Ideas
Whatever Comes Next, Syria Is Forcing a New U.S. Strategy for the Middle East
President Obama is deciding how to respond in Syria knowing that most Americans are wary of another mess in the Middle East. By Kevin Baron and Stephanie Gaskell
Threats
Pentagon ‘Stands Ready’ for Military Action in Syria as U.S. Warships Move to Region
President Obama huddles with his national security team to decide whether to take military action in Syria amid reports of more chemical attacks. By Kevin Baron
Business
DoD Will Lay Off 6,000 Civilians if Sequestration Continues
Major cuts to civilian defense employees are imminent If Congress can't come up with a plan to reduce the debt and sequestration continues next fiscal year. By Eric Katz
Business
Did Snowden and Manning Really Know What They Were Leaking?
Manning and Snowden are seen by many as heroes for leaking classified information. But the real problem is with the indiscriminate nature of their leaks. By Mark Bowden
Policy
Obama: U.S. Influence in Syria is ‘Overstated’
In an exclusive interview with CNN, President Obama worries about getting involved in Syria, questions the future of U.S.-Egypt relations and suggests the NSA might need a public advocate. By Stephanie Gaskell
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
Defense Systems
Navy logistics tool emulates Expedia
Web-based tool pinpoints available shipping capacity.
Defense Systems
DARPA field tests tactical cloud software
Edge network software would turn mobile devices into battlefield servers.
Ideas
Hagel Begins Asian Pivot as the Middle East Burns
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will spend the week setting up what the U.S. hopes to achieve over the next century: driving security in Asia while leading from behind in the Middle East. By Kevin Baron
Ideas
How Badly Did Manning Hurt the United States?
Manning said he was sorry for leaking troves of classified information from Iraq and Afghanistan. But just how much damage did he do? By Stephanie Gaskell
Business
The Cost of Mental Health Care in the Military: $4.5 Billion Since 2007
Mental health care costs are on the rise in the military. The Pentagon spent nearly $1 billion on mental health treatment last year – roughly double the amount it spent in 2007. By Bob Brewin
Policy
What the NSA's Compliance Data Tells Us
One piece of data, left unredacted in its report to Congress, appears to give more information on the surveillence program than the NSA has ever released publicly. By Philip Bump
Business
Stop Shrouding the U.S. Drone Program in Secrecy
What if Obama was forced by Congress to share, after every lethal drone strike, a detailed summary of the evidence against the people killed? By Conor Friedersdorf
Policy
How Egypt Helps Assad
The U.S. is reluctant to get involved in Egypt - and Syrian President Bashir Assad knows it. By Michael Hirsh
Business
Sequestration Hits Army and Navy’s Senior Ranks
Sequestration is forcing the Army and Navy to reduce the number of senior officers. By Mark Micheli
Threats
With or Without U.S. Intervention, Syria Will Become Iraq
Old line in Washington: Syria will be another Iraq if the U.S. military gets involved. New line: Syria will become another Iraq if they don’t. By Kevin Baron
Science & Tech
The NSA May Have Access to 75 Percent of Domestic Internet Traffic
New revelations indicate that the agency's domestic surveillance capacity is much broader, and older, than what was previously reported. By Abby Ohlheiser.
Threats
A Chemical Weapons Attack in Syria May Have Killed Hundreds
Specific details about the incident are currently unknown, but the attack could be one of the war's deadliest to date. By Dashiell Bennett
Defense Systems
Army buys six Shadow drones for $11.8M
The RQ-7B collects intelligence, relays real time video.
Defense Systems