William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 30/09/2026US military says it has officially left Iraq www.war.gov/News/Release...war.gov 011
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 18/09/2026America must prepare for warfare on moon, top general says www.stripes.com/branches/spa...stripes.comAmerica’s troops must prepare now for warfare on moon, top general saysAmerica’s armed forces must prepare to wage and win wars in all domains, including on and around the moon, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said in remarks at the Air, Space and Cyber Confere... 120
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 17/09/2026The Navy’s largest base is reexamining its parking and other procedures after towing dozens of cars belonging to sailors away at sea, an official said Thursday. www.stripes.com/branches/nav... Source - Stars and Stripesstripes.comNavy’s vast Virginia base reviewing procedures after sailors at sea had cars towedNorfolk Naval Base is reexamining its parking and other procedures after towing dozens of cars belonging to sailors away at sea, an official said. 000
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 17/09/2026"Video of the encounter appears to show an agent repeatedly striking one teen, while the other says he was pepper-sprayed." www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...stripes.comICE detains two Texas teens who say they planned to join MarinesTwo teens detained by ICE agents in Texas say they were on their way to deliver paperwork related to joining the Marine Corps. 074
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026The protesters said that South Korea should not send military forces to the strait under any circumstances. They also argued that yielding to U.S. pressure would undermine South Korea’s pursuit of self-reliant defense and independent diplomacy. www.stripes.com/branches/arm...stripes.comSouth Korean activists protest potential Hormuz deployment outside Camp HumphreysSouth Korean activists gathered outside Camp Humphreys to protest a potential deployment of South Korean forces to the Strait of Hormuz. 011
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026"Iranian drone and missile strikes damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures on several U.S. bases, including at the Navy’s main regional logistics hub in Bahrain, CENTCOM officials told the inspector general." www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...stripes.comIran war exposed US munitions shortfalls and production bottlenecks, Pentagon IG saysThe most persistent bottlenecks involve the production of solid rocket motors and the availability of high-grade explosives, the report said. 000
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Younger veterans are substantially more likely to have dangerous levels of toxic “forever chemicals” in their blood than non-veterans the same age, a nationally representative study reported this week. www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...stripes.comYounger veterans more likely to have elevated levels of ‘forever chemicals,’ study findsPFAS exposure has been associated with health problems including kidney and testicular cancers, as well as ulcerative colitis. 001
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 09/09/2026"When leaders treat asking tough questions and reporting uncomfortable facts as disloyalty, they devalue a tool that can help them fix crucial problems."theatlantic.comThe Inside Story of What Happened at Stars and StripesFor generations, the newspaper has served American military families. That work must continue. And it must remain editorially independent. 031
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 14/08/2026That bright thing in the sky is just Venus, please don’t shoot — again www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...stripes.comThat bright thing in the sky is just Venus, please don’t shoot — againAn astronomical occurrence began this month that twice in history has tricked the U.S. military into firing at a planet. 030
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 13/08/2026WSJ: USS George Washington is set to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than 250 dayswsj.comExclusive | U.S. Sending Fresh Aircraft Carrier to Middle East Amid Iran War StrainThe USS George Washington is set to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than 250 days. 002
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 13/08/2026“We already had an instance where watch standers had to stop someone from jumping,” one sailor said. The ship’s crew was informed about the incident, which occurred a few months ago, during a ship-wide announcement, sailors said.stripes.comUSS Abraham Lincoln families press Navy leaders over sailors’ mental healthFamily members say the roughly 5,000 service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have endured food and water shortages and little time off. 042
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 28/05/2026A look at life in Bahrain, home to the US 5th Fleet, after Iranian attacks that prompted a mass US evacuation.stripes.comReturning to Bahrain, where the damage is being repaired faster than the nervesBack in Bahrain now, many visible signs of the war have disappeared, even if some of the unease it caused has not. 030
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 15/05/2026Poll finds broad global opposition to US military basesstripes.comPoll finds broad global opposition to US military bases, except in Poland and South KoreaA new poll found limited support for American bases in countries that host large numbers of U.S. forces. 000
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 13/05/2026First Germany, now Poland.stripes.comDeployment of 4,000 soldiers from Army tank brigade to Poland put on holdThe deployment of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division to Europe already underway has been put on hold. 052
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 11/05/2026For the sailors and military families who fled Bahrain during the Iran war, there is no mental health playbook. That's partly because PTSD care is largely built around troops going to war -- not war arriving at their homes. A deeply reported piece by @starsandstripes.bsky.social's Shannon Renfroe.stripes.comFor Bahrain evacuees, there is no mental health playbookEvacuees described panic, hypervigilance and delayed stress after experiencing wartime attacks without the support systems typical of combat deployments. 082
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 05/05/2026In a widely distributed community newsletter, an Army garrison in Germany warned: “DO NOT ENGAGE WITH MEDIA.” Officials later clarified to Stars and Stripes that it wasn’t a blanket ban. But military legal experts warn it could still discourage troops and their families from exercising free speech.stripes.comArmy garrison says no blanket speech ban after ‘do not engage with media’ messageMembers of a U.S. military community in Germany are being reminded to avoid speaking with reporters as military operations continue in the Middle East. 292
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 05/05/2026Army garrison says no blanket speech ban after ‘do not engage with media’ messagestripes.comArmy garrison says no blanket speech ban after ‘do not engage with media’ messageMembers of a U.S. military community in Germany are being reminded to avoid speaking with reporters as military operations continue in the Middle East. 001
Reposted by William GalloStars and Stripes @starsandstripes.bsky.social · 30/04/2026ANALYSIS | Operation Epic Fury has sunk Iran’s largest naval ships, degraded its air defenses and killed many of its top leaders. It has also laid bare the vulnerabilities of the American presence in the Middle East, experts say. From Stars and Stripes' Lara Korte:stripes.comIran war reveals vulnerabilities of US Middle East basesThe U.S. has decimated Iran’s military, but it could cost billions to repair bases in the Middle East. 0116
Reposted by William GalloAnkit Panda @nktpnd.bsky.social · 18/04/2026"American military and intelligence officials estimate that, after weeks of war, Iran still has about 40 percent of its arsenal of attack drones and upward of 60 percent of its missile launchers — more than enough to hold shipping in the Strait of Hormuz hostage..." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/u...nytimes.comFor Iran, Flexing Control Over Waterway Is New Deterrent 11311102
Reposted by William GalloAnkit Panda @nktpnd.bsky.social · 23/03/2026I spoke to Stars & Stripes about the takeaways for US forces in Europe from Iran's long-range Indian Ocean missile launches last Friday www.stripes.com/theaters/eur... 0112
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 23/03/2026“If you are willing to actually allow and fund to a certain extent a newspaper that you understand will hold you to account at times,” he said, “I think it’s a really wonderful expression of those values in the First Amendment.”editorandpublisher.comStars and Stripes defends its independence amid new Pentagon pressures - Editor and PublisherFor generations of service members, Stars and Stripes has been known as the soldiers’ newspaper, funded by the U.S. government but protected by law to report independently on the military it covers. N... 010
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 20/03/2026Very happy to report that I am now the Europe/Mideast bureau chief for Stars and Stripes. I've long been impressed from afar at the work this outlet has done in communicating to the US military community, and two days in I'm more convinced than ever about the importance of that mission. 3191
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 28/02/2026!!!nytimes.comSouth Korea Clears Way for Google Maps to Fully Operate 040
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 25/02/2026“I believe they see my writing style as excessively objective and they see it as a problem,” he said. “I say positive things about North Korea sometimes, and when negative, not in a hysterical style.”nknews.orgNorth Korea scholar Andrei Lankov detained in Latvia before lecture | NK NewsNorth Korea scholar Andrei Lankov was detained in Latvia and expelled from the country on Tuesday, just before the start of a public lecture in Riga. Lankov, a Russian and Australian national, confirm... 142
Reposted by William GalloSangsin Lee @sslee.bsky.social · 19/02/2026Yoon Suk-yeol has been sentenced to life imprisonment. 201696404
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 16/02/2026A South Korean cryptocurrency exchange planned to give customers a small cash reward of 2,000 won - $1.37 - but instead gave them 2,000 bitcoins on Friday.bbc.comS Korean crypto firm accidentally pays out $40bn in bitcoinThe company quickly realised its mistake and managed to recover virtually all the missing tokens from customers. 072
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 10/02/2026Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has vowed to use her dominance of Japan’s parliament after her huge election win to attempt to amend the country’s constitution for the first time in almost 80 years.giftarticle.ft.comSanae Takaichi targets changes to Japan’s constitution after landslide election winPrime minister says she feels ‘heavy responsibility’ to strengthen country 032
Reposted by William GalloStars and Stripes @starsandstripes.bsky.social · 04/02/2026POLL: Danish perceptions of the relationship with the United States have taken a stark downturn in the wake of President Donald Trump’s threats to take control of Greenland. Read more: www.stripes.com/theaters/eur... #Flashes 103818
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026"While it has existed since 2009, the EU’s Article 42.7 mutual defense clause was rarely seen as necessary because NATO’s Article 5 served a similar purpose. But Europe's governments have started to doubt whether the U.S. really would come to Europe's rescue."politico.euEurope begins its slow retreat from US dependenceThe EU aims to reduce reliance on America in areas such as technology, energy, payments and defense. That will take some time. 150
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026“We will never have true strategic independence, absent our own nuclear deterrent...let’s keep our options open."theglobeandmail.comCanada should ‘keep our options open’ on acquiring nuclear weapons, former defence chief saysRetired general Wayne Eyre told an Ottawa crowd that developing a nuclear deterrent is not an immediate concern, but should be an option 060
Reposted by William GalloStars and Stripes @starsandstripes.bsky.social · 20/01/2026FROM OUR OMBUDSMAN: Given the overall press restrictions and the moves to take over editorial control of Stars and Stripes, the future of a reputable newspaper that dates to the Civil War is in danger. Here's what's happening, why & what you can do about it. Gift article🔗: bit.ly/4k7MF6F #Flashes 99053
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 15/01/2026"The idea that China is ready to seize Greenland at any moment is absurd, and Trump’s claims that Chinese destroyers and submarines are circling the island are blatantly false."foreignpolicy.comNo, China Isn’t Going to Take Over GreenlandTrump’s absurd justification for potential U.S. action is blatantly false. 2408
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 06/01/2026Trump's threats to take Greenland "should be the final wake-up call for the UK, Europe and Canada never to allow themselves to slide into such a position of profound weakness again."news.sky.comTrump is likely gambling he could get away with Greenland grab as NATO needs US more than he needs itThe US president knows no European nation would seriously try to stop him by force - because they would lose. 363
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 19/12/2025"I think we should possess nuclear weapons...in the end, we can only rely on ourselves."english.kyodonews.netJapan needs to possess nuclear weapons, prime minister's office source saysA source within Japan's prime minister's office said Thursday that the country needs nuclear weapons, remarks that deviate from the country's long-standing non-nuclear principles and could trigger bac... 84615
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 14/12/2025"This vanishing of North Korea from 2017 to 2025 alone should caution the reader to take this text, whether you see things you like or dislike, with a gigantic grain of salt."johndelury.substack.comMy Warm Take on the National Security StrategyFrom the erasure of North Korea to the defense of Taiwan 010
Reposted by William GalloPOLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 11/12/2025Denmark’s military intelligence service has for the first time classified the US as a security risk, a striking shift in how one of Washington’s closest European allies assesses the transatlantic relationship.politico.euDanish intelligence classifies Trump’s America as a security riskDenmark sounds the alarm about the U.S.’s increasingly antagonistic posture toward Europe. 9262125
Reposted by William GalloAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 11/12/2025MAGAZINER: How many veterans have you deported? NOEM: We haven't deported veterans MAGAZINER: We are now joined on Zoom by a combat veteran you deported to Korea 21335169416848
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 08/12/2025Instead of the word “denuclearization,” the paper emphasized “resolving the Korean peninsula issue through political means.koreajoongangdaily.joins.comChina omits 'denuclearization' from newly-released defense white paperChina has omitted the phrase “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” from a defense white paper for the first time in 19 years, signaling a possible shift in its position as it competes with the Un... 031
Reposted by William GalloSense Hofstede @sensehofstede.nl · 07/12/2025Japan frustrated at Trump administration’s silence over row with China – FT: ‘Some people said the lack of US support was ironic given that Elbridge Colby, the under-secretary of defence for policy, had pushed Japan to make clear what role it would play if the US and China went to war over Taiwan.’ft.comJapan frustrated at Trump administration’s silence over row with ChinaTokyo asks US to be more vocal in its support after Beijing reacted furiously to prime minister’s comments about Taiwan 1247
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 07/12/2025The Muppets Christmas Carol is just top notch stuff, man. So many great performances, including obviously by Michael Caine but also Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and the vegetable muppets. I could go on and on. 711421
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 07/12/2025Just saw another mosquito in Seoul. It's December 7th. We've already had snow. How in the world do these creatures survive this. 1110
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 06/12/2025China’s National Security Office in Hong Kong Summons Foreign Journalistsnytimes.comChina’s National Security Office in Hong Kong Summons Foreign Journalists 030
Reposted by William GalloDr. Mark P. Barry ☯︎ @drmarkpbarry.bsky.social · 05/12/2025North Korea Not Mentioned in U.S. National Security Strategy www.chosun.com/english/worl...chosun.comNorth Korea Not Mentioned in U.S. National Security StrategyNorth Korea Not Mentioned in U.S. National Security Strategy Report highlights countering China along First Island Chain, urges allies to boost defense spending 023
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 05/12/2025The White House just released its National Security Strategy.whitehouse.gov 000
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 05/12/2025“Landau, a longtime NATO skeptic, told ministers not to ‘bully’ his country’s defense firms out of participating in Europe’s rearmament.”politico.euTop US official berates Europe over cutting American industry out of defense buildupWashington is unhappy that some European arms programs limit U.S. participation. 120
Reposted by William GalloDr. Mark P. Barry ☯︎ @drmarkpbarry.bsky.social · 04/12/2025The Trump administration will highlight South Korea and Israel as "model allies" in its National Defense Strategy. Expected to be released by the Pentagon in coming weeks, the NDS will commend both countries for acting as partners rather than dependents. asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/tr...asia.nikkei.comTrump's National Defense Strategy to hail South Korea as 'model ally'Seoul's 3.5% defense budget, shipyards pledge suit 'partners' over 'dependents' US vision 011
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 04/12/2025"The first requirement for successful negotiations is accurately understanding the opponent. However, President Lee is unaware of even basic facts about North Korea."chosun.comEditorial: President Lee Unaware of North Korea Detainees, Policies CriticizedEditorial: President Lee Unaware of North Korea Detainees, Policies Criticized Critics question leaders grasp of basic realities amid calls for awareness on detained citizens 031
William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 03/12/2025Clint Work: "It seems as though some South Korean political hands that are the firmest proponents of wartime OPCON transition are more interested in the optics and symbolism of the transition than they are the mechanics of the combined command." Wonky stuff but important for US-ROK relations.keia.orgCan Seoul Take the Lead & The Alliance Expand Its Aperture? - Korea Economic Institute of AmericaThe drivers for a South Korean lead role on the peninsula and a broader role for the alliance’s combined defense posture beyond it may be greater than ever. 000