Ideas
Maintaining the Edge in the Age of Everything
Ash Carter's message to the Defense One Summit: a new commitment to military, academic, business and scientific partnerships.
Ideas
The Right Way to Enforce Freedom of Navigation in the South China Sea
Patrols must be clearly seen as reinforcing the norms involved, without bias or prejudice to who is claiming the features.
Ideas
How China's Generals Already Gamed Xi's Meeting With Obama
China’s military hard-liners had a wish-list for today’s summit in Washington. Here’s what they wanted.
Threats
Japan Just Authorized Its Most Assertive Military Stance in Decades
In a major shift for East Asian security, the Japanese defense forces will play a broader role in the region under a controversial new law.
Threats
Remember the Pentagon’s Pacific Pivot? It’s Still On
A new strategy document outlines Chinese activities in the South China Sea and the planned US responses to them.
Ideas
Artillery, Protests, and Giant Balloons Mark Rising Korean Tensions
North and South Korea, locked in one of the world’s most intractable conflicts, exchanged fire on Thursday.
Threats
China’s New Islands Are Clearly Military, U.S. Pacific Chief Says
Adm. Harry Harris, head of U.S. Pacific Command, says the vastly expanded reefs now look exactly like combat bases for fighters, bombers, ships, and surveillance.
Ideas
Tajikistan’s Security Chief Has Gone Over to ISIS. Now What?
Washington must convince the corrupt and repressive Tajik government to change its ways, lest extremists gain a Central Asian foothold.
Policy
What Vietnam Means to Obama
The country whose war shaped the US president’s approach to intervention may become a regional security partner.
Ideas
TPP’s Failure Wouldn’t Doom Washington’s Asia Strategy
A ‘no’ vote in Congress would be a setback, but there are other ways to counter China.
Policy
How China Is Building the Biggest Commercial-Military Empire in History
China’s outsized latticework of global infrastructure is said to be rooted in a fierce competitiveness learned from 19th-century America.
Policy
What the Pentagon Sees in India—And Vice Versa
Not that long ago, Washington and New Delhi were deeply suspicious of one another. Now, they're talking about collaborating on an aircraft carrier and weapons production.
Ideas
Military Force Alone Can’t Deter China’s Expansionism
The U.S. must use its economic levers, especially trade, to parry Beijing’s territory-building.
Policy
3 Ways To Boost the US-Vietnam Security Relationship
After a successful visit by Defense Secretary Ash Carter, it's not a question whether the U.S. can improve its ties with Vietnam, but how to best do it.
Business
The Facebook SecDef: Pictures from Ash Carter’s Hawaii and Singapore Trip
Now that he's on Facebook, here are some pictures for Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's first photo album.
Threats
The US Isn’t Challenging China’s Claims in the South China Sea — Yet
Inaccurate media portrayals of the Navy’s flights over Chinese islands are needlessly turning up the heat in a disputed region.
Threats
China Warns of 'Inevitable' War with US Over South China Sea
China’s State Council just announced a new 'active defense' military strategy in a white paper criticizing 'external countries…meddling in South China Sea affairs.'
Threats
Navy Unveils Video of Manmade Islands in South China Sea
Defying Chinese orders to get lost, a Navy P-8 patrol plane flew over the reefs Beijing is turning into full-fledged footholds.
Threats
The Biggest Trade Deal Ever Could Undermine American Security in the Asia-Pacific
Our 'pivot to Asia' doesn’t need to be anchored by a new preferential trade agreement with China.
Policy