Commentary
Trump wants a faster security clearance process, too
But can he avoid politicizing it? On Day One, he stripped clearances from people he doesn't like and created a temporary end-run for people he does.
As the US and China race to the Moon, loopholes in space law could allow conflict
The prospect of “space water wars” is nearer, timewise, than the prospect of providing clean drinking water to everyone in the developing world.
Lone-wolf attacks have become a hallmark of post-caliphate ISIS
The group's propaganda inspired the New Orleans attack, which proceeded without direct operational support.
2024 in review: Commentary
Defense One contributors gathered lessons from around the globe and looked ahead to the new administration.
In defense of the military’s unfunded priority lists
The service branches’ “wish lists” are a key part of Congress’ oversight process.
Assad’s fall lays the ground for wider peace—if the US can seize the moment
A key will be reshaping the role of the Kurdish militants in Syria.
The Army is too top-heavy
Surplus generals, swollen staffs, and excess headquarters drain headcount and resources from warfighting units.
Will Assad’s defeat be Putin’s Waterloo?
The narrative of Russia's ascendancy in 2024 is beginning to look like more fiction than fact.
Can Syria's triumphant rebel coalition unite the country?
And what should the U.S. do about this potentially "catastrophic success"?
Want ‘government efficiency'? Help change agencies from within
DOGE leaders talk a lot about slashing headcount. They should foster better decision-making instead.
How a director of national intelligence helps a president stay on top of threats from around the world
A former chairman of the National Intelligence Council offers an explainer.
What game theory says about a MAGA military
A thought experiment based on Trump’s desire for officers who obey without question.
How did Hayat Tahrir al-Sham come to prominence in Syria’s civil war?
The Islamist group, which spearheaded of the surprise rebel advance into Aleppo, is an offshoot of al-Qaida in Syria.
What the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire means for the region—and US involvement
A conversation with a professor of history and peace studies at Notre Dame.
Will Musk’s ‘Algorithm’ reduce military inefficiency—or increase risk?
It's good to question Pentagon requirements. But many exist for deadly serious reasons that may not be obvious in a hasty review.
How might Trump 2.0 approach Sub-Saharan Africa policy?
The new administration may have some radical ideas for the continent.
To improve recruiting, make medical standards match retention ones
Many of the assumptions that undergird the recruiting standards are outdated or simply wrong.
Featured eBooks
Why Ukrainian soldiers came to Idaho to study nuclear forensics
Hint: It’s an essential element of U.S. deterrence strategy.
What Ukraine can now do with longer-range US missiles
Q&A with a Marine Corps University professor.
Is Europe prepared for the U.S. election outcome?
The result will affect defense, but also other forces currently at work in the continent.
