Policy
Pentagon Vows to Guard the Syrian Oil That Trump Wants to Seize
That includes warding off Syrian and Russian forces, SecDef Esper says, with murky justification under domestic and international law.
Ideas
Killing Terrorist Leaders Gets Attention, But It Doesn’t Stop Terrorism
Baghdadi’s death is indeed a turning point in the War on Terror, just as Osama bin Laden’s was in 2011. It’s just not clear what the war is turning to.
Ideas
Syrian Women Helped Find Baghdadi, Beat ISIS, Will Face ‘Tough Time’ Ahead, Leader Says
'We will continue our resistance and our struggle,' says the head of the all-women’s YPJ, in a rare interview.
Ideas
ISIS Lost Its Land. Then It Began to Lose Its Ability to Inspire.
As with Osama bin Laden, the most intriguing fact about Baghdadi’s assassination was its location, deep in what was considered enemy territory.
Threats
ISIS Leader Baghdadi Killed Himself During US Special Ops Raid, Trump Confirms
Trump claims, against the evidence, that killing Baghdadi was administration's "top national security priority."
Defense Systems
Microsoft gets $10B JEDI contract
The long-awaited enterprise cloud contract award comes days after Defense Secretary Esper recused himself from the process.
Defense Systems
Navy research funds could see scrutiny, secretary says
Navy Secretary Richard Spencer warned certain activities could suffer in "constrained" resource environments.
Business
Microsoft Wins Massive JEDI Cloud Contract
Amazon loses in a $10-billion upset decision after months of legal and Trump-fueled political controversy.
Business
$85B Nuclear Missile Competition Gets Messier as Feds Investigate Northrop
Boeing is breaking up its ICBM team — just as the Federal Trade Commission begins looking into the company's allegations that Northrop wasn't playing fair.
Ideas
What Was the Point of the Syria ‘Withdrawal’?
Donald Trump, who vowed to get troops out of Syria altogether, incurred all the strategic costs without getting any of the political benefit.
Threats
US Troops, Armor Will ‘Secure’ Oil Fields in Syria, Says SecDef in New Reversal
The U.S. might also maintain “one of our two airfields that are there,” said America’s envoy to Syria to lawmakers.
Science & Tech
Russia Will Test Its Ability to Disconnect from the Internet
The nascent RuNet is meant to allow the country to survive an attack — and Putin to monitor and control the population.
Defense Systems
DOD modernization faces program and funding challenges
On Capitol Hill and in Congress there's concern that delays and stopgap funding could take a toll on critical tech upgrades.
Threats
Trump’s STRATCOM Pick Declines to Endorse Open-Skies Withdrawal
The Trump administration is weighing pulling out of the 1992 surveillance agreement amid complaints that Russia is out of compliance.
Science & Tech
