U.S. Boots Hit Ground in Israel as Threat from Iran Looms

American Troops

U.S. servicemembers arrived in Israel on Monday amid the country’s chaotic multifront war with various actors in the region, and more troops will arrive soon, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

The Pentagon previously announced on Sunday that the troops would be deployed to the Middle East along with a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile battery system, meant to help Israel defend itself against potential aerial attacks against missile attacks from Iran. The approximately 100 troops that arrived on Monday will help operate the THAAD system, though the Pentagon wouldn’t say when it would be operational, given the sensitive security nature of the situation.

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Afghan Refugee Waived into U.S. by Biden Charged with Plotting Election Day Terror Attack

An Afghan national let into the United States by the Biden administration immediately after the bungled withdrawal of American troops from his country was charged Tuesday in federal court with plotting an Election Day terror attack in support of the Islamic State (ISIS).

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Commentary: American Achilles in the War on Terror

Military Soldiers

Professor Emily Wilson has achieved celebrity status … for translating Homer.

University students use her work, and it draws leisure readers as well. Beginning with her translation of the Odyssey in 2018 and continuing with the Iliad earlier this year, Wilson has presented as fresh and vivid material that is, admittedly, old and foreign.

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Number of Troops Dying from Fentanyl More than Doubles

The number of American troops dying from fentanyl more than doubled between 2017 and 2021, according to Department of Defense (DOD) data released Wednesday.

The data show that fentanyl was to blame for 54 overdose deaths in 2021, which account for 88% of drug deaths that year, according to DOD’s response to a bipartisan congressional inquiry. The number is a staggering increase from the 22 overdose deaths caused by fentanyl in 2017.

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American Troops in Ukraine to Track Billions of Donated Weapons

The U.S. has troops on the ground conducting inspections and tracking the final destination of U.S.-provided weapons, a defense official confirmed Monday.

A contingent under the Defense attache and the Office of Defense Cooperation teams operating out of the embassy in Kyiv have initiated what are called “end-use” inspections to ensure some of the $17 billion in weapons the U.S. has provided to Ukraine are accounted for, the official, who spoke on a the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said at a press briefing Monday. The personnel monitor weapons stocks “whenever and wherever the security conditions allow” inside of Ukraine, far from the front lines where Ukrainian troops remain heavily reliant on U.S.-provided arms assistance.

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Senators Break Stalemate, Reach Deal on Capitol Police Funding Bill

US Capitol Police at The Supreme Court

Senators reached a bipartisan deal Tuesday on a $2.1 billion spending bill to fund the Capitol Police, National Guard, congressional security upgrades and resettlement of Afghans who risked their lives to help American troops.

The deal was brokered by Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Republican Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the top members of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The two had been at odds for weeks over how big the bill should be, even as the Capitol Police and National Guard warned that they could run out of money in the coming weeks.

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