Ideas

Stop Turkey's Bombardment Of Our People

What is happening now in Afrin is in clear defiance of all international laws, norms, and values. We will fight. But we shouldn’t have to.

Ideas

Nuclear Nuts: Trump's New Policy Hypes The Threat and Brings Us Closer to War

The Pentagon's Nuclear Posture Review only bends reality to fit Trump’s warped views.

Ideas

Americans Are Rising to This Historic Moment

The commitment of ordinary citizens to democratic ideals is being tested each day—and its enduring strength is containing the damage of Trump’s presidency.

Ideas

Trump’s National-Security Strategy Is Focused on Great Powers. He Isn’t.

On Tuesday, the president rushed past Russia and China to talk about immigrants, terrorism, and North Korea.

Ideas

If We're Going to Export More US Arms, Let's Do It Smarter

Here are some ways to help ensure that rising sales don't undermine American security.

Ideas

Is Trump Preparing for War With North Korea?

The omissions in the State of the Union, and the fate of Victor Cha, all point in the same direction.

Ideas

The War in Yemen and the Making of a Chaos State

Aid workers, journalists, and experts describe little-appreciated realities about a 1,000-day conflict and — just maybe — how to turn things around.

Ideas

How the Saudis Drag the US into Perpetual War in the Mideast

With ISIS essentially gone from Syria, it's time to bug out, no matter what the Kingdom thinks.

Ideas

Russia Is Poised to Surprise the US in Battlefield Robotics

How? It's a story of leaders' unusual agreement, a focus on fast-and-cheap production, and a decision to field lethal robots for combat.

Ideas

The US Navy's Next Frigate Should Jumpstart a Revitalization of the Defense Industrial Base

As it searches for a good design at a good price, the Pentagon should bear in mind decades-old lessons about manufacturing's ties to national security.

Ideas

The Most Dangerous Word in the Draft Nuclear Posture Review

By insisting that future arms control agreements be “enforceable,” the Trump administration could substitute military strikes for diplomacy.

Ideas

Give the Low-Yield SLBM its Day in Court

There are advantages to lowering the yields on a portion of America's nuclear-tipped sub-launched ballistic missiles.

Ideas

The Entirely Rational Basis For Turkey's Move Into Syria

Nearly a century of mistrust of America and an obsession with defeating the Kurds sparked its operation in Afrin.

Ideas

What We Didn't Learn from Twitter's News Dump on Russiagate

The social-media company downplayed its role in Russia's election meddling. But it's still more transparent than Facebook.

Ideas

How Should the Pentagon Reshape Its Mideast Posture? Four Indicators to Watch

A tour of possible scenarios reveals what U.S. policymakers ought to be focused on as they chart the future of regional force posture.

Ideas

Rex Tillerson's Syria Policy Is Sensible—But It's Fanciful

The resources the administration is willing to commit are at yawning variance with its ambitious goals.

Ideas

We Don't Need a Bigger Nuclear Button

The plan outlined in a draft of the Nuclear Posture Review would cost trillions of dollars — and make Americans no safer.

Ideas

Why Are There No Cyber Arms Control Agreements?

With the emergence of a militarized cyber domain that creates the conditions for misperceptions that could lead to inadvertent conflict, why are there no cyber arms control regimes?

Ideas

What if H.R. McMaster Is Right About North Korea?

It’s reassuring to think the country wants only a defensive capability. It could very easily be wrong.