even more precise. LCpl Samantha L. Jones/USMCIn 1979, the M198 155mm medium-towed howitzer entered service for the United States. While it would take two C-130s to deliver an M198 artillery system to the battlefield, the entire M777 setup could arrive in just one. That's more than all of the 155mm artillery rounds fired by the entire US military in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. US soldiers with the Joint Effects Targeting System Target Laser Designation System at Fort Greely in Alaska.

☆ Special-ops units from Down Under made their mark with US commandos in Vietnam. They may have to do it again against China.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

During the Vietnam War, US troops were supported by forces from several allied countries. The role of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) was especially notable. From 1966 to 1971, these two special-operations units deployed a small number of commandos to support conventional forces in Vietnam. Gradually, however, they shifted to a more aggressive stance and started going after high-value North Vietnamese and Viet Cong targets in ambushes and direct-action operations. Special operators from the two countries had fought with the British against Communist insurgents in Malaya and Borneo.

☆ The US pledged to 'defend every inch of NATO territory' after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So which countries does that include?
▼ + stars: | 2022-02-25 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The US and NATO pledged to protect "every inch of NATO territory" amid Russia's assault on Ukraine. "Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine, but to defend our NATO allies." But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed directly to NATO members in the year since Russia's invasion — a plea, he said, that was initially met with silence. Allowing Ukraine to join NATO at the current moment would require all NATO members to come to Ukraine's immediate defense, prompting near-global war against Russia. Here is a full list of NATO members and the year they joined the organization:

Washington CNN —ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was killed Wednesday during a US counterterrorism raid in northwest Syria, President Joe Biden announced Thursday morning. It was the biggest US raid in the country since the 2019 operation that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “Thanks to the bravery of our troops, this horrible terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said from the Roosevelt Room. US says suicide bomb killed ISIS leaderThe Pentagon will conduct a more thorough after-action review of the raid. But Wednesday’s operation was the largest in scale since a two-hour raid killed ISIS leader Baghdadi in northwest Syria in October 2019.

☆ Afghanistan is being overrun by crystal meth
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-07 | by ( Ali Latifi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

The US is leaving behind a flourishing, violent trade in heroin and crystal meth in Afghanistan. HERAT, Afghanistan — For weeks, Afghan police had been staking out a single-family house they believed was being used as a meth lab. Afghanistan's drug trade generates an estimated $35 million a month for the Taliban and drug gangs. A mysterious grassIn 2017, rumors circulated in western Afghanistan that a mysterious form of grass had been found to contain the key ingredient in crystal meth. "So long as this war continues, the drug trade will continue to grow bigger and bigger.

☆ Here are the sidearms the US military has carried into battle since first taking on the British
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-15 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Since 2017, US military service branches have been rolling out new M17 and M18 handguns. The M17 and the compact M18 variant are the latest in a long line of sidearms that US troops have carried into battle since 1776. This flintlock saw service in the War of 1812 and remained the US Army's standard-issue pistol for over 50 years. Two Model 1805s are featured on the US Army Military Police Corps insignia, and a similar pistol can be seen on the US Navy SEAL emblem. National ArchivesThe most popular Colt design of the 19th century was the Colt Army Model 1860, a .44-caliber revolver adopted just before the Civil War.

☆ Military pay: This is how much US troops are paid according to their rank
▼ + stars: | 2019-02-15 | by ( Caitlin Foster | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

This is a list of typical military pay, from entry-level Army privates ($24,648 a year) to Air Force generals ($203,688). Base pay for a new enlistee comes out to $20,340 per year, but they'll earn more as they gain experience and rank. Most service members also receive allowances for housing, food, uniforms, and job-specific bonuses, many of which are not taxed. Other benefits, like government healthcare and tax-free portions of their pay, help service members stretch their earnings a bit farther than civilian counterparts. The full military pay chart can be found here.

☆ See how the US military has celebrated Christmas at bases around the world
▼ + stars: | 2018-12-21 | by ( Caitlin Foster | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The US military has thousands of troops stationed at hundreds of bases in dozens of countries around the world. During the holiday season, service members at these outposts often look for ways to add some Christmas spirit. Commands host special meals, decorate their bases, and conduct concerts or ceremonies to boost troop morale. In past years, many US bases around the world have decorated their respective facilities and prepared festive meals for the holiday. From Afghanistan to Kosovo, see how US troops stationed overseas have brought Christmas cheer to their bases.

☆ I'm a photographer who covered 9/11 and its aftermath. Here are the most gripping photos I took, and the stories behind them.
▼ + stars: | 2001-09-11 | by ( Alan Chin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

A month after that, I got an assignment to go to northern Afghanistan. Their soldiers had repelled a Taliban offensive in 1997, and massacred thousands of the Taliban prisoners they had captured. Air Force flights from as far away as Germany were dropping American military and humanitarian food packets in an effort to win hearts and minds. This was taken aboard the ferry connecting the east and west sides of the American military base. Even as the American war in Afghanistan ends in both ignominy and relief, the conflicts there and in dozens of other places continue.

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