Threats

Pentagon Launches Post-Insurrection Extremism Review

Secretary Austin directs new steps, studies to keep extremists out of the ranks and better protect outgoing troops from being recruited into extremist groups.

Policy

Biden’s $715B Defense Ask: Higher Than Expected, Lower than Trump’s Plan

“Skinny budget” announcement hints at cuts to troop levels and existing weapons.

Ideas

The Intelligence Community’s Deadly Bias Toward Classified Sources

Its willful blindness to publicly available information is hurting national security.

Threats

Fewer Troops Are Declining the COVID Vaccine. We May Never Know Why

Defense leaders say education efforts and seeing peers get vaccinated are reducing the reluctance.

Policy

White House Wants Industry Input on New Software Security Rules

The administration wants to make sure the private sector has the ability to weigh in on procurement standards in an impending executive order.

Ideas

Beware ‘Just Say China’ Politics

Republicans screamed for more spending to counter China. Democrats are claiming their infrastructure bill does just that. It’s a dangerous game.

Ideas

American Support is Needed to Resolve a POW Crisis in the Caucasus

Azerbaijan is illegally holding some 200 Armenian troops and civilian captives.

Policy

Experts Torn on Proper Role of National Cyber Director

Former officials say someone needs to coordinate government entities but weighed pros and cons to the position being located within the National Security Council.

Business

Raytheon Giving Employees Bonuses for Getting COVID-19 Vaccine

The company is not requiring employees to get the shots, but some facilities could be off-limits to the unvaccinated.

Ideas

The Arctic Is No Substitute for Suez. We Should Keep It That Way.

One obvious way to reduce tensions in the region is to slow climate change and the use of northern sea routes.

Defense Systems

Could 2022 see the end of OCO?

As the Biden administration prepares to deliver its first budget, the question arises of whether there's enough political clout to end the controversial overseas contingency operations account.

Defense Systems

Space Force satcoms contract gets CMMC nod

A request for information for the Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network and Global Xpress contract was amended March 31 to include requirements for the CMMC pilot program.