President Obama Likely To Leave World In As Bad A Shape As He Found It, If Not Worse

President Obama came to office inheriting the legacy of one unnecessary war, and another that had faded from memory. He will leave office with Iraq and Syria in crisis, Europe uneasy, Yemen and Libya unstable breeding grounds for terrorism, and China doing whatever it is they’re doing.

Despite Previous Promises Not To Do So, Obama Is Putting Boots On The Ground In Syria

Another day, another military escalation in the Middle East.

MARSOC Now Officially ‘Marine Raiders’

Marine special operations forces have called themselves “Raiders” for years. Now it’s official.

ISIS Captures Another Key Iraqi City

ISIS has captured Ramadi, and revealed yet again how fractured Iraq actually is. Fixing that isn’t something that American aid or arms can accomplish.

Seymour Hersh’s Osama Bin Laden Claims Don’t Pass The Smell Test

Seymour Hersh is out with a conspiracy theory about the death of Osama bin Laden that just doesn’t make sense.

Some Texas Republicans Are Freaking Out Over A Military Exercise Called ‘Jade Helm 15’

There must be something odd in the water in the Lone Star State, because a bizarre conspiracy theory seems to have taken root there.

ISIS Has Arrived In Libya, Just How Big A War Are We Looking At?

ISIS apparently now has a foothold in Libya, and is making inroads in Yemen.

Obama’s ISIL AUMF A Convenient (But Necessary) Excuse

Explaining my ambivalence around the latest escalation in our intervention.

Sending Arms To Ukraine Is A Foolish Idea

Pressure is building on the Administration to send military aid to Ukraine, but it would be a very bad idea.

U.S., Afghanistan Sign Agreement To Keep 10,000 U.S. Troops In Country Past 2014

U.S. troops will be in Afghanistan for at least the next three years.

Obama’s Anti-ISIS Coalition Seems To Exist Only In His Mind

Despite the President’s assurances of an international coalition, the rest of the world doesn’t seem all that interested in joining the fight.

We Don’t Need No Stinking Strategy

Obama’s current policy—tactical level strikes with no obvious long-term strategic aim—may well be the best we can hope for.

Russia Has Invaded Ukraine

A major escalation.

A Quote to Ponder

Ukrainian Forces Reportedly Have Rebels In Donetsk Surrounded

End game? Or the potential spark of a wider war?

Russia Getting Ready To Escalate In Ukraine?

Things are getting serious in eastern Ukraine.

Vladmir Putin Looks To Be Throwing The ‘Pro-Russian’ Ukrainian Separatists Under The Bus

In the end, the separatists in eastern Ukraine have always been expendable as far as Vladimir Putin is concerned.

SOCOM Chief’s Rise Not Swift At All

And odd report from Washington Post and Stars and Stripes.

Biden: U.S. Will Never Recognize Russian Annexation Of Crimea

Provocative words from Vice-President Biden. But, are they realistic?

H.R. McMaster Gets Third Star, Charge of Army Future

A rather impressive recovery from a career that was mostly dead in 2007.

Egyptian Forces Massacre Morsi Supporters, Hundreds Dead

Hundreds are dead as Egypt’s military government crack down on supporters of the democratically elected government they ousted.

Special Ops Troops’ Marriages Shaky, Survey Shows

A state of perpetual war is incompatible with good mental health and stable family relationships.

Joyner Unfair to Krugman

A decade ago. a certain New York Times columnist was more right than your humble host.

Glen Coffee, Former Alabama and 49er Football Star, Graduates Airborne School

When Glen Coffee abruptly retired from a promising NFL career, most wondered what he was up to. Now we know.

Most Americans Oppose Obama Administration’s Incoherent Syria Policy

Two polls indicate that most Americans oppose the President’s latest moves on Syria. This makes sense considering actual policy there seems to be entirely incoherent.

Huckabee: Benghazi will Take Down the President (Worse than Watergate!)

Apparently, Benghazi has not faded (at least not for some).

Did Special Forces Snipers Kill Americans After Katrina?

A former Navy SEAL charges that Blackwater snipers killed American citizens in New Orleans during Katrina’s aftermath.

Distinguished Warfare Medal for Armchair Warriors

American troops may now earn the fourth highest combat medal from the comfort of their desk chair.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Nanoo Nanoo Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

SEALs Attack Obama For Politicizing Osama Raid, Leaking Intel

A group of former special operations and intelligence officers are criticizing President Obama for “Dishonorable Disclosures.”

Are Special Forces Special Enough?

US Army Special Forces are the best we have at working with far-flung villagers. Are they good enough?

SEALs Swift Boating Obama?

Some Navy SEALs are weighing in on the brouhaha.

Insurmountable Obstacles in Afghanistan

My latest for The National Interest,Insurmountable Obstacles in Afghanistan, has been posted.

Green Beret Dies Trying to Save Daughters From Fire

CWO2 Edward Cantrell, a decorated Special Forces veteran, died trying to save his daughters Isabella and Natalia from a house fire.

Green Beret 50th Anniversary

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the green beret as the official headgear of US Army Special Forces.