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
Threats
Dispatch from Afghanistan: They Don't Want to Fight, Neither Do We
In Nangarhar Province, with the war clock ticking, commanders know the Afghans cannot fight on their own -- or simply will not. “There is no commitment to victory.” By Carmen Gentile
Business
Obama's Intel Workers Need New Policies for Secrets, not Snitches
In the Snowden fallout, the administration should focus on developing a happier intelligence workforce, not outing insider threats. By Marc Ambinder
Business
Let Air Force Run the Military Satellites, Watchdog Argues
It’s been a long time since TSAT. A new report says the Pentagon should let the Air Force control the next-generation MILSATCOM architecture to save money and add security. It’s not that simple, though. By Kevin Baron
Ideas
What Ash Carter Gets Wrong about Nuclear Weapons Spending
It’s hard to imagine how Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter could get it so wrong in Aspen about nuclear weapons spending. But wrong he is. By Kingston Reif
Threats
The Rise of Al-Qaeda 2.0
The terrorism network is now diffuse and lacks a coherent center, but it is still just as deadly. By Frud Bezhan
Threats
Cities Might Not Be as Prepared as They Think for a Bioterrorism Attack
New computer models are showing the deadly impact of viruses and airborne weapons. By John Metcalfe
Policy
Obama Needs to Explain Why We're Breaking Up with Afghanistan
President Obama has switched from a message of 'we have to win' to 'we have to exit,' with little conversation in between. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Policy
Want Syria? Convince General Dempsey
For more than a year, President Obama’s senior military advisor has deflected calls to send the U.S. military into Syria. Convince Gen. Martin Dempsey it won’t be another Iraq and maybe you’ll get your war. By Kevin Baron
Business
Highlights From the Aspen Security Forum
Defense One brings you a wrap-up of the Aspen Security Forum. By Kedar Pavgi
Ideas
Pakistan's New Big Threat Isn't Terrorism—It's Water
Shortages of the precious resource threaten to destabilize the region even further. By Aziz Nayani
Ideas
Goodbye Anti-War, Hello Anti-Secrecy
Unable to stop war, the peace movement believes information freedom could be next. To them, Snowden, Manning and Assange are heroes. And it’s not just a cause, it’s an identity. By Kevin Baron
Business
Ditch the QDR
The Pentagon just conducted two major strategy reviews. So why does it need the QDR? By Doug Wilson
Ideas
Here’s Why Taliban Talks Will Fail
Afghan negotiators insist peace talks with the Taliban will resume despite the recent collapse of efforts to get them started. Don’t bet on success. By James Kitfield
Threats
Mission Creep: When Everything Is Terrorism
NSA apologists say spying is only used for menaces like "weapons of mass destruction" and "terror." But those terms have been radically redefined. By Bruce Schneier
Threats
Egypt’s Military Behaving Exactly as Hoped, Sort Of
Al-Sissi may be unpredictable, but take the long view: 30 years of U.S. military aid to Egypt is paying security dividends. By Kevin Baron
Threats
Forget the Troops, Can the Afghan Government Lead?
Sure, the Pentagon hypes Afghan forces taking the security lead, but there’s a “gigantic truth that we keep missing.” By Stephanie Gaskell
Ideas
Why the Founding Fathers Would Object to Today’s Military
Today’s endless, undeclared and increasingly secret use of U.S. force is exactly what the founding fathers feared most. By Gregory D. Foster
Ideas