Ideas

It’s Time for Congress to Rein in US Arms Exports

A staggering 70 percent of Americans believe that selling American arms abroad makes us less safe at home.

Ideas

John Bolton Will Hold This Grudge

His dismissal by tweet came after an unusually long prelude of disrespect, both by President Trump and by favored allies.

Ideas

The White House’s Impossible Job

The problem is not that Trump failed to get along with John Bolton—it’s that he doesn’t want a national security adviser in the first place.

Ideas

When it Comes to Allies, Americans Get It

New polling reveals Trump's disparagement of U.S. allies remains a bridge too far for most Americans — and it should remain so.

Ideas

America’s Déjà-Vu Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Like Obama in Iraq, Trump wants to stop fighting before the war is done.

Ideas

Two Cheers for Esper’s Plan to Reassert Civilian Control of the Pentagon

One might believe that leaving more decisions to uniformed experts would depoliticize policy. The opposite is true.

Ideas

‘Get a Weapon’: Advice to a Deploying Woman

That's what a veteran told me as I prepared to join U.S. forces in Baghdad. I thought he meant I needed a way to fend off the enemy.

Ideas

Coming Soon to a Battlefield: Robots That Can Kill

Tomorrow’s wars will be faster, more high-tech, and less human than ever before. Welcome to a new era of machine-driven warfare.

Ideas

How Not to Run the World

Once upon a time, the American commitment to regularity in meetings and reasoned decision making allowed the rest of the world to sleep a little easier.

Ideas

The Mattis Two-Step

The forever general’s attempt to "stay out of politics" is bringing him right into it.

Ideas

With US Help, Africa’s Coastal Nations Are Learning to Work Together

Maritime security only works when entire regions cooperate.

Ideas

What Happens After the INF Treaty?

Deterrence and arms control have long shaped U.S. national security policy. A negotiator of the 1987 agreement asks: What now?

Ideas

Insurance Companies Are Fueling Ransomware Attacks

Even when public agencies and companies hit by ransomware could recover their files on their own, insurers prefer to pay the ransom. Why? The attacks are good for business.

Ideas

Meet the Coalition Pushing for 'Cyber Peace' Rules

A growing group of governments and NGOs is trying to figure out what limits can and should apply to online attack, defense, and behavior.

Ideas

Welcome to the New Phase of US-China Tech Competition

The previous era entwined the two economies. This one is splitting them apart.

Ideas

Executing the US Africa Strategy, At Sea

By helping African nations improve maritime security ops, we are helping create the conditions that lead to a prosperous, self-reliant future.

Ideas

Women Help Prevent Terrorism. Congress Should Encourage the Pentagon to Pay Attention

Here’s a list of related House provisions that should be part of 2020's final authorization bill.

Ideas

Why Hong Kong Protesters Are Sawing Down Sensor-Laden Lampposts

The government confirms that the hardware could spy on citizens, but says protesters’ fears are unfounded.

Ideas

The Man Who Couldn’t Take It Anymore

“I had no choice but to leave,” James Mattis says of his decision to resign as President Trump’s secretary of defense.

Ideas

Happy Birthday, Nuclear Arms Race

If we remember how we could have stopped it, we may yet find a way to do so.