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.

Read the full story

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.

Read the full story

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.

Read the full story

Mexican Military Now Patrolling North of the Border, US Sovereignty Violated Repeatedly

by CHQ Staff   Our friend Daniel Horowitz of Conservative Review alerted us to this astonishing incident and prompted our further investigation. On April 13, at around 2 p.m. Central Time, a group of five or six suspected Mexican soldiers approached an unmarked vehicle of two U.S. soldiers stationed at the border in El Paso County, Texas, and ordered them out of the vehicle. According to Newsweek, which obtained the “serious incident report,” the soldiers were in fact active duty members of B Battery, 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, not from a National Guard unit. The Mexican soldiers disarmed one of the U.S. soldiers and placed his sidearm in the U.S. vehicle. While the soldiers were parked south of the border fence near Clint, Texas, they were north of the Rio Grande riverbed, which placed them “appropriately in U.S. territory,” according to Maj. Mark Lazane, a spokesman for NORTHCOM. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Defense (DOD), after inquiring of the Mexican government, were informed that the Mexican soldiers thought that the Americans were south of the border. “Throughout the incident, the U.S. soldiers followed all established procedures and protocols,” according to NORTHCOM. Horowitz says NORTHCOM…

Read the full story

Trump Calls Border Wall Negotiations ‘A Waste of Time’

by Carla Babb   President Donald Trump is calling bipartisan congressional talks over border wall funding a “waste of time.” In a White House interview with The New York Times Thursday, Trump again hinted he may declare a national emergency in order to bypass Congress and build the wall without its approval. “I’ll continue to build the wall and we’ll get the wall finished. Now whether or not I declare a national emergency, that you’ll see … I’ve set the table, I’ve set the stage for doing what I’m going to do.” Shutdown? National emergency? If there is no deal on border security in less than three weeks that Trump would sign, there could be another government shutdown. If Trump does declare a national emergency, Democrats who don’t want any money for a border wall will probably immediately challenge Trump in court. The president had strong words for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who has said many times that she will not agree to give Trump the $5.7 billion he wants for a wall. “I think Nancy Pelosi is hurting our country very badly by doing what she’s doing,” Trump said, adding that while he has always gotten along with her,…

Read the full story

Pentagon Is Sending Thousands of More Troops to the Southern Border

by Jason Hopkins   The Pentagon is sending several thousand more troops to the southwestern border, fulfilling a request made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Currently, there are about 2,300 troops stationed at the southwestern border. Pentagon officials revealed Tuesday that they will be deploying an additional 2,000 troops as part of the DHS’ request for the military to extend its mission there. Originally intended to last until Dec. 15, the military’s mission will now be extended to Sept. 30. The entire operation is estimated to cost $132 million by the end of January, and over $600 million by the close of the fiscal year in September. “We are supporting our federal partners on the border, and that mission has been extended until September,” stated Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jamie Davis. “We are currently sourcing the units involved and there will be an increase of a few thousand troops.” Beyond maintaining a troop presence, the Pentagon will also aid DHS officials with infrastructure development. Military troops will help set up more concertina wire and expand surveillance capabilities along the border. “Most recently DHS has asked us to support them in additional concertina wire and then expanded surveillance capability,…

Read the full story