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Trump’s Plea to Russian Hackers Foreshadows a Dangerous Stance on NSA Surveillance
His call out to Russian hackers validates the worst suspicions of security-state critics.
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The Dirty Secret of US-Israel Missile Defense Cooperation
We need a way to fund Israel’s missile defenses without undercutting our own.
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France, ISIS and the Fragile Unity of a Nation Under Attack
With each new terrorist incident in France, the solidarity that accompanied previous ones becomes harder to sustain.
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Vladimir Putin’s Best Summer Ever
Hacking the Democratic Party’s servers is part of Putin’s plan to prove that democracy doesn’t work.
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China's Rising Near This Key US War Base. Here's How We Push Back
In Djibouti, where China is building its first overseas naval installation, the US must support democratic processes and hold the government accountable to international law.
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Trump's NATO-Rattling Interview Has Delayed a Key Evolution in US Nuclear Posture
The Obama administration had been working to reassure nervous allies ahead of renouncing any first use of nuclear weapons. Now that's on hold.
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Trump's Loose NATO Talk Already Has Endangered Us
Collective security only works when everyone is committed to the common defense.
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Military Coups Have Become Less Common, But More Successful
Coup d’etat attempts have been growing less frequent across the world, particularly since the end of the Cold War.
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Inside the ISIS Enlistment Files: All Jihad is Local
I analyzed over 3,500 leaked ISIS enlistment forms. Here’s what I found.
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This Time, Post-War Iraq Needs a Real Plan With Real Money
A plan for reconciliation in Iraq should also come out of this week’s counter-ISIS coalition meeting in Washington.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Overview
From chlorine gas to Kalashnikovs, barrel bombs to cruise missiles, the Syrian conflict shows what 21st-century militaries and armed groups can bring to bear.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Small Arms
Small arms were already plentiful in Syria before the war, thanks to years of Soviet and Russian support. More flooded in after the conflict began.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Tanks
In April 2011, the appearance of heavy armor indicated that a violent crackdown had become a full-fledged war.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Artillery
Government forces have howitzers, rocket launchers, even SCUD missiles. Rebels have responded with the improvised weapons called Hell Cannons.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Airpower (Syrian)
The Syrian military began the war with more than 500 aircraft, almost all Russian-made jets, transport planes, and helicopters.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Airpower (Non-Syrian)
By May 2016, the counter-ISIS coalition had dropped more than 41,500 bombs, leading the Pentagon to borrow from stockpiles in other regions.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Cruise Missiles
In this conflict, cruise missiles have largely functioned to remind the world that both the U.S. and Russian militaries have them.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Suicide Bombers
The tactic is often used in offensive operations, just after an artillery barrage and before the advance of hundreds of foot soldiers.
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Weapons of the Syrian War: Advisors
Many governments have dispatched troops, trainers, and advisors to the Syrian warzone to help out their favored combatants.
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