Ideas
A New Army Drawdown: This Time Is Far Worse
We know we cannot predict the future, but we know our Army—active, Guard Reserve, civilians and contractors—will be needed again and again as we move forward. By Ret. Army Gen. Gordon Sullivan
Ideas
To Save the Navy’s Next-Gen Drone, Kill It First
Aircraft carriers need better protection, so let’s restart the UCLASS program from scratch. By Paul Scharre and Shawn Brimley
Ideas
What the West Can Learn from the Ukraine Crisis
The Ukraine crisis has potentially damaged the West’s influence and credibility in the region. Here are five lessons to keep in mind. By Andrew Wilson
Ideas
US Strategic Leaders Need to Think Bigger – Much Bigger
The entire international system is in flux. It’s time U.S. leaders figure out America’s core interests and start fresh. By Hanna Samir Kassab
Ideas
Why It's Nearly Impossible To End the Cuba Embargo
Bill Clinton tried engaging Fidel Castro. After Havana shot down two U.S. planes, it all fell apart. By Peter Korbluh and William M. Leogrande
Science & Tech
Inside the Navy’s Secret Swarm Robot Experiment
Swarming robot boats could be heading to a contested strait near you. By Patrick Tucker
Ideas
Is the Islamic State a Terrorist Group or an Insurgency?
What’s happening in Iraq and Syria calls for a full-blown counterinsurgency – if the American people can stomach it. By Jerry Meyerle
Ideas
The Navy Has No Strategy? A Response to Randy Forbes
The Navy is far from rudderless. In fact, it’s a victim of it’s own overwhelming success. By Jerry Hendrix
Ideas
What Drones Can Do Besides Killing Terrorists
It’s time everyone – including the media – start distinguishing between combat drones that kill and surveillance drones that save lives. By Melissa S. Hersh
Ideas
In War and Tragedy, How the US Media Prioritizes Death
Gruesome beheadings by the Islamic State dominated the headlines, but it's worth understanding what gets lost and why oftentimes sympathy diminishes as death tolls rise. By Jacoba Urist
Ideas
Q&A: Ryan Crocker on Iraq's Role in the Long War Against ISIL
The former ambassador says the Iraqi army is far from finished, but they'll need U.S. special forces with them to help take back provincial capitals like Ramadi. By Bernard Gwertzman
Ideas
Our Best Bet Against ISIL: Kurdish Crude
Make no mistake, the legal battles over Kurdish oil and the military battles over Iraqi territory are part of the same war. By M. Ron Wahid
Ideas
Obama Should Be Pressuring, Not Legitimizing, Bahrain
After several snubs, letting Bahrain’s tiny Air Force in on the ISIL air strikes is a missed opportunity to change the ways of a shaky ally. By Brian Dooley
Ideas
It’s Time To Rein In Nuclear Spending
As the bill for nuclear weapons grows larger and larger, Congress must scrutinize the commitment to keep last century’s nuclear arsenal. By Angela Canterbury and Kingston Reif
Ideas
If There Is ‘No Military Solution’ in Iraq, Where Is the Non-Military Solution?
Rather than reducing the motivations for joining ISIS, the U.S. military plan seems bound to add to them. By Sarah Chayes
Ideas
A New Plan: Make U.S. Foreign Policy Swifter, Stronger and More Agile
We propose a solution: completely reorganize the structure of how we conduct foreign policy in ‘fragile states’ such as Iraq. By Ronald E. Neumann, Dennis Blair and Eric Olson
Ideas
Why It’s OK for Obama To Ignore Military Advice
Presidents don’t always listen to their top military leaders when it comes to matters of national defense. And that’s not always a bad thing. By Lawrence Korb
Ideas
More Troops, Not Nukes, Will Deter Russia
The nuclear weapons of the Cold War are useless to today’s hot conflicts in Europe. By Rep. Mike Quigley
Ideas
How Retirement Threatens the Pentagon's Future Weapons
Can the Defense Department make the necessary adjustments to backfill its aging cadre of technical experts? By Rear Adm. Michael Moran and Scott O'Neil
Ideas