Ideas
Trump Is Ill-Suited to Respond to the Coronavirus Outbreak
A crisis that is heading into its third month could draw out every personal and managerial failing that the president has shown to this point.
Ideas
America Is Alone in Its Cold War With China
If the Trump administration is truly going all-in on competition with Beijing, it’s not clear that Trump himself is fully on board. Nor, it’s now clear, are several of America’s closest friends.
Ideas
Let's Use Peer Pressure to End Political Endorsements by Retired Generals
A review of more than 1,000 endorsements by former senior military officers shows that most are just favors for a friend.
Ideas
China’s Chernobyl Never Seems to Arise
Democracy is unlikely to break out in Beijing, but the coronavirus crisis may create an opening for a softer form of authoritarianism.
Ideas
The Inconvenient Truth About ISIS
The group is even bigger now, and America’s conflict with Iran is only making the fight against it more complicated.
Ideas
The Corrosion of World Order in the Age of Donald Trump
Can the world still work together to address today’s most pressing global challenges?
Ideas
The US Doesn’t Need a New New START
There is no reason to believe that withdrawing from the current one would improve U.S. security.
Ideas
The US Should Accept Russia’s Proposed Moratorium on Post-INF Missiles
The temporary measure has no near-term downside — and may jumpstart important arms-control talks.
Ideas
Trump's Former Chief of Staff, John Kelly, Finally Lets Loose
The retired Marine general explained, in the clearest terms yet, his misgivings about Trump’s behavior regarding North Korea, immigration, and Ukraine.
Ideas
How a Stock Bubble Could Unwind America’s National Security
Tesla’s astronomic rise portends a crash that will add heft to the forces of deglobalization.
Ideas
The US Military Is Not Ready for a Constitutional Crisis
In nine years on duty, I received no training in how to uphold my oath to defend the Constitution. Today's troops need to know how.
Ideas
DOD Civilians Would Get 1% Pay Raise Under 2021 Budget Proposal
That's more than the Trump administration's 2020 request, which would have frozen wages, but less than the 3.1% average pay increase enacted by Congress.
Ideas
Trump's Attacks on Public Servants Are Hurting America
Self-dealing and disdain for public service reinforce the autocratic conceit that democratic systems are no better than dictatorial ones, and undermine our biggest advantage.
Ideas
How China Is Working to Quarantine the Truth About the Coronavirus
The authoritarian playbook — censor, distract, lie — is on full display.
Ideas
Overspending on the Pentagon Won’t Make Us Safer
We spend far more on the military than the countries we most fear, while shorting the things that would actually help us compete.
Ideas
How to Get the National Defense Strategy Out of Its Mideast Rut
We need less talk about why we need to leave, and more about why we need to compete elsewhere.
Ideas
As Coronavirus Spreads, China’s Military Is Largely MIA
The PLA’s anemic participation is odd given its past performance, planning, and pronouncements.
Ideas
Trump’s Bid to Go Big on Nuclear Arms Looks Like a Fizzle
Russia has no interest in negotiating from scratch. China has no interest in negotiating at all.
Ideas