Ideas

10 Ways America’s Situation in the Middle East Will Get Worse

The Syrian pullout and the Iraqi instability are undermining U.S. national-security interests.

Ideas

How to Protect America After the Syria Withdrawal

Fighting ISIS just got harder—but it’s still possible, and it’s necessary.

Ideas

What the US Can Learn From Iranian Warfare

Tehran's approach to proxy wars offers a surprising lesson.

Threats

Top SDF Commander: Turkey Blocking Kurds’ Retreat; Urges Trump to ‘Stop This War’

“I am asking President Trump right now to fulfill his promise to us and stop this war,” Mazlum Abdi told Defense One by phone.

Science & Tech

The US Army Wants to Reinvent Tank Warfare with AI

A new project aims to make the battlefield more “transparent” — while relying on robots and software that “think” in unpredictable ways.

Business

Just One Bidder Is Vying for Two Pentagon Programs Worth $130 Billion

The defense acquisition chief is looking into the Army’s disqualification of a second bidder to replace Bradley armored vehicles.

Threats

US Intel Aircraft to Remain Over Syria As Ground Forces Pull Out

SecDef Esper heads to Mideast, NATO to talk about the future fight against ISIS.

Ideas

10 Hard Realities of America’s Next Syria Policy

The troops are leaving, but the U.S. still has regional and global interests in what happens there.

Ideas

The Intelligence Fallout From Trump’s Withdrawal in Syria

The chaotic withdrawal from Syria will severely weaken U.S. efforts in the country—and could also be a boost for Russia and Iran.

Ideas

Ep. 57: The Future of the U.S. Military in Syria (for now)

Three Middle East experts forecast likely consequences and the longterm costs of the U.S. military withdrawing from northern Syria.

Threats

US Agrees to Lift Sanctions on Turkey in Syria ‘Ceasefire’ Deal

“From what I understand it’s not a ceasefire,” Sen Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told reporters on Capitol Hill. “You have one-hundred-and-X number of hours to get out of here before we kill you.”

Threats

US Lawmakers Fear The Damage Is Done On Syria

“The egg may be scrambled,” said one Armed Services Committee lawmaker amid a welter of efforts to salvage the situation.

Ideas

Donald Trump Looks More and More Like Oliver North

Iran-Contra was also about a foreign policy run from inside the White House and outside the law.

Business

Raytheon's Next Patriot Radar Will Eliminate a Blind Spot

Company officials say the new radar can spot drone swarms, cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons expected on future battlefields.

Science & Tech

DISA Wants a Pentagon-Wide Identity Management System

The Enterprise Identity Service would let Pentagon officials oversee the access credentials and online activity of every user who touches its networks.

Defense Systems

What DOD's data scientists are discovering

Recruiting top analytical talent into government is tough, the Pentagon's top management officer says, but the payoffs can be big.