Ideas
Syria Is the Thread That Russia Is Pulling to Unravel International Order
The U.S. must act soon, or see its post-WWII work come apart.
Ideas
America's National Security Trilemma — and How to Solve It
In fighting small wars, you get to pick only two of these: centralized control, detailed understanding, and acceptable operational tempo. Here's how to choose.
Ideas
Unpredictability Is the Biggest Threat Facing America’s Army
Foes are increasing their reach in unexpected ways, while budget whiplash at home is needlessly draining the force of time and resources.
Ideas
Talking to Russia Cannot Save Syria
Putin and Assad make ISIS look hesitant by comparison when it comes to mass homicide.
Ideas
No, Social Media Isn’t Hurting the Army
In a rebuttal to ‘Unplug, Soldier!’, one officer explains how online time builds bonds in more ways than one.
Ideas
Unplug, Soldier! Too Much Online Time is Hurting the Army
A West Point scholar says team bonding — the bedrock of military effectiveness — is being undermined by electronic distractions.
Ideas
On the Cyber Frontier, Hacking Back is Ethical — and Even Desirable
Governments could treat retaliatory cyberattacks as ‘frontier' incidents, which are not necessarily escalatory.
Ideas
Rein in the National Security Council
Created as a coordinating body, the NSC has become a policymaking powerhouse whose White House status hides it from oversight.
Ideas
Progress or Oppression—You Decide, Obama Tells the UN in His Final Address
From mass migration to North Korea’s nukes, Obama’s lofty speech contained little guidance about how to resolve the world’s intractable problems.
Ideas
How Mistakes and Mission Creep Are Shaping Libya’s Future
Lost in the din of developments at the UN this week is a British report on the ‘failed’ intervention that has turned the country into an 'unmitigated disaster.'
Ideas
After Mosul Falls, How Much Rebuilding Help Should the US Give?
Restoring stable governance means creating a government that can supply basic services — and there are several ways the United State can provide assistance.
Ideas
What to Do About Zero-Day Hacks? Try A Middle Road
A system of government incentives will keep us safer than trying to buy up all newly discovered vulnerabilities, or outlawing their sale.
Ideas
The Other Front Line: Iraqi Schools Need Our Help
The ultimate success of the coming military assault on Mosul will depend on reviving a shattered educational system.
Ideas
Powerful Countries Don't Nuke First
A no-first-use approach toward nuclear weapons is the policy of Goliath, not Gandhi.
Ideas
The True Costs of America's Credit-Card War on Terror
The bills will be coming for decades, in the form of debt-service interest, veterans’ medical expenses, and forgone opportunities.
Ideas
How Much Really Changed About Terrorism on 9/11?
Three founders of modern terrorism studies reflect on what the world has learned about political violence—and what remains unknown.
Ideas
Six Steps to Starting Over After a Civil War
How do you dismantle the animosities of a half-century war and create peace in a country known for its absence?
Ideas
Nuclear Test No. 5: How North Korea's Compares to Other Countries'
Here's what other nuclear powers achieved, and what that reveals about Kim Jong Un's progress.
Ideas
Trump's Defense-and-Budget Plan Has Been Tried Before
The GOP candidate's proposals for irresponsible tax cuts and uncapped defense spending look quite a bit like George W. Bush's.
Policy