Science & Tech
Great-Power Rivalry May Turn Space War Real
A rising drumbeat of remarks from Pentagon officials suggest they’re worried about, and preparing for, warfare in orbit.
Ideas
The Marine Photo Scandal and the Cost of Indifference
Americans may finally be ready to confront the dehumanizing horrors facing women service members.
Policy
'Winning' or Not, Trump Doesn't Seem to Be Listening To His Generals
Based on what he says, Trump already is defying his generals. The real test is what he actually does.
Policy
3 Urgent Tasks for Trump’s National-Security Team
The administration needs a single line on various policies — but even more urgently, it must fill about 100 top federal jobs, says James Stavridis.
Ideas
Mapped: America's Collective Defense Agreements
The United States has agreements to come to the defense of more than 50 other nations.
Policy
Pentagon Spells Out Details of Troops' New Retirement System
The blended package goes into effect in 2018.
Ideas
The Dangerous Delusion of 'We Should've Kept the Oil'
The president has said he wants to support the troops, but his careless comments put U.S. lives at risk in Iraq.
Ideas
No Turning Back? First Woman Makes Army’s Elite 75th Ranger Regiment, Big Step For Women in Combat
One woman just made it that much harder for anyone to argue women don't belong in America's most elite combat positions.
Business
The Complicated Relationship Between John McCain and Frank Kendall
The Pentagon’s chief weapons buyer for the past five years says he’s lowered the cost of arms, but the watchdog senator never seemed satisfied.
Ideas
A Pledge for More of the Same at the Pentagon
James Mattis has no new ideas for solving America's most intractable conflicts. Neither does congress.
Ideas
How Many Airstrikes Did US Forces Execute in 2016?
Estimates from government releases show Iraqi and Syrian targets got hit the hardest.
Ideas
As Trump's Foreign Policy Emerges, Watch His Temperament in Washington
By what Trump has shown, even where there's policy continuity the world will see Washington as more erratic and less reliable.
Ideas
The 'Civilian Control of the Military' Fallacy
Retired officers like James Mattis who are nominated for civilian posts should be judged on their merits—not disqualified on the basis of their past service.
Policy
The NSA-Cyber Command Divorce Is Inching Closer to Reality
Even if the spending-bill provision becomes law, the split may not happen until 2018.
Science & Tech
Don’t Put the Pentagon in Charge of Private Industry’s Cybersecurity
There are few ways that the military could intervene effectively without doing more harm than good.
Ideas
The US Military Has a Pretty Good Plan to Keep Its Advantage. Trump Shouldn’t Mess With It
The Third Offset needs help, not replacement, to secure the long-term competitive advantage of the U.S. armed forces.
Science & Tech
The Pentagon’s New Background Check System Won’t Be Ready for Nearly Two More Years
Though it could be completed as early as 18 months, the director of the new agency that manages the clearance process said Thursday.
Business
Obama’s Final Arms-Export Tally More than Doubles Bush’s
Most of the $278 billion in approved sales have gone to Saudi Arabia and other Mideast allies.
Ideas
Enough, America. Stop Talking About Election Day Revolution.
America's pretend soldiers are threatening to cross the line from dissent to insurrection on Tuesday. America's military is not.
Science & Tech