Science & Tech

US Space Force Lists 20 Tough Problems for 1st Pitch Day

The military’s newest branch invites industry to bring solutions on March 4. Officials want to move quickly if they see something they like.

Ideas

US-Iranian Diplomacy Almost Worked. Let’s Try It Again

Direct talks may be too much to ask for at this stage, but tension-reduction measures promoted by third parties are still very plausible.

Policy

Soleimani Strike Splits 2020 Democrats

It also opens up a key weakness for frontrunner Joe Biden.

Ideas

5G Is Where China and the West Finally Diverge

The rollout of speedy new cellular networks is a geopolitical turning point, but neither Trump nor the public yet recognizes this.

Ideas

The Blueprint Iran Could Follow After Soleimani’s Death

Here’s what to expect after the U.S. killing of Iran’s most powerful military commander.

Policy

Iraqi Lawmakers Ask Government to Expel US Troops

Iraq analysts say the nonbinding vote is important but removal of U.S. troops is far from a done deal.

Ideas

The Soleimani Strike Defied the US Constitution

If Congress fails to respond effectively, the president will be left with the unmitigated power to take the country to war on his own—anywhere, anytime, for any reason.

Ideas

The Soleimani Assassination Is America’s Most Consequential Strike This Century

The U.S. attack against the top Iranian general will have far greater repercussions than the killings of al-Qaeda and ISIS leaders.

Threats

Soleimani Strike Could Imperil US Troops In Iraq

Trump and his allies have sought to frame Iraq’s response to the strikes as a choice between Tehran and Washington, but the situation is not so black-and-white for Baghdad.

Science & Tech

What's Next for Iran's Cyber Actors?

The country has grown as a talented, and destructive, network threat over the last several years.

Business

Increased Tensions With Iran Could Boost Defense Spending

After three years of substantial increases, the defense budget was supposed to flatten. Experts say that’s now unlikely.

Ideas

Who’s Next? Trump Crossed a Line with Soleimani’s Assassination

The Iranian was much more than a general. Who else is the U.S. president willing to kill?

Ideas

The US Recently Made a Smart Move Toward Iran. Killing Soleimani Wasn’t It

The decision to focus on Tehran’s proxies in the wake of the embassy attack was the right course.

Ideas

Iran Loses Its Indispensable Man

The killing of Qassem Soleimani robs the regime of the central figure for its ambitions in the Middle East.