Ideas

Donald Trump Is the First Demagogue of the Terrorism-and-Climate Change Era

Here’s why he won't be the last.

Ideas

The World Needs the American Military

It’s fiction to pretend that the most powerful nation can ever be truly “neutral” in foreign conflicts.

Ideas

What the Next US President Needs to Know About Rising India-Pakistan Tensions

Pakistan, in particular, finds itself once again at the center of the tussle between China, Russia, and the United States.

Ideas

War Goes Viral

How social media is being weaponized across the world.

Ideas

Geography Allows America To Choose Its Global Role. Only One Candidate is Choosing Wisely

Because of its location, America can choose whether it wants to be a gatekeeper or a global policeman.

Ideas

How to Survive a Siege: We Made It Through Sarajevo. Here's How We're Keeping Connected In Aleppo

In Bosnia and in Syria, the tactic has been used to destroy bodies—but it’s really an attempt to annihilate the spirit.

Ideas

The Pentagon's Mapmakers Want to Offer Customers an Amazon-Like Experience

A National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency directorate is seeking better ways to custom-tailor geospatial information products.

Ideas

Getting Past Grudging Precautions: How the Next President Should Address Climate Change

The U.S. Navy’s former weatherman-in-chief says gradual progress must turn into serious high-level action.

Ideas

The US Accused Russia of Hacking. What Happens Next Will Set a Cyber War Precedent

After blaming Russia for trying to tamper with the presidential election, the White House will want to choose its next move carefully.

Ideas

'What President Trump Meant to Say'

I would have been fired on the spot if I spoke like Donald Trump.

Ideas

The US Should Stand with Saudi Arabia in Yemen

Facing Iran and Hezbollah on their border, Saudis have no choice to see this war to its end – with or without American weapons and support.

Ideas

Unemployment Is Driving Males to ISIS, Not Poverty, Illiteracy

The Islamic State group’s foreign fighters are surprisingly well-educated, a myth-busting new study from the World Bank has found.

Ideas

There’s a Way Obama’s White House Can Save Syrian Lives, There’s Just No Will

As Aleppo burns, little faith as Obama’s White House again considers military options in Syria.

Ideas

As Anti-Corruption Efforts Expand Globally, the Defense Sector Remains an Outlier

A recent anti-corruption summit produced hundreds of commitments, exactly eight of which concerned defense.

Policy

Mike Pence Embraces Foreign Policy That GOP Voters Left Behind

By sidestepping Trump’s messages on foreign policy and trade in Tuesday’s debate, the vice-presidential nominee ignored the choices GOP voters made in their primaries.

Ideas

US Military Spending Has Declined, But It Still Dwarfs All Other Nations'

It’s easy to see why a steady decline of military spending might alarm many Americans. But a bit of perspective is in order.

Ideas

In Colombia's Hope, Afghanistan's Future

Donors meeting in Brussels should remember Colombia in the 1990s looked a lot like Afghanistan today.

Ideas

Private Companies Shouldn’t Be The Ones Crying ‘State-Sponsored Hack!’

If the U.S. government doesn't start officially attributing cyberattacks, it risks losing control of the narrative and evolving legal norms.

Ideas

Syria Is the Thread That Russia Is Pulling to Unravel International Order

The U.S. must act soon, or see its post-WWII work come apart.

Ideas

America's National Security Trilemma — and How to Solve It

In fighting small wars, you get to pick only two of these: centralized control, detailed understanding, and acceptable operational tempo. Here's how to choose.