Ideas
James Mattis’s Final Protest Against the President
The defense secretary, who resigned on Thursday, was one of the last senior officials in the government who could constrain Donald Trump.
Ideas
Congress Must Face the Truth about Trump
Mattis is telling you that the president lacks respect for allies and a clear-eyed view of malign actors and strategic competitors.
Ideas
To Succeed in Syria, Don’t Withdraw — Rebrand
The president’s plan is a disaster. If he wants to claim victory, there’s a better way.
Ideas
Trump’s Gifts to Turkey Repeat Mistakes and Set Bad Precedents
The withdrawal from Syria and sale of missiles to Ankara will undermine U.S. efforts to work with partners and rebuff Russian influence.
Ideas
It Was Time to Leave Syria Anyway
If the gains won by Kurdish and Arab sacrifice completely depend on our continued military presence, then they were illusory to begin with.
Ideas
Don’t Be Surprised the Next Time Trump Ends a US Mission
No one knows why the president pulled the plug on Syria now, but NATO and South Korea should be worried.
Ideas
Trump Just Screwed Up the One Thing He Did Better Than Obama
His capricious decision to withdraw troops from Syria will create havoc.
Ideas
Want NATO Allies to Boost Defense Spending? Don’t Build Fort Trump
Basing an American division in Poland will reduce allies’ incentive to build up their own forces.
Ideas
Pentagon Needs Better System to Track Fraudulent Spending
The incoming Congress should tie defense budgets to accounting improvements.
Ideas
The World in 2019: Trump’s Luck, Cold Wars, and Trouble in the Americas
As foreign-policy experts assess what the year ahead holds, one issue comes to the fore: whether President Trump’s good fortune will continue.
Ideas
Russia Is the Biggest Backer of Cybercrime. The US Must Get Serious About Deterrence
Convincing Putin that further attacks will trigger automatic, severe responses is the best way to start.
Ideas
The Divide Between Silicon Valley and Washington Is a National-Security Threat
Closing the gap between technology leaders and policy makers will require a radically different approach from the defense establishment.
Ideas
Academic Paywalls Harm National Security
Embracing the open-access movement would help defense leaders make America safer and strengthen their ties with the tech industry.
Ideas
Trump’s New Vetting Center Just Opened. Will It Make Us Safer?
Too little is known about the visa and immigration center, including the extent of its authority and whether adding a bureaucratic layer will cause more problems than it solves.
Ideas
Yes, the UN Is Still Necessary
In his dramatic Dec. 4 speech decrying the international body, Secretary of State Pompeo seems to have confused cause and correlation.
Ideas
Four Steps to Fix the Security Clearance Backlog
Clearance delays are hurting the aerospace industry — and national security.
Policy
Trump Taps Loyalist Fox News Veteran as UN Ambassador
Heather Nauert, currently the State Department’s chief spokesperson, is not known for challenging her superiors.
Ideas
New Poll Data Should Be a Clarion Call to Those Who Believe in Global Engagement
The partisan gap is widening on several key foreign-policy priorities — as is the generation gap.
Ideas
Would a $700 Billion Budget Really Sink the Pentagon?
Resistance is already forming to a proposed decrease in 2020 spending. It’s important to understand just what that decrease means.
Ideas