War

"We simply cannot believe anything the Trump administration says—and neither can our allies."

The U.S. spends $1.25 trillion a year on the national security state—up $200 billion since they last added up the figures for everything from the Pentagon to Homeland Security to Veterans Affairs in 2017.

"Trump has been killing an obscene amount of civilians with drones. Now he's making things more secretive."

"What the hell is the point of Congress? Why are we starving children?"

Vietnam veteran Dale Worcester, who served aboard the gasoline tanker U.S.S. Tombigbee from 1966 to 1967, emailed ProPublica recently looking for a connection. He wrote: “Do you have any other Tombigbee crewmen that you have made contact with on this Agent Orange [inquiry]?” The “inquiry” he referenced is a survey ProPublica and The Virginian-Pilot launched to investigate the impact Agent Orange has had on the health of vets and their family members. Worcester was one of more than 800 Navy vets who have filled it out, with nearly 4,000 stories submitted in total. But a query to the database found only one entry for the Tombigbee. It was Worcester’s.

The United States has spent nearly half a billion dollars and five years developing Afghanistan’s oil, gas and minerals industries — and has little to show for it, a government watchdog reported today.

The Pentagon is scrambling to justify its actions in restricting the government watchdog investigating a $766-million task force in Afghanistan — with more controversy seemingly erupting by the day. Now there are allegations that Defense Department officials retaliated against a whistleblower and news of several ongoing criminal investigations.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Last December — more than 13 years after our nation was attacked by al Qaeda on 9/11 — America’s combat mission in Afghanistan came to a responsible end. That milestone was achieved thanks to the courage and the skill of our military, our intelligence, and civilian personnel. They served there with extraordinary skill and valor, and it’s worth remembering especially the more than 2,200 American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan.

A deal which will prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons was finalized today. Announced by President Obama today it is the culmination of intense diplomatic efforts which succeeded where a military intervention would not have. Economic sanctions enforced by a large coalition of western nations brought Iran to the table and hard negotiating by Secretaries of State Clinton and Kerry brought an agreement.

ProPublica and The Virginian-Pilot are exploring the ways children of Vietnam veterans may be affected by a parent's exposure to Agent Orange. The Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledges that direct exposure to Agent Orange and other defoliants may lead to negative health consequences for veterans. Some veterans’ service organizations, including the Vietnam Veterans of America, have expressed concern that exposure has also led to health issues in the children of veterans.