Science & Tech
Iranian, Russian, Chinese Media Push COVID-19 ‘Bioweapon’ Conspiracies
Disinformation about the coronavirus is spreading as quickly as the virus, thanks to the usual players.
Ideas
Iran Has Far More Coronavirus Cases Than It Is Letting On
The surprising number of Iranian government officials succumbing to COVID-19 offers a hint that the disease is far more widespread than the official statistics indicate.
Policy
Pentagon Defends Handling Of Traumatic Brain Injuries In Iranian Attack
TBI symptoms are often “nonspecific,” the Joint Staff surgeon said.
Ideas
Iraq Is the One War Zone Trump Doesn’t Want to Leave
The president’s resistance to withdrawing from the country boils down to three of his main enemies: ISIS, Iran, and Obama.
Ideas
Trump’s Iran Strategy Isn’t Working as Well as He Thinks
The killing of Qassem Soleimani upended expectations in useful ways, but the U.S. isn’t in a position to capitalize on the turmoil.
Policy
What We Learned from the House Vote to Limit Trump’s Power to Fight Iran
Democrats, and some Trump allies, challenged the White House’s latest interpretation of presidential warmaking powers.
Threats
Now It's 64. Wounded Troop Tally from Iran Missile Strike Rises Again
Trump “understands the nature” of brain injuries, says Defense Secretary Esper after the president downplayed Americans’ wounds as not “serious.”
Ideas
We Can End Our Endless Wars
America should end its military involvement in conflicts in the Middle East and bring our troops home.
Ideas
America Has Come Full Circle in the Middle East
“We are opening a Pandora’s Box,” Dwight Eisenhower warned when he ordered the first U.S. combat mission in the region. Little did he know how right he would be.
Threats
34 Injured in Iran Attack, Pentagon Now Says; Launches a Review of Reporting Procedures
SecDef Mark Esper ordered a review of “processes for tracking and reporting injuries” after criticism in the wake of the Iranian missile attack.
Threats
As Toll Mounts, Trump Downplays Injuries Suffered in Iranian Attack
The president's dismissive statements about the brain trauma suffered by U.S. troops at Al Assad may reflect a considered attempt to de-escalate – or not.
Ideas
Donald Trump Stumbles Into a Foreign-Policy Triumph
The president, however inadvertently, may be reminding the world of the reality of international relations.
Ideas
Sending Troops Back to the Middle East Won’t Stop Iran
Knee-jerk deployments only distract from the president’s bigger priorities: China and Russia.
Threats
Eleven US Troops Were Injured in Jan. 8 Iran Missile Strike
The troops were medevaced this week to Germany and Kuwait to be treated for traumatic brain injury after experiencing concussion symptoms.
Policy
Meet the House Republicans Who Want to Rein In Trump On War
After the Soleimani strike, a working group of moderate Republicans and Democrats trying to “clarify” Congress’s war responsibilities hope they can build momentum.
Ideas
On Iran, It's Time to Return to Containment
Trump has traded Obama-era appeasement for inconsistent confrontation. What's needed is a strategy of containment, backed by clear and credible deterrence.
Ideas
Trump Broke It. Now He Owns It.
The president withdrew from a flawed deal with Iran, but had no realistic alternative. With that choice comes responsibility for what ensued.
Ideas
Iran’s Smart Strategy
The Iranians chose neither to fold nor to fight. It is not clear at this point who was more deterred by whom.
Threats
How Not to Operate a Surface-to-Air Missile Battery
It’s not yet clear why a Ukrainian jetliner was shot down on Wednesday, but a lot had to go wrong.
Policy