Threats
Russia ‘Incredibly Destabilizing’ as Syrian Conflict Threatens Region, Top US General Warns
Weeks after Tillerson said the U.S. and Russia share a postwar vision, Votel says Moscow is playing both “arsonist and firefighter.”
Policy
Military Watchdogs Defend Process for Probing Officer Misconduct
Rep. Speier wants tougher standards for sexual abuse cases.
Policy
Two-Year Budget Deal Would Raise Caps, Give Pentagon $700B in 2018
The deal comes with a new continuing resolution to give House and Senate lawmakers time to work out details.
Policy
How the Nunes Memo Harms Intelligence Oversight
The document’s lasting effect will be undermining the ability of Congress to prevent political abuses of surveillance powers.
Business
Why the Shutdown Didn’t Much Affect Defense Firms
Timing is everything. Three days — including a weekend — is not quite enough to cause production problems that really hurt.
Policy
UPDATED: See Who Gets Sent Home in a Shutdown
Some agencies would furlough virtually everyone, while others would remain completely open if there is a lapse in appropriations.
Policy
House Speaker: Budget Fights Have ‘Pushed Our Military Past the Breaking Point’
Paul Ryan highlighted defense hawks’ concerns about readiness and funding as Congress tries to avert a shutdown.
Policy
Shutdown, Surveillance Deadlines Loom Over Congress
A pair of lawmakers also proposed a pay raise for federal employees.
Threats
Russian DNC Hackers Are Targeting the US Senate, Cyber Firm Says
Sen. Ben Sasse wants Attorney General Jeff Sessions to testify on the issue.
Policy
Pentagon Denies Gag Order, Says ‘Services Are Allowed to Talk About Readiness’
They just have to do so carefully — or behind closed doors.
Policy
The Pentagon’s Secrecy Is Undermining Its Quest for a Bigger Budget
Last year, U.S. Navy and defense leaders warned their people to watch what they say. Lawmakers say that’s made it harder to argue for spending bumps on Capitol Hill.
Ideas
Where We're Headed in 2018
You can bet there will be new crises, weapons, leaders, and technologies to come. And, oh yes, there will be tweets.
Business
Congress Rushes Pentagon $4B for Missile Defense Improvements
The emergency bill is light on details, but it appears to fulfill the military’s wide-ranging November request.
Policy
US Averts Government Shutdown, For Now. But the Potential Harm and Waste Is Growing.
Over the Pentagon’s loud objections, lawmakers pass a 2-week temporary spending measure instead of a budget.
Business
Pentagon’s Ambitious Goal: Launch a Weapons Program in Just 12 Months
The defense acquisition undersecretary is looking to rapid capabilities offices as models for more formal programs.
Policy
Senators Press State Dept. to Drop Hiring Freeze and Shine Light on Reorg Plan
Reforms could hurt 'America's Foreign Service and Civil Service professionals' and put diplomacy at risk, one letter says.
Business
Preaching from the Choir: Conservatives, Defense Execs Beg Trump to Challenge Russia, Make Budget Deal
At the Reagan Presidential Library, the country's biggest defense spending hawks doubt Congress can deliver Trump's promised military buildup.
Science & Tech
A Fight Is Brewing Between Congress and the Military Over Cyber War
Should in-theater commanders be allowed to launch attacks that currently require approval from the national command authority?
Business
Congress May Be Making the Pentagon Amazon's Next Big Customer
Though lawmakers revised the so-called "Amazon amendment," only a small number of companies could provide the government with an e-commerce site.
Policy