Ideas
How Much Will It Cost to Protect America's Electrical Grid? Who Will Pay?
The answers are: Likely tens of billions of dollars, and probably us, the electricity customers.
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Did Israel Have the Right to Bomb Hamas’ Cyber HQ?
The May 5 counterstrike raised questions — and set precedents.
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How Not to Announce a Ship Deployment
A simple press conference could have avoided 36 hours of confusion and fears of war with Iran.
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Trump’s Iran Policy Is Counterproductive
It makes no sense to punish allies in Europe while shoring up hardliners in Tehran.
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Europe Should Do More for Regional Security — Starting with Libya
Allied “burden-sharing” ought not be about financial benchmarks, but about U.S. partners’ investment in their own regions’ security.
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Once Again, Trump Fails to Press Putin on Electoral Interference
No one in government other than Trump denies the Russian attack. That makes his May 3 phone call even more surreal.
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Protecting Civilians Still Matters in Great-Power Conflict
It’s easy to see why counterinsurgency campaigns tread carefully around local bystanders. It’s no less important in larger-scale war.
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Why Baghdadi Risked a Video Appearance
ISIS faces dangers as an organization that are more significant than the ones Baghdadi does as an individual.
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A US-Russia-China Arms Treaty? Extend New START First
Trump’s proposed pact is likely a pipe dream — or a smoke screen for scuttling yet another arms-control agreement.
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In the Global Power Era, Remember the Bin Laden Raid
The Defense Department must make choices, but we cannot become complacent about the fight against terrorism.
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The Pentagon Is Flubbing Its Pitch to Silicon Valley
Appeals to patriotism won’t move America’s tech industry. Other approaches might work better.
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Five Things I Learned From the Mueller Report
A careful reading of the dense document delivers some urgent insights — including a surprising revelation on the counterintelligence front.
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China’s Risky Middle East Bet
Beijing believes it can focus on economic development and avoid any role in political affairs—but that assumption will likely prove naive.
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Trump's Withdrawal from Arms Trade Treaty Could Reduce US Exports
The Arms Trade Treaty has helped keep U.S. companies competitive in the global market by requiring other countries to adopt standards similar to America's.
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ISIS Relaunches as a Global Platform
The Sri Lanka bombings were a preview of the Islamic State’s future.
Ideas
Congress Is Trying Harder at Its National-Security Job
But the legislature has a long way to go. Here are some areas of bipartisan agreement where progress should be possible.
Ideas
Counterterrorism in the Era of Great-Power Competition
A former Trump administration counterterrorism leader explains what’s changed since Obama, and what ought to come next.
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What Insurgency Will Look Like in 2030
The author of “Ghost Fleet” has some guesses — and some questions that U.S. defenders will have to answer.
Ideas
Trump's Approach to National Security: Whatever Benefits Me
This president stands apart from his government, but from Russia to DHS, his selective silence on security matters has policy effects.
Ideas