Pentagon ends subsidy for venerable military newspaper Stars and Stripes

(Feb.  16) US Defense Secretary Mark Esper defended the Pentagon's decision to remove all federal funding of the military paper Stars and Stripes in its 2021 budget request. Esper told reporters in Brussels that the independent paper was not a priority.

Stars and Stripes not a priority

Esper claimed that the slightly more than $15.5 million for the paper needed to be used for other priority issues. Esper listed space, nuclear programs, hypersonic missiles as among places the money could be reinvested. However, $15.5 million is a minuscule amount within the Pentagon's total $705.4 billion budget request.

The funding enables the Stars and Stripes to be printed and distributed to US troops deployed around the world even in such areas as Afghanistan. Iraq, and Syria. It keeps the troops informed about what is going on.

Stars and Stripes funding

This is the first time that Pentagon officials have noted that their budget request has completely cut out the federal subsidy.

The newspaper receives about $8.7 million a year in operation and maintenance funds and another $6.9 million in contingency operations funds according to Marine Lt. Col. Chris Logan a spokesperson for Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist.

The subsidy is about half of the newspaper's annual budget. The other half of Stars and Stripes" revenue comes from sales, subscriptions, and advertising.

Last Monday on a briefing on the Pentagon's 2021 budget Comptroller Elaine McCusker confirmed that the subsidy to Stars and Stripes would be eliminated and said: “We have essentially decided that, you know, kind of coming into the modern age that newspaper is probably not the best way that we communicate any longer." However, it is not clear if the newspaper will be replaced by some other information source. No doubt some officials would like to see a propaganda outlet replace a respected independent news source but others may be content with there being no replacement.

Stars and Stripes

As described by Wikipedia Stars and Stripes is a US military newspaper that concentrates on issues that concern members of the US Armed Forces. It operates from inside the Department of Defense but is editorially separate from it. It has First Amendment protection that is protected by the US Congress to whom an independent ombudsman who serves the readers' interests regularly reports. Stars and Stripes is obviously not some official propaganda outlet but designed to provide information to its readers and serve their interests.

Stars and Stripes appeared first during the US Civil War and has been published continuously since the second World War. The news organization not only provided daily newspapers around the world but also operates a website that is updated 24 hours a day.

Stars and Stripes gains praise from official while he cuts funding

Logan acknowledged that Stars and Stripes had been of great value during its long seven decades of service to the US military community. Logan said: "Their hard work and dedication in reporting on issues that matter the most to the military community continues to be of value. However, as we look forward to the current budget proposal and beyond, the DOD must prioritize spending to support our war-fighters in the most critical areas of need. Therefore, the department has made the difficult decision that, beginning in fiscal year 2021, it will no longer provide appropriated funds to Stars and Stripes." Apparently it is not a critical need that the US military be informed about what is going on in the military and the rest of the world. This shows a disrespect for the military community.

Ernie Gates, the ombudsman for the Stars and Stripes noted that the newspaper provided independent , free-flowing information that they needed and was their right to receive as Americans. He said the paper also provided a little bit of home or a welcome diversion from tough missions..

Pushback against cuts

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPI) called on Esper to rethink his cuts in funding for the paper saying that the cut to the subsidy would be a huge disservice to the men and women who served the USA. He noted that service people especially relied on the newspaper in areas where there was no Internet. SPI president Patricia Newberry said that the Stars and Stripes had been a balanced and objective source of information. She said that the paper's ability to inform US troops about issues that were important to them should not be unhindered. Perhaps the balance and objectivity of the paper is what makes it a target of the funding cut. The paper provides some information to the military that authorities would rather remained under wraps.

Representative Ruben Gallego a Democrat from California who is himself a Marine veteran said that the paper was a link to home when he was in Iraq and Okinawa and said: "It's an A+ indie take on everyday DoD news, f*** ups, and Administration & General Officer BS. No wonder this President wants to cut it. He's got a fight on his hands." No doubt this critical aspect of the paper that could lead authorities to cut its funding.

Representative Gil Cisneros a navy veteran wrote that the paper provide a crucial voice on the Dept. of Defense and Veteran's Affairs and other military matters. He said its reporting was needed.

Another former official praised the Stars and Stripes. James Stavridis, who served both as EUCOM Chief and NATO Supreme Allied Commander from 2009 to 2013 said: "Every day in my office as commander [of] U.S. European Command, I would read Stars and Stripes..It was an invaluable, unbiased, and highly professional source of information which was critical to me in my role overseeing U.S. military throughout Europe."

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Yemen: U.S. drone attacks may target opponents of regime who are not Al Qaeda

While the U.S. official goal in Yemen attacks is to strike Al Qaeda the attacks are escalating and may be directed against those simply opposed to the present regime rather than being Al Qaeda groups aiming to attack the U.S. However, the U.S. actions may very well causing militant groups to decide to link with Al Qaeda and contemplate attacking U.S. targets.

While the official justification for extra-judicial killings in these attacks is that the groups attacked represent an imminent threat to the U.S. and hence the attacks are self-defense. However groups such as Ansar Al Sharia who control parts of several provinces were not clearly threats to the U.S. as contrasted with AQAP but they are now characterized as Al Qaeda linked whatever that means. No doubt they may be now they have been subject to U.S. attacks!

Saleh's former vice-president Major Abdu Mansour Hadi is now president and seemingly very supportive of the U.S.surge in drone attacks. In return Hadi receives aid and fulsome praise from the U.S. in spite of the fact he was a fixture in the Salah regime and ran unopposed for the presidency. He is a model figure for democratic transition according to U.S.. authorities.

Jeremy Scahill writes in the Nation that the drone strikes and support for the Yemen government is producing more anti-Americanism and garners recruits for international terrorist acts. As Charles Schmitz a Yemen expert said:: ”The more the U.S. applies its current policy, the stronger Al Qaeda seems to get.”

A former U.S. ambassador to Yemen said:“Drones are a weapon of terror in many ways, and the kind of hostility this is going to breed may not be worth the counter-terrorism gains,” However no one in the Obama administration pays the slightest heed to these warnings. The same type of statement has been made about attacks in Pakistan and with the same results. For more see this article..

Stars and Stripes the U.S. military newspaper also has an excellent account of these drone attacks. The newspaper is often a source of solid information often ignored by the regular press. Here is a snippet from their article:

"" Hadi "has shown the will and ability to make the changes. ... It's a matter of getting the right focus and the right plan and someone to lead it," the senior Defense official said.

Heavily armed American soldiers have begun appearing in large numbers at the Sheraton Hotel in the capital, Sana, a Yemeni official said. ""

It is clear that Hadi is being coached to go in the direction that the U.S. wants. Clear too is the presence of U.S. special forces on the ground in Yemen.