Ideas

Who Wins When US-Iran Tensions Rise? China

The Sino-Iranian relationship advances Chinese interests — and particularly when Washington tries to turn the screws on Tehran.

Defense Systems

DISA director says JRSS migrations press on with 'no concerns'

The Defense Information Systems Agency director, Vice Adm. Nancy Norton said migrations for the Joint Regional Security Stacks Program are moving forward and the only concerns are the readiness of service networks at the base level.

Ideas

Trump’s Counter-Iran Moves Are Provocative, But They’re Not War

Truly bad messaging is undermining trust among allies and the American public — and increasing the chance of accidental escalation.

Science & Tech

The Bay Area’s Spy Camera Ban Is Only the Beginning

San Francisco just became the first city to ban use of facial recognition technology by government entities. Oakland may be next.

Ideas

The Next ‘South China Sea’ Is Covered in Ice

The State Department will soon have a permanent presence in Greenland for the first time since the 1950s.

Threats

A Bewildering Briefing on the Iranian Threat Leaves More Questions Than Answers

A deputy commander of the counter-ISIS coalition appeared to rebut White House claims about Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.

Defense Systems

DOD’s $8.2 billion back-office cloud contract expected this summer

A winner on the $8.2 billion Defense Enterprise Office Solutions procurement is expected to be announced this summer, with integration and initial testing planned for the fall.

Science & Tech

Moscow to Weave AI Face Recognition into Its Urban Surveillance Net

City authorities say the planned system will have access to all 160,000 existing cameras.

Policy

Under Pressure, Pentagon Publishes a Contractor-Fraud Report

Released under FOIA, the 4-page document names firms barred from government work, but lacks the detail of a predecessor report.

Ideas

Russia Has Americans’ Weaknesses All Figured Out

Election interference is one front in Moscow’s larger campaign to undermine the U.S. without prompting a military response.

Business

US, Poland to Discuss Potential F-35 Sale, Air Force Secretary Says

Warsaw’s eagerness to buy the Joint Strike Fighter came up during Heather Wilson’s April visit to Poland.

Defense Systems

New defense cyber commission plans for future threats

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said the newly established Cyberspace Solarium Commission is getting its structure sorted before diving into debating three visions for defending U.S. interests in cyberspace.

Threats

What’s Great Power Competition? No One Really Knows

It’s the “trillion-dollar question,” one Marine Corps planner says.

Defense Systems

Air Force slows roll out of new cyber career category

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson announced delays to plans for new career categories and promotion paths, including in cybersecurity.

Ideas

Trump’s ‘Maximum Pressure’ Won’t Make Iran Yield

The one thing Tehran would find more intolerable than the crushing impact of sanctions is raising the white flag because of them.