Science & Tech
Mass Surveillance Distracts an Overwhelmed Intelligence Community, Snowden Says
Fugitive leaker Edward Snowden said surveilling extremists and following through on intelligence leads is a better counterterrorism tactic than mass spying. By Dustin Volz
Defense Systems
Air Force ups the ante on sense-and-avoid UAV technology
A $23.5 million contract awarded to DRA will fund improvements to a collision avoidance system that takes advantage of an unmanned aircraft’s existing sensors.
Science & Tech
Researchers Use 3D Printing To Create Bomb-Sniffing Dog Noses
Researchers are using 3D printing to make anatomically correct artificial noses modeled after a female Labrador retriever. By Rebecca Carroll
Threats
Beyond the Houthi Takeover of Yemen
Will the rise of a new power in Sana'a usher in an era of improved security for Yemen -- or will it bring the country to its knees? By Nasim al Sanani
Policy
Rick Perry Sharpens His National Security Edge Over GOP Rivals
The Texas governor recently made significant progress establishing his credentials in a surprising area: foreign policy. By David Frum
Business
State Department Clears Sale of 46,000 Tank Rounds for Iraq
The pending sale would bolster the Iraqi Army, which has been fighting Islamic State militants all year. By Marcus Weisgerber
Threats
Turkey Allows Iraqi Kurds To Join the Fight Against ISIS
The shift in policy—and alliances—underscores the importance of saving Kobani from the Islamic State. By Polly Mosendz
Threats
Executions Could Be Iraq's Real Challenge to Unity
The UN warns that the rising number of death sentences in the country's courts fuels sectarian violence—and empowers ISIS. By Allen McDuffee
Policy
Rand Paul and the Myth of American Isolationism
Over the last year, Sen. Paul has developed an approach patterned on the internationalist thinking that influenced foreign policy elites during the Cold War. By Peter Beinart
Defense Systems
ONR stages international competition for autonomous boats
The Maritime RobotX Challenge pits 15 teams from five Pacific Rim countries against each other in a test of autonomous architectures.
Defense Systems
Air Force awards deal for next-gen 3D radar
Raytheon wins a $19.5 million contract to get started on the first three of what could be 35 systems, which will form the backbone of ground-based air defense.
Threats
These Are the Threats People Around the World Worry About the Most
The survey asked people to choose among disease, nuclear weapons, environment, inequality, and discrimination. By Jeanne Kim
Threats
The Pentagon Can't Say If It Stopped the Khorasan Terror Threat
Early reports that Mohsin al-Fadhli, one of the group's leaders, was killed during still can’t be confirmed. By Jordain Carney
Ideas
Should America Protect Itself Through Bridges or Barricades?
President Obama's response to global challenges stresses coalition-building over unilateralism. By Ronald Brownstein
Science & Tech
Preparing for Future Catastrophes, the VA Reaches to the Past
The VA wants a network for two-way radio communication and links to national wired, cellular and IP phone networks in case a crisis knocks out standard communications. By Bob Brewin
Ideas
Even Containment Needs Boots on the Ground
Even to keep ISIL at bay, U.S. or Iraqi forces would need to reclaim some cities – and that requires combat ground troops. By Jerry Meyerle
Threats
America's Awkward Alliance With Turkey Just Got More Awkward
The State Department said Thursday that it held talks about ISIS with a Syrian Kurdish party with links to a group on the U.S. terror list. By Adam Chandler
Policy