Ideas
As Independence Vote Nears, Iraqi Kurds Play a Risky Game of Chicken
Kurdistan’s president called the referendum to extract concessions from Baghdad. What if it doesn’t work?
Ideas
The North Korean Threat Beyond ICBMs
Even without them, the Kim regime can menace its immediate neighborhood—or sell nuclear material to rogue states.
Ideas
How James Mattis Tried to Explain Trump to the World
Just as Mattis sought to reassure nervous allies, back home there were numerous reminders that the populist and intemperate impulses of his boss will not be tamed.
Ideas
Trump’s Path to Indefinite Afghan War
President Trump’s much-anticipated Afghan policy rightly avoids troop withdrawal timelines but offers little prospect for progress against the durable Taliban.
Ideas
When Will Enough Be Enough in Afghanistan?
At some point, a president might have to acknowledge to the military: We fought hard, but we have other, greater priorities elsewhere.
Policy
Tell Me What an Afghanistan 'Win' Looks Like
Campaign-trail rhetoric aside, his inability to define victory was the most troubling part of his speech.
Ideas
Cyberwar on Iran Won't Work. Here's Why.
A renewed campaign of covert network attacks is more likely to spur Tehran’s nuclear efforts than hinder them.
Ideas
America Needs to Stay in Afghanistan
'U.S. Afghan policy for 15 years has not been nation-building, but exit-seeking.'
Ideas
It's Time To Make Afghanistan Someone Else's Problem
A full withdrawal of U.S. forces will force Iran, Russia, and others, to step up.
Ideas
Rename US Army Bases for Heroes, not Confederates
Our soldiers should walk through gates that honor those who fought for the United States, not against it.
Ideas
Why Military Chiefs Are Condemning White Supremacy
The U.S. armed forces have had troubles with extremists enlisting in the past, and they don’t want it to happen again.
Ideas
It’s Getting Too Easy to Create Dangerous Viruses
The upcoming national biodefense strategy should ensure that scientific journals don’t help terrorists learn how.
Ideas
Turkey’s Potemkin Defense Industry
Why does President Erdogan want the appearance of a self-sufficient defense industry more than the actual existence of one?
Ideas
America Is Not Ready for a War in North Korea
If loose words about fire and fury are a mere negotiating tactic, they will not deliver what the United States desires.
Ideas
Why Trump Is Wholly Unsuited to the North Korea Crisis
The president confronts a situation that calls for a trustworthy, careful, decisive leader drawing on all available expertise.
Ideas
Summer Reading 2017: Defense One’s Top Picks
Here are some big ideas for you while soaking up the sun or just relaxing on your summer vacation.
Ideas
Easing A Flashpoint for War in the East China Sea
U.S. leaders must lay the diplomatic groundwork for long-term solutions — or risk falling into conflict, World War I style.
Ideas
Transgender Soldiers Want the Dignity of Serving Their Country
A CIA officer writes about the men and women in uniform alongside whom she serves.
Ideas