Ideas
US military presence in Syria carries substantial risks—but so does complete withdrawal
The decision to stay or withdraw is a strategic one that will reverberate across the region.
What military history tells us about Ukraine’s Kursk invasion
Initiative is everything.
Did China just demote its defense ministry?
Adm. Dong Jun has been left off key decision-making bodies. That could complicate the U.S.-China military relationship.
Defense boom drives 33% sales surge for Rheinmetall
“We have never seen such growth,” says CEO of German company that recently opened a repair facility in Ukraine.
It’s increasingly difficult to see how Qatar can broker a Gaza breakthrough
Doha's mediation efforts have been undermined by Israel's recent assassination of Hamas' longtime political chief.
Let’s start treating cyber security like it matters
That means a real investigatory board for cyber incidents, not the hamstrung one we’ve got now.
Chinese warships off Alaska signal a new stage in seapower competition
Understanding why requires a look at "near waters," "far waters"—and the colonial past.
The military needs to make human-performance optimization part of daily ops
Congress is about to pass new legislative prodding the Pentagon to do better.
Can Donald Trump really build an Iron Dome over America?
In a word, no. The president-turned-candidate is still selling the same old missile-defense snake oil.
Send private-security contractors into Gaza? That’s a terrible idea
Here are some basic questions to ask before this not-even-half-baked notion becomes a policy failure.
As Hamas war drags on, Israeli democracy weakens
Israel is not alone; a recent report finds that the global state of democracy has been declining for the past six years.
How the navy-less Ukrainians defeated Russia’s Black Sea Fleet
Their revolution in weapons and tactics offer lessons and warnings for the world’s navies.
U.S. Air Force culture needs a reboot
Too many of today’s operators think of themselves as passive helpers, not innovative war-winners.
4 things to watch for as NATO leaders gather in high-stakes summit
Expect important discussion on Ukrainian membership, military aid, China, and internal cohesion.
Lessons from Afghanistan for NATO’s new Ukraine command
U.S. support to Ukraine is still the biggest lever to stop Russia’s aggression and ensure Ukrainian victory.
US’s terrorist listing of European far-right group signals fears of rising threat—abroad and at home
The Nordic group’s most notorious attack was at a refugee center in Sweden in 2017.
The US can improve Egypt’s security at minimal expense. It should do so, post-haste
Cairo is a complicated and beleaguered—yet valuable—partner in a region of chaos.
Featured eBooks
NATO's Article 5 isn't as ironclad as many think
Alliance commitments are not quite as binding, either legally or politically, as the conventional wisdom suggests.
The Day Private Willie Mays Threw Out My Dad
Two lives intersect in a story of baseball, military service, and American society in the Korean War era.
Climate change is a threat, not a distraction, to the US military
We’ve got to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.
