Threats
Obama’s Going To Have To Get His Hands Dirty To Save Iraq
For a president who has made winding down conflicts a key element of his foreign policy, Obama may have to choose an uncomfortable way forward to help stabilize Iraq. By James Oliphant
Science & Tech
Brain Drain Is Threatening the Future of U.S. Robotics
Advances in robotics and automated warfare have outpaced U.S. regulatory mechanisms. But a much bigger problem threatens the future of robotics in America's defense: the brain drain to the private sector. By Megan Garber
Policy
What Stands in the Way of an Independent Kurdistan?
Iraq's northeastern Kurdish region is anxious to assert its independence and protect key cities while provinces around it descend into sectarian chaos. But Kurdish leaders may be trying to do too much too soon. By Steven A. Cook
Defense Systems
NRL reports a breakthrough in 'quantum dots'
Researchers' ability to create the dots with single-atom precision holds promise for fields from photonic to quantum computing.
Defense Systems
Navy looks to cash in on 3D printing at sea
Additive manufacturing could rapidly print replacement parts or supplies for Navy ships, lowering logistical costs.
Defense Systems
Navy awards $35M contract to boost C4ISR info sharing
Lockheed Martin is to improve the way Navy sensors will collect, share and display data.
Policy
Senate Politics Leave 28 Countries With No U.S. Ambassador
Nominations for U.S. ambassadors are gathering dust as partisan posturing holds up their Senate confirmation. Never mind that the world’s on fire. By Molly O’Toole
Ideas
Dick Cheney and the Bush Doctrine
The former vice president rejected democracy-promotion in the Middle East. And today's conservatives agree with him. By Peter Beinart
Business
Senior Executives Are Increasingly Leaving the Government
The federal government’s senior executives are leaving the civil service, creating the possibility for a shortage of qualified top managers. By Eric Katz
Ideas
How Nonviolent Action Could Thwart ISIL’s Advance in Iraq
ISIL fighters are making gains in Iraq. But this does not mean that their violence is decisive. By Maria J. Stephan
Ideas
The Navy's Floating Prisons
The U.S. Navy has taken on a curious new counterterrorism role. By Marisa Porges
Ideas
A Good Step Toward Ending Landmines
President Obama announced that the United States will no longer make or buy landmines. This is good, but he can do more to end this deadly scourge. By Joe Cirincione
Science & Tech
How the Fukushima Disaster Is Changing the Future of Robotics
The future of humanoid robotics is rising from the radioactive ashes of Fukushima. By Patrick Tucker
Threats
China Has a Lot to Lose in Iraq
Beijing is Baghdad’s biggest customer for oil exports. Now, with Iraq on the brink of all-out war, China may have the most to lose. By Lily Kuo
Defense Systems
Intelligence agencies, Army team up to tackle interoperability standards
Army, DIA, and NGA want to leverage each other’s technologies, connect strategic intelligence to tactical operations.
Defense Systems
Navy’s carbon-fiber clouds could make incoming missiles miss their target
The Pandarra Fog exercise shows how the clouds can absorb or diffuse radar waves from seekers on incoming missiles.
Threats
Obama Asks Congress for $500 Million to Train Syrian Rebels
The president delivered on a promise he made during his foreign policy speech at West Point in May -- when the situation in Iraq looked very different than it does today. By Kaveh Waddell
Threats
Islamic Extremists Are Stepping Up Their Recruiting Efforts
Extremists are leveraging recent military gains in Iraq and Syria to get new recruits from Western countries and elsewhere. By Global Security Newswire
Threats
Russia Lost Another One of Its Early-Warning Satellites
The odds of a nuclear-arms miscalculation by Moscow could increase because another one of its threat-detection satellites has stopped working. By Global Security Newswire
Ideas