Ideas
Five Takeaways from a Decade of War
After Secretary Hagel’s CSIS speech, Generals Cartwright, Chiarelli and Fogleman reveal key lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan the Pentagon should heed for the future. By James Kitfield
Ideas
Boring! Brass Worried Less War and Training Lulling Force
Joint Chiefs tell Congress the troops are getting bored as Afghanistan ends and sequester keeps them idle. By Stephanie Gaskell
Business
Pentagon's Kendall: Budget Climate 'Worst I’ve Seen' for Planning
The DOD's top weapons buyer says that uncertainty is threatening the workforce 'and their ability to do their jobs.' By Charles S. Clark
Threats
Why the U.S. Should Try to Reach a Grand Bargain With Iran
The White House won't accomplish anything else in the Middle East unless it gets Tehran on its side. The nuclear issue is the best place to start. By Michael Hirsh
Ideas
Five Ways Obama Can Fix Drones Right Now
Civilian casualties can be prevented with better use of drones. By Sarah Holewinski and Larry Lewis
Business
Poll: Shutdown Skyrockets Public Opinion of Federal Workers
Confidence in federal workers hits five year high in a wave of shutdown sympathy, according to a new GWU poll. By William C. Adams and Donna Lind Infeld
Threats
Is This the Best Option for Syria?
CFR President emeritus Les Gelb argues that the U.S. should pressure moderate rebels to work, at least temporarily, with the Assad regime in defeating the hard-line Islamists—the 'biggest threat' to both sides. By Bernard Gwertzman
Ideas
Hagel’s Plan for the Military in the Post-War Era
As the nation comes off a 'perpetual war footing,' Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warns against relying too heavily on military might. By Kevin Baron
Science & Tech
Indefinitely Hovering Drone Maker Gets a Boost
iRobot's co-founder lands a surprise big investment for its new company CyPhy. By Christopher Mims
Ideas
Afghanistan: Through the Lens
Stunning images from the war in Afghanistan by Associated Press photographer and Pulitzer Prize winner Anja Niedringhaus.
Ideas
How Obama Can Help Iraq
The Iraq war President Obama never wanted is back. Here’s what he can do to help stop Iraq’s spiral into chaos. By Stephanie Gaskell
Ideas
Crocker: Send More U.S. Counterterrorism Troops to Iraq
Ryan Crocker, the former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, knows what it takes to save Iraq: political will and military muscle that President Obama has been unwilling to use. By James Kitfield
Business
No More Nuclear-Tipped Cruise Missiles
The Pentagon is expected to decide soon whether to spend $30 billion on nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. Bad idea. By Tom Z. Collina
Ideas
Overcoming the Gulf in the Gulf
America’s Gulf partners should reconsider their forceful protests of U.S. Middle East policy. By Colin H. Kahl and Jacob Stokes
Ideas
Is China Building a Trojan Horse into NATO Through Turkey?
Why is Turkey is buying China’s anti-missile system when it already has NATO’s Patriot system? Here’s why Ankara should beware Chinese defense corporations bearing gifts. By Aki Peritz & Mieke Eoyang
Ideas
Congress vs the President: Who Should Make the Calls on NSA?
Are the intel committees upset that the NSA tapped Merkel's phone -- or that they didn't know about it first? By Marc Ambinder
Ideas
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to Headline Defense One Summit
Hagel will lead a growing lineup of national security leaders to discuss the future U.S. role in global security. By Kevin Baron
Business
Exclusive Interview: DIA Director Flynn on Why Special Ops Will Keep Us From War
DIA's Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn talks about his mission to reform military intelligence and why al-Qaeda is metastasizing. By James Kitfield
Business
Hagel Could Remove One of the NSA Chief’s Key Duties: Running Cyber Command
The National Security Agency director's dual role exacerbates tension between the intelligence and military communities, former officials say. By Aliya Sternstein
Ideas