Policy
Top HASC Republican Rebuffs Obama: Syria ‘Still a Bloody Mess’
House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry says the ‘ugly truth’ is there are few good options for defeating the Islamic State and saving Syria. By Molly O’Toole
Policy
Obama, GOP Agree the US Needs New War Powers To Fight ISIS
During a meeting with congressional leaders Tuesday, the only real progress came on Syria, with Obama pledging to work on a use of force resolution. By Alex Brown
Threats
5 Months of Air Strikes in Iraq and Syria in 4 Charts
Five months, 1,689 strikes, and more than 3,200 targets, the campaign against the Islamic State rumbles on. By Kedar Pavgi
Threats
The Islamic State Is Losing Its Momentum
Evidence suggests that the Islamic State's power has been declining for months. By Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
Threats
US To Send More Troops to Iraq To Train Iraqi Forces
The current plan is to train 12 Iraqi Army brigades, but Pentagon officials say that could expand. By Gordon Lubold
Ideas
If Only America Cared About Actual Wars as Much as War Movies
America loves 'American Sniper,' but there are consequences when a nation is so disengaged with its own wars. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Threats
Even the Islamic State Needs a Bank
The Islamic State is hoping to establish its legitimacy by making its own money, budgets, and welfare system. By Adam Chandler
Business
Lockheed Contractor Must Repay $27.5M for Overcharging Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
A Lockheed Martin contractor agrees to repay the government for overbilling for its products and services to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. By Charles S. Clark
Business
The Drop in Oil Prices Could Save the Pentagon Billions of Dollars
Lower oil prices could also hurt U.S. weapon sales to oil-rich Middle Eastern countries. By Marcus Weisgerber
Ideas
Is Obama’s ‘Iraq First’ Strategy Working Against ISIS?
The Obama administration believes it can tackle problems in Iraq first, then Syria, but will that make things better or worse down the road? By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon and Stephanie Gaskell
Threats
Islamic State Is On the ‘Defensive’ As a Coalition Builds in Iraq
The U.S. war commander in Iraq says ‘you don’t see a lot of movement” by ISIS these days, but you might see more international troops enter the fight soon. By Gordon Lubold
Threats
The Fight Against ISIS Is Creating Three Separate Armies in Iraq
Can Iraq hold itself together while Kurds, Sunnis and Shias fight separately against the Islamic State? By Steven A. Cook
Threats
Lebanon Says It Detained a Wife and Child of ISIL’s Leader
Security officials from Lebanon say they apprehended the two at the Lebanese-Syrian border 10 days ago. By Bobby Ghosh
Threats
Baghdad, Kurds Put Aside Differences To Secure Oil from Smugglers
Iraq finally closed a deal with the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region to rout oil sales through Baghdad in exchange for finally funding the Peshmerga fighters. By Steve LeVine
Threats
The Search for the Plan To Destroy ISIS
In Syria, ISIS is offering a better deal than the U.S. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Policy
Military Suicides Decline, But Continued Failures Hold Lessons for Future Wars
To win the wars of tomorrow, we must understand the ways we are continuing to fail our troops today.
Threats
The Real Reason ISIS Takes Hostages and Beheads Them
From the outside, the group’s actions look insane. But the brutality is meant to provoke a wider war—a war that ISIS is convinced it will win. By Simon Cottee
Threats
What Obama Needs To Do To Beat ISIS
If the president is serious about dealing with the Islamic State, he will need to increase America's commitment in a measured way. By Max Boot
Policy
Pentagon and Hill Officials Say They’re Still in the Dark On Obama's New War Powers
When and how will a new authorization for the use of military force against ISIS get drafted? By Molly O’Toole
Threats