Military

Scaled-back defense goals and spending could quickly prove troublesome if some incident shakes the nation.

Wars' painful legacies, from Pearl Harbor to Afghanistan

Posted Tue, Dec 6, 2 a.m.

A World War II fighter, George McGovern, who suffered a fall last week, went on to run for president as a peace candidate. He's stayed active in large part because he worries about the young people who are still being sent off to war.

Finding ways to bring our veterans back home

Posted Fri, Nov 11, 2 a.m.

Half a year after Gen. Peter Chiarelli told a packed audience at the UW that Seattle must take specific steps to help veterans cope with the lingering trauma of military service, how are we doing?

Umatilla chemical weapons: end of a nightmare

Posted Tue, Oct 11, 11:45 a.m.

By John Stang

An international treaty has driven the destruction of deadly chemical weapons that had been stored near the Oregon community. Children in nearby counties no longer have to practice for the kind of disaster Saddam Hussein would have loved to inflict.

Radioactive Ranch: How Hanford's history reflects the West

Posted Wed, Sep 21, 2 a.m.

By Knute Berger

A new history of Hanford tells us about the motives, contradictions, and influences that shaped the "nuclear reservation" that has changed lives and re-shaped the world.

Remembering 9-11, and its two kinds of fear

Posted Thu, Sep 8, 2 a.m.

By Anthony B. Robinson

One reaction was life-giving and community-making. The other, which replaced that first fear, was suspicious and divisive.

Compassion 2011? King County gives landslide approval to vets levy

Posted Fri, Aug 19, 2 a.m.

Pessimism about today's economy proved no barrier to King County voters from saying 'yes' to the 2011 Veterans and Human Services Levy on Tuesday. The measure received a larger percentage than in a 2005 vote.

How a local levy, up for renewal on Aug. 16, has helped struggling veterans

Posted Fri, Jul 29, 2 a.m.

Proposition 1, to renew the King County Veterans and Human Services Levy, is on voter ballots mailed this week. Veterans using resources from the 2005 levy have poignant stories to tell.

How Obama morphed into George Bush III

Posted Wed, Jul 13, 2 a.m.

By John Carlson

Progressives denounced everything George W. Bush was doing in the Middle East, Iraq, and Guantanamo. Now, President Obama has adopted very similar policies.

Gen. Chiarelli asks Seattle: What are we going to do about vets?

Posted Thu, May 12, 2 a.m.

Gen. Peter Chiarelli told a UW town hall that our region needs a central point of contact to link local veterans organizations, reach out to service members, and confront the stigma of mental illness.

What will alarm Americans about nuclear weapons?

Posted Fri, Apr 29, 2 a.m.

By Joe Copeland

U.S. citizens may need a jolt of fear, and the threat of terrorism has galvanized some former U.S. leaders. But worldwide, some peace groups see hope in more positive visions of nuclear abolition, and they want President Obama to do more than talk.

Why a Seattle church takes up the cause of a Guantanamo detainee

Posted Tue, Apr 26, 2 a.m.

By Pete Jackson

Adnan Latif, who suffers from mental health issues, was once cleared for release from Guantanamo. But he remains trapped by bizarre circumstances and political pressures.

Slavery? Here?

Posted Mon, Jan 17, 2 a.m.

By Knute Berger

As the Civil War reaches its 150th anniversary, it's time to reflect on the impact of that era on the Pacific Northwest, and how political battles over slavery, secession, and states' rights were fought not just back East, but in the Rain Belt too.

WikiLeaks: A gusher of information for no apparent public purpose

Posted Sat, Dec 4, 3 a.m.

The latest destructive flood of WikiLeaks looks like a chance for Julian Assange to grab the spotlight.

Veterans Day: A time for honoring troops and questioning leaders

Posted Thu, Nov 11, 2 a.m.

We have returned to our tradition of honoring our service men and women. But the best way to honor their service is to think carefully before committing them to battle.

Boeing should make amends for its link to CIA torture case

Posted Thu, Oct 14, 2 a.m.

By Pete Jackson

Plaintiffs in the case say Boeing jets were used to transport prisoners for interrogation. As the case winds through the federal appeals process, can the company continue hiding behind the argument that it was merely carrying out a client's wishes?

International troublespots bedevil U.S. elections

Posted Thu, Sep 2, 2 a.m.

Iraq and Afghanistan are making headlines this week, but North Korea and Pakistan present growing foreign-policy concerns. Here's a survey, and a chastened hope that matters just don't get worse.

Obama administration zealous about stopping wrong leaks

Posted Thu, Jun 17, 3 p.m.

By Kenneth F. Bunting

When President Obama's team should be solely focused on Gulf oil pollution, it's worrying about leaks to the press. It's going after the whistleblowers who protect society, not hurt it.

Humor: Domestic approach needed for Taliban talks

Posted Sun, May 30, midnight

By Steve Clifford

Is it possible to talk with the Taliban? Certainly, if you just apply the techniques I use to communicate with my spouse.