Author Archive
Ideas
Tapping Flournoy as SecDef Would Be a Really Big Deal
A natsec black belt and outstanding leader, the former policy undersecretary would also be uniquely positioned to implement some long-overdue personnel changes.
Ideas
The New US Army Chief Sets His Tone
Here are a few takeaways from Milley's first address since taking command of the nearly half-million strong active duty force.
Ideas
5 Keys to the New US National Military Strategy
From new nukes to the growing threat of interstate war, the new document is the boldest statement yet of the 'complex and rapidly-changing' global security landscape.
Ideas
The Pentagon's War Budget Won't Be Easy To Roll Back
Congress has too many reasons to keep overseas contingency operations funding as it is.
Science & Tech
6 Facts About the Future of the Air Force
Air Force officials wanted to reconstitute the force as the war in Afghanistan wound down. Here's why that will have to wait.
Threats
7 Defense Issues That Should Be In the State of the Union Address
If history is a guide, the president is likely to look increasingly abroad in the final phase of his last term. Here are 7 defense-related issues to look out for in Tuesday night's address. By Janine Davidson
Business
The Tank That Won't Go Away and Other Details in the New Defense Budget
Key reforms across every section of the Pentagon's budget have been altered or slashed by lawmakers. Here are a few of them. By Janine Davidson
Business
What the US Navy of the Future Looks Like
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert previews the Navy's new course in increasingly hostile international waters. By Janine Davidson and Sam Ehrlich
Policy
In Foreign Policy Debates Ahead, Look to Echoes of 2006
The 2006 midterm elections were a disaster for Bush, but also a chance to shake things up. Will 2014 follow the same script? By Janine Davidson and Emerson Brooking
Threats
The Understated Role of the Air Force In the Battle Against Ebola
Here are four things you probably didn't know about the 200-plus airmen on the ground in West Africa. By Janine Davidson
Ideas
More Than 6,000 Afghan Interpreters Are Stuck in Bureaucratic Limbo
Unless lawmakers act soon, the U.S. program to get Afghan translators to safety will end on Dec. 31. By Emerson Brooking and Janine Davidson
Featured eBooks
Threats
The Four Things the US Military Brings to the Fight Against Ebola
Containing the virus' spread will come down to logistics and leadership, the types of skills where the U.S. military excels. By Janine Davidson
Threats
Why ISIL Hasn't Derailed America's Pivot to the Pacific
Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work sees no risk with the Asia-Pacific rebalance while staying active in Europe and the Middle East. The real risks are with Congress. By Janine Davidson
Threats
The Campaign Against ISIL Could Cost $1.5B a Month
Key questions remain concerning targets, transitions and how to fund a sustained campaign against ISIL. By Janine Davidson and Emerson Brooking
Policy
This Graph Shows How NATO’s Military Capability Has Evolved Since 1949
Three takeaways from the annual spending trends of each alliance member over NATO's 65-year history in 2011 U.S. dollars. By Janine Davidson
Threats
At the NATO Summit, Afghanistan Takes a Back Seat
As the war in Iraq showed, the durability of NATO’s commitment to Afghanistan must not be overshadowed by crises in Europe or elsewhere. By Janine Davidson and Emerson Brooking
Business
This is NATO's Version of 'Netjets'
The little-known Strategic Airlift Capability Program provides high-end air assets to alliance partners on the cheap. It's a template that should be expanded. By Janine Davidson
Threats
America Has No Strategy to Stop ISIL
The adaptability of ISIL fighters in Iraq is raising serious concerns about perceptions of U.S. military power in the region. By Janine Davidson
Ideas
4 Rules of War from Al-Qaeda
The terrorist group lays out several lessons of warfare, captured in letters exchanged by two senior al-Aqeda leaders. Here's four of them. By Janine Davidson
Threats