Ideas
To End America’s War in Afghanistan, US Troops Can’t Leave Yet
Walking away out of frustration — especially during peace talks — is as empty a strategy as doubling down out of optimism.
Ideas
The US Navy Needs More Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchells
The service must create ways to retain and use…not the reckless flyboy of 1986, but the experienced aviator of 2020.
Ideas
Today’s Arctic Diplomacy Can’t Handle Tomorrow’s Problems
A new forum is needed to address military and security issues in the region.
Ideas
Great Powers Must Talk to Each Other About AI
Even as they compete, major militaries have reason to cooperate: to avoid misunderstanding and to establish best practices and pragmatic parameters.
Ideas
We Can End Our Endless Wars
America should end its military involvement in conflicts in the Middle East and bring our troops home.
Ideas
A Call to Inaction on Defense Acquisition Law
The best thing Congress could do for a while is stop passing new legislation.
Ideas
Why Does the US Spend So Much on Defense?
It is well to remember that the real bill includes not just DOD spending but VA, intelligence, and more. But those who would cut spending must also propose a new strategy.
Ideas
The Case for Repealing, and Not Replacing, the Iraq War Authorization
It should be a top priority for Congress to correct its historic blunder of passing the buck when it comes to war and peace.
Ideas
America Has Come Full Circle in the Middle East
“We are opening a Pandora’s Box,” Dwight Eisenhower warned when he ordered the first U.S. combat mission in the region. Little did he know how right he would be.
Ideas
2020 Dems Need To Get Up To Speed on Nuclear Weapons. Fast.
Front-runners have displayed key misunderstandings, while other candidates have shied away from the topic.
Ideas
To Prove Trump’s Bad Faith, Don’t Argue Policy. Show He Subverted the Process.
On Ukraine, the president dodged processes designed to ensure that U.S. foreign policy serves the public interest.
Ideas
Saudi Arabia’s Phone Hacking Shows We Need Better Encryption — Not Backdoors
End-to-end encryption isn’t good enough. Files and cloud backups need strong crypto as well.
Ideas
While ‘Arctic Exceptionalism’ Melts Away, the US Isn't Sure What It Wants Next
Global competition is coming to the northern polar region. U.S. policymakers are not clear on a fundamental question about its future.
Ideas
Who Gets to Tell the Story of the Afghanistan War?
The Washington Post’s ‘Afghanistan Papers’ is the latest contribution to a growing argument over whether the conflict — or any of the ‘forever wars’ — was worth the cost.
Ideas
The US Navy’s Three Great Intellectual Challenges
Design the force, wrestle with change, buy ships.
Ideas
Donald Trump Stumbles Into a Foreign-Policy Triumph
The president, however inadvertently, may be reminding the world of the reality of international relations.
Ideas
Sending Troops Back to the Middle East Won’t Stop Iran
Knee-jerk deployments only distract from the president’s bigger priorities: China and Russia.
Ideas
Esper Is Attempting the Biggest Defense Reform in a Generation
In two recent memos, the SecDef reveals his intention to change how the Pentagon uses its money, people, and time.
Ideas