Ideas

The 20th Year of the Afghanistan War Should Be America’s Last

U.S. national security interests do not depend on the outcome of the peace talks. It’s time to come home.

Ideas

Esper’s Fantasy Fleet

The SecDef’s 500-ship plan is an exercise in wishful thinking that avoids hard choices.

Ideas

Esper’s Reforms: An Interim Report Card

What progress has the defense secretary made on his ambitious goals to reorient the Defense Department?

Ideas

The Coming F-35 Fiasco

Now that Qatar is asking for the jet, it’s time to consider an entirely different approach to helping Gulf nations defend themselves.

Ideas

Harris and Pence Failed the Global Leadership Question

People vying to become, or stay, vice-president should be ready to explain their vision of America’s role in the world.

Ideas

What Biden Told Me on the Train After Trump’s First UN Speech

In the Biden-Harris vision, my multi-ethnic family is the fulfillment of America’s promise to the world.

Ideas

The Future of Chinese Power

The policies and practices of the country’s dynasties offer insights into how modern Chinese leaders may wield their strength.

Ideas

Worth Preserving: US Military Posture in Germany

Any adjustments to U.S. force posture in Europe should focus first and foremost on sustaining or strengthening readiness.

Ideas

Trump Is a Super-Spreader of Disinformation

The president is the single biggest reason why many Americans distrust science, the electoral system, and one another.

Ideas

What Else Does the CIA Know About Trump and Russia?

In a new book, former CIA Director John Brennan traces how he came to believe that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. There’s still more about Russia that worries him.

Ideas

The US Should Remove Its Nukes from Europe

There’s no prudent use case, and their non-stealthy fighter jets can’t deliver them anyway.

Ideas

Why Trump’s Retreat from US Allies Could Have Nuclear Consequences

For decades, America gave allies and partners good reason to shelve their nuclear-weapons efforts.

Ideas

The Real F-35 Problem We Need to Solve

Unless its logistics can be improved, the jet’s contributions to a major fight will be far less than Pentagon wargamers are counting on.

Ideas

A Potentially Deadly Blow to NATO

A former member of Trump’s NSC decries the plan to pull U.S. troops from Germany.

Ideas

Washington’s Arms Control Delusions and Bluffs

The Trump administration’s stances on nuclear negotiations don’t even make sense as a starting point.

Ideas

The Blob Meets the Heartland

Foreign policy should work better for America’s middle class.

Ideas

Lebanon Needs More than US Sanctions

Hezbollah must go. Here's how the international community can help develop a democratic and secular system that works for the people. 

Ideas

Foreign Hackers Cripple Texas County’s Email System, Raising Election Security Concerns

The malware attack, which sent fake email replies to voters and businesses, spotlights an overlooked vulnerability in counties that don’t follow best practices for computer security.

Ideas

Three Ways to Clean Up the Toxic Minefields of Social Media

Safeguarding the social media ecosystem from hate speech and disinformation is all about tracking data and empowering users.