Ideas
Naval Task Groups Are Proliferating in the Indo-Pacific
France’s aircraft carrier is back in the region, leading a small flotilla, and it’s not alone.
Threats
Shanahan Heads to Asia as White House Beats Drums on Iran
The acting defense secretary is expected to detail how the Pentagon is implementing a strategic shift away from counterterrorism.
Ideas
In the Pacific, US Army Must Be a Running Back Who Blocks
Joint success in the world’s largest theater requires the service to accept supporting roles, an Army War College study finds.
Business
Army Secretary Reveals Weapons Wishlist for War with China & Russia
Army Secretary Mark Esper says he wants to shift money away from light vehicles and cargo helicopters made for “different conflicts” of the past.
Ideas
The Plan to Resurrect the North Korea Nuclear Talks
Trump wants a “big deal” with North Korea. Seoul would like him to settle for something a little smaller.
Policy
Critics Blast Trump ‘Protection Racket’ Offer as ‘Pure Idiocy’
The White House's "cost plus 50" plan would require allies to pay 150% of American troop costs. Former commanders say it only hurts U.S. interests.
Ideas
South Korea Becomes a Testing Ground for Trump’s Grievances With Allies
The motto for the U.S.–South Korea alliance isn’t “We go together, if I get enough money as reimbursement,” one analyst observed.
Ideas
Who Will Prevent the Next India-Pakistan War?
China’s stakes and vulnerabilities in South Asia have grown. U.S. leaders should make use of this.
Ideas
The Korean War is Ending — With or Without Denuclearization
Reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula is happening faster than denuclearization. The United States might not be willing to accept that.
Threats
US Air Force Is Redrawing Its Pacific-War Playbook for China
New Pacific Air Forces chief wants deeper cooperation with allied militaries — and better drills for when comms go down.
Ideas
A New Kind of Populism is Threatening Southeast Asia
The region’s fast-growing but fragile democracies have been susceptible to strongmen and autocratic-leaning populists in recent years, propelled by concerns over inequality, crime, and dysfunctional governments.
Threats
In Pacific, US Army Shifts Training from Disaster Relief to War
The change reflects Trump’s defense strategy and rising threats from China and North Korea.
Policy
Curtailing Korean Exercises Comes at a Price, Says USMC Commandant
Gen. Neller says training on the Korean peninsula is an integral — if not quite irreplaceable — part of Marine readiness.
Ideas
Does Japan Need an Aircraft Carrier?
A floating air base would help defend far-flung islands under Chinese pressure, but at a cost.
Ideas
Moon’s Praise-and-Pressure Plan to Get Trump to Help End Korean War
“You are, indeed, the only person who can solve this problem,” Moon said of Trump—just before he amped up the pressure.
Ideas
Moon Brings Korean Peninsula One Step Closer to Peace
As talks with Washington seemed to stall, Seoul created its own path with Pyongyang.
Ideas
What South Korea Wants from the US Right Now
As Seoul prepares for the third Moon-Kim summit, it is trying to get Washington on the same page.
Ideas
The Plan to End the Korean War
An adviser to South Korea’s president explains what it might mean to finally declare the conflict over—and why the proposal has now become a sticking point in nuclear talks.
Ideas
How to Keep the US-India Defense Relationship Moving Ahead
Both countries can help each other in a rapidly changing Asia — if they can pick their way past several looming obstacles.
Ideas