Ideas
How Trump Just Might Close Guantanamo Prison
The president asked SecDef and Congress to ensure that detention policies support warfighting aims. That should mean shutting Gitmo down.
Ideas
Stop Turkey's Bombardment Of Our People
What is happening now in Afrin is in clear defiance of all international laws, norms, and values. We will fight. But we shouldn’t have to.
Threats
Want to Understand the Future of War? Talk to Chuck Krulak
As Marine commandant, Krulak bucked Pentagon wisdom and rebuilt the Corps for small, messy conflicts. Now his ideas run through the National Defense Strategy, urban-ops doctrine, and Jim Mattis' head.
Ideas
Nuclear Nuts: Trump's New Policy Hypes The Threat and Brings Us Closer to War
The Pentagon's Nuclear Posture Review only bends reality to fit Trump’s warped views.
Ideas
Americans Are Rising to This Historic Moment
The commitment of ordinary citizens to democratic ideals is being tested each day—and its enduring strength is containing the damage of Trump’s presidency.
Ideas
Trump’s National-Security Strategy Is Focused on Great Powers. He Isn’t.
On Tuesday, the president rushed past Russia and China to talk about immigrants, terrorism, and North Korea.
Ideas
If We're Going to Export More US Arms, Let's Do It Smarter
Here are some ways to help ensure that rising sales don't undermine American security.
Ideas
Is Trump Preparing for War With North Korea?
The omissions in the State of the Union, and the fate of Victor Cha, all point in the same direction.
Science & Tech
What the US Military Can Teach Everyone Else About Cyber Security
Hint: it’s all about “resilience.”
Ideas
How the Saudis Drag the US into Perpetual War in the Mideast
With ISIS essentially gone from Syria, it's time to bug out, no matter what the Kingdom thinks.
Ideas
Russia Is Poised to Surprise the US in Battlefield Robotics
How? It's a story of leaders' unusual agreement, a focus on fast-and-cheap production, and a decision to field lethal robots for combat.
Ideas
The US Navy's Next Frigate Should Jumpstart a Revitalization of the Defense Industrial Base
As it searches for a good design at a good price, the Pentagon should bear in mind decades-old lessons about manufacturing's ties to national security.
Ideas
The Most Dangerous Word in the Draft Nuclear Posture Review
By insisting that future arms control agreements be “enforceable,” the Trump administration could substitute military strikes for diplomacy.
Ideas
Give the Low-Yield SLBM its Day in Court
There are advantages to lowering the yields on a portion of America's nuclear-tipped sub-launched ballistic missiles.
Ideas
The Entirely Rational Basis For Turkey's Move Into Syria
Nearly a century of mistrust of America and an obsession with defeating the Kurds sparked its operation in Afrin.
Ideas
What We Didn't Learn from Twitter's News Dump on Russiagate
The social-media company downplayed its role in Russia's election meddling. But it's still more transparent than Facebook.
Ideas
How Should the Pentagon Reshape Its Mideast Posture? Four Indicators to Watch
A tour of possible scenarios reveals what U.S. policymakers ought to be focused on as they chart the future of regional force posture.
Ideas
Rex Tillerson's Syria Policy Is Sensible—But It's Fanciful
The resources the administration is willing to commit are at yawning variance with its ambitious goals.
Ideas
We Don't Need a Bigger Nuclear Button
The plan outlined in a draft of the Nuclear Posture Review would cost trillions of dollars — and make Americans no safer.
Ideas