#defense-policy

#defense-policy

The US military will stop its practice of shooting pigs and goats to help prepare medics for treating wounded troops in a combat zone, ending an exercise made obsolete by simulators that mimic battlefield injuries. The prohibition on live fire training that includes animals is part of this year's annual defense bill, although other uses of animals for wartime training will continue. The ban was championed by Vern Buchanan, a Republican congressman from Florida who often focuses on animal rights issues.

A provision in the "must-pass" National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill for 2026, released by lawmakers on Monday, requires the Secretary of Defense to "conduct a continual assessment of" the "impact on Israel's defense capabilities" from arms embargoes and other restrictions placed on arms exports to Israel. The department must then report on "resulting gaps or vulnerabilities in Israel's security posture" against "adversaries" like Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, the bill text says.

President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday unveiled a new program meant to bolster France's armed forces by training thousands of volunteers aged 18 and 19 starting next year, part of a broader response to concerns over Russia's threat to European nations beyond the war in Ukraine. The young volunteers will serve in uniform for 10 months in France's mainland and oversea territories only, not in military operations abroad, Macron said in a speech at the Varces military base, which is located in the French Alps.

The US president, who is in Japan on the second leg of a week-long tour of Asia, and Takaichi quickly signed an agreement laying out a framework to secure the mining and processing of rare earths and other minerals. The agreement follows China's recent decision to tighten export controls on the materials, which are crucial for a wide range of products.

Europe, the president of the European Commission declared, is engaged in a fight for a continent that is whole and at peace. Her analysis of the problem was pretty accurate. What is increasingly clear, however, is that the European Union is not the whole solution. The EU is good at many things. Being an effective defence organisation is not one of them.

Trump's pause on weapons provisions, if confirmed, included orders for lethal munitions and autonomous drones, but could still be reversed, the Washington Post reported on Friday. It came amid US efforts to negotiate a trade deal with China after a long and punishing trade war, and hours before Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping spoke on the phone on Friday. Trump said they had made productive progress on issues including trade, fentanyl and TikTok.

A controversial portrait of General Robert E Lee, which shows an enslaved man holding the Confederate leader's horse, is being returned to the library at West Point, according to Pentagon officials who spoke with the New York Times. The nearly 20ft canvas, which had hung in the US military academy since 1952, was removed following a 2020 law that ordered Confederate names and tributes to be stripped from military installations.

We discussed the F-35 issue. We made payments of $1.3 to $1.4 billion for the jets, and we saw that Mr. Trump was well-intentioned about delivering them,

Andreessen Horowitz' plan to push its agenda in Washington shows no sign of slowing down, with the firm reporting $1.49 million in federal lobbying so far this year, according to lobbying records filed with Congress. A16z is even narrowly outspending its own industry trade group, the National Venture Capital Association. The pace of lobbying appears to be accelerating from last year, according to a TechCrunch review of lobbying disclosures. A16z spent $1.8 million on lobbying in all of 2024 and $950,000 in 2023.

A country which throws rocks at us in trade shouldn't get a present.

The shark attack exercise involves numerous drill sergeants swarming individual recruits and yelling at them. It is a restoration of traditional training methods.

Iceland remains unique as the only NATO member without an army, relying on its Coast Guard for defense and a strong commitment to strengthen its defense policy.

The draft version of the fiscal 2026 defense policy bill mandates that the Pentagon create a database of all commercial vendors involved in clandestine military operations, aiming to enhance oversight and reduce counterintelligence risks.

We're going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. Defensive weapons, primarily, but they are getting hit very, very hard.

The military-spending dilemma in Europe is mischaracterized as a choice between military and social investments; historically, it is a choice between military and taxes.

"I think it is unequal to only conscript men," said Rosa Collet, 16. Collet, who describes herself as a feminist, opposes military conscription as a whole but believes that where it exists, it should include both men and women.

The purchase represents the biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation, marking a return to air-based nuclear strikes after nearly three decades.

Carney emphasized that Canada must confront a new reality in international relations, calling for a shift from values to strength, highlighted by significant defense spending increases.

This decision marks a calculated move to align with the administration's objectives by stripping significant names connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion from the military.

The Independent is dedicated to delivering comprehensive and unbiased reporting on crucial issues, ensuring that journalism remains accessible to all without financial barriers.

Col. Dustin Harmon stated, 'Minuteman III remains the bedrock of our nation's strategic deterrent, and the unwavering dedication of the Airmen who ensure its readiness is a testament to its inherent lethality.'

Hegseth's claim that the Women, Peace & Security program was a feminist initiative overlooks its bipartisan roots in legislation signed by Trump, recognizing women's roles in security.

That's it's astonishing, not surprising. Of course, they don't like the fact that we're ripping DEI out of the military and making it colorblind and merit-based.