Ideas

Cherry Picking Intelligence For War in the Middle East? Here We Go Again

Will Trump follow the Bush playbook and start a war with Iran?

Ideas

I Could Kill You with a Consumer Drone

As a former intelligence soldier who now sells drones for a living, I can tell you that this problem is bigger than almost anyone realizes.

Ideas

The FBI’s Role in National Security

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been reoriented toward counterterrorism in recent years, but continues to face charges of overreach.

Ideas

Educating Afghanistan's Youth Is the Only True Solution to Terrorism

Widespread illiteracy undercuts not only security, but also development projects that could help lift the country out of 16 years of war.

Ideas

The American Military Declares War on Sprawl

For the Pentagon, walkable, bikeable military installations are key to improving the health of troops.

Ideas

America's Military: Overcommitted and Underfunded

The administration wants to expand the armed forces’ commitments, even while contracting spending.

Threats

The Danger of Yemen's Secret Prisons

Black sites in the war-ravaged country help ensure that it will remain fertile ground for terrorists for years to come.

Ideas

Calm Your Russia War Drums Over This ‘Deconfliction Line’

Yes, the fight is hotter. But we were told this was coming, US and Russian leaders are deconflicting aplenty, and nobody wants war.

Ideas

Don’t Loosen the Rules on Civilian Casualties During Drone Strikes

The Trump team may eliminate the “near certainty” clause, which would do far more damage to US counterterrorism than retaining it.

Ideas

Hackers Target Municipal Emergency Services for Mischief, Money, and More

Recent breaches in Dallas, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., illustrate the cyber security vulnerabilities of 911 centers and other emergency services infrastructure.

Ideas

America’s Best Partner in Middle East HUMINT Needs Help

Jordan’s spies set the standard for the boots-on-the-ground intelligence sharing that is crucial to U.S. counterterrorism efforts.

Ideas

Where Are the Grownups? It's Time for Congress to Step Up

The confused response to the Qatari crisis is just the latest warning that a depleted executive branch needs foreign-policy help.

Ideas

How to Deal With North Korea

There are no good options. But some are worse than others.

Threats

If Trump Won’t Fight Climate Change, We Must — for the Troops’ Sake

As the Pentagon says, this ‘threat multiplier’ is making the work of our men and women in uniform around the world more difficult.

Ideas

The Danger of Picking Sides in the Qatar Crisis

For better or worse, all the Gulf nations remain vital allies for the U.S. in the fight against terrorism.

Ideas

The US Army Urgently Needs a Modern Air-Defense Control System

It’s got one under development, dubbed IBCS. It’s delayed, over budget — and vital to American security.

Ideas

Why I'm Directing The Air Force to Focus on Space

In the coming months, the US Air Force will grow the space force in numbers and capabilities.

Ideas

After Raqqa, How the US Must Adapt to ISIS

What to do when ISIS goes underground, and other things to worry about after the caliphate falls.

Ideas

Mattis’s Afghanistan War Plan: Be Patient, Convince Everyone

Roll back the Taliban. Tackle ISIS. Win over Washington. Build Afghan forces. Seek support from the American public. Sound familiar?

Ideas

At BALTOPS, It’s Back to Prepping for High-End Warfare

The annual NATO exercise in tight Baltic waters, grown a bit sleepy after the Cold War, has snapped back into serious intensity.