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The Next Weapons Frontier: New Mexico’s Expanding Military Industrial Ecosystem

How New Mexico Is Becoming the Nation’s Directed-Energy Weapons Hub

Elaine Cimino, Aug 05, 2026

What This Could Mean for Weapons Development in New Mexico

For more than eighty years, New Mexico has served as America’s proving ground for weapons that would change warfare. The atomic bomb was born at Los Alamos. Nuclear weapons engineering became a permanent mission at Sandia National Laboratories. White Sands Missile Range evolved into one of the world’s premier test ranges for rockets, missiles, electronic warfare, and advanced military systems. What was once an isolated military landscape has become something far larger: an integrated weapons-development ecosystem where research laboratories, military installations, private corporations, venture capital, and public subsidies increasingly operate as parts of the same machine.

The Army’s decision to move high-energy laser weapons from experimental technology into a permanent “program of record” marks another turning point. It is not simply the purchase of a new weapon. It signals the beginning of sustained production, expanded testing, new supply chains, and decades of future research. Once a weapons system enters the Pentagon’s permanent budget, the question is no longer whether it works. The question becomes how rapidly it can be improved, manufactured, and deployed.

New Mexico is uniquely positioned to become one of the principal beneficiaries—and one of the principal hosts—of that expansion.

Sandia National Laboratories has spent decades advancing the science that underlies directed-energy systems: high-power lasers, pulsed power, optics, sensors, target acquisition, beam control, advanced materials, and weapons-system analysis. White Sands Missile Range provides vast restricted airspace and testing infrastructure. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Force operations, and nearby military installations contribute additional capabilities. Universities train engineers and scientists who feed directly into the defense workforce. Together they form an infrastructure that few places in the world can match.

The private sector is following that infrastructure. Companies developing hypersonic weapons, solid rocket motors, autonomous systems, drones, electronic warfare, and advanced manufacturing are increasingly locating in New Mexico. Public investment is helping accelerate that process. Through the State Investment Council’s Strategic Venture Capital Program, New Mexico has invested in venture-capital firms backing defense technology companies, while state and local governments simultaneously provide LEDA incentives, industrial revenue bonds, infrastructure improvements, and public land to attract those same industries.

Project Ranger illustrates this transformation. The public agreements describe the facility as a hypersonic systems test and manufacturing facility supported through state and local economic-development incentives and infrastructure improvements. It is one component of a much broader defense-industrial network that now stretches across the state.

The implications extend well beyond one factory.

Modern warfare is no longer organized around individual weapons. Directed-energy weapons, autonomous drones, hypersonic missiles, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, cyber operations, satellite systems, and advanced sensors are designed to operate together. A laser cannot function without radar, electro-optical tracking, machine vision, software, communications, and power generation. Hypersonic missiles require advanced propulsion, guidance systems, manufacturing technologies, and testing infrastructure. Every new capability strengthens the others.

New Mexico increasingly contains every link in that chain.

As directed-energy weapons become operational, testing will inevitably expand. White Sands already hosts demonstrations of laser systems designed to defeat drone swarms. Future testing will involve increasingly complex scenarios: autonomous targeting, moving aircraft, electronic warfare, coordinated drone attacks, integrated missile defenses, and artificial intelligence controlling engagement decisions. Each successful demonstration creates demand for more facilities, more contractors, more specialized suppliers, and more federal investment.

What begins as research becomes production. Production becomes permanent infrastructure.

That transformation carries consequences extending far beyond economics.

The military describes lasers as inexpensive defenses because they require electricity rather than missiles costing millions of dollars each. But the public costs are measured differently. High-energy lasers introduce new questions about airspace management, satellite safety, wildfire risk, emergency response, occupational exposure, and civilian oversight. Destroyed drones do not simply disappear; they fall. Burning batteries, fuel, debris, and fragments fall somewhere. In a drought-stricken state increasingly defined by catastrophic wildfire, those risks deserve independent analysis rather than assumptions that new technology is inherently safer because it carries no explosive warhead…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Directed-energy weapons represent the next chapter in military technology. Their arrival also marks the next chapter in New Mexico’s identity. The state is no longer simply a place where weapons are tested. It is becoming a place where the future architecture of warfare is researched, financed, manufactured, integrated, and normalized. Whether the public has an equal role in shaping that future remains the most important question of all. https://elainecimino652909.substack.com/p/the-next-weapons-frontier-new-mexicos?r=281p2&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

August 8, 2026 Posted by | USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗜𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘: 𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔 𝗢𝗥 𝗜𝗦𝗥𝗔𝗘𝗟?

Israel is experiencing a golden era of influence, but its recent moves have not produced the results it expected.

more Americans and government officials are arguing that the United States must prioritize its own interests and avoid being pulled into endless foreign conflicts.

The political relationship between the United States and Israel comes down to a fundamental question: who is actually in charge?

Ibrahim Majed, Aug 06, 2026, https://ddgeopolitics.substack.com/p/9bb?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1769298&post_id=209955647&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1ise1&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

When you look at the region today, the United States does not want a full-scale regional war. However, it also cannot afford to completely back down. Washington continues to support military pressure on Iran because a sudden retreat would undermine American deterrence, weaken its credibility among allies and adversaries alike, and erode the global perception of U.S. hegemony.

Israel, meanwhile, has pushed for even more aggressive action, creating growing tensions over how far the conflict should go.
The reality is that Israel cannot afford to keep taking endless losses, because running a nonstop military campaign with no real political achievements will eventually exhaust and destabilize any state

The balance of power between the two countries is not as simple as military strength alone.
The United States is clearly the stronger country, with far greater economic resources and military capabilities.
However, Israeli leaders have often been highly effective at navigating the political system in Washington, allowing them to build significant influence over American decision-making.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been in power for a very long time, and he understands how the American government works better than almost anyone.
In the United States, politics runs on money, lobbies, and deals made behind closed doors in Congress.
Ever since the 1960s, Israel has built a massive network of support inside Washington.
This does not mean Israel completely owns America, but it does mean Israeli leaders know exactly which politicians to talk to, which donors to use, and how to push the U.S. government to do what they want.

This influence works best when Israel’s goals match what the American President personally wants.
But there is a limit.
If a U.S. President ever feels that Israel is hurting his own political career or messing up America’s bigger plans, he has the power to tell Israel to stop, and Israel would have no choice but to listen.
The main reason America rarely puts its foot down is because the pro-Israel lobby has spent decades building power in Washington.


Israel is experiencing a golden era of influence, but its recent moves have not produced the results it expected.
The war on Lebanon in 2024 did not bring a clear victory, while the 2026 war on Iran caused massive destruction but failed to achieve its intended objectives. On the contrary, Iran emerged with a stronger regional position, greater influence, and increased leverage over key strategic waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz, giving it the ability to impact global energy markets and the world economy.
As a result, many governments and populations around the world are increasingly blaming Israel’s actions for escalating tensions and threatening the stability of critical global trade routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.

The way Israel keeps its hold on U.S. politics is through a mix of favors and political pressure, making it very risky for American politicians to speak out against Israeli decisions.
Even so, people inside the U.S. government are getting frustrated.
A leader with a big ego, like Donald Trump, hates feeling like a smaller country is bossing him around.
On top of that, when an American leader builds his entire image around being tough on Iran, he gets trapped into a corner where he cannot back down without looking weak.
Meanwhile, Iran is playing the exact same game, making unpredictable moves to counter American pressure.

This conflict has also disrupted major economic and diplomatic plans in the Middle East.
Before the recent escalations, countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar were moving toward closer business and security partnerships with Israel, heavily pushed by figures like Jared Kushner.
However, the events of October 7 and the war that followed dramatically changed the regional and global environment.
Israel’s actions during the conflict, along with statements by some Israeli officials regarding territorial ambitions and visions of a “Greater Israel,” have increased concerns across the region and contributed to a major shift in public and political attitudes.

As a result, previous normalization and partnership efforts have been slowed or put on hold, forcing Washington to reconsider whether its regional strategy is still achievable.
At the same time, more Americans and government officials are arguing that the United States must prioritize its own interests and avoid being pulled into endless foreign conflicts.

Inside the U.S. national security system, major disagreements are emerging over how Washington should handle Israel and the wider regional conflict. Some officials and policymakers have grown increasingly concerned about Netanyahu’s government, the direction of the war, and the consequences for broader American interests.
Major American media figures and influential commentators have openly criticized these policies, showing that even within conservative circles in the United States there is growing division over the approach toward Israel and the wider conflict.
After the long, painful wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many people in Washington no longer believe that constant military action works.
That is why you see political figures like Marco Rubio and J.D. Vance taking different approaches, it is a calculated way for political leaders to appeal to different groups of voters without losing control.

If you look back at history, America is the strongest empire the world has ever seen, but taking endless risks for a smaller ally is a dangerous strategy.
History shows that ancient superpowers, like the Roman Empire, would eventually put their foot down and crush any regional partner that caused too much trouble for the empire as a whole.
If America wants to remain the top global power, its leaders have to put American interests first instead of constantly backing another country’s moves.
Washington gave Israel a chance to handle the region on its own, but since that failed, smart decision-makers in the U.S. government are starting to think it is time to cut their losses before things get worse.

You can already see signs that both the United States and Israel are facing growing pressure and are looking for ways to manage the situation behind the scenes.
Washington’s priority is to avoid being dragged into a wider war, but it also cannot afford to appear weak or defeated.
The United States wants to preserve its image as the dominant global power and maintain its credibility and deterrence in the region.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s political position has become increasingly difficult, forcing his government to balance domestic pressure with the risks of further escalation.

Netanyahu is dealing with major political trouble at home and is looking for ways to protect himself if new elections happen.
On the ground, Israel is quietly trying to limit the intensity of the fighting.
Operations in Lebanon have shifted into smaller-scale actions, while direct confrontations with Iran have slowed down.
At the same time, Israeli forces in southern Lebanon continue to face attacks from the resistance, but many of these incidents are kept away from public attention to avoid highlighting vulnerabilities or creating pressure for a wider escalation.
Israel keeps quiet about these hits because it does not want the public to see its weakness or get pulled into a bigger war it cannot win.
At the same time, the resistance is keeping quiet so they can keep chipping away at Israeli forces without starting a massive new conflict.

In the end, even though Israel has been highly effective at influencing U.S. politics, the United States remains the far stronger power and will ultimately prioritize its own strategic interests.
History shows that great powers place their national interests above any individual alliance when they believe a partnership has become too costly or threatens their broader objectives.
The United States could lose its alliance with Israel and still remain a global power, but Israel’s strategic position is far more dependent on continued American military, political, and diplomatic support.

This is why Israeli leaders have repeatedly emphasized the need to develop greater independence in areas such as defense production, while pro-Israel political networks in the United States continue to push for maintaining strong American support. Their concern is that if Washington begins prioritizing its own interests over Israel’s regional objectives, Israel’s ability to sustain its current position and policies in the region would be significantly weakened.

Ultimately, the choice facing the United States is whether it continues to bear the costs of policies that primarily serve another country’s objectives, or whether it puts American interests first.
A great power maintains its strength by protecting its own security, economy, and global position, not by allowing any ally to influence the direction of its foreign policy.

August 8, 2026 Posted by | politics, USA | Leave a comment

Pentagon Plans AI Data Centers at Military Bases Across Multiple Branches

One site is near the military’s main chemical and biological weapons testing range. Another parcel is a half-mile from civilian housing.

Jul 27, 2026, By Adam Gramegna, Military.com

At  Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, on ground the Army’s own contracting documents describe as previously used for grazing, a company owned by two of the largest investment firms in the world is preparing to build a data center.

That site sits about an hour’s drive from the nearest community, on the installation where the U.S. military conducts its primary chemical and biological weapons testing. Three parcels there total roughly 3,466 acres. One of them, about 1,201 acres, is already spoken for.

It is one of at least a dozen military installations the Army and the Department of the Air Force have opened to commercial data center developers over the past year and a half. Two of those deals are real; the rest are still proposals.

Land-for-Computing

In late March, the Army conditionally selected two companies to enter exclusive negotiations to build and operate commercial hyperscale data centers on Army land.

Carlyle, the global investment firm, was picked for roughly 1,384 acres at Fort Bliss, Texas. CyrusOne, a data center operator jointly held by funds managed by KKR and BlackRock, was picked for the parcel at Dugway. Each project is estimated to cost about $2 billion, according to the Financial Times.

The companies will be responsible for financing, building, operating, maintaining and eventually decommissioning the facilities, the Army said, on what it called “underutilized but non-excess Army land at no upfront cost to taxpayers.” In exchange for the land, the service gets access to computing power.

It all runs through the Army’s Enhanced Use Lease program, driven by a Trump executive order directing agencies to open non-excess federal land to data center development. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is handling lease negotiations and environmental review.

“AI is a strategic asset for the Army,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said in the March announcement. “It is a force multiplier, supports future transformation and requirements, keeps the Army ahead of our adversaries, and generates resiliency across the force.” Driscoll told the Wall Street Journal that the Fort Bliss facility would be “the first hyper-scale data center that the Pentagon has ever done.”…………………………..

Which Bases and How Close to Housing?

Only Fort Bliss and Dugway have been awarded so far, and even those remain conditional, pending negotiation. Beyond them, federal contracting documents show the Army considering data centers at Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Bragg, N.C.

The Department of the Air Force put out its own call in 2025 for private AI data center projects on unused land at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

More recently, it sought bidders for facilities at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Eielson Air Force Base and Clear Space Force Station in Alaska. Acreage varies enormously; for example, Fort Hood has 207 acres on offer. Fort Bliss has nearly seven times that.

Dugway is remote by design, although not every site is. Contracting documents show the Army weighing a parcel at Fort Hood within a half-mile of residential and commercial property, and several potential locations at Fort Bragg within one mile of civilian areas and a half-mile of civilian housing.

Proximity to the population is what has made data centers a heated topic in the civilian world. Nearly $156 billion in projects nationwide have been delayed or canceled after local opposition, according to Data Center Watch.

In Virginia, which holds the world’s highest concentration of the facilities, a state-funded study found residents’ monthly energy bills could rise by $14 to $37 by 2040………..

Two requirements attached to these projects do not apply to commercial builds off base. Proposals must include net-zero water usage and a power plan that does not draw on the local electrical grid. Bidders were also required to describe plans for “local outreach and engagement” and to assess “any risks or opposition” to the project.

The Defense Department’s own procurement documents, obtained by the trade publication Data Center Dynamics, rate the water risk for the El Paso area as “Extremely High.” Data centers consume water to cool their servers. Fort Bliss is where the Army wants its flagship…………..

Proximity to the population is what has made data centers a heated topic in the civilian world. Nearly $156 billion in projects nationwide have been delayed or canceled after local opposition, according to Data Center Watch.

In Virginia, which holds the world’s highest concentration of the facilities, a state-funded study found residents’ monthly energy bills could rise by $14 to $37 by 2040.

Army Officials Say They’re Ready

“So I think the difference between us, the Army, doing a data center, and say Meta or Google, is we’re part of the communities that are there, and we are going to engage with them on a routine and regular basis to look for solutions that work for everyone, right?” Col. John Oliver, executive officer for Deputy Army Under Secretary Dave Fitzgerald, told Defense One. “Because, yes, we understand that there’s been consternation with data centers.”

Two requirements attached to these projects do not apply to commercial builds off base. Proposals must include net-zero water usage and a power plan that does not draw on the local electrical grid. Bidders were also required to describe plans for “local outreach and engagement” and to assess “any risks or opposition” to the project.

The Defense Department’s own procurement documents, obtained by the trade publication Data Center Dynamics, rate the water risk for the El Paso area as “Extremely High.” Data centers consume water to cool their servers. Fort Bliss is where the Army wants its flagship.

Army officials want the project to be a net contributor rather than a net drain. In the spring, Fitzgerald traveled to Fort Bliss for a listening session with the commander of the 1st Armored Division, community members, El Paso Water, El Paso Electric and Carlyle. One idea on the table is having the developer drill a new well to feed the city’s desalination plant, offsetting what the data center uses.

“We are encouraging Carlyle to do that, so actually make it net-positive,” Oliver told Defense One. “We don’t know if that’s an engineering solution that we can actually get to yet, but we’re actively working toward that as a part of the process.”

Darrell M. West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies data center development, said the approach is sound, and that communities which have accepted the facilities tend to be the ones told the full details in advance.

“People want to know up-front, you know, where the energy is coming from, how much water is being used, how much the overall cost is going to be, and what the noise levels are,” West said.

Congress Not Settled

Rep. Cory Mills, a Florida Republican, secured a provision in the House version of the fiscal 2027 defense authorization bill. This bill bars the Defense Department from leasing land for data centers unless developers agree not to install equipment containing components made in China, Russia, Iran or North Korea. The restriction covers certain printed circuit boards, advanced semiconductors and chipsets the department considers a security risk.

“Honored to pass this amendment to protect our military installations from Chinese components being used in data centers on our installations,” Mills wrote on X.

The Army objected. The measure would create a “federal land penalty,” a service official told Federal News Network, imposing rules on companies building on installations that would not apply to identical projects built anywhere else. “We want Congress to incentivize companies to build on secure federal land, rather than creating barriers that drive them away,” the official said.

Rep. John Garamendi, a California Democrat, proposed requiring the Pentagon to evaluate a data center’s energy and water consumption, noise and light pollution, and effects on security and supply chains before finalizing any deal. House Armed Services Republicans rejected it………………… https://www.military.com/pentagon-plans-ai-data-centers-at-military-bases-across-multiple-branches

August 8, 2026 Posted by | technology, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

First measurement of antineutrinos from spent nuclear fuel confirms emissions persist after reactor shutdown

Phys Org, by Max Planck Societ, edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan, August 4, 2026

Even when the lights go out and nuclear reactors are turned off, the story inside the reactor core still has a great deal to tell. Radioactive, long-lived fission products continue to decay for months or even years, producing a faint flux of a specific type of particle known as antineutrinos. (Anti)neutrinos are the lightest and most elusive known particles in the universe, allowing them to escape unhindered from both the reactor and the surrounding shielding.

Researchers in the Double Chooz collaboration have now measured this residual antineutrino emission for the first time. The study, which was published in Physical Review Letters, was led by Anthony Onillon and Thierry Lasserre from the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) in Heidelberg, Germany.

The results demonstrate that antineutrino detectors can probe nuclear reactors even during shutdown periods, opening new perspectives for reactor monitoring, nuclear safety and safeguards.

How Double Chooz sees the signal

The measurement was performed at the Chooz nuclear power plant in northern France.   The Double Chooz detector is located underground at a distance of about 400 meters (1,300 feet) from the two reactor cores. The detector contains more than 30 cubic meters of liquid scintillator, a material that emits tiny flashes of light when an antineutrino interacts inside the detector.

“Antineutrinos interact only extremely rarely with matter. However, when one interacts within the Double Chooz detector, a characteristic double-light signal is produced that can be distinguished from background events,” explains Lasserre from the independent research group OMINA, also located at MPIK. This allows researchers to identify the reactor antineutrinos.

The collaboration analyzed 17.2 days of data recorded while both reactor units were completely shut down. During this period, the detector observed around 100 antineutrino candidate events originating from residual radioactivity in the reactor cores and nearby spent-fuel cooling pools.

The measured signal agrees remarkably well with detailed simulations of the remaining nuclear fuel inventory and the decay of long-lived fission products. This constitutes the first direct experimental validation of predictions for antineutrino emission from shutdown reactors and spent fuel…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..https://phys.org/news/2026-08-antineutrinos-spent-nuclear-fuel-emissions.html

August 8, 2026 Posted by | France, wastes | Leave a comment

Hiroshima marks 81st atomic bomb anniversary as mayor deplores the pursuit of nuclear weapons

By ASSOCIATED PRESS, 6 August 2026, https://www.dailymail.com/wires/ap/article-16032643/Hiroshima-marks-81st-atomic-bomb-anniversary-mayor-deplores-pursuit-nuclear-weapons.html

TOKYO (AP) – Hiroshima on Thursday marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japanese city, with its mayor criticizing major powers for waging wars and urging them to stop justifying the possession of nuclear weapons as a method of deterrence.

“Downplaying the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and accepting the use of force to pursue one´s own prosperity risk cycles of violent retaliation that could ultimately result in another Hiroshima or Nagasaki,” Mayor Kazumi Matsui said.

Too many political leaders still consider nuclear deterrence a realistic approach and legitimize violence, which “simply pushes a world without nuclear weapons further into the distance,” Matsui said in his peace declaration at the ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. He also called on each citizen to learn lessons from the past and take action.

About 50,000 people, including representatives from some 120 countries and regions including the United States and Iran, were to attend the ceremony. A minute of silence was held while a peace bell rang out at 8:15 a.m., the time when a U.S. B-29 dropped the bomb on the city.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who attended the memorial for the first time as prime minister, said she will take “a realistic approach” toward achieving a world where nuclear weapons are never used, within the framework of the United Nations’ treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

This year´s ceremony comes at a time of looming speculation that Takaichi´s hawkish government, which supports the idea of nuclear deterrence, may ease Japan´s postwar three non-nuclear principles when it compiles new security and defense documents later this year.

Takaichi has advocated a review of the principles for a possibility of dropping the third one – of not permitting nuclear weapons to be brought into the country.

Takaichi said Japan has maintained its postwar three non-nuclear principles, but fell short of expressing commitment for sticking with that policy into the future.

Survivors have expressed frustration and worry over growing support for the possession of nuclear weapons for deterrence by the international community, including Japan.

Japan is under the protection of U.S. nuclear umbrella and has repeatedly sought Washington’s reassurance for its commitment and a stronger protection. Because of that, Japan´s government has rejected the survivors´ request to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons or attend its meetings as observers.

The bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroyed the city and killed 140,000 people. A second bomb dropped three days later on Nagasaki killed 70,000. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and Japan´s nearly half-century of aggression in Asia.

The number of survivors has fallen to 91,105, about a quarter of the original number, with their average age exceeding 86. Survivors worry about fading memories, as the youngest of the survivors were too young to clearly recall the attack.

“The horror of nuclear weapons is just one lesson of Hiroshima. Another is the need to build a world in which the threat or use of these weapons becomes unthinkable,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in a written statement.

“Hiroshima stands as an inspiring example of resilience, renewal and hope. Across generations, its people remind us that, even after the darkest moments, we can choose – and build – a different future,” he said, calling for “dialogue over division, cooperation over confrontation and common security over narrow advantage.”

August 7, 2026 Posted by | Japan, weapons and war | Leave a comment

CIA Assessment Details Israel’s Race to Make the U.S.-Israel Alliance Irreversible

The intelligence assessment says Israeli officials are pursuing a long-term strategy to make the alliance harder for future administrations to scale back.

Aída Chávez, Jul 30, 2026, https://capitalandempire.com/p/exclusive-cia-assessment-israel-us-support

Israeli officials know they’re losing the American public. Panicked that America’s political consensus on Israel is collapsing, they’re pursuing a long-term strategy to permanently enmesh Israel within America’s military, intelligence, and defense establishment – in ways future administrations would struggle to unwind – according to a new confidential U.S. intelligence assessment.

Israeli officials believe the political fight over Israel in the United States is becoming harder to win, and that the era of indefinitely securing billions of dollars in annual military aid is coming to an end, according to the assessment, which was described to Capital & Empire by several U.S. officials. Instead of relying on direct U.S. military aid – an increasingly visible and politically contentious form of support – Israel is racing to embed itself more deeply in America’s military, intelligence, and national security apparatus in ways designed to outlast future administrations.

The assessment, written primarily by the CIA and circulated this week, describes discussions about expanding intelligence cooperation and the possibility of hosting a permanent U.S. military base on Israeli territory. It also says Israeli officials have been cultivating prominent figures in the American technology sector to build long-term political and financial support for the strategy. The assessment does not identify those individuals by name.

Congress has already begun advancing elements of Israel’s strategy. Last week, the House quietly approved Section 219 of the National Defense Authorization Act, establishing a permanent U.S.-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative within the Pentagon. The House version establishes a Pentagon executive agent charged with coordinating bilateral defense research, development, industrial cooperation, and technology integration.

Six Democrats – Reps. Henry Cuellar, Don Davis, Jared Golden, Vicente Gonzalez, Adam Gray, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez – joined Republicans in voting to pass the defense authorization bill. The measure now heads to the Senate, which is expected to consider its own version of the NDAA before lawmakers from both chambers negotiate a final compromise bill for President Donald Trump’s signature.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who led an effort to strip Section 219 from the $1.15 trillion Pentagon budget, called the provision “a betrayal of our sovereignty.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., similarly described the proposal as “an existential threat to American sovereignty and democracy.”

Earlier this year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu floated phasing out direct U.S. military aid altogether. Most mainstream news coverage framed the proposed shift as a reflection of Israel’s growing economic and military strength, or self-sufficiency. But according to the assessment, the CIA views the strategy differently. The spy agency believes that Israel is seeking to insulate the U.S.-Israel alliance from America’s changing political landscape by replacing highly visible foreign aid with deeper, longer-lasting forms of military and industrial integration.

From Israel’s perspective, embedding the alliance more deeply within the U.S. national security apparatus would make it far more difficult for future administrations to pressure Israel by slowing or withholding arms transfers.

The strategy goes beyond intelligence sharing and military aid. Israeli officials also want Israeli technology, intelligence capabilities, and jointly developed weapons systems embedded in the U.S. military itself, making American defense increasingly reliant on Israeli systems. The assessment says Israeli officials have discussed positioning Israel in Washington as a uniquely indispensable technological and intelligence partner, pointing to language in the 2026 National Defense Strategy describing Israel as a “model ally” whose relationship with the United States is mutually beneficial.

Since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, American public opinion toward Israel has deteriorated sharply. About 60 percent of U.S. adults now hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53 percent a year ago, according to an April Pew Research Center survey. Among both Democrats and Republicans under 50, majorities now view both Israel and Netanyahu negatively.

As Gaza has become a defining issue in Democratic politics, the Democratic Socialists of America has surged in membership and electoral success behind campaigns centered on opposition to Israel. A generation ago, public support for Palestine could end a career. Today, a Canary Mission profile may be a stepping stone to Congress. The CIA knows Israel is nervous.

August 7, 2026 Posted by | Israel, politics international, USA | Leave a comment

Huge Uptick In Israeli Airstrikes On Gaza Since Trump Hailed ‘Historic’ Hamas Deal

by Tyler Durden, Aug 04, 2026 , https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/huge-uptick-israeli-airstrikes-gaza-trump-hailed-historic-hamas-deal

Middle East regional media has reported a huge uptick in Israeli military attacks in the Gaza Strip since President Trump announced a “historic” agreement which Hamas finally signed on to. 

The agreement would result in a phased complete disarmament of Hamas and the handing over of governance to newly proposed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) – a body designed to replace both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

However, fighting has persisted, with Al Jazeera reporting that at least 19 Palestinians killed on Saturday in Israeli attacks and that the total deal toll from the weekend is now 26 people, including women and children.

srael continues to express skepticism in the face of Washington’s recent optimism:

Despite Hamas agreeing to a phased disarmament, Israel’s government says it has “serious security concerns” about the plan, and there has been strong resistance from Israeli politicians to the deal.

The continued bombardment of Gaza, contributing to Israel’s continued breaches of October’s “ceasefire” agreement, will likely threaten Trump’s peace plan and exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation for Palestinians in the enclave.

Reuters had on Sunday reported an entire day of fresh IDF bombardment on Gaza.

“Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza for a second straight day on Sunday, killing at least 18 Palestinians, medics said, ​despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a breakthrough in efforts to implement last year’s ceasefire agreement,” Reuters wrote.

“From dawn, Israeli warplanes hit Gaza City in the north, the central city of Deir ‌al-Balah and the southern area of Khan Younis, causing the biggest daily death toll in weeks, according to Palestinian health officials,” it added. 

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen issued the Netanyahu government’s view on Sunday: “In the deal we signed with the United States, our stance is that Hamas must be dismantled. This is the first thing ⁠that must happen.” 

Cohen expressed that Israeli is “very skeptical” that Hamas would actually disarm. And PM Netanyahu’s office said: “The most important concern for Israel is that nothing can happen ​before Hamas completely and truly disarms.”c

So while the US and regional leaders are busy celebrating and hailing the plan, the proverbial devil will be in the details and in the process – and needless to say a lot could go wrong.

On pro-Palestinian advocate and author worries that Gaza will continue to be destroyed, but that international coverage and cameras have in effect moved on: “There was a time when every explosion in Gaza flashed across my phone – horrible images of children being pulled from rubble, medical workers trying to help patients as the hospital itself gets bombed, and families howling in grief as Israeli bombs obliterated entire Palestinian lineages,” Vijay Prashad observes.

Prashad adds: “Israel’s attacks continue as families flee from one temporary shelter to another and children search through shattered concrete for fragments of lives they once knew. But the world’s attention has shifted elsewhere as the genocide has become routine. We have become comfortably numb.”

August 7, 2026 Posted by | Gaza, Israel, weapons and war | Leave a comment

‘Defend Israel or the Homeland’: Top US general issues stark warning to Pentagon brass

Washington has greatly reduced its interceptor missile stocks, jeopardizing its ability to fight China, while prioritizing the protection of Israel

News Desk, AUG 1, 2026, https://thecradle.co/articles/defend-israel-or-the-homeland-top-us-general-issues-stark-warning-to-pentagon-brass

The highest-ranking US general in Europe informed the Pentagon this week that he does not have enough naval units to protect Israel against potential Iranian missile strikes, according to a report by the Washington Post on August 1.

General Alexus Grynkewich, the head of US European Command (EUCOM), notified senior Pentagon officials in writing that without another navy destroyer, he will be forced to choose between defending the US “homeland” and defending Israel.

Grynkewich’s warning comes as US President Donald Trump continues to escalate the war on Iran.

The US Navy has shouldered a significant burden in waging the war, including responsibility for blockading Iranian ports in response to the Islamic Republic’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

US naval destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean have long been part of Israel’s defense strategy. They are equipped with radar systems and missile interceptors capable of countering Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.

EUCOM is responsible for protecting Israel from the Mediterranean and deterring any Russian ground incursion into NATO member states.

The US Navy has five destroyers deploying from Rota, Spain, with a sixth expected later this year. They face maintenance issues due to lengthy missions.

The US is also experiencing a shortage of missile interceptors, which are costly to manufacture and hard to restock.

Pentagon assessments conducted earlier in the war showed that US forces have “shouldered the brunt of defending Israel from Iranian ballistic missiles.”

Washington has used more of its defensive weapons, including the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and naval interceptors, to defend Israel from Iranian missile and drone attacks than Israel has used of its own interceptor stocks.

US inventories of Patriot missiles have now fallen below 1,000 and THAAD inventories to about 250, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Israel has not participated in the war on Iran since Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and ceasefire in mid-June.

Trump resumed attacks on Iran three weeks ago.

Last week, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel was content to remain out of the fighting and allow the US and its Gulf allies to fight the war on Tel Aviv’s behalf.

“Israel has no interest in joining the campaign – the current situation is the best for us,” Smotrich said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House last week and lobbied Trump to escalate the war by imposing a land blockade on Iran.

According to a CBS News report on Friday, Washington and Tel Aviv are planning to significantly escalate the war of aggression by targeting Iran’s vital energy infrastructure.

August 7, 2026 Posted by | Israel, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Romania’s nuclear reactor to remain in operation at least a week

05 August 2026, Iulian Ernst,
https://www.romania-insider.com/romania-nuclear-reactor-operational-august-2026

Romania’s Nuclearelectrica announced that after the detonation of a rock obstructing the flow of water on the Danube by the Naval Forces on August 3, the water level at Cernavoda nuclear power plant increased by 2 cm, reversing the downward trend. As a result of the works on the Danube, the nuclear reactor still in operation can operate for at least a week – instead of five days estimated previously, according to Cernavoda NPP manager Romeo Urjan cited by B1 TV on August 4. 

The planned sinking of ships loaded with rocks on one of the Danube’s arms with the aim of increasing the flow on the arm delivering water to Cernavoda NPP was not yet carried out, and this operation is expected to further extend the operation period for the nuclear reactor.

Cernavoda NPP keeps in operation one of its two 680 MW reactors, which allows the country to overcome the 7,000-7,500 MW consumption peak during the 20:00-23-00 period while at the same time delivering electricity to Moldova that critically relies on electricity imports. Some one-third of Romania’s own consumption (namely nearly 2,500 MW of 7,000-7,500 MW) was covered by imports during the peak consumption period last night, according to Digi24, while the country was exporting roughly one-tenth of its output to Moldova (meaning some 500 MW)

The situation remains fragile, however. Hydrological data indicate a very low flow of the Danube, and authorities have previously warned that Unit 2 could be shut down preemptively if the water level falls below technical thresholds. Such a shutdown would not pose a safety risk to the plant, but would remove significant production capacity from the system.

Separately, the government of Romania is preparing to institute a mechanism for disconnecting from the power grid large industrial consumers as a means to address possible power shortages. The targeted companies would be notified 24 hours in advance, interim prime minister Ilie Bolojan announced on August 4.

The initiative is presented as a measure of last resort and would be introduced by a government decision. The announcement refers to large industrial consumers, not household consumers.

Previously, PM Bolojan had explained that the mechanism would be implemented through the National Energy Dispatcher within Transelectrica. The consumption allowed to each company would be established depending on the technology used and the energy available in the system at the respective times. The government presented the measure as a safety solution, which would be activated only if the voluntary reduction does not yield results.

iulian@romania-insider.com

August 7, 2026 Posted by | climate change, EUROPE | Leave a comment

Brian Leishman MP blasts party’s own nuclear policy

Sizewell B, also in Suffolk, uses around 800,000 litres of fresh mains water per day, while Sizewell C is estimated to need more than 2 million litres per day by the time it is completed, according to the Guardian.

4th August, 26, By Lucy Jackson,
https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/26435794.scottish-labour-mp-blasts-partys-nuclear-policy/

A Scottish Labour MP has blasted his own party’s policy on nuclear energy.

Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, said Labour’s nuclear policy was “madness” in the face of the climate crisis.

Leishman made the comments in response to reports that Romania has been forced to “blast” the Danube river to help a nuclear plant as a result of the heatwave.

Romania, like much of Europe, has been subject to scorching temperatures, with water levels in the Danube reportedly dropping to just 23 centimetres.

Channel 4 News reports that the Romanian navy has blown up rocks at the side of the Danube, where it splits, in order to get more water flowing down the main branch of the river towards a nuclear power plant.

In response to the news report, Leishman wrote on Twitter/X: “We are suffering from climate crisis/extreme weather.

“Parts of the UK have declared drought status yet there is a political push for nuclear energy requiring huge amounts of water to operate.

“And AI data centres would require incredible amounts of water.

“Both are madness!”

We are suffering from climate crisis/extreme weather.

Parts of the UK have declared drought status yet there is a political push for nuclear energy requiring huge amounts of water to operate.

And AI data centres would require incredible amounts of water.

Both are madness! https://t.co/mDbeQ13XLP

— Brian Leishman (@BrianLeishmanMP) August 4, 2026

The Labour Party supports nuclear energy as part of its election pledge to “make Britain a clean energy superpower”.

It has vowed to build new nuclear power stations, such as Sizewell C in Suffolk, which is currently under construction and is expected to cost around £38 billion.

Nuclear power plants consume vast amounts of water, which is partly used to cool the reactor core in order to prevent meltdowns.

Sizewell B, also in Suffolk, uses around 800,000 litres of fresh mains water per day, while Sizewell C is estimated to need more than 2 million litres per day by the time it is completed, according to the Guardian.

Last month, Labour advocated for more nuclear power stations to be built in Scotland, with the UK Government publishing a report highlighting six areas where plants could be built “should the policy position of the Scottish Government change”.

The Scottish Government opposes new nuclear developments and has insisted the focus should instead be on renewable energy, with both Dounreay Nuclear site in Caithness and Hunterston Nuclear Power Plant in North Ayrshire currently being decommissioned.

Elsewhere, Torness Nuclear Power Plant in East Lothian is scheduled to end operations in 2030.

The Labour Party has been approached for comment.

August 7, 2026 Posted by | politics, UK | Leave a comment

Nuclear industry and public invited to shape new regulatory principles for future UK nuclear

 The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is leading a major review of its
key regulatory frameworks which evaluate the safety of nuclear facilities
– and the whole sector can play its part in this milestone industry
change. The Safety Assessment Principles (SAPs) support inspectors in
assessing nuclear safety cases submitted by dutyholders and requesting
parties. From today (Monday, 27 July), ONR is opening a public consultation
on the SAPs revision and wants to hear from nuclear operators, industry
bodies, the public and all those with an interest in nuclear safety. Your
views will help ensure the updated SAPs are as clear and effective as
possible. The consultation will run for eight weeks, closing on 18
September with the final version of the SAPs expected to be published in
December 2026.

ONR 27th July 2026, https://www.onr.org.uk/news/all-news/2026/07/nuclear-industry-and-public-invited-to-shape-new-regulatory-principles-for-future-uk-

August 7, 2026 Posted by | politics, UK | Leave a comment

UK Radioactive Wastes 2025 Inventory reports

The 2025 United Kingdom Radioactive Waste and Materials Inventory (the 2025 Inventory) provides detailed information on radioactive wastes and materials in the United Kingdom (UK).

The following reports have been published:

Radioactive Waste Inventory; 2025 UK
Radioactive Materials Inventory; 2025

UK Radioactive Waste Detailed Data;
2025 Summary of UK Radioactive Waste and Materials Inventory for
International Reporting; NWS has also published a further publication to
accompany the 2025 reports: 2025

UK Radioactive Waste and Materials
Inventory: summary report. The 2025 United Kingdom Radioactive Waste and
Materials Inventory (the 2025 Inventory) provides detailed information on
radioactive wastes and materials in the United Kingdom (UK). 

It is produced by Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).

The 2025 Inventory provides information on radioactive waste stocks (at 1 April 2025) and forecasts of future waste arisings. Information on radioactive materials that may be classed as waste in the future is also presented. The 2025 Inventory aims to provide data in an open and transparent manner for those interested in radioactive wastes and materials.

3 Aug 26, https://inventory.nuclearwasteservices.uk/data-hub/2025-inventory-reports/

August 7, 2026 Posted by | UK, wastes | Leave a comment

Walt Zlotow – Many top military leaders opposed atomic bombings

2 August 26, Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glan Ellyn IL 

Every year the four day period August 6 – 9 brings to mind the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings. This year marks the 81th anniversary of those horrific acts.  We may be closer to nukes fired in anger at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis 64 tears ago. Major wars in Ukraine and Iran could both devolve into nuclear war. U.S. withdrawal from several nuclear treaties and planning to spend a trillion dollars to upgrade our nuclear stockpile add to nuclear anxiety. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight in January, the closest it’s been set to nuclear winter in the entire nuclear age.

I learned of the atomic bombings 75 years ago at age 6 and have been haunted by them ever since. For the first decade or so afterward I swallowed whole the US fairytale that the military and political elite were unified in dropping the bombs to prevent a U.S. invasion and its estimate of a million U.S. casualties. A little research disabused me of that false narrative designed to justify the unjustifiable. 

Few if any reputable historians buy that version today. They point to a number of top military leaders who opposed the nuclear attacks, for good reasons. Most prominent was U.S. Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall who argued not using the Bomb would strengthen America’s prestige and position in post war Asia. He even advocated for inviting the Russians to view our July 16, 1945 test. Navy Secretary and later Defense Secretary James Forrestal argued the bombings would impede our post WWII relations with the Soviet Union. Fleet Admiral William Leahy, senior US military officer on active duty in WWII, called the proposed bombings “barbaric”. Assistant Secretary of War John McCloy told Truman that neither invasion nor atomic bombings were necessary. Japan would surrender if we avoided terminology ‘Unconditional Surrender’ since any surrender would amount to that without saying so. Allowing Hirohito to remain Emperor would bolster that view. McCloy even advocated telling Japanese leaders we had the Bomb as additional incentive to quit the war.

Tho not involved in the Bomb decision process, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower was furious we dropped them, telling Secretary of War Harry Stimson shortly after the attacks “I voiced my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. It was my belief that Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of “face.” Japanese leaders never admitted US atomic bombings motivated their surrender.  More likely it was the massive Russian invasion of Manchuria the day of the Nagasaki bombing that more motivated the Japanese surrender. 

Ike, McCloy, Leahy, Forristall, Marshall and others were right; Truman and his supporters were wrong. Eighty-one years on America is still the only country to explode nukes in anger. Current senseless wars in Ukraine and Iran, refusal to maintain critically needed nuclear agreements, routinely threatening imagined enemies with “all military options are on the table”, spending a trillion dollars to build bigger and better nukes, all bode ill we’ll make another 81 years nuclear attack free.

August 6, 2026 Posted by | history, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

How Lockheed Martin, Raytheon & BAE Systems Are Propagandizing Children To Support War Through STEM

If Saudi Arabia is Washington’s biggest customer, then Israel is its prime recipient of welfare. A study from Brown University found that in the two years following the October 7, 2023 attack, the United States spent $21.7 billion on military aid to Israel, including aircraft, missiles, and all manner of small arms munitions.

 August 1, 2026, Alan Macleod Mint Press News, https://scheerpost.com/2026/08/01/how-lockheed-martin-raytheon-bae-systems-are-propagandizing-children-to-support-war-through-stem/

Raytheon sponsors the Girl Scouts of America. BAE Systems is reading your toddlers their favorite fairytale stories. And Lockheed Martin funds children’s math and STEM festivals. This is done with great fanfare, supposedly to empower and inspire children to pursue their passion for science. In reality, though, these companies are attempting to launder their images and enlist the next generation to become cogs in the military-industrial complex.

All the while, these organizations’ products are being used across the world by the United States and Israel to commit war crimes – in Iran, Yemen, Palestine, and beyond – to target children.

MintPress explores the murky world of the arms companies training kids to bomb kids.

Normalizing War to Kids

When many Americans think of Raytheon (now officially rebranded as RTX Corporation), they don’t envisage rockets and cruise missiles; they think of math. For decades, the second-largest arms manufacturer on the planet has bankrolled a wide range of organizations aimed at getting children excited about STEM subjects.

Since 2009, Raytheon has been the title sponsor of MATHCOUNTS, a non-profit organization that provides engaging math programs for middle school students in every U.S. state, as well as organizing math competitions to find the brightest children in America.

In 2005, Raytheon launched its MathMovesU program, aimed, in its own words, “to inspire middle school students to get excited about math and science.” In addition to the materials provided, it has also spent millions on scholarships, grants, and study awards to thousands of students, teachers, and volunteers.

And its MathAlive! traveling exhibit promises, in rather outdated branding, to take math “2theXtreme”. MathAlive! Has also traveled to several countries in West Asia, including Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia – all of them among the biggest purchasers of Raytheon weapons technology.

The company also enjoys a longtime partnership with the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA). In 2017, for example, it launched the GSUSA’s first national computer science program and cyber challenge for middle and high school girls.

“The progress to diversify the STEM workforce needs to be accelerated… At a time when technology is transforming the way we live and work, we can – and should – show young women a clear path to taking an active role in this transformation,” said Thomas A. Kennedy, then-Raytheon CEO; “Working together, Raytheon and Girl Scouts will help girls build confidence to see themselves as the robotics engineers, data scientists and cybersecurity professionals who will create a better tomorrow.”

Raytheon also spearheaded the GSUSA’s “Think Like a Programmer” project, which encourages girls to explore the world of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, and developed many of the programming badges available to the scouts.

GSUSA appears proud of this relationship. Its website profiles one former scout who now works at Raytheon as a success story and a model to follow. The article includes a step-by-step guide and a list of tips for those wishing to follow in her footsteps.

Unsurprisingly, Raytheon also works closely with the U.S. military on these matters, establishing four new STEM “centers of innovation” with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Michigan, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Washington, D.C., all near military bases.

While some might be surprised by the closeness of the relationship between a children’s organization and an arms manufacturer, it is worth remembering that the scouting movement was originally established by Lieutenant-General Robert Baden-Powell, as a stepping stone towards boys joining the military. Baden-Powell was deeply concerned that English boys would not be physically fit enough to fight for their country in any upcoming wars, and designed an organization that would train them both physically and mentally to do so.

Kirsten Bayes from the Campaign Against the Arms Trade was unimpressed by Raytheon’s attempts to improve their image and to train the next generation of weapons manufacturers. “Our view is that arms companies have no place in schools or colleges, and should certainly not be working with children’s educational charities,” she told MintPress, adding:

“Schools and other places of education should be places where children learn, grow and develop their full potential. They should not be a recruiting ground where arms companies whitewash their activities.”

Lockheed Martin U

But Raytheon is far from the only weapons giant directly targeting America’s children. Lockheed Martin hosts CYBERQUEST, an annual high school competition that encourages children to pursue careers in intelligence and cybersecurity. The 2026 event was held in 11 locations across the country, as well as virtually around the world. The arms giant offers high school internship programs designed to fast-track America’s brightest young minds into careers in defense. Every year, Lockheed Martin hires thousands of young interns, and claims that 60% of these candidates go on to paid work at the company.

It also sponsors “young minds at work” days, setting up hands-on experiments for children to play with, including bottle rocket experiments and more.

Universities are a key recruitment ground. The corporation spends huge sums attracting top talent, including hosting “Lockheed Martin Day” at more than a dozen colleges nationwide, where company recruiters are allowed on campus to dazzle students with virtual reality exhibitions, flight simulators, and even landing helicopters directly on college greens.

Lockheed Martin has entered into partnerships with several top colleges. A $1.5 million donation to the University of Texas at Arlington, for instance, resulted in the renamed of one of their buildings as the Lockheed Martin Career Development Center.

The company touts its reputation as a safe space for women and LGBT employees, and is regularly listed as one of the best employers for inclusivity. One woman the company itself profiles is Haley, who, as a girl, dreamed of becoming an inventor. “As a child,” they write, “Haley clung to a notebook where she sketched her ideas and inventions. On the cover she scribbled, ‘Haley’s Way to Make Life Better.’ Her best idea? A self-folding Christmas tree cleverly called ‘Merry, Bright and Boxed’ to make cleaning up after the holidays more efficient.” Today, that child with dreams of making the world a better place is a missiles and fire control engineer with Lockheed Martin, developing weapons that efficiently kill people all across the planet.

Targeting Toddlers

Boeing, too, has developed a number of projects aimed at young children. Their “Engineering is Elementary” program is designed for pre-K, kindergarten, elementary and middle school students, and, like those from Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, is focussed on funnelling young minds into a career in weapons manufacturing. “Boeing has a strategic community focus to increase teacher effectiveness in math and science and to attract more students into STEM-related careers,” a company representative said, adding,

“Engineering is Elementary provides teachers and students a greater understanding of engineering, and it accomplishes that in a fun, interactive way. Our goal is to interest students in engineering at an early age and increase the number of scientists and engineers.”

Aerospace manufacturer BAE Systems, however, goes even further. The London-based giant that produces jet aircraft, missiles, howitzers, and warships published a series of bizarre videos featuring both its employees and members of the British Armed Forces reading classic fairytales to children. This included Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel. These came complete with worksheets to help extremely young children with their problem-solving skills.

Reading bedtime stories to babies is just part of a wider strategy BAE Systems is conducting in order to, in their own words, “improve our corporate reputation at both a local and national level.” Other initiatives include hosting school roadshows, robotics festivals, science camps, and local community outreach programs, all aimed at children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it also stepped in to provide schools with branded learning materials for children as young as five.

Bayes appeared appalled at the company’s actions, stating:

“We are aware that BAE Systems claims to spend as much as £100m [U.S.$134m] per year on educational activities. It claims its motives are community based, but we would say that this is part of their recruiting strategy: seeking to influence young people without presenting the full facts of what an arms company is, and what the consequences of working for them would be.”

Fairytales and Nightmares

As much as these companies attempt to present themselves neutrally as scientific entities, the reality is that their primary businesses revolve around producing the hardware and weaponry that the United States uses to dominate the world.

In the past twelve months alone, the United States has bombed seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. And it is companies like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin that make this kind of extraordinary planetary violence possible.

For example, on February 28, the United States launched an attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls’ School in Minab, Iran. A Tomahawk cruise missile – one of the most precise guided weapons on the planet – was launched from a nearby warship and pummelled the building, causing the school to collapse in on itself. Soon after, a second missile hit the school’s courtyard, where desperate survivors were gathering.

The attack was timed precisely for maximum damage: 10:45am on a school day. At least 156 people were killed, most of them pupils at the school, which neither served any military purpose, nor was located near any military target. Over 100 more were injured.

The event was immediately denounced as a major war crime. But Secretary of War Pete Hegseth brushed it off, and later stated that, “The only ones that need to be worried right now are Iranians who think they’re going to live.”

The Tomahawk cruise missile is produced by Raytheon, and subsystems used in the operation were made by a subsidiary of BAE Systems.

Washington also uses its primacy in weapons to keep its allies in power. Saudi Arabia is by far the U.S.’ top arms customer, purchasing hundreds of billions of dollars worth of hi-tech weaponry, which it immediately uses against Yemen, and to suppress domestic dissent.

Riyadh has pursued a genocidal attack on civilian infrastructure in Yemen, including against farms, sewage, and water facilities, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. In August 2018, it dropped a 227 kg (500lb) laser-guided bomb on a school bus in Dhahyan, northern Yemen. Fragments found at the scene identified the bomb as having been produced by Lockheed Martin. Forty children were killed in the attack – a far from uncommon occurrence during the Saudi-led campaign to topple Ansar Allah from power.

If Saudi Arabia is Washington’s biggest customer, then Israel is its prime recipient of welfare. A study from Brown University found that in the two years following the October 7, 2023 attack, the United States spent $21.7 billion on military aid to Israel, including aircraft, missiles, and all manner of small arms munitions.

Israel has used these weapons to systematically target children in Gaza and beyond. At least 97% of schools in the densely-populated strip have been hit. One of the more notable examples was the Khadija Girls’ School in Deir al-Balah, which was targeted on July 27, 2024. A Human Rights Watch investigation found that Israel dropped at least two GBU-39 bombs on the school – munitions manufactured in the United States by Boeing.

Thus, while arms manufacturers read fairytales to Western kids, children across the world are forced to live out a very real nightmare, thanks in no small part to these companies.

Whether they live in the United States or one of the countries under its boot, however, children everywhere are being targeted by these weapons firms, though in different ways. In the United States, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and others have stepped in to bolster cash-strapped education departments. While their rhetoric emphasizes empowering children – especially girls – to follow their science dreams, their true intent is to launder their reputations as merchants of death, and to train up the next generation of Americans to become willing members of the American war machine.

Children on the other side of the globe, however, are given no such illusions, and have to live with the constant terror that they be these companies’ next victims. This image, is not the one the likes of Raytheon want us to think about when we picture their products, and so they spend millions attempting to distract us with stories of empowerment and discovery. What a world we live in, where weapons companies are training kids to bomb kids.

August 6, 2026 Posted by | Education, USA | Leave a comment

Nuclear test veterans’ medical records were gathered by secret government lab

Susie Boniface Reporter, 04 Aug 2026, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/nuclear-test-veterans-medical-records-37508232

Medical records of nuclear test veterans were gathered by a secret government laboratory, the Ministry of Defence has admitted.

Up to 50,000 paper files now locked in a climate-controlled warehouse were collected by scientists at Porton Down. The cache of files has yet to be examined, despite a two-year review into missing medical records of veterans who were subject to a programme of medical monitoring at Cold War bomb tests.

Campaigning MP Rebecca Long-Bailey said: “We need to know how many records are in there, for what reason they were held, and whether they constitute some of the missing files our veterans have spent decades searching for. I hope our new Prime Minister, who has been unfaltering in his support of the veterans, will order this archive searched before Parliament returns from summer recess.”

A cross-party group of MPs have written to Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, urging him to examine the archive. Veterans of Britain’s 45 atomic experiments have long complained their medical files were missing.

In 2022, the Mirror uncovered the first evidence thousands of them were given previously-denied blood, urine and thyroid testing, and underwent chest x-rays, before, during and after service at the weapons trials. The original orders were for blood test results to be recorded on six different forms, by five separate people, and held in four places, including ‘special health registers’ for each unit.

A review was launched in 2024, but when it was published last month it was unable to find most records, and assumed the blood tests were – in many cases – never taken and in others destroyed. No trace of the registers was found.

But it did locate a warehouse in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, which held 50,000 paper records about historic radiation exposure. A brief search established it held medical records for at least one atomic serviceman. The review said: “It is possible that the records of other nuclear test veterans are in the collection.”

The archive has a chequered past. Officially called UHR ‘DSTL Historic Radiation’, it appeared to have been formed by the Defence Science Technology Laboratory, more usually known as Porton Down. It is a top-secret facility that conducts classified biological and chemical research.

Today the files are held by a private contractor called Restore, which specialises in document storage. A digital version is held by Defence Radiation Protection Services, another part of the MoD, based 172 miles away in Gosport, Hampshire.

Two years ago, DRPS merged with the Atomic Weapons Establishment which is now responsible for the files, but no-one can search them without “specific individual permissions” from Defence Business Services; the administrative arm of the MoD. When ministers published the review, they did not say if or when the archives would be searched.

Veteran John Morris, 88, said: “It’s bonkers. The MoD has some paperwork, but the MoD hasn’t given itself permission to search it and tell the rest of the MoD what it has. If my medical records are in there, I want them back.”

An MOD spokesperson said: “We owe an enduring debt of gratitude to the more than 22,000 Service personnel, scientists and civilians who contributed to the UK’s nuclear testing programme and helped safeguard our national security.

“This Government commissioned a comprehensive review in relation to its agreed scope, processing more than 100,000 items and records across the organisations holding relevant material.

“As with any exercise involving records over 70 years old, additional collections and references may emerge over time. The fact that further material has been identified does not change the findings of the review, which found no evidence of deliberate concealment and set out transparently the limitations and gaps within the surviving record.”

August 6, 2026 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

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