Members of the U.S. special operations forces deployed to 154 countries, or roughly 80 percent of the world’s nations, last year, but information about exactly where elite forces conduct missions, under what authorities they operate, who they’ve killed, and whether they’re adhering to the laws of armed conflict is closely guarded, buried in obscure legal provisions, shrouded in secrecy, or allegedly unknown even to Special Operations Command.The command, known as SOCOM, will only name half the countries where its forces were active in 2020. It claims that its personnel — Navy SEALs,...…Members of the U.S. special operations forces deployed to 154 countries, or roughly 80 percent of the world’s nations, last year, but information about exactly where elite forces conduct missions, under what authorities they operate, who they’ve killed, and whether they’re adhering to the laws of armed conflict is closely guarded, buried in obscure legal provisions, shrouded in secrecy, or allegedly unknown even to Special Operations Command.The command, known as SOCOM, will only name half the countries where its forces were active in 2020. It claims that its personnel — Navy SEALs,...WW…

, Last month, two progressive members of Congress sent President-elect Joe Biden a requesting that he commit to nominating a secretary of defense with no previous ties to weapons manufacturers. The letter, from Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisc., and Rep. Barbara Lee D-Calif., cited President Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary Mark Esper — a former lobbyist for Raytheon, one the country’s largest defense contractors — and called on Biden to adopt a different standard and find a nominee with “no prior employment history with a defense contractor.”But on Tuesday, Biden announced that he will nominate...…, Last month, two progressive members of Congress sent President-elect Joe Biden a requesting that he commit to nominating a secretary of defense with no previous ties to weapons manufacturers. The letter, from Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisc., and Rep. Barbara Lee D-Calif., cited President Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary Mark Esper — a former lobbyist for Raytheon, one the country’s largest defense contractors — and called on Biden to adopt a different standard and find a nominee with “no prior employment history with a defense contractor.”But on Tuesday, Biden announced that he will nominate...WW…

, An American working for the CIA died this week of injuries from a terrorist attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, according to two people with knowledge of the attack. He is the first American known to be killed as a result of violence in the capital since the disastrous 1993 Black Hawk Down battle.Michael Goodboe, a 54-year-old former Navy SEAL who worked for the CIA’s paramilitary unit, died after succumbing to injuries from an improvised explosive device, according to the two sources. The two sources requested anonymity because of the sensitivity around the attack and because they...…, An American working for the CIA died this week of injuries from a terrorist attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, according to two people with knowledge of the attack. He is the first American known to be killed as a result of violence in the capital since the disastrous 1993 Black Hawk Down battle.Michael Goodboe, a 54-year-old former Navy SEAL who worked for the CIA’s paramilitary unit, died after succumbing to injuries from an improvised explosive device, according to the two sources. The two sources requested anonymity because of the sensitivity around the attack and because they...WW…

After four years of Trumpian national security policy that was, by turns, assailed as “,” “,” “,” and “,” the conventional wisdom says that the incoming Biden administration will pursue conventional American statecraft akin to the Obama White House.President-elect Joe Biden’s first picks for senior national security posts — Antony Blinken as secretary of state, Jake Sullivan as national security adviser, and Avril Haines as director of national intelligence — served in the Obama administration and are now being hailed as the sort of steady hands that America needs after the chaotic Trump...…After four years of Trumpian national security policy that was, by turns, assailed as “,” “,” “,” and “,” the conventional wisdom says that the incoming Biden administration will pursue conventional American statecraft akin to the Obama White House.President-elect Joe Biden’s first picks for senior national security posts — Antony Blinken as secretary of state, Jake Sullivan as national security adviser, and Avril Haines as director of national intelligence — served in the Obama administration and are now being hailed as the sort of steady hands that America needs after the chaotic Trump...WW…

In the face of protests composed largely of young people, the presence of America’s military on the streets of major cities has been a  development. But this isn’t the first time that Generation Z — those born after 1996 — has popped up on the Pentagon’s radar.Documents obtained by The Intercept via the Freedom of Information Act reveal that a Pentagon war game, called the 2018 Joint Land, Air and Sea Strategic Special Program, or JLASS, offered a scenario in which members of Generation Z, driven by malaise and discontent, launch a “Zbellion” in America in the...…In the face of protests composed largely of young people, the presence of America’s military on the streets of major cities has been a  development. But this isn’t the first time that Generation Z — those born after 1996 — has popped up on the Pentagon’s radar.Documents obtained by The Intercept via the Freedom of Information Act reveal that a Pentagon war game, called the 2018 Joint Land, Air and Sea Strategic Special Program, or JLASS, offered a scenario in which members of Generation Z, driven by malaise and discontent, launch a “Zbellion” in America in the...WW…

Read full articleEven as Asia, Europe and North America battle to keep the spread of coronavirus under control, public health officials are raising the alarm that infection rates in Africa could soon boom, while also undermining international efforts to end the pandemic.So far, African countries have been spared the high death tolls seen in Italy, Spain, and the U.S., but officials are bracing for the worst in the coming weeks. Many are concerned that as cases increase, COVID-19 will make its way to vulnerable populations in war zones, slums and sprawling refugee camps across the...…Read full articleEven as Asia, Europe and North America battle to keep the spread of coronavirus under control, public health officials are raising the alarm that infection rates in Africa could soon boom, while also undermining international efforts to end the pandemic.So far, African countries have been spared the high death tolls seen in Italy, Spain, and the U.S., but officials are bracing for the worst in the coming weeks. Many are concerned that as cases increase, COVID-19 will make its way to vulnerable populations in war zones, slums and sprawling refugee camps across the...WW…

Almost since the moment he issued guidelines for combatting Covid-19 through social distancing, in mid-March, President Donald Trump has been . This week, his push has reached a fever pitch as right-wing demonstrators took to the streets – from to , , , , , and – in protest (and defiance) of stay-at-home orders.On Wednesday, Trump, who had previously said that decisions about “rejuvenating the economy” will focus on protecting “,” announced: “You already know we’ll be opening up states, some states much sooner than others, and we think some of the states can actually open up before the...…Almost since the moment he issued guidelines for combatting Covid-19 through social distancing, in mid-March, President Donald Trump has been . This week, his push has reached a fever pitch as right-wing demonstrators took to the streets – from to , , , , , and – in protest (and defiance) of stay-at-home orders.On Wednesday, Trump, who had previously said that decisions about “rejuvenating the economy” will focus on protecting “,” announced: “You already know we’ll be opening up states, some states much sooner than others, and we think some of the states can actually open up before the...WW…

In the first four months of this year, U.S. Africa Command has conducted more airstrikes in Somalia than it did during all of Barack Obama’s eight years in office.The massive escalation of America’s undeclared war in Somalia comes as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly appealed for a . “There should be only one fight in our world today, our shared battle against Covid-19,” he reiterated on April 3. “We must mobilize every ounce of energy to defeat it.”That same day, AFRICOM conducted an “airstrike targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in the vicinity of Bush Madina, Somalia,”...…In the first four months of this year, U.S. Africa Command has conducted more airstrikes in Somalia than it did during all of Barack Obama’s eight years in office.The massive escalation of America’s undeclared war in Somalia comes as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly appealed for a . “There should be only one fight in our world today, our shared battle against Covid-19,” he reiterated on April 3. “We must mobilize every ounce of energy to defeat it.”That same day, AFRICOM conducted an “airstrike targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in the vicinity of Bush Madina, Somalia,”...WW…

More than 240,000 people worldwide have already died of Covid-19, and before the pandemic finishes, it could kill hundreds of thousands, even millions, more. But the final toll is destined to be far higher than just those who die of Covid-19. Experts warn that deaths from secondary impacts – poverty, hunger, diseases, and violence exacerbated by the pandemic – may dwarf the number of those who die of the coronavirus itself.A new analysis by researchers from King’s College London and Australian National University, under the aegis of the United Nations University World Institute for...…More than 240,000 people worldwide have already died of Covid-19, and before the pandemic finishes, it could kill hundreds of thousands, even millions, more. But the final toll is destined to be far higher than just those who die of Covid-19. Experts warn that deaths from secondary impacts – poverty, hunger, diseases, and violence exacerbated by the pandemic – may dwarf the number of those who die of the coronavirus itself.A new analysis by researchers from King’s College London and Australian National University, under the aegis of the United Nations University World Institute for...WW…