Policy

Afghanistan Wants Post-2014 Troops to Battle the Taliban, not al Qaeda

The Afghan Foreign Minister says the core of al Qaeda has been defeated in Afghanistan, but the country still needs U.S. troops to help battle the Taliban. By Stephanie Gaskell

Business

How a 2009 Law Is Protecting Veterans from the Government Shutdown

Veterans advocates fought hard to pass a 2009 law that helps protect their benefits from congressional gridlock. Now it’s paying off. By Tom Tarantino

Business

Mabus: Budget Battle Threatens Navy's Progress

Even in hard economic times, the Navy has managed to grow and stay competitive. Another round of sequestration could undo that. By Charles S. Clark

Threats

Why Did Rouhani Say ‘No’ to Obama?

For decades, Iran has conducted secret negotiations with the United States, only to publically back off before a major diplomatic breakthrough. Rouhani's behavior at the United Nations was more of the same. By Michael Ledeen

Ideas

Obama’s 5 Rules for the Middle East

It may not be a strategy but at the United Nations on Tuesday, President Obama outlined his five 'core interests' for the United States in the Middle East and North Africa. By Stephanie Gaskell

Policy

Why the United Nations Is Suddenly Relevant

President Obama is discovering that the U.N. Security Council remains the main repository for international legitimacy. By Michael Hirsh

Business

Pentagon Prepares for Government Shutdown

Officials at the Pentagon are warning employees to prepare for a government shutdown on Sept. 30. By Stephanie Gaskell

Policy

Will Obama and Rouhani Meet Face-to-Face at the United Nations?

This week’s United Nations meeting could open the door to an historic meeting between President Obama and the new Iranian leader. By Stephanie Gaskell

Threats

Here's the Main Reason Iran's President Is Warming Up to the West

Rouhani faces a plunging economy because of western sanctions that have cut into oil exports and other industries. Talks with the West is the only way to make it stop. By Tim Fernholz

Policy

Senators Vow To Crack Down on Security Clearances

Capitol Hill wants the system that grants contractors elite access to be much more accountable. By Matt Berman

Threats

Obama's Final Pivot Away From the Middle East

The administration's reluctance to intervene in Syria may be the beginning of a permanent shift away from the region. By David Rohde

Policy

A September to Surrender: Syria and Summers Spell Second-Term Slump

Is Obama's power eroding quicker than before, or is this just typical of this stage in the presidency? By Major Garrett

Business

Inside Obama’s Syria Deliberations: ‘The Promise of More Discussion’

Insiders detail a reluctance to engage in military action, and a disconnect between the president and the national security options prepared for his review. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Policy

The Other Half of ‘This Town’

The Navy Yard massacre reveals another side of ‘This Town’. The real side. The side we know well. By Kevin Baron

Business

OMB Puts Agencies on Standby for Possible Shutdown

As the fiscal year comes to an end, Pentagon officials were put on alert to prepare for a government shutdown. By Charles Clark

Policy

Conspiracy Theorists Already Suspect Navy Yard Shooting Is a 'False Flag'

Controversial host Alex Jones believes that the attack is a way to distract the American public from the issue of Benghazi. By Alex Seitz-Wald

Policy

It's Time to Revamp the U.N.

A sclerotic Security Council, and an inability to get major initiatives passed. Maybe it's time that the multilateral body is revamped for the 21st century. By Jim Arkedis

Policy

Republicans to Link Benghazi to Broader Foreign Policy Failures

GOP strategists want to make the case that the attack was indicative of an administration that has lost control. It'll be also used against Hillary Clinton if she runs in 2016. By Stacy Kaper

Business

Exclusive Interview: Pentagon Comptroller Bob Hale Braces for Sequestration, Round 2

Pentagon Comptroller Bob Hale on budget cuts driving strategy, lessons learned and how he's preparing for another round of budget battles in Congress. By Stephanie Gaskell

Policy

Putin's Authoritarian Incentives in Syria

The Russian leader isn't just saving Assad's power. He's trying to preserve his own authority. By David Rohde