Ideas

Kim Jong Un's Trap for South Korea

An offer of dialogue from the North could be an effort to split the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

Ideas

When the War Comes, What Should We Civilians Do?

The military can’t do it all. The US needs a national civilian emergency corps, trained and ready to help in case of the next disaster, be it cyber, nuclear, or natural.

Ideas

Don't Raise a New Year's Toast for Defeating ISIS Just Yet

Now we must address America's ambiguity on Syria and the Kurds.

Ideas

Last Year’s Top 5 Worst Nuclear Nightmares (That Aren't Going Away)

Each of these threats has only gotten worse. Take one guess what (or who) I think remains the top nuclear threat to us...

Ideas

Hail the Civil Servant in the Year of Trump

Never before have the roles of government workers taken on such significance. But there could be consequences to using their power to undermine the administration.

Ideas

3 Predictions for Government Tech in 2018

Here's which tech will move from buzzword to implementation.

Ideas

Take Small Steps to Advance the US-India Relationship

India got more mentions in the new National Security Strategy than Japan or South Korea. Here’s what should come next.

Ideas

Where is America Going in the South China Sea?

The new National Security Strategy talks tough — but here are the options the United States actually has, and the pros and cons of each.

Ideas

The National Security Strategy Papers Over a Crisis

The NSS is a stunning repudiation of Trump, and Trump’s speech was a stunning repudiation of the NSS.

Ideas

What Does a Government Shutdown Mean for the Department of Defense?

Four years ago, this staffer for the defense policy undersecretary helped the Pentagon figure out the impacts of a shutdown. Hint: it wasn’t pretty.

Ideas

Three Ways to Read Trump's National Security Strategy

Is it better approached as a sacred text, or examined like the scat of a shaggy, woodland beast?

Ideas

For NATO, True Interoperability Is No Longer Optional

Here are nine ways to ensure That alliance members could fight together to defend Europe.

Ideas

The Lessons of 'American War'

What holds a society together in the absence of common ideas?

Ideas

The National Security Strategy Commits the US to a Lonelier and Less Generous Course

As previewed by H.R. McMaster, the new NSS contrasts strikingly to the visions of other recent presidents.

Ideas

The Pentagon’s Next Terrorism Threat (and Solution): Kids

As ISIS-type extremism spreads, counterterrorism commanders are right to be concerned with the youth population bulge. Here’s how to turn a threat into a resource.

Ideas

Improving on the Iran Deal

Today is the nominal deadline for Congress to decide what it intends to do — and then there’s Europe to woo.

Ideas

An Afghan Army Aviator Describes Iran’s Threats — and How to Meet Them

Beyond its support for the Taliban, Tehran is exploiting refugee flows and cultural ties between the countries.

Ideas

Did the Saudis Shoot Down a Houthi Missile on Nov. 4? It Doesn’t Much Matter

The Patriot has proven itself with dozens of successful intercepts. Moreover, it’s just one part of a solid anti-missile defense strategy.

Ideas

The North Korea Debate Sounds Eerily Familiar

Trump’s national-security officials are making many of the same arguments Bush’s did in 2003.

Ideas

Trump's National Security Strategy is Decidedly Non-Trumpian

An exclusive preview of the White House's plan highlights the wide gulf between what the president says and what he does.