Ideas

Syrian Caves a Window Onto the Conflict

It takes a village, like Maaloula, to understand the complexities of Syria’s conflict, and the challenges it will face to recover and rebuild. By Tara Sonenshine

Policy

House Intel Chair Wants Arab Troops To Secure Chemical Weapons

Obama's threat of war is working, says House Intelligence Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., but securing chemical weapons will need Arab League boots on the ground. By Sara Sorcher

Threats

America at a Crossroads – Able to Lead, or Gulliver in Lilliput?

We cannot pretend away what we have seen in Syria. Will we let Obama use the commander-in-chiefs tools or become Gulliver in Lilliput? By Michael Breen, Rachel Kleinfeld and Doug Wilson

Ideas

Obama's Wrong, Syria's Chemical Weapons Require Boots on the Ground

There's no way around it. Securing chemical weapons amid a civil war requires troops. By Joshua Foust

Policy

Putin Has the Upper Hand on Syria

Russia's president has the trump card in this geopolitical game, and the situation could not be any riskier for Obama. By Major Garrett

Policy

Syria Tells You Everything You Need to Know About Barack Obama

The president's policy towards Syria only puts his best and worst attributes on full display. By Ron Fournier

Ideas

Does America Need to Give Up Some Security to Fix the NSA?

The agency -- and its director -- may have pushed the edges of the law. It's time that some of its power is drawn down, even if its comes at a cost. By Bruce Schneier

Policy

Kennedy's Battles With the Brass

JFK fought to rein in the military on multiple occasions. His actions may have prevented nuclear war. By Robert Dallek

Ideas

The Obama Doctrine

This wasn’t just an address to the nation about Syria, it was a major foreign policy speech that finally spells out the Obama Doctrine. By Stephanie Gaskell

Defense Systems

Navy expands Global Hawk missions

Northrop Grumman will support 15 UAV missions per month.

Defense Systems

DOD data center consolidation driving virtual storage market

As storage costs drop, new approaches seek to boost secure access and capacity utilization.

Policy

National Security for Dummies: Syria Exposes D.C.’s Chasm Between War and Politics

For the shouting politico crowd, Syria is a political gamble between a ‘lame duck’ president and a weak GOP. For the natsec crowd, it’s geopolitical warfare best left to the adults. By Kevin Baron

Policy

HASC Takes on Syria – But Does Anyone Care?

The House Armed Services Committee finally got its chance to debate military action in Syria on Tuesday. But does the committee really have any influence over Congress’ vote? By Stephanie Gaskell

Business

One Veteran’s Battle to Bring His Afghan Interpreter to the United States

It took five years, amid constant death threats from the Taliban, to get one Army unit’s Afghan interpreter and his family to the United States. There has to be a better way. By Matt Zeller

Policy

A Tough Case for Strikes on Syria

Obama has several options to justify a military strike against Assad, but developing the legal reasoning will be difficult. By Jonathan Masters

Science & Tech

Meet the Encryption Aficionados Who Know How to Hide From the NSA's Watching Eye

Privacy advocates are using 'cryptoparties' to train computer users to better guard their data against surveillance. By Greg Thomas

Threats

Hagel Dodged the Kerry Question Two Weeks Ago

What a difference a dodge makes. Hagel avoided the trap Kerry walked into, refusing to give Syria a say in U.S. decision making. By Kevin Baron

Policy

Americans Staunchly Opposed to Military Intervention in Syria

New poll suggests that Americans want Obama to find another way to avert a military response to the crisis in the Middle East. By Ronald Brownstein

Defense Systems

Air Force, DARPA partner on hypersonic flight initiative

The joint effort builds on successful X-51A Waverider demonstration.

Defense Systems

U.S. tests layered missile defense

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency said it intercepted two ballistic missile targets during a test of a layered missile defense scheme in the western Pacific Ocean.