Ideas
How Quickly Could Iran Get a Nuclear Bomb?
A former National Nuclear Security Administration coordinator explains breakout time — and why it’s getting shorter.
Threats
Iran Launched Missiles at Iraqi Bases with US Forces, Pentagon Says
More than a dozen ballistic missiles were fired at the Al-Assad air base in Anbar province and a base in Irbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan, a DOD statement said.
Threats
Offering No Evidence, Esper Says Soleimani Attack On US Was ‘Days’ Away
Meanwhile, confusion continues over draft letter citing plans to move U.S. forces in Iraq.
Ideas
What Motivates Chinese Peacekeeping?
China’s unusual status as a top contributor of both funds and troops to the UN's peacekeeping program has stirred suspicion.
Ideas
Trump’s Fixation on the Hostage Crisis Is Driving His Iran Policy
The president’s approach to the Islamic Republic appears stuck in 1979.
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
Don’t Use the Iran Crisis As An Excuse To Boost Pentagon Spending
Use it to reconsider the American approach to national security.
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.
Science & Tech
US Government To Restrict Sale of AI for Satellite Image Analysis
Software that can analyze satellite photos would be treated like a weapon.
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