Tom Bowman

Friction Among Afghans A Threat To Post-U.S. Mission

Tom Bowman — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 07:20:00 +0000

The Afghan farmer in Panjwai District, outside the southern city of Kandahar, is finally fed up with the Taliban.

His name is Abdullah Razik. He's slight, with a trim beard and a dark green shirt that falls below his knees.

The Taliban plant roadside bombs in his fields, he says, and shoot near his house. The area is one of the most dangerous in Afghanistan — the birthplace of the Taliban.

Not long ago, something worse happened, Razik says.

"My friend ... lost his hand," he says.

U.S. Worries Afghan Forces Will Divide Along Ethnic Lines

Tom Bowman — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:11:00 +0000

The American combat mission in Afghanistan will end in 2014. One concern for U.S. officials is the possibility that Afghan security forces will splinter along ethnic lines. The worry then is that those troops will start taking orders from warlords.

With U.S. Forces On Their Way Out, Afghans Take The Lead

Tom Bowman — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 07:47:00 +0000

There's just a sliver of light in the eastern sky as the patrol leaves the American compound through a thick metal door.

They scamper across Highway 2, a narrow asphalt road that leads to Kabul, just an hour's drive away — if not for the war. They cross an old graveyard and head toward the silhouette of a tree line, all seen through the eerie green glow of night-vision goggles.

They are heading to the village of Kasan, less than a mile away in the darkness. Taliban fighters cross the nearby mountain passes at night, slip into the villages and plan attacks that target Kabul.

As The Clock Ticks, U.S. Forces Scale Back Afghan Goals

Tom Bowman — Thu, 30 May 2013 17:33:00 +0000

As the American military winds down its efforts in Afghanistan, grand plans for nation building are giving way to limited, practical steps: building up the Afghan forces and denying the Taliban key terrain, especially the approaches to Kabul.

About an hour south of the capital Kabul, one Green Beret team returned to a village where American forces had pulled out.

Lt. Col. Brad Moses, who was in the Sayed Abad district four years ago, wandered around the government center and expressed disappointment at the scene.

Glass is shattered at some buildings. The roof of one has caved in.

Service Members Observe Memorial Day Through Sweat And Tears

Tom Bowman — Mon, 27 May 2013 17:55:00 +0000

At Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, Staff Sgt. Michael Johnson exercises under a long, steel framework set on a wooden platform. It looks like a giant jungle gym. Above his head are pull-up bars and rings. A climbing rope is off to one side.

It's here where he and dozens of other soldiers and sailors will remember the fallen, just after sunrise, on Memorial Day. They'll all take part in a grueling exercise regimen, part of CrossFit, the popular high-intensity workout program.

"This one specifically — the Memorial Day Murph — is to honor Lt.

U.S. Diplomat Reports Little Help During Benghazi Attacks

Tom Bowman — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:50:00 +0000

A congressional committee on Wednesday heard testimony from three witnesses about the events that led to deaths of four Americans at Benghazi in September, 2012. The Benghazi attack has become a political controversy — Republicans accuse the Obama administration of mishandling security there and of misleading the American public after the attack. One new allegation: that a four-person team set to deploy to Benghazi the night of the attack was told not to go.

From Battlefield To Boston: Marine Comforts Bombing Survivors

Tom Bowman — Fri, 03 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy_LNYR-MiI

U.S. Faces Fight At Intersection Of Crime And Extremism

Tom Bowman — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:20:00 +0000

A suspected drug kingpin from the tiny West African nation of Guinea-Bissau was captured on the high seas by agents from the U.S.

Pressure Builds On White House To Intervene In Syria

Tom Bowman — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:47:00 +0000

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish. The White House tried to clarify its message on Syria today, saying it is still studying evidence that the government there has used chemical weapons. Here's press secretary Jay Carney.

JAY CARNEY: We are continuing to work to build on the assessments made by the intelligence community.

With Eye On Budget, Hagel Seeks Pentagon Changes

Tom Bowman — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:02:00 +0000

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, in his first major policy speech, laid out Wednesday how to deal with threats in an era of tight defense budgets.

Hagel has ordered the Pentagon to take a hard look at how many soldiers and sailors it needs and what types of weapons it buys.

U.S. Flies B-2 Stealth Bombers Over South Korea Amid Escalating Tensions With The North

Tom Bowman — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:33:00 +0000

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

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ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel.

The United States flew two B-2 stealth bombers over South Korea today and dropped dummy munitions on an island range. The drill called Foal Eagle was part of joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea. It comes at a time of heightened tensions on the peninsula. Just last month, North Korea completed its third nuclear test. And in recent weeks, the North's new leader has repeatedly threatened the U.S.

As Qualified Men Dwindle, Military Looks For A Few Good Women

Tom Bowman — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:02:00 +0000

When the Pentagon said earlier this year that it would open ground combat jobs to women, it was cast in terms of giving women equal opportunities in the workplace — the military workplace.

But the move has practical considerations, too. The military needs qualified people to fill its ranks, and it's increasingly harder to find them among men.

"It's fairly common knowledge that our population of military-age young men, who qualify for the military, is declining," Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen.

U.S. To Boost Missile Defense Amid Threats From North Korea

Tom Bowman — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:39:00 +0000

The Pentagon announced plans on Friday to beef up missile defense along the West Coast, in part to defend against the threat from North Korea. The Pentagon plans on adding 14 interceptor missiles to a base in Alaska, supplementing the 30 that are already there.

U.S. Troops Train For Possible Mission To Secure Syrian Chemical Agents

Tom Bowman — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:16:00 +0000

Several weeks ago, Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said the U.S. is planning what to do about Syria's vast chemical weapons program once Bashar Assad's regime falls. The Syrians are believed to have hundreds of tons of chemical agents, including sarin, one of the deadliest chemical agents.

Pentagon Won't Feel Most Of Sequester's Effects Until Summer

Tom Bowman — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:01:00 +0000

Transcript

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This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

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$46 billion: That's the amount the Pentagon must cut from its budget by the end of September under the new regime of austerity that kicks in today.

As Sequestration Looms, Defense Civilians Face Furloughs

Tom Bowman — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:12:00 +0000

Pentagon officials notified Congress on Wednesday that they will furlough some 800,000 defense civilians for one day per week should automatic budget cuts, known as sequestration, kick in next month.

Gen. John Allen To Retire, Not Pursue NATO Commander Nomination

Tom Bowman — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:24:00 +0000

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MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block. The Marine general poised to lead all NATO forces has decided to resign. General John Allen served 38 years in the military, including as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. But his long career will also be remembered for his peripheral role in a recent scandal. Here's NPR's Tom Bowman.

TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: General Allen said in a statement his reasons for retiring were personal.

Obama To Announce Withdrawal Of 34,000 U.S. Troops From Afghanistan

Tom Bowman — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:28:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

The U.S. will bring home 34,000 troops from Afghanistan by this time next year. President Obama is expected to announce the news tonight in his State of the Union address. That will cut the force in half and set the stage for the pullout of most of the remaining U.S. troops by the end of 2014. The drawdown from Afghanistan is just one of several developments today on Capitol Hill that will have a big impact on the Pentagon.

And NPR's Tom Bowman joins me now to walk us through them. Tom, 34,000 troops out of Afghanistan in a year.

Republicans Criticize Pentagon's Response To Attack On U.S. Consulate In Benghazi

Tom Bowman — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:28:00 +0000

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta testified before a Senate committee Thursday about the September attack in Benghazi that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans. Panetta was questioned about whether the U.S. response was fast enough and about why the U.S. military had not been better prepared for the possibility of an attack.

Pentagon Will Brief Congress On Deadly Sept. 14 Camp Bastion Attack

Tom Bowman — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:09:00 +0000

More than four months after a deadly attack at a sprawling allied base in Afghanistan that killed two U.S. Marines, there are lingering questions about how it happened.

Capitol Hill sources say they've been pressing for answers since the Sept. 14^th attack in Helmand Province, and say the military has not been forthcoming.

Pentagon Remains Big Target In Likely Budget Cuts

Tom Bowman — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:02:00 +0000

The economy shrunk in the fourth quarter — for the first time in three years — and one of the critical reasons was a drop in defense spending. Apparently, contractors took precautionary steps and held onto money in case the federal government failed to avert the fiscal and tax crisis known as the fiscal cliff.

But there's now a new deadline — automatic budget cuts, known as sequestration, which may hit at the beginning of March.

The Effect On Contractors

Kevin Graybeal sells components for electronic systems.

Hagel Grilled By Fellow Republicans At Conformation Hearing

Tom Bowman — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:59:00 +0000

Transcript

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President Obama's nominee to lead the Pentagon spent the day getting grilled by his former colleagues in the Senate. Chuck Hagel is a Republican and President Obama picked him in part as a gesture to the GOP. But today's hearing did not feature a lot of bipartisan warmth.

U.S. Military Seeks Its Role In Troubled North Africa

Tom Bowman — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:28:00 +0000

The recent crises in northern Africa, from Libya to Mali to Algeria, have raised a host of questions about the role of the American military command responsible for the entire continent.

Founded in 2007, the United States Africa Command, or AFRICOM, was created to train African militaries so U.S. troops would not be called upon in times of crisis.

But the command was controversial from day one. When President George W. Bush visited Ghana in 2008, the command was barely up and running. During that visit, Ghanaian President John Kufuor told Bush bluntly that he would not allow the U.S.

How Many U.S. Forces Will Afghan Mission Need After 2014?

Tom Bowman — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 10:39:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Those decisions about U.S. troop levels will have an impact on the lives of people in Afghanistan, especially in places where the Taliban insurgency remains active, like Kandahar. Kandahar is, of course, the birthplace of the Taliban movement. And to find out more about what Afghans are thinking about the U.S.

Islamist Militant Groups On The Rise In Africa

Tom Bowman — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Robert Siegel talks to Ofeibea Quist-Arcton and Tom Bowman about the U.S. fight against terrorism in Africa, where the number of Islamist militant groups is on the rise — some with close ties to al-Qaida.

U.S. Military Builds Up Its Presence In Africa

Tom Bowman — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 09:41:00 +0000

An Army brigade from Fort Riley, Kan., some 4,000, soldiers, will begin helping to train African militaries. The idea is to help African troops beat back a growing terrorist threat posed by al-Qaida.

The American troops will head over in small teams over the course of the next year. The Dagger Brigade returned to Kansas last year from a deployment to Iraq, where it trained and advised that country's security forces.

Now unit commander Col. Jeff Broadwater is preparing to do the same kind of mission but in a different place.

Hagel Would Be First Former Enlisted Soldier To Run Pentagon

Tom Bowman — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 21:29:00 +0000

Former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is said to be on President Obama's short list to be the next defense secretary.

U.S. Officials: Syria Has Prepared Several Dozen Chemical Bombs

Tom Bowman — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:41:00 +0000

U.S. and allied officials say the forces of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad have prepared several dozen bombs and shells loaded with the lethal chemical sarin.

The number is a larger estimate than has previously been reported.

Syrian Government Harbors Tons Of Chemical Agents

Tom Bowman — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:05:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

More now on those warnings to President Assad that Kelly mentioned about chemical weapons. Here's President Obama speaking yesterday.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Today I want to make it absolutely clear to Assad and those under his command, the world is watching. The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable. And if you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons, there will be consequences and you will be held accountable.

BLOCK: That's the president yesterday at the National Defense University. The warning came after the U.S.

Farewell, USS Enterprise

Tom Bowman — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:43:00 +0000

Sailors, veterans and their families are saying goodbye in Norfolk, Va., on Saturday to the USS Enterprise, which was the largest ship in the world and the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier when it was commissioned in 1961.

In its illustrious history, the Enterprise served at the center of international events for a half-century — from the Cuban missile crisis to Vietnam to the Iraq War.

And it had a distinguished Hollywood career as well, playing a leading role in the 1986 film Top Gun, which starred Tom Cruise as a young naval aviator.

When the Enterprise slipped into the