Ideas

What the Next US President Needs to Know About Rising India-Pakistan Tensions

Pakistan, in particular, finds itself once again at the center of the tussle between China, Russia, and the United States.

Ideas

Geography Allows America To Choose Its Global Role. Only One Candidate is Choosing Wisely

Because of its location, America can choose whether it wants to be a gatekeeper or a global policeman.

Ideas

Getting Past Grudging Precautions: How the Next President Should Address Climate Change

The U.S. Navy’s former weatherman-in-chief says gradual progress must turn into serious high-level action.

Ideas

The US Accused Russia of Hacking. What Happens Next Will Set a Cyber War Precedent

After blaming Russia for trying to tamper with the presidential election, the White House will want to choose its next move carefully.

Ideas

'What President Trump Meant to Say'

I would have been fired on the spot if I spoke like Donald Trump.

Ideas

The US Should Stand with Saudi Arabia in Yemen

Facing Iran and Hezbollah on their border, Saudis have no choice to see this war to its end – with or without American weapons and support.

Ideas

There’s a Way Obama’s White House Can Save Syrian Lives, There’s Just No Will

As Aleppo burns, little faith as Obama’s White House again considers military options in Syria.

Ideas

As Anti-Corruption Efforts Expand Globally, the Defense Sector Remains an Outlier

A recent anti-corruption summit produced hundreds of commitments, exactly eight of which concerned defense.

Policy

Mike Pence Embraces Foreign Policy That GOP Voters Left Behind

By sidestepping Trump’s messages on foreign policy and trade in Tuesday’s debate, the vice-presidential nominee ignored the choices GOP voters made in their primaries.

Ideas

Private Companies Shouldn’t Be The Ones Crying ‘State-Sponsored Hack!’

If the U.S. government doesn't start officially attributing cyberattacks, it risks losing control of the narrative and evolving legal norms.

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.'