Ideas

Inside the ISIS Enlistment Files: All Jihad is Local

I analyzed over 3,500 leaked ISIS enlistment forms. Here’s what I found.

Ideas

This Time, Post-War Iraq Needs a Real Plan With Real Money

A plan for reconciliation in Iraq should also come out of this week’s counter-ISIS coalition meeting in Washington.

Ideas

Congress Should Demand Wiser, Not More, War Spending

There’s too much slush in the supplemental, as shown by the fourfold jump in spending per deployed servicemember.

Ideas

Following the Failed Coup, Erdogan’s Broken Democratic Promise to Turkey Lives On

No politician in Turkey’s history has managed to master democracy better than President Erdogan, only to hold it hostage for his own political ends.

Ideas

Yesterday’s Bipolar Nuclear Strategy Isn’t Going to Cut It In Asia

In a region with nuclear powers declared, undeclared, and potential, the U.S. needs a strategy to match.

Ideas

The US Air Force Is Short 700 Fighter Pilots. Here’s Our Plan to Fix That.

Busier but smaller than ever, the Air Force needs higher bonuses and more family time to help compete with commercial airlines and the economy.

Ideas

In Iraq, the 'Real Mystery' Is What Comes After ISIS

Even as Iraqi special forces and Shia militias roll back the self-proclaimed Islamic State, Baghdad has done little to address the underlying causes of Sunni militancy, says journalist Ned Parker.

Ideas

After NATO Summit, Transparency Must Accompany the Tanks

The alliance’s comparative advantage lies not only in military capabilities, but also in its ability to drive institutional reform within and beyond its member countries.

Ideas

It's Getting Harder to Define Military Readiness. Here's What to Do About It.

Planners and evaluators must try to anticipate how threats and operating environments will change during a deployment.

Ideas

It's Time for America to Distance Itself From Saudi Actions in Yemen

Riyadh is killing civilians with American help, and it’s jeopardizing the international credibility of the United States.

Ideas

Rest Assured, UK Remains Committed to NATO

The UK will continue to be a strong and reliable ally, particularly in NATO.

Ideas

What Presidents Do When Naval Encounters Turn Deadly

Three incidents that shook the nation hold lessons for future commanders-in-chief.

Ideas

Obama Asked the Military For A Plan to Protect Civilians. Here’s One.

We learned through experience the importance of preventing civilian casualties in today’s wars.

Ideas

What Comes Next After Raqqa and Mosul?

Obama is making U.S. special operators and locals do most of the fighting. When ISIS falls, Iraq and Syria need better leaders to keep this from happening again. So, what’s the plan?

Ideas

Watch How NATO Leaders Respond to Brexit at The 'Most Important' Summit in 25 Years

A former NATO ambassador outlines a triple threat facing leaders this week in Warsaw, and what they need to do about it.

Ideas

How to Slow President Trump From Pushing The Nuclear Button

Trump could order a nuclear war as easily as a Domino’s pizza. Here's how to change that.

Ideas

The Now and Future US-Philippines Military Alliance

As the Philippines prepares to inaugurate a new president, this backgrounder explores the long-lasting defense ties between Manila and Washington.

Ideas

How the Kurds Drove Turkey Back to Israel (and Two Other Reasons for the Deal)

The Turks want to forestall any Israeli declaration of support for Syrian Kurdish independence aspirations, but distrust and resentment remain.

Ideas

America's 'Brexit' Is Coming

The U.K.’s vote to leave the European Union betrays a failure of empathy and imagination among its leaders. Will America’s political establishment fare any better?