US troops, bases in Middle East could be targets in conflict with Iran
About 40,000 U.S. personnel are spread throughout the region, giving Iran a chance to strike back at American military forces.
Congress
Navy’s preliminary budget undercuts shipbuilding, senator says
The future looks murky for Navy shipbuilding due to budgetary uncertainty amid lagging ship production, Sen. Roger Wicker said at a recent hearing.
Analyst: With ballooning costs for a smaller Navy, can it really afford 355 ships?
The Navy wants 355 ships but budget trends raise questions about whether the Navy could possibly afford to operate and maintain a fleet of that size, an influential defense budget analyst said Thursday.
US Congress avoids government shutdown, at least for two more weeks
U.S. lawmakers on Thursday averted a government shutdown this week by passing a new funding extension to keep federal operations running for two more weeks, in the hopes of reaching a broader budget consensus before Christmas.
US Army looks to cut typical acquisition timeline in half
The Army is looking at how it can reduce by half what has turned into an unacceptably long timeline to deliver capabilities to soldiers in the field, according to the newly confirmed Army secretary.
Air Force chief: Budget caps would ‘devastate the Air Force’
Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein says sequestration would be worst case scenario for the service, but a long-term continuing resolution would also have serious implications.
US lawmakers debate two-week CR to avert government shutdown
With government funding set to expire at the end of Friday, House and Senate leaders are backing a two-week continuing resolution, through Dec. 22, to avert a government shutdown and buy more time to reach a 2018 funding deal.
CBO: Trump military buildup would cost taxpayers an extra $683 billion
The military buildup President Donald Trump has called for would cost $683 billion more than current spending plans over the next decade, according to a new analysis by the Congressional Budget Office.
CIA director: Trump tweets help us
President Donald Trump’s tweetstorm in the wake of the guilty plea by his former national security adviser again raised concerns about the commander in chief’s frequent use of the social media platform.
McCarthy: US Congress must pass 2-week CR to win two-year budget deal
The U.S. House’s No. 2 Republican said Saturday Congress must pass a proposed two-week stopgap spending measure to buy time to make a two-year deal to ease budget caps.
Handful of hawkish US lawmakers urge military leaders to fight new CR
A group of pro-defense lawmakers is urging White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other military leaders to pressure Congress to make a 2018 budget deal before year’s end—and avoid another stopgap funding resolution.
