Ideas
Trump’s Foreign-Policy Crisis Arrives
Competition between the U.S. and China may be inevitable, but if Trump and Xi mishandle the Hong Kong crisis, they could lose the ability to calibrate.
Policy
General’s Sexual Assault Accuser Was Deemed a ‘Toxic, Self-Centered Abuser,’ New Docs Reveal
Hundreds of previously unseen pages of two investigations paint Army Col. Kathryn Spletstoser as an abusive coworker with motive for revenge against Gen. John Hyten.
Defense Systems
Navy boosts CIO role, adds more cyber and data authorities
The Navy is establishing a new special assistant to the secretary for information management/CIO to enforce cybersecurity standards, have a say in IT acquisition and develop data and digital strategies.
Science & Tech
Pentagon’s AI Center is Developing Tech that Could Revolutionize Disaster Response
It’s another example of federal automation at work.
Science & Tech
Air Force Tests Contraption That Can Turn Any Plane Into a Robot Plane
Scientists say new ROBOpilot completed a two-hour test flight, essentially turning a manned plane into a drone.
Ideas
In Afghanistan, Is Sirajuddin Haqqani Ready for Peace?
In peace talks with the Afghan Taliban, the United States should not fail to address the evolution of the Haqqani-al-Qaeda nexus.
Ideas
The End of the Dan Coats Era
Whoever takes over from Coats permanently could serve as a needed voice of clarity about America’s biggest challenges—or see the intelligence community further sidelined.
Science & Tech
Energy Dept. Is Updating Its Cyber Defense Assessment Tool
Created in 2012 to help protect the nation's electrical grid, the tool helps government and industry compare their preparations to established standards.
Defense Systems
How DOD will survive its next audit
The Defense Department's chief financial experts explained how the second audit will leverage the benefits of the first (with a little help from robots.)
Policy
Can US-Taliban Peace Talks End the War in Afghanistan?
U.S. officials say that they are close to reaching a deal with the Taliban, but peace in the country would still not be guaranteed.
Science & Tech
Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missiles Are a Terrible Idea. Russia’s Test Explosion Shows Why
A flying unshielded nuclear reactor would spew massive amounts of radiation, and that’s if it’s working correctly.
Science & Tech
DOD Inspector General Clarifies Office's Role in JEDI Cloud Decision
The Pentagon’s IG is reviewing complaints from multiple sources.
Business
Energy Dept. Never Blacklists Risky Nuclear-Tech Vendors, GAO Says
The process is too time-consuming and narrow to be effective, reply officials at the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Ideas
Weaponizing Biotech: How China's Military Is Preparing for a 'New Domain of Warfare'
Under Beijing's civil-military fusion strategy, the PLA is sponsoring research on gene editing, human performance enhancement, and more.
Ideas
It’s High Time for Germany to Fund, and Fix, Its Military
The country is far from NATO’s 2% budget guideline, and its defense establishment is rife with dysfunction.
Science & Tech