Why Would the Pentagon Hire A Russian State Company During a Time of Heightened Tensions? (from The National Interest)

For the first time, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) will allow Russian companies to supply unclassified communications and data transmission between U.S. service personnel deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families and friends back in the United States. It must have slipped DISA’s notice that the United States is at an undeclared war with Russia. Last month the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security formally accused Russia of being behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee’s email system.  At a time when the Intelligence Community has directly called out the Russian government for attacking the U.S. political system and collecting personal information on U.S. leaders, it is the height of irresponsibility for DISA to allow a Russian company to participate in any contract that provides communications services for the U.S. military. Either DISA should reconsider this decision or Secretary of Defense Carter must order them to do so. I have written more about this for The National Interest.