Ideas
Will Obama’s Mattis Be Trump’s Mattis?
In General Mattis, Trump picked an insider warrior-diplomat who worked with the Obama administration, respected Hillary Clinton, and knows the Middle East better than most.
Ideas
The Jihadi Thinker Who Ushered in the Era of ‘Anything Goes’ Warfare
Abu Abdullah al-Muhajir died in a recent airstrike, but his ideas will shape Islamic State and al-Qaeda tactics for years to come.
Ideas
The 'Civilian Control of the Military' Fallacy
Retired officers like James Mattis who are nominated for civilian posts should be judged on their merits—not disqualified on the basis of their past service.
Ideas
How Trump Can Heal US-Gulf Rifts
The president-elect has an opportunity, and an obligation, to reengage with Gulf Cooperation Council members.
Science & Tech
Don’t Put the Pentagon in Charge of Private Industry’s Cybersecurity
There are few ways that the military could intervene effectively without doing more harm than good.
Ideas
The US Military Has a Pretty Good Plan to Keep Its Advantage. Trump Shouldn’t Mess With It
The Third Offset needs help, not replacement, to secure the long-term competitive advantage of the U.S. armed forces.
Ideas
Trump Should Halt US Missile-Defense Plans in Europe
The new president seems determined to woo Russia. Here’s one way he can serve American and NATO security goals as well.
Ideas
Trump's Big Test in the Middle East
The president-elect will encounter a region convulsed by change.
Ideas
Breaking Down US-Russian Distrust With Time, Talk, and Meals
A recent session of the long-running Dartmouth Conference shows how non-governmental dialogue can ease tense relations.
Ideas
As Trump Waits, So Do US War Fighters, Planners
The truth is nobody from the Pentagon to Baghdad knows yet if Trump will escalate or withdraw from America's ongoing fights around the world.
Ideas
Transnational Criminals Move at Network Speed. At SOUTHCOM, We’re Learning to Do the Same
But this sea change must be matched by U.S. and foreign partners, writes the leader of U.S. Southern Command.
Ideas
Can Trump Make a Deal With North Korea?
One of the biggest problems facing the president-elect might also be his biggest opportunity.
Ideas
Asia Awaits the Trump Era
As a candidate, he criticized alliances while vowing a military buildup. What does that mean for half the world?
Ideas
Fighter Pilots Aren’t Flying Enough to Hone the Skills of Full-Spectrum War
The Air Force is losing training time, experienced teachers, and its combat edge.
Ideas
How Much Does a Cyber Weapon Cost? Nobody Knows
Until we can develop a clearer understanding, policymakers won’t be able to know what groups like ISIS can do in the online realm.
Ideas
War in the Information Age
The chief of the U.S. Air Force describes a speed-infused future of combined arms — across domains and entire partnerships.
Science & Tech
Under New Cyber Plan, UK Will Seek Its Own Offensive Weapons and Crypto Schemes
A new strategy document spells out an assertive posture by a UK government that’s wary of some shared intelligence capabilities between allies.
Ideas
Five Foreign-Policy Challenges for President-Elect Trump
America and the world are inevitably in for a rocky ride—at odds with the simple solutions espoused by politicians on the campaign trail.
Ideas
Alliances Matter. Here’s How to Persuade Trump and His Voters
An internationalist consensus can only be rebuilt if its would-be architects take seriously the popular anxieties that propelled Trump’s victory.
Ideas