2012-08-10 On our companion site Second Line of Defense Forum, we have published an interesting piece by Al Poteet on the VA situation. As he puts it, “Warriors used to be applauded at sports stadiums. Now they are backlog.” Mr. Poteet is a former Army gunship pilot with two tours in…
2012-08-09 By Richard Weitz Now that all U.S. combat forces have left Iraq, Iranians believe that the Iraqi government will become even more cooperative on matters of importance to Tehran. Similarly, al-Maliki’s recent confrontational policies with Iraqi Sunnis and Kurds, much to the dismay of Turkey and the United States,…
2012-08-09 SLD interviewed Colonel Frédéric Gout, French Army, Commanding Officer of the French Army's 5th Combat Helicopter Regiment (5th RHC), based in Pau about the role of the 5th RHC in French operations. The interview was conducted at Pau in mid-2012. While the role of helicopters is essential in the evolution…
2012-08-07 by Richard Weitz Turkish analysts are well aware of Iran’s considerable influence in Iraq. Tehran disposes of several important assets in the country, including (like Turkey) geographic proximity, a newly self-conscious and empowered Shiite majority that appreciates Iran’s centrality to the Shiite faith, and influential pro-Iranian factions embedded within…
2012-08-06 by Ed Timperlake And so it begins, yet again: “President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing U.S. support for rebels seeking to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government, U.S. sources familiar with the matter said. Obama's order, approved earlier this year and known as an…
2012-08-05 By Richard Weitz Turkey views Iraq as a key area of interest and influence. Turkey has several core interests in Iraq: Cultivating ties with the various Iraqi factions, Preventing terrorists from using northern Iraq as a base of operations; Balancing the influence of Iran; Securing access to Iraqi oil…
2012-08-03 By Scott C. Truver (An earlier version of this was posted on the U.S. Naval Institute News.USNI.org website.) Iran threatens to mine the Strait of Hormuz, petroleum markets react, world economies take notice, and more U.S. and allied naval forces are sent to the region, upping the ante for Tehran and…
2012-08-03 by Robbin Laird We have posted a number of articles during the UK government's deliberation with regard to the F-35C versus the F-35B. In a PDF special report included in this article, we have brought those articles together into one report. A key element not so obvious within the…
