National Security

U.S. Grapples With Two New Setbacks In Syrian Civil War

6:14am October 20, 2015

by Tom Bowman

The U.S. faces two setbacks in the Syrian civil war — a failed effort to train rebels and an increase in Russian aid to the Syrian regime. NPR reports on the Russian fighter jets currently in Syria.

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Chief Investigator Says Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Shouldn't Be Sent To Prison

6:14am October 20, 2015

by Wade Goodwyn

The chief investigator into the actions of Army Sgt. Bergdahl testified Friday that Bergdahl was not a cowardly deserter, but he left his unit to draw attention to the platoon's poor leadership.

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Inside a nondescript building at Los Alamos National Laboratory known as TA-66, nuclear weapons inspectors are carefully trained in the detection of plutonium.

How Do You Find Plutonium? Go To Nuclear Inspector School

12:58pm October 19, 2015

by Geoff Brumfiel

A nuclear agreement with Iran hinges on the work of nuclear inspectors. Here's a close-up look at how they train to do their job.

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A U.S. Policy Shift In Afghanistan — And What It Means For The Future

5:06pm October 17, 2015

Michel Martin speaks with Abderrahim Foukara, the Washington bureau chief for Al-Jazeera Arabic, about President Obama's plan to leave 5,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump, left speaks at a Republican presidential debate last month, as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush listens.

'Pathetic' — Trump, Bush Spar Over 9/11. Maybe Neither Will Be The Nominee

11:47am October 17, 2015

by Domenico Montanaro

Donald Trump implied George W. Bush shared in the blame for Sept. 11, and then Trump and Jeb Bush fought about it on Twitter. But both candidates have big vulnerabilities.

National

After 14 Years, U.S. To Release Guantanamo Detainee

8:26am October 17, 2015

by Leila Fadel

A new campaign in the U.K. is demanding Shaker Aamer's freedom. Aamer has been held in Guantanamo Bay for 14 years. He's a Saudi citizen and was a long-time British resident.

National

Former Fox News Pundit Is Arrested, Charged With Fabricating A CIA Past

7:01pm October 16, 2015

by Alexandra Starr

Federal prosecutors say Wayne Simmons claimed to be retired from a long CIA career and parlayed his bogus credentials into work as an intelligence adviser to senior U.S. military personnel overseas.

Week In Politics: U.S. Troops In Afghanistan, Democratic Presidential Debate

6:01pm October 16, 2015

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with our regular political commentators E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution and David Brooks of The New York Times. They discuss President Obama's decision to delay the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and break down the first Democratic presidential debate.

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National

New Documents Call The U.S. Drone Program Into Question

6:00pm October 16, 2015

NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with Jeremy Scahill about his article in The Intercept, which reveals secret leaked documents regarding America's "targeted killings" using drones.

Violence Escalates In Afghanistan As The Taliban, ISIS Fight Over Turf

5:14pm October 16, 2015

NPR's Audie Cornish talks to New York Times reporter Mujib Mashal about the clashes between the Taliban and ISIS, and the struggles of Afghan civilians caught in the middle.