Ideas
Prospect of War in Syria Rattles Emerging Markets
With Wall Street on edge over the looming military strike against Syria, investors in emerging markets like Turkey and India are rushing for gold and U.S. currencies. By Matt Phillips
Ideas
Pentagon Pivots Within the Pivot, to Southeast Asia
First came the pivot to Asia. Now, there’s the pivot within the pivot. By Kevin Baron
Ideas
Pentagon’s Syria Response Reveals Limits of Prized Cyber, Drone Arsenal
Here’s why the 'clarity' of a 20th century cruise missile strike likely will trump the 'sophistication' of the Pentagon’s 21st century drones and cyber-weapons. By Stephanie Gaskell
Ideas
The War After the War in Syria
The continued fracturing of Syrian fighters threatens any hope for reconstruction once the fighting dies down. By Joshua Foust
Ideas
To Reach the East, NATO Must First Go North
NATO has an opportunity to engage its Asian partners and counterbalance the burgeoning Russian and Chinese interests in the Arctic. By Robbie Gramer and Alex Ward
Ideas
Whatever Comes Next, Syria Is Forcing a New U.S. Strategy for the Middle East
President Obama is deciding how to respond in Syria knowing that most Americans are wary of another mess in the Middle East. By Kevin Baron and Stephanie Gaskell
Ideas
In The Tank: This Week’s Best Defense and National Security Think Tank Offerings
The latest in wonk reads on national security, tech, and more. By Kedar Pavgi
Ideas
Hagel Begins Asian Pivot as the Middle East Burns
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will spend the week setting up what the U.S. hopes to achieve over the next century: driving security in Asia while leading from behind in the Middle East. By Kevin Baron
Ideas
How Badly Did Manning Hurt the United States?
Manning said he was sorry for leaking troves of classified information from Iraq and Afghanistan. But just how much damage did he do? By Stephanie Gaskell
Ideas
Once an Iraqi Interpreter, Now an American Soldier
The American dream -- and the fear of post-war Baghdad -- has led tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees to the U.S. For one former interpreter to the U.S. military, the only way to stay was to join up.
Ideas
Whispers in the Ranks that Iraq Has Turned Obama Isolationist to a Fault
Some in Obama’s diplomatic corps fear the president has “learned all the wrong things from Iraq” -- a deadly lesson for Syria’s rebels. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Ideas
Just 75 Al Qaeda, Room for the Taliban and Organized Crime. Is This How It Ends in Afghanistan?
The enemy in Afghanistan is “a complex mosaic” and "may continue this fight for many, many years.” By Stephanie Gaskell
Ideas
Why Is the Pentagon Dragging Its Feet on 3D Printing?
Troops in Afghanistan are testing 3D printers on the battlefield, but the military's acquisition process is getting in their way. By Kyle Chayka
Ideas
In The Tank: This Week’s Best Defense and National Security Think Tank Offerings
The latest in wonk reads on national security, tech, and more. By Kedar Pavgi
Ideas
Brooklyn Is Not Baghdad: What Is the CIA Teaching the NYPD?
Brooklyn is not Baghdad. Congress should show more concern that the CIA is teaching NYPD an unwarranted counterinsurgency mentality. By Faiza Patel and Daniel Michelson-Horowitz
Science & Tech
Killing Machines: How Far Can Obama's Drone Wars Go?
Behind every drone is a system that plans, operates and executes operations. This is one glimpse into that world. By Mark Bowden.
Ideas
What the NSA’s Massive Org Chart (Probably) Looks Like
Amid public cries for greater transparency into the intelligence world, here’s a look at the National Security Agency’s organizational chart -- as far as we know it. By Marc Ambinder
Ideas
Forget the Second Carrier, It's Time to Rethink the Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf
It’s not the size of the fleet, it’s how you use it, and PC ships are smaller, more agile and better for Mideast allies. By Bilal Y. Saab and Joseph Singh
Ideas
The Filmmaker Behind the Edward Snowden Leaks
A new <em>New York Times</em> magazine profile describes how far Laura Poitras has gone to protect her privacy, while also reporting on the government's surveillance programs. By Philip Bump
Ideas