Policy
In Mexico, Mattis Plays Down Political Rhetoric, Seeks to Build Trust
Defense Secretary Mattis touts "a growing relationship built on trust and respect" between the U.S. and Mexican militaries.
Threats
‘I Want to Finish This’: US Special Ops Leaders Urge Washington to Stick by the Syrian Kurds
Commanders inside Syria say rebels are doing all they hoped for — and are the best shot to break the region's cycle of terrorism.
Policy
Amid North Korea Tension, Mattis Heads to US Nuclear Weapons Bases
The U.S. defense secretary will inspect American ICBMs, then visit the military command that would lead a nuclear war.
Ideas
Winter Is Here, But the US is Not Ready for Cyber War
How can DHS and Congress protect HBO and Equifax when they're slow to protect their own '.gov' domains?
Policy
Get Ready for a Short-Term CR, Congressional Leaders Tell Pentagon
Top House Republicans on defense say it’s not ideal — underfunding has contributed to a rash of recent accidents — but don’t expect a full-year appropriation until December.
Policy
Former State Dept. Cyber Coordinator Says It Was a Mistake to Close His Office
Chris Painter worries the United States is stepping back from its role as a global cyber leader.
Policy
Chasing the Elusive BRAC, Pentagon Says Readiness Is at Stake
Defense officials are changing their pitch for base closures. Will Congress listen this time?
Policy
Trump Directly Counters Mattis, Military, In Tweet on North Korea
‘Talking is not the answer!’ says president, after threatening ‘all options’ following North Korean missile-launch over Japan.
Policy
Ordered to Ban Transgender Troops, Pentagon Plans A New Look at Three Factors
The courts will take their own look, thanks to a trio of lawsuits filed in the wake of Trump’s Friday-night memo.
Policy
Trump Cybersecurity Advisers Resign In 'Moral' Protest
Board members also condemned the president’s response to racist violence in Charlottesville, Va.
Policy
‘Believe Me:’ Trump Promises Shutdown if Congress Doesn’t Fund the Border Wall
The president says the wall is getting built, one way or another.
Policy
Tell Me What an Afghanistan 'Win' Looks Like
Campaign-trail rhetoric aside, his inability to define victory was the most troubling part of his speech.
Policy
Full Transcript: Donald Trump Announces His Afghanistan Policy
“No place is beyond the reach of American might and American arms.”
Threats
Will Anyone Care About Trump's Barely-Different Afghanistan War Plan?
Pull out. Stay in. Double down. It’s the military’s war until elected officials make it America’s war. And Americans won’t care by Wednesday, anyway.
Policy
Defense Contractors Begin Early Shutdown Preparations
Private firms are already ahead of the government in their planning, experts say.
Policy
Are Mercenaries Really a Cheaper Way of War?
The founder of Blackwater says privatizing the 16-year war could save taxpayer money. History, both recent and farther back, suggests a different outcome.
Policy
After the Marines United Scandal, ‘All Options’ Are on the Table
The Corps is considering integrating female recruits into West Coast training camps to help address subconscious biases, the assistant commandant said.
Policy
Does the US Military Need a Space Corps?
A proposal in Congress would create the first new uniformed service in 70 years, but it faces opposition from the Pentagon.
Policy
The US Balance-of-Power Strategy in the Gulf is Collapsing. But It Never Had a Chance Anyway
The Qatar dispute deals a death blow to Trump Administration dreams of an Arab NATO arrayed against Iran.
Policy