defense

Moving through the ranks of military activity including infrastructure, wars, our commander in chief and the nucleur arms race.

What Is the GRU (And Why We Should Be Very Afraid of It!)
Back in the 1980s, the West was terrified of two Soviet intelligence agencies. The first was the KGB, who ran spy rings and handled internal security (especially the border police and the gulags). It was effective but something of a blunt instrument. Even inside Russia its name was sometimes jokingly translated as Kontora Grubykh Banditov or “Office of Crude Bandits.” The KGB's main job was preserving the USSR by suppressing dissent and gathering information about foreign threats. It had a pretty merciless reputation and much of its impact came from a widespread belief that it was always watching.
By Dominic Foster7 years ago in The Swamp
How Likely Is War with North Korea?
As you've seen on the news, the North Korean administration is getting itself lots of attention in the Western world. Threat of war looms over us, and Trump acts as a catalyst, returning verbal fire and increasing UN sanctions on the country. But threats are one thing, total war is another. So how likely is that to happen?
By Patrick Wilson8 years ago in The Swamp
Russia Defeats ISIS in Syria
A Russian coalition consisting of Syrian forces and their allies took over the last ISIS stronghold in Syria, the city of Abu-Kemal. The flags of Syria and Russia as a sign of their defeat of the last remnant of the ISIS forces in the country of Syria.
By Mike Johnson8 years ago in The Swamp
Nuclear Disarmament: Not Just For Hippies Anymore
What comes to mind when someone looks at a peace symbol? I grew up believing that the peace sign was evil, that it was the Wiccan symbol of a broken cross. I was seventeen-years-old before I discovered that the peace symbol was actually "created in 1958 by a British artist as part of the campaign for Nuclear Disarmament” (huffingtonpost.com). Despite my earlier misconceptions of what the peace symbol meant, I grew to understand and agree with what the peace symbol stands for.
By Isabella Banner8 years ago in The Swamp
Paris Reels as Another Attack Hits France
Levallois-Perret, France, is the most densely-populated town in Europe (per Wikipedia) and while the town usually enjoys picturesque views and moderate temperatures, this morning (August 9), it became the newest site of what appears to be a terror attack in France.
By Christina St-Jean8 years ago in The Swamp
The Conflicts Waged In the Name of War
History is an invaluable tool. For it tells us of the mistakes made in the past so as to not repeat those same mistakes. Yet, our leaders have continually failed to head the lessons that history is supposed to teach us. The present Administration is again repeating history. We have to remember that the last time the United States declared war was in 1941. The conflicts waged in the name of war from Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq were never sanctioned by the Congress. These conflicts disguised as wars were designed as tools to increase the profitability of the Military Industrial Complex, certain politicians, and major corporations.
By Dr. Williams9 years ago in The Swamp
Imperialism in the Modern Age
In recent years the overt undertaking of wars and attacks to undermine states and expand a nation's power and influence had become all the more obvious. We could argue that the deliberate expansion of a nation's power and seizing of resources has never really been off the agenda since colonialism. The cold war and domino theory prove that the larger powers, such as the US, cannot accept another nation adopting an ideology that counters their own. Vietnam is one major example that demonstrates this point.
By Jack Gardner9 years ago in The Swamp
Libertarians
I know, I know. You’re probably picturing some country whack-job in flannel in front of a pile of MRE’s and ammunition. Well, that is a bullshit image that the media paints of Libertarianism the same way they painted Bernie supporters as entitled whiny brats. We are not Republicans in any sense of the word. Nor do we support racism, religious ideology, or legislated morality. The only thing that we even remotely agree with Republicans on is cutting spending, but for much different reasons. We are also not anarchists. At least not all of us. The phrase is “Minarchism,” which is the idea of only having a government big enough to provide the rights and structure allowed by our Constitution. So, here is a break-down of what I believe, and why in the hopes that even if you don’t agree you can see where I am coming from.
By Mickey Finn9 years ago in The Swamp
The Deadliest Tweet
Forget about "the Russian thing" for just a moment. Although the subject matter here is derived from the cloud that revolves around the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, there is now even bigger cause of concern due to the President's reaction to circumstances he alone is responsible for.
By Matt Nappo9 years ago in The Swamp
This Fictional Memo to the President from 1989 Predicted Terrorism in the US. Top Story - June 2017.
Editor's Note from Omni, 1989: On my corner, the drug guys hang out cracking (which in this context means trading insults) until launched to the pay phone by their beeping pagers. Current fashion dictates that you clip these in the bottom crook of pants pockets.
By Natasha Sydor9 years ago in The Swamp
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Looks to Apologize to Vets Ousted For Being Gay
Once upon a time, it was believed that those who identified as homosexual were security risks. In fact, it was also believed that those people who were homosexual were criminals - a belief that wasn't put to rest until 1992 in Canada, when homosexuality was decriminalized. The DSM - widely considered a "bible" of sorts for psychologists and psychotherapists regarding mental disorders and conditions - even listed homosexuality in one form or another until 1987. Now, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is hoping to extend an apology to Canadian military personnel who may have been affected by what CTV News has termed a "gay purge." The only problem is, there's no clear indication as to how many have been affected by it.
By Christina St-Jean9 years ago in The Swamp
Black Republicans?!
Black Republicans are not a major topic in the mainstream media, and the reason for that is simple: to them, we don't exist. Black conservatives are largely kept out of sight and out of mind, and the few who do appear are vilified and lambasted by the mainstream media and their fellow African Americans. If black conservatism does come up in a discussion, it is mocked: caricatured as the humble slave doting on their powerful massa. We are a considered a group of people who willingly vote against our own interests and lay our necks under the heels of those who see us as lesser beings. But is this reality? Can black conservatives only exist if they forsake their values?
By Jasmine9 years ago in The Swamp