Threats
Here's the Main Reason Iran's President Is Warming Up to the West
Rouhani faces a plunging economy because of western sanctions that have cut into oil exports and other industries. Talks with the West is the only way to make it stop. By Tim Fernholz
Defense Systems
DISA storage contract stresses interoperability
IT agency says it is moving away from centralized nets to ‘edge-centered’ approach.
Defense Systems
Check out begins on third AEHF military satellite
Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite communications will increase data rates five-fold.
Business
Close the NSA's Reagan-Era Collection Loophole
There are many ways NSA could win back public trust, protect privacy, and still do its job. One way: cancel an executive order signed by Ronald Reagan. By Marc Ambinder
Science & Tech
Clean Energy Gets an Unlikely Ally: Military Veterans
A rising chorus of voices from the national security community are united by what is fast becoming a consensus view: investments in clean energy strengthens our national security and gives our service members an edge on the battlefield. By Chris Rey
Policy
Senators Vow To Crack Down on Security Clearances
Capitol Hill wants the system that grants contractors elite access to be much more accountable. By Matt Berman
Ideas
How Photographic Technology Shapes Our Understanding of War
From Polaroids to Instagram, the methods we used to document conflict have drastically changed. So has our understanding of what war really is. By Peter Osnos
Business
Amos' Marines Could Go Even Smaller, to 120,000
All due respect, but Commandant Amos isn’t going deep enough. The Marine Corps can drop to 120,000 using MEUs. Here’s how. By Aaron Haubert
Threats
Obama's Final Pivot Away From the Middle East
The administration's reluctance to intervene in Syria may be the beginning of a permanent shift away from the region. By David Rohde
Policy
A September to Surrender: Syria and Summers Spell Second-Term Slump
Is Obama's power eroding quicker than before, or is this just typical of this stage in the presidency? By Major Garrett
Threats
Dempsey: Securing Syria’s Chemical Weapons Is ‘Feasible’
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey says securing Syria’s chemical stockpile will be ‘challenging’ during the ongoing civil war, but it’s ‘feasible.’ By Stephanie Gaskell
Threats
Arab States Reintroduce Measure Opposing Israel's Nuclear Weapons
The perennial measure calls upon Israel to implement nuclear security safeguards. Still, some are concerned the measure is being used to unnecessarily target Tel-Aviv. By Elaine Grossman
Business
Inside Obama’s Syria Deliberations: ‘The Promise of More Discussion’
Insiders detail a reluctance to engage in military action, and a disconnect between the president and the national security options prepared for his review. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Policy
The Other Half of ‘This Town’
The Navy Yard massacre reveals another side of ‘This Town’. The real side. The side we know well. By Kevin Baron
Business
OMB Puts Agencies on Standby for Possible Shutdown
As the fiscal year comes to an end, Pentagon officials were put on alert to prepare for a government shutdown. By Charles Clark
Defense Systems
Inmarsat-5 Global Xpress satellite on track for launch
First of three satellites completes key system life test.
Defense Systems
Air Force awards satellite support contract to Harris
Contract modification provides maintenance, logistics support of the Air Force Satellite Control Network.
Defense Systems
SAIC wins $21M Navy digital surveillance contract
Navy surveillance system will be upgraded with enhanced software, engineering services.
Business
Navy Yard Tragedy Prompts Larger Review of Base Security
A new report from the Pentagon Inspector General suggests that an agency responsible for security at Navy installations had not done enough to mitigate risk. By Charles Clark
Business