Policy

China is Building a 'New Silk Road' in Afghanistan

Meanwhile, the Pentagon and State Department's plans for a similar transportation network remains in the idea phase. By Steve LeVine

Business

The Government's Real Problem With the Bradley Manning Trial

Despite a guilty verdict on most counts, the government still can't share intelligence. By Matthew Cooper

Policy

Hagel to Reveal Sequester Review, Three Paths for Pentagon Future

With the Strategic Choices and Management Review in hand, Hagel will present three budget scenarios and their consequences to the Defense Department. By Stephanie Gaskell

Ideas

Ash Carter Got it Right in Aspen, Top DOD Nuclear Weapons Official Responds

Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter was accurate about nuclear weapons costs, but arguing misses the point. The U.S. needs them and can afford them. By Madelyn Creedon

Policy

Journalists and Whistleblowers Are the Real Winners in the Manning Trial

Manning's acquittal on the charge of aiding the enemy sent a strong signal to national security whistleblowers and journalists: Go ahead and leak. By Brian Resnick and Matt Berman

Policy

The Government Needs to Stop Overreacting to NSA Leaks

The more serious threat of NSA surveillance comes from the the collective insanity or the simple loss of perspective, that an attack evokes. By James Fallows

Business

Obama's Whistleblower Witchunt Won't Work at DOD

The U.S. has tried something like President Obama’s 'Insider Threat Program' before. It didn’t work then and it won’t work now. By Gabe Rottman

Threats

U.S. Envoy Questions Middle East Verve for WMD-Free Zone

In interview, State Department's Thomas Countryman says that Egypt's work on the issue is "theatrics." By Elaine Grossman

Business

Sequester and the Supply Chain: 'Life or Death' for the F-35's Small Companies

As manufacturers lose orders and lay off employees, the price of top weapons programs will rise. The anatomy of the F-35 shows why. By Sara Sorcher

Policy

More Americans Are Questioning Why We Went to Afghanistan in the First Place

A new poll shows an overwhelming majority of Americans are tired of the war in Afghanistan. By Matt Vasilogambros

Business

Obama's Intel Workers Need New Policies for Secrets, not Snitches

In the Snowden fallout, the administration should focus on developing a happier intelligence workforce, not outing insider threats. By Marc Ambinder

Policy

Congress: We're Still at War and We're Not Closing Gitmo

A House amendment to end the legal authorization for war fails as Republicans insist “terrorism is not going away.” By Stephanie Gaskell

Ideas

What Ash Carter Gets Wrong about Nuclear Weapons Spending

It’s hard to imagine how Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter could get it so wrong in Aspen about nuclear weapons spending. But wrong he is. By Kingston Reif

Policy

But Is It a Coup? Obama Reconsiders Military Aid to Egypt

The Pentagon delays the shipment of F-16s to Egypt as Obama decides whether Morsi’s ouster was a military coup or not. By Stephanie Gaskell

Business

House Approves 1.8 Percent Military Pay Raise

Measure also cancels possible civilian furloughs in fiscal year 2014. By Kellie Lunney

Policy

Obama Needs to Explain Why We're Breaking Up with Afghanistan

President Obama has switched from a message of 'we have to win' to 'we have to exit,' with little conversation in between. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Policy

Biden’s Passage to India Should Include Afghanistan

Obama’s Afghanistan drawdown won’t work without help from the world’s largest democracy. By Kedar Pavgi

Policy

Want Syria? Convince General Dempsey

For more than a year, President Obama’s senior military advisor has deflected calls to send the U.S. military into Syria. Convince Gen. Martin Dempsey it won’t be another Iraq and maybe you’ll get your war. By Kevin Baron

Threats

Intel Committee Approved Arms for Syrian Rebels

House panel had “reservations” but moved White House plan forward last week.

Policy

Is the Military Underrepresented Among Top Administration Officials?

In the first term, 12 percent of top officials surveyed by National Journal had military experience. Now, that figure is 9 percent. By Brian Resnick and Brian McGill