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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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WATCH: A Conversation with Derek Chollet
Former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs Derek Chollet discusses his new book "The Long Game" with Defense One Executive Editor Kevin Baron.
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Congress Should Demand Wiser, Not More, War Spending
There’s too much slush in the supplemental, as shown by the fourfold jump in spending per deployed servicemember.
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Following the Failed Coup, Erdogan’s Broken Democratic Promise to Turkey Lives On
No politician in Turkey’s history has managed to master democracy better than President Erdogan, only to hold it hostage for his own political ends.
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Yesterday’s Bipolar Nuclear Strategy Isn’t Going to Cut It In Asia
In a region with nuclear powers declared, undeclared, and potential, the U.S. needs a strategy to match.
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The US Air Force Is Short 700 Fighter Pilots. Here’s Our Plan to Fix That.
Busier but smaller than ever, the Air Force needs higher bonuses and more family time to help compete with commercial airlines and the economy.
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Is Global Terrorism Getting Worse? Depends on Your Definition
Civil war is driving many recent attacks, and that blurs both statistics and remedies.
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In Iraq, the 'Real Mystery' Is What Comes After ISIS
Even as Iraqi special forces and Shia militias roll back the self-proclaimed Islamic State, Baghdad has done little to address the underlying causes of Sunni militancy, says journalist Ned Parker.
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After NATO Summit, Transparency Must Accompany the Tanks
The alliance’s comparative advantage lies not only in military capabilities, but also in its ability to drive institutional reform within and beyond its member countries.
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