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The Aiming Circle

@aimingcircle.bsky.social
161 followers 309 following 169 posts

We illuminate markets, contests, & other resources for writers of military fiction, non-fiction, history, analysis, poetry & more. Patreon-supported community of practice. Admin: Charlie Sherpa. Visit: linktr.ee/aimingcircle

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James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I rather think Pete Hegseth is a bit of a disaster and should be impeached if I'm gonna be fr with you guys. othermeans.substack.com/p/the-weak-d...
othermeans.substack.com
The Weak Department
Send Me! (Somewhere I can get a Lobotomy)
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 04/10/2026
Nobody is prepared for the world of drone warfare that is coming, in fact is already here www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/u...
nytimes.com
U.S. Rushes to Withdraw Bombers From U.K. Air Base After New Threats
The withdrawal came with unusual speed, following what U.S. officials said were threats of an Iran-based plot against the installation.
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Stars and Stripes @starsandstripes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Work began this week on a three-year, $5.1 billion midlife overhaul of the 28-year-old aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.
stripes.com
USS Harry S. Truman starts major midlife overhaul
Truman has moved from its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk to the nearby HII Newport News Shipbuilding yard for a Refueling and Complex Overhaul.
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Paul Guinnessy @paulguinnessy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
The USA has not paid its annual contribution to the Organisation for the Prohibition of #ChemicalWeapons. "Funding the #OPCW is clearly in the US interest as it has time and again kept chemical weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists who would...[use] such weapons against Americans."
armscontrolcenter.org
Time To Fund the OPCW - Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
By John Erath Since 1993, chemical weapons have killed thousands, with many times more affected, often suffering for years. This despite the Chemical Weapons Convention ban on such activity and a gene...
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Nick Turse @nickturse.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The Pentagon’s Secret Budget Trump’s proposed budget hides $1 trillion in military spending from the public by spreading it across disparate government agencies. theintercept.com/2026/10/01/t...
theintercept.com
The Pentagon’s Secret Budget
Trump’s proposed budget hides $1 trillion in military spending from the public by spreading it across disparate government agencies.
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The Aiming Circle @aimingcircle.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Call for SFF/H/War poetry & 450-word micro-fictions! "In our first volume, contributors wrestled with the potential effects of cybernetics on the human body, of battlefield networks on the art of war, and of Artificial Intelligence on the human soul," says MWP Editor-Publisher Randy "Sherpa" Brown.
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Emily Gorcenski @emily.gorcen.ski · 28/09/2026
Here’s the most incredible story you’ll read today. A small plane with four people aboard crashes in a field. Another pilot witnesses it. That pilot happens to be flying a bunch of skydivers. They offer to jump to assist, are given permission. The skydivers happen to be EMTs. Everyone survives.
wisn.com
Skydivers alert emergency crews, assist after plane crashes near East Troy airport
Four people were aboard the single-engine plane when it went down in a cornfield near Carvers School Road in East Troy at about 1:30 p.m.
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Task & Purpose @taskandpurpose.com · 30/09/2026
Airmen criticize Air Force’s use of AI in suicide prevention training as ‘uncomfortable and odd’ trib.al/KAYPs8X
trib.al
Airmen criticize Air Force's use of AI in suicide prevention training as 'uncomfortable and odd'
The Air Force says incorporating AI-generated imagery standardizes the training, but some airmen criticize it as being “cold and unnatural.”
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PBS News @pbsnews.org · 30/09/2026
The last U.S. troops left an air base in northern Iraq under a deal between Baghdad and Washington. to.pbs.org/4AIjzT5
to.pbs.org
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete
Baghdad touted the end of the U.S. mission as a sign of the country's increasing strength and sovereignty.
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Military Times @militarytimes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
bit.ly/4y0BVMx
bit.ly
US Navy signs off on ‘preliminary acceptance’ of aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy
The Navy’s next aircraft carrier is now approximately “99% complete,” with the sea service taking preliminary acceptance of the future USS John F. Kennedy.
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Gerry Doyle @mgerrydoyle.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
are you lost on this story? if so don't worry, I am too www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Burnham Says Iran Likely Involved in UK Airbase Incident
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK government believes the Iranian state was behind a security incident at an airbase that’s used by the US to launch strikes on the country.
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 30/09/2026
⚡️Ukraine unveils new Mavic alternative, but Chinese dependence persists. According to Vyriy, the new Slavic drone has a tactical operating range of up to 30 kilometers, approximately twice that of a Chinese-made Mavic.
kyivindependent.com
Ukraine unveils new Mavic alternative, but Chinese dependence persists
According to Vyriy, the new Slavic drone has a tactical operating range of up to 30 kilometers, approximately twice that of a Chinese-made Mavic.
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The Aiming Circle @aimingcircle.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Here’s our latest monthly salvo of RESOURCES, TIPS, and MARKETS for writers of military- and war-themed fiction, non-fiction, poetry, scholarship, and more! Find all these stories here: www.aimingcircle.com/2026/09/a-ro... Join us! linktr.ee/aimingcircle (Slide 1 of 4)
IMAGE: RAJASTHAN, INDIA—U.S. and Indian Army artillerymen fire an M777 howitzer as an integrated gun crew during exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026 at Mahajan Field Firing Range, Rajasthan, India, Sept. 22, 2026. The combined crews applied rehearsed commands and procedures to safely execute bilateral live-fire missions, demonstrating interoperability at the soldier and crew level. Photo by U.S. Army Maj. Sarah Harris
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🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 @militarynewsua.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
❗️European leaders plan to use the UN General Assembly in New York to press the Trump administration to transfer additional Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine to protect its energy infrastructure from Russian strikes this winter; separately, they will ask the United Kingdom and Japan
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Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"After speaking with the Saudi crown prince, Trump reversed himself and told the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes against the Houthis. But by midday Sunday, the president appeared to have reversed himself again..." www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...
nytimes.com
Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help
The president vacillated but decided on Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia, for now, in joint strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. But he also needs the kingdom’s cooperation in his war against Iran.
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Shannon E French @sefrench.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
So instead of trading with our neighbor and traditional ally, we’re going to buy from a Russian ally who supports Putin’s illegal war against Ukraine? Disgusting.
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 18/09/2026
Senior White House officials have warned President Trump behind closed doors that the war could stretch through the end of 2028. trib.al/qT3Y6VW
trib.al
Pentagon Watchdog Reveals Devastating U.S. Losses in Iran War
The Defense Department’s inspector general reports a major munitions shortfall—and damage to U.S. bases throughout the region.
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Alexander S. Vindman @avindman.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The US has the mightiest military in the world, so why does the World feel so insecure for America? open.substack.com/pub/alexande...
open.substack.com
The Paradox of Power
The Squandering of America’s Military Might
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Adam J Schmidt @adamjschmidt.com · 18/09/2026
Saudi Arabia does’t appear to be using the planes they already have, why would they need F-35s? www.washingtonsun.com/defense/trum...
washingtonsun.com
Trump Administration Clears Saudi F-35s Sale Despite Intelligence Warnings
U.S. intelligence has warned the sale could make the sensitive military technology accessible to China, which has military ties to the Saudis.
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War on the Rocks @warontherocks.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Four annual exercises later, what has the Army actually learned about fighting across every domain at once? Its multi-domain commander in Europe takes stock. warontherocks.com/2026/09/an-a...
warontherocks.com
An Army General Talks Fusing Sensors and Shooters on the Eastern Flank
This exclusive Cogs of War interview is with Brig. Gen. Steven P. Carpenter, the commanding general of Multi-Domain Command - Europe, the U.S. Army's
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Stars and Stripes @starsandstripes.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Engineers from across services spent the week in Hawaii honing a joint-force approach to rapidly repairing airfields damaged by war or disaster, an essential part of the Air Force's evolving Agile Combat Employment concept. (from @wyattwolson.bsky.social)
stripes.com
Marines, soldiers and airmen refine joint-force approach to rapid runway repair
Army, Marine and Air Force engineers trained in Hawaii to hone a joint-force approach to rapidly repairing airfields damaged by war or disaster.
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Michael Stahlke @michaelstahlke.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I have seen the US Navy attempt to blame an unrated E-nothing sailor for the destruction of a capital ship. I’m not prepared to blame an army analyst.
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Jason Leopold @jasonleopold.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
HUGE EXCLUSIVE from @bloomberg.com Inside the US ‘Kill Chain’ That Destroyed an Iranian School Pentagon investigators discovered that flawed intel, outdated imagery & overreliance on AI contributed to a missile strike that killed 123 children in Minab 🎁 www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
bloomberg.com
Inside the US ‘Kill Chain’ That Destroyed an Iranian School
Pentagon investigators have discovered that flawed intelligence, outdated imagery and an overreliance on AI contributed to a missile strike that killed 123 children in Minab.
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PBS News @pbsnews.org · 16/09/2026
For the first time ever, the U.S. military has confirmed it has weapons in space.
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 16/09/2026
newrepublic.com/post/215490/...
newrepublic.com
House Cancels Votes to Avoid Embarrassment Over Hegseth Impeachment
Republicans are sending members of Congress home early to avoid a vote on the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
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Helen Kennedy @helenkennedy.com · 16/09/2026
This is why they wanted Pentagon reporters to sign an oath promising to seek approval before publishing anything. They wanted to lie without pushback. www.aljazeera.com/features/202...
aljazeera.com
Dozens of aircraft, hundreds of buildings: US loss to Iran attacks revealed
The Pentagon watchdog's report paints a picture of significant losses to US forces and facilities in the region.
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Stars and Stripes @starsandstripes.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A new study published this week found younger veterans are substantially more likely to have dangerous levels of toxic "forever chemicals" in their blood than non-veterans the same age. From Stars and Stripes' Matthew M. Burke:
stripes.com
Younger veterans more likely to have elevated levels of ‘forever chemicals,’ study finds
PFAS exposure has been associated with health problems including kidney and testicular cancers, as well as ulcerative colitis.
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Brian Finucane @bcfinucane.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The Affordability Agenda: War www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
nbcnews.com
Iran war driving up inflation for Americans, CBO report says
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that inflation will continue to rise in the first quarter of next year.
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Mike Black @mikeblack114.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Vietnam started with good and plausibly realistic intentions, then a series of sunk cost fallacies happened and whoopsiedaisy there's half a million troops in country and 35,000 dead Americans Iraq was foreseeably dumb but the strategic theory of the case made sense as far as it went
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The Intercept @theintercept.com · 15/09/2026
Iran’s ability to overwhelm U.S. air defenses in the Middle East using attack drones and advanced ballistic missiles has left the U.S. military in a precarious state. The Trump administration failed to appreciate Iran’s military prowess, said the first official. buff.ly/VV1tOgM
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The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 15/09/2026
In an unsigned ruling, the Supreme Court demonstrated that it is willing to limit Donald Trump’s agenda. www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
newyorker.com
Mail-In Voting Survives
In an unsigned ruling, the Supreme Court demonstrated that it is willing to limit Donald Trump’s agenda.
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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 15/09/2026
The biggest little scandal in Washington right now is how bad Patel is at being FBI director.
motherjones.com
Kash Patel, the FBI's agent of chaos
The biggest little scandal in Washington right now is how bad Patel is at being FBI director.
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Charlie Sherpa @fobhaiku.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Writes @attackerman.bsky.social : "NO ONE ESCAPES THE DIALECTIC is going to be a controversial comic. It's going to prompt a lot of questions about what we meant by the various aspects of the book. We'll be addressing those at FOREVER WARS, in detail."
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Charlie Sherpa @fobhaiku.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
NatSec comics pro-tip: Put @attackerman.bsky.social 's forthcoming series "NO ONE ESCAPES THE DIALECTIC" on your LCS pull-list, take a photo, & redeem for a paid-tier-level subscription to his "FOREVER WARS" newsletter! (Details at link.)
forever-wars.com
My Next Comic Book Series—And A Special Offer For You!
Get ready for NO ONE ESCAPES THE DIALECTIC. That should tell you how hard we plan on going
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Stephen Schwartz @atomicanalyst.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I’m going to channel Indiana Jones and say this belongs in a museum, not a millionaire’s or billionaire’s private collection. So if there’s anyone out there that can make that happen, you have 10 more days (September 24). After 18 bids, bidding now stands at $205,700. But it will surely go higher.
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Stephen Schwartz @atomicanalyst.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Tonight in 1969, “Laugh-In” awarded its Flying Fickle Finger of Fate to the Pentagon and Congress for wasting $9 billion on six canceled nuclear weapons programs: the B-70 bomber, the nuclear-powered airplane, the Snark and Navaho cruise missiles, the Dyna-Soar space plane, and the Skybolt ALBM.
A screenshot of "Laugh-In" hosts Dan Rowan (left) and Dick Martin (right) standing in black tuxedos next to an easel as Rowan reads the following from a large card (Martin holds the Flying Fickle Finger of Fate award in his left hand, which is a trapezoidal wooden base with a small plaque, on top of which a mold of a left hand, painted gold and mounted on a vertical rod, with the index finger pointed upward, from which small wings extend):

"B-70 Bomber
$1,500,000,000.00

Nuclear-Powered Plane
$512,000,000.00

Snark Robot Bomber
$678,000,000.00"Another color screenshot as Rowan continues reading from the next card, pointing with his left index finger as he reads:

"Navajo [sic] Missile
$680,000,000.00

Dyna-Soar Space Plane
$405,000,000.00"Another color screenshot as Rowan continues reading from the next (and last) card and then turns his head toward Martin:

"Sky-bolt Air-to-Ground Missile
$440,000,000.00

TOTAL
$9,000,000,000.18"
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Stephen Schwartz @atomicanalyst.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Tonight in 1980 at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, the number five engine on the right wing of a B-52H on ground alert caught fire during a drill. It was loaded with 8 Short-Range Attack Missiles (SRAMs, each armed with a 170-200-kiloton W69 warhead) and 4 B28 bombs (70 kilotons to 1.45 Megatons).
A black and white nightime photograph of the B-52H bomber on fire at Grand Forks Air Force Base, with smoke and flames moving toward the left side of the aircraft.
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Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 15/09/2026
Combatants are hunting civilians from the sky with small drones more than ever before - and the international community isn’t doing enough to stop it. My latest on the ways we can protect civilians from drones, written with Nathaniel Raymond of @hrl-yalesph.bsky.social :
foreignpolicy.com
The Laws of War Must Change for the Drone Age
Hunting civilians from the sky is growing disturbingly common.
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Secrets & Spies Podcast: Global Affairs | Intelligence @secretsandspies.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Everything We Just Learned About The Vectis Collaborative Combat Aircraft From The Skunk Works www.twz.com/news-feature...
twz.com
Everything We Just Learned About The Vectis Collaborative Combat Aircraft From The Skunk Works
We have new details on Lockheed's tailless CCA, including about its exotic "submerged" air inlet and how its design puts a premium on survivability.
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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 14/09/2026
Saudi Arabia, under pressure from Iranian-allied militias in Iraq and Houthi rebels in Yemen, has postponed what would have been the highest level of multilateral talks between Tehran and Persian Gulf nations, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said.
washingtonpost.com
Iran and Persian Gulf foreign ministers postpone meeting as talks stall
Iran said that Saudi Arabia, which is facing threats by Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Iraqi militias, called off a high-level meeting planned in Oman.
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Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 10/09/2026
Some folks will claim that this is hyperbolic, but what I wish people would understand is that tech initiatives like this serve as a means of eroding consent and lower the barrier for the persistent capture of people’s image, voice, data, or whatever else a gadget can glean.
pcmag.com
Apple's New Siri Recap Turns Every Apple Watch Into a Mass Surveillance Nightmare
Apple's always-listening AI feature promises neat summaries of your daily conversations, but it forces everyone around you into a nonconsensual recording experiment.
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Greg Jaffe @gregjaffe.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Hegseth has ushered the country's culture wars into the Pentagon. The result: Turmoil at a time the military cannot afford it. My effort to take stock of what it all means. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/u...
nytimes.com
Trying to Rid the Pentagon of Culture Wars, Hegseth Has Created His Own (Gift Article)
Persistent distractions are feeding a climate of mistrust as the U.S. military faces a series of wartime issues, including shortfalls of missile interceptors.
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U.S. Naval Institute @usni.org · 14/09/2026
U.S. Funding Subic Bay Shipyard Repair Expansion — USNI News news.usni.org/2026/09/14/u...
news.usni.org
U.S. Funding Subic Bay Shipyard Repair Expansion - USNI News
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Washington is funding a project that will expand the maintenance and repair capability of a shipyard in the Philippines frequently used by U.S. Navy warships. The Subic Drydock C...
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Task & Purpose @taskandpurpose.com · 14/09/2026
Air Force colonel recounts ‘Dude 44’ rescue that put almost 100 troops inside Iran trib.al/GMpitPL
trib.al
Air Force colonel recounts 'Dude 44' rescue that put almost 100 troops inside Iran
Speaking to “60 Minutes,” the weapons systems officer shot down over Iran said the Iranian missile hit the F-15E like a “freight train.”
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PBS News @pbsnews.org · 14/09/2026
President Donald Trump posted on social media Monday that "The only control or 'guardrails' that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!" to.pbs.org/3VejxSB
to.pbs.org
Trump says the only AI guardrails the U.S. needs is him as president
He's opposed such efforts and claims doing so could cause China to eclipse America on AI development.
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
To say the Iran War "is not going well" for Trump and his side kick Crown Prince Bone Saw would be a decided understatement. At this point it's looking existential for both leaders, though in different ways. Meanwhile, US media doesn't appear to understand what's going on. www.ft.com/content/f2a4...
ft.com
A spreading war threatens Trump and MBS
Energy supplies from Saudi Arabia have been hit just as Europe and the US head into winter
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