China makes moves on the Arctic with milestone icebreaking mission

A major milestone was achieved in China’s long-term Arctic strategy last week when a Chinese icebreaker successfully navigated the Northwest Passage. This passage through Arctic waters is seen as one of the first steps in establishing a Chinese presence in the resource-rich region of the Arctic. Snow Dragon, China’s lone icebreaker, became the first Chinese […]

Russia’s unreliable aircraft carrier just had its refit budget slashed in half

The Russian military is often touted as among the most powerful in the world, and in a number of ways, it truly is, however, it remains woefully behind other developed nations on the global stage in one important regard; its aging aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov.  Now, as a result of fiscal limitations that may […]

Austrian elections and why we should care

Vienna—The ballots have been sealed. The conservative ÖVP won the Austrian legislative election with 32%.  The socialist SPÖ, with 26.9% and right-wing FPÖ, with 26%, contest for second place.  Final results will be announced on Thursday. But it matters not since the ÖVP and FPÖ will be most likely forming a right-leaning coalition with Sebastian […]

Russia refuses to explain secret device NASA spotted on their ISS resupply mission

Despite heightening tensions here on Earth, the United States has long enjoyed a cooperative relationship with Russia when it comes to space.  In fact, all five space fairing organizations involved in orbital operations within the International Space Station maintain open lines of communication regarding everything that reaches the man-made island of habitability high above the […]

Russia Says U.S., NATO Broke Peace Deal, Threatens Response

The United States announced on Thursday that they are moving the 2nd Cavalry Regiment to a Polish outpost in an attempt to bolster allied nations against what they see is a military threat from Russia. However, the Russians have accused both the US and NATO of violating a peace treaty between it and NATO and […]

Secretary of Defense James Mattis releases plans to counter global threats

American Secretary of Defense James Mattis released a force wide memo late last week, underscoring the importance of bringing America’s military back into a state of readiness, while also emphasizing the importance of alliance building and business reform in the Department of Defense. Mattis, who echoed these sentiments in a speech he delivered on Monday, […]

Mattis lays out challenges, solutions facing America’s military in the years to come

American Secretary of Defense James Mattis spoke before the U.S. Army Exposition on Building Readiness in Washington, D.C. on Monday, taking the opportunity to address a number of concerns faced by America’s soldier and civilian populations alike. The storied former Marine general turned Defense Secretary began by emphasizing something that has been a common trend […]

Russian Defense Ministry accuses US of ‘pretending’ to fight ISIS to sabotage Syria

Relations between the United States and Russia continued to publicly degrade on Tuesday, as a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry accused the United States of only pretending to fight the Islamic State in Iraq, while intentionally permitting their forces to funnel into Syria where they are engaged with Russian-backed Syrian forces. Everyone sees that […]

Propaganda is everywhere: Why Americans are susceptible to Russian meddling

Thanks to the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election, there’s been an increased focus on just how things like social media can be used to affect the mindset of your average American voter.  While some have taken a decisive stand regarding the subject, stating outright that foreign efforts to influence an […]