Author Archive
Ideas
The US Needs to Whip Its Disaster-Response Plans Into Shape
It's time to digest the lessons of Haiti and Ebola and get ready for the mega disasters ahead.
Policy
Here’s One Way the US-China Relationship Is Improving
Even as tensions in the South China Sea heats up and online thefts increase, military-to-military contacts have been rising for five straight years.
Science & Tech
An Unexpected Voice Speaks Out Against Backdoored Encryption
Former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff joins the league of technologists who have come out against the FBI’s push to put holes in privacy technology.
Threats
Former Pentagon Intel Chief Says Military’s Clandestine Service Is Growing
The original vision for the Defense Clandestine Service was scaled back, but Michael Vickers says the new agency is still building up.
Policy
NATO Members’ Defense Spending, in Two Charts
The alliance’s easternmost members are ratcheting up their budgets as Russian threats loom.
Threats
How the Air Campaign Against ISIS Is Changing, in Three Charts
Coalition forces are going after smaller targets in missions designed to support Iraqi forces.
Threats
The 5,548 ISIS Targets Struck By Coalition Air Forces, in 3 Charts
The Pentagon’s latest data release finally includes airplanes that were destroyed in fall 2014.
Policy
How the White House and Congress Plan To Boost Defense: Ignore Sequestration
Washington is really planning to avoid dealing with the budget caps, and boost defense spending anyway.
Threats
5 Months of Air Strikes in Iraq and Syria in 4 Charts
Five months, 1,689 strikes, and more than 3,200 targets, the campaign against the Islamic State rumbles on. By Kedar Pavgi
Threats
What the Intelligence Community Thought Would Happen in 2015 - in 2000
At the turn of the century, a group of intelligence officers offered up what they thought conflict would look like in 2015 would look like. By Kedar Pavgi
Business
A Look Back at Chuck Hagel’s Tenure as Defense Secretary
In the 21 months that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was on the job, he faced everything from the budget crisis in Washington to the rise of ISIS. By Kedar Pavgi
Featured eBooks
Threats
Here’s a Map of Obama’s Coalition Against the Islamic State
Over 50 nations have joined the U.S. in the fight against ISIL in Iraq and Syria, but only five have taken major military action. By Kedar Pavgi
Policy
7 Things You Need to Know About the Next Iraqi Prime Minister
A brief explainer on Haider al-Abidi, who was picked Monday to replace Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister of Iraq. By Kedar Pavgi
Business
The Air Force Is Offering Separation Incentives to Thousands of Civilians
But the reductions will still only save the Air Force a small fraction of the $50 billion required by the 2011 Budget Control Act. By Eric Katz
Threats
Why the U.S. Has Few Options To Help Find Kidnapped Girls in Nigeria
Finding more than 270 kidnapped girls will be a challenge in Nigeria’s lawless northeast. By Ben Watson and Kedar Pavgi
Threats
Terrorist Attacks Have Increased By 43 Percent in the Last Year
A decentralized al-Qaeda focused on less global objectives, while Syria honed its reputation as both factory and battleground for new fighters. By Kedar Pavgi and Ben Watson
Threats
Where Genocide Is Most Likely To Happen Next
One university team may have found a way to predict the world’s next genocides. By Ben Watson and Kedar Pavgi
Threats
Here’s a Map of the World’s Fastest Growing Militaries
Twenty-three nations have doubled their defense spending in the past decade. By Ben Watson and Kedar Pavgi
Threats
One Map That Shows What America’s Spies Are Worried About
There’s hardly a spot on the globe that the intelligence community isn’t tracking. Here’s a map that shows the top concerns for U.S. spies. By Kedar Pavgi
Science & Tech