Policy
DNI's threat assessment omits foreign election interference
Tulsi Gabbard's contradictory Iran nuclear testimony highlights tensions between intelligence community and White House war justifications.
Threats
Lawmakers press SOUTHCOM on Hegseth’s ‘no quarter’ rhetoric
Gen. Francis Donovan repeated what others have said: that he wouldn’t follow an unlawful order.
Policy
US counterterrorism chief resigns over Iran war
Joe Kent said Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation” and that the attack was launched after pressure from Israel.
Policy
Aircrew who died in KC-135 crash likely lacked parachutes
The Air Force removed chutes from the tankers in 2008 to save time and money.
Threats
Iran’s defense industrial base is ‘functionally defeated’: Hegseth
“Bad things can happen,” defense secretary says of Thursday’s KC-135 crash over Iraq
Defense Systems
Fighter jets are downing Iranian drones—a dangerous, expensive mission
Former pilots laud the arrival of cheap munitions and help from Ukraine.
Threats
Russia-linked hackers appear on Iran war’s cyber front, but their impact is murky
Some experts question the significance of pro-Russia “hacktivist” groups.
Threats
SecDef leaves Iran war’s timeline in Trump’s hands
The Pentagon is focusing on operational objectives for success, leaving out Trump’s calls for “unconditional surrender” and an “acceptable” new leader.
Ideas
Take the win. Stop the war.
Killing leaders is the easy part. The post-9/11 wars show that it’s what follows that turns into a disaster.
Threats
The US says it destroyed Iran’s space command. Experts say it wasn’t much of a threat.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ nascent space program has only a handful of satellites.
Threats
‘Firepower about to surge dramatically’ over Iran: Hegseth
The defense secretary asserts that the U.S. has no shortage of munitions.
Ideas
The Pentagon moves into the era of affordable mass
Even as cheap drones deplete expensive air defenses near Iran, the U.S. military is working to turn the tables.
Defense Systems