Ideas
Neither Precise Nor Proportionate
Trump’s attack on Syria was unserious but intended to relieve emotional pressure—and in many ways, worse than doing nothing at all.
Ideas
A Trump Doctrine for the Middle East
The region has now been Trump-branded as “a troubled place”—and one America is not particularly interested in helping.
Defense Systems
DOD releases revised JEDI cloud RFP
The Defense Department is maintaining its plans for a single award cloud deal in a revised presolicitation.
Ideas
Trump's Syria Strategy Actually Makes Sense
And it does not involve a commitment to change the horrible and predictable outcome of the civil war.
Ideas
For Not-Quite-Wars, Italy Has a Useful Alternative to Traditional Troops
More nations should consider creating police-cum-military forces for hybrid stabilization missions.
Ideas
The Unconstitutional Strike on Syria
AUMF? The Syrian government is not Al Qaeda, nor an affiliate, nor a successor, nor anything except a sovereign nation against which the president has decided to go to war.
Ideas
The Strike May Have Hurt More than It Helped
Far from instilling fear in Assad, it may merely have created a short-term munitions shortage.
Threats
Pentagon Declares Strike Successful. Here’s A Look at What Went Into It
U.S., French, and British planes and ships used a wide variety of precision weapons to hit Syrian chemical weapons facilities. Some saw their first day of combat.
Ideas
Two Decades of War Have Eroded the Morale of America’s Troops
If the courage of young men and women in battle truly does depend on the nature and quality of our civic society, we should be very worried.
Threats
Lawmakers Ask: Where’s the Broader Syria Strategy?
No surprise that Democrats questioned Friday’s retaliatory strike, but even a few GOP defense hawks wondered aloud.
Threats
BREAKING: US, Allies Strike Syrian ‘Chemical Weapons Capabilities,’ Trump Says
The president said deterring the use of chemical weapons is "a vital national security interest” of the United States."
Threats
China Just Conducted Its Biggest-Ever Display of Naval Power
It involved 48 warships, 76 aircraft, and more than 10,000 personnel in the South China Sea, plus an onboard speech by president Xi Jinping in military fatigues.
Ideas
I Ran US Border Patrol — And I Support Trump's Call to Deploy the National Guard
Critics have assailed the president’s decision to send troops to the border. But they can provide additional assistance and resources to agents in times of need.
Defense Systems
Air Force announces $950M contract for agile cyber R&D
The Air Force picks five small businesses to carry out agile research-and-development work in cybersecurity.
Defense Systems
Mattis: JEDI cloud contract is vendor-agnostic
On Capitol Hill, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sought to quell "rumors" that the Pentagon's planned single-award cloud acquisition was designed with Amazon Web Services in mind.
Threats
Mattis Confirms Chemical Weapons Attack in Syria, But No Trump Decision to Strike Yet
The National Security Council discussed options with the president for responding to the attack, but the administration was still syncing up with allies Thursday evening.
Science & Tech
Google is Pursuing the Pentagon’s Giant Cloud Contract Quietly, Fearing An Employee Revolt
A fierce internal debate may undermine the company’s bid for the JEDI program.
Threats