Ideas
Are Leakers Defending Democracy or Corroding It?
Are leaks about the White House the work of bureaucrats who want to undermine the president? And if so, is that a good or bad thing?
Ideas
Take Off the Pentagon’s Gloves in the ISIS War? Not So Fast.
Policies intended to reduce civilian harm didn’t arise out of elite Washington think tanks or academia; they arose from the military’s own lessons learned.
Policy
Trump’s Empty Ultimatum to NATO
Defense Secretary Mattis just called for Europe to increase defense spending or else...what exactly?
Ideas
One Nuclear Step to Settle an Unsettled Age
The single most symbolic and practical move that states possessing nuclear weapons could make would be to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
Ideas
What Does Trump Want from Netanyahu?
It’s clear enough what the Israeli prime minister expects. But the Americans are in a position to make their own demands.
Ideas
When Netanyahu and Trump Meet, Russia Should Top the Agenda
Moscow’s intervention in Syria is one of the most significant strategic shifts facing Israel in nearly two decades.
Ideas
The US and Iran Are Not Yet on a Course to War
Despite bellicose words, both sides have also demonstrated elements of restraint.
Ideas
There's No One At the Helm of White House Foreign Policy
Flynn’s departure won’t solve the Trump administration’s central dysfunction.
Ideas
President Trump, Viewed through NATO’s Guide to Russian Information Warfare
Russia uses theft, narratives, lies, trolls, and bots to weaken Western governments. The U.S. president is playing into its hands.
Ideas
Beyond Yemen, the Ghost of Anwar al-Awlaki Will Long Haunt US Forces
The enduring propaganda value of a martyr.
Ideas
SOCOM Will Soon Lead the Pentagon’s Anti-WMD Efforts. Here’s What It Still Needs.
America’s special operators know how to catch bomb-makers, but need new expertise on other areas of the fight.
Ideas
Why Did Trump Pick a Fight with Putin Over the Nuclear Weapons Treaty?
President Trump took a hard line over New START with Russia. It's an odd battle to choose -- and a dangerous one.
Ideas
Trump’s Dangerous 'Dishonest' Message to the Troops
It’s politics when a candidate disparages “the media.” But it’s potentially dangerous when the commander in chief tells U.S. troops not to trust the reporters who cover them.
Ideas
US Counterterrorism Strategy Must Be About More than ISIS
Even as Trump focuses on the Islamic State, other dangerous groups need attention.
Ideas
President Trump Sets a Remarkable Bar for Critiquing His Military Operations
The president took to Twitter to argue that publicly discussing the success or failure of a mission 'only emboldens the enemy.'
Ideas
Four Ways to Automate Cyber Defense
Humans aren’t fast enough to respond to network attacks and breaches. Machines can help us, if we help them.
Ideas
Why are US Forces in Yemen at All?
'The truth of the matter is that America is killing people — terrorists and others — because its leaders don’t know what else to do.'
Ideas
'You’re Fired!' Will Not Fix Federal Cybersecurity
Sacking agency heads after a breach won’t make data and systems safer. Here’s what will.
Ideas
Why Is New Jersey Grouping American 'Black Separatists' with ISIS?
The state’s new terror-group ranking raises more questions than it answers.
Ideas