Ideas
If the Pentagon Buys Less, It Needs to Invest More
If the military is supposed to use the peace to prepare for the next war, it has to spend more on research & development. By Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and Col. Tom Harrison
Ideas
When War Zones Become Travel Destinations
'People come here every day to see the show,' says one tourism agent who brings spectators to the Syrian border. By Debra Kamin
Ideas
British Ambassador to Speak On NATO and the Changing Face of Transatlantic Security
Join us as Defense One hosts an address and live conversation with British Amb. Peter Westmacott on NATO and Transatlantic Security. By Kevin Baron
Science & Tech
Simulating War Might Be the Best Way To Prevent One
Virtual reality training is about to get a lot better and more competitive. But is it falling out of favor? By Patrick Tucker
Ideas
The One Thing the U.S. Can't Train the Iraqi Army To Do
The U.S. has trained the Iraqi military for years. But there’s one thing you can’t teach an army to do. By Lt. Gen. Robert Gard
Ideas
What Stands in the Way of the Pentagon Keeping Its Best and Brightest?
The Defense Department's impending force drawdown could accelerate the departure of some of its best personnel. Here are a few ideas on how to keep that from happening. By Amy Schafer
Ideas
Why the Next 'Great War' Won't Happen on China's Doorstep
Today’s rising China is nothing like the threat that rising Germany posed to Europe in 1914. Here's why. By Michael Hunzeker and Mark Christopher
Ideas
A Chance to Drive a Wedge Between Jihadists and Sunnis
ISIL’s overreach into Iraq is Washington’s opportunity to shift Sunni allegiances for good. By Dave Miller
Ideas
How to Fix the Government's Security Clearance Mess
We need to continuously monitor who has top secret clearance. Here’s how. By Steve Nguyen
Ideas
NATO Must Stop ISIL Before It’s Too Late
NATO’s road to Iraq runs through Turkey, then Washington—if the alliance really wants to bring an end to ISIL. By Philip Seib
Ideas
Everything You Need to Know About the Taliban in Afghanistan
With their summer offensive well under way in southern Helmand province, the Council on Foreign Relations' Zachary Laub retraces the Taliban's evolution over the past two decades. By Zachary Laub
Ideas
The Putin Moment Is Passing
Russia expert Kimberly Marten of Barnard College, Columbia University, parses what course is available to Russian President Vladimir Putin 4 months after his annexation of Crimea. By Bernard Gwertzman
Ideas
‘You Have to Kill Them’ Says Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
America can ‘twiddle our thumbs’ no longer, say former U.S. ambassadors in the region. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Science & Tech
A Breakthrough in the Checkered History Of Brain Hacking
A recent military-funded program could up-end the way brain research is conducted. By Patrick Tucker
Ideas
U.S. Power and the Future of Arab Democracy
From the Aspen Ideas Festival, how can we get to a political solution in the Middle East without the credible use of force? By J.J. Gould
Ideas
Taking the Long View on Iraq
Three experts at the Aspen Ideas Festival discuss why it may take decades before the Middle East stabilizes from the current crisis in Iraq. By Uri Friedman
Ideas
Dick Cheney and the Bush Doctrine
The former vice president rejected democracy-promotion in the Middle East. And today's conservatives agree with him. By Peter Beinart
Ideas
How Nonviolent Action Could Thwart ISIL’s Advance in Iraq
ISIL fighters are making gains in Iraq. But this does not mean that their violence is decisive. By Maria J. Stephan
Ideas
The Navy's Floating Prisons
The U.S. Navy has taken on a curious new counterterrorism role. By Marisa Porges
Ideas