Ideas
Trump’s Ceasefire May Hand Russia the Keys to Southwestern Syria
The US must quickly send monitors to the ‘safe zones’ — or cede yet more regional influence to Moscow and Tehran.
Ideas
'Dunkirk' Should Remind Us What Wars Are Like (And That We’re Still Fighting Them)
After our veterans screened the movie's powerful and familiar portrayals of combat, we think Americans should be talking more about our endless presence in Afghanistan and the multi-front war against ISIS.
Ideas
If Trump Undermines the Iran Deal
A report suggests the president is looking for ways to get out of the accord. It says a lot about how he views the world.
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The End of American Support for Syrian Rebels Was Inevitable
Where the insurgency is concerned, Trump and Obama have plenty in common.
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The Myth of ISIS's Strategic Brilliance
The group has adapted to battlefield setbacks. But that doesn't mean it factored territorial losses into its master plan.
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Let the US Air Force Mature into the Space Force
Well-intentioned Congressional efforts to address problems risk trampling on existing solutions.
Ideas
Ukraine Is Losing Fewer Weapons to Theft, but High-Level Corruption Persists
A member of the Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Committee says the international community must leverage its security aid to force reforms.
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Is Russia Really with Assad in Syria?
Moscow appears to be preventing a total Assad victory in a bid to boost its international standing.
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The Summer of Misreading Thucydides
There’s a delicious irony in the Trump team’s affection for the historian—who repeatedly shows how populists lead societies to ruin.
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Don’t Enshrine A Russian Advantage In Surveillance Flights Over the US
Provisions in the House version of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act would prevent the Pentagon from matching Russia’s advances in aerial photography.
Ideas
A Mercenary-Led Surge Won’t Solve Afghanistan
Private military contractors have spotted an opportunity as America’s longest war grinds on.
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Two Years on, the Iran Deal is Working
It is true that Tehran’s behavior in the region has not improved, but the agreement has kept the regime from going nuclear.
Ideas
Trump's Syria Ceasefire Is Doomed
It may bring Russia on board, but it hardly acknowledges Iran's role in the war.
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Make It Easier for Americans to Support Military Missions Abroad
Our nonprofit organization helped US commanders provide IED detectors to Iraqis confronting ISIS. Now Congress can make it a model for agile public-private partnerships.
Ideas
We Need to Focus on Space; We Don’t Need a 'Space Corps'
The US military’s top space commander wants deeper integration and more resources, not a separate Space Corps.
Ideas
The Next Battle: State Department, US Military Divided Over Kurdish Fighters In Syria (And Russia)
Frustrated sources on the ground say the State Department is struggling to get behind the Syrian Kurds and the U.S. military would struggle to proceed without them. As for Russia, well...
Ideas
How Can Iraq Rebuild?
Winning the peace means paying for reconstruction — and inevitably, losing money to corruption.
Ideas
The Spies of the 'Five Eyes' Need to Speed Up Intel-Sharing
Nations must speed the dissemination of information to enable real-time responses and counter disabling cyber threats.
Ideas
Voices from the Battle for Mosul: Podcast
We spoke with current and former US military officials about how Iraq and its allies broke ISIS’s nearly 3-year grip on Iraq's second city — and what comes next.
Ideas