Threats

The Kabul Airlift in 5 Charts

The largest emergency airlift ever handled by the U.S. military started slowly and built to a torrent.

Ideas

Calculating the Costs of the Afghanistan War

The war in Afghanistan, like many other wars before it, began with optimistic assessments of a quick victory and the promise to rebuild at war’s end.

Threats

Inside the Final Hours at Kabul Airport

Alone on the airfield after hundreds of other U.S. troops had left, five handpicked joint tactical exfiltration crews blew up the last remaining defenses and took off in the dark.

Threats

The Final Retrograde from Afghanistan Has Officially Begun

The threat to U.S. personnel, aircraft in the final days at Kabul airport remains “very real” after a retaliatory U.S. drone strike took out two ISIS-K planners.

Threats

13 US Troops Killed, More Injured, in Terrorist Attack at Kabul Airport

10 Marines among the dead; they were securing one of the last gates open for Afghans, Americans to escape.

Business

Conference Wire: Navy Eyes Greater Space Capabilities

The final day of the 2021 Space Symposium saw Navy officials talk—just a bit—about their plans.

Threats

13 US Troops Killed in Terrorist Attack at Kabul Airport

In a statement, Biden vows to attackers: "We will hunt you down and make you pay."

Policy

‘All the Signs Have Been There’ Predicting Afghan Security Force Collapse, IG Says

For more than a decade, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has been warning about “ghost soldiers” and corruption to anyone willing to pay attention.

Threats

Afghanistan Veterans Struggling With News of Taliban Takeover

Advocates encourage veterans to use VA, veteran service organization resources for help.

Defense Systems

Navy looks beyond RMF to build cyber resilience

The Navy wants to fortify its cyber resilience to keep pace with rapid software development needs, but changing workforce habits has to come first.

Ideas

We Never Did What Was Necessary in Afghanistan

We lost. It’s painful and infuriating, but a few more troops and a little more time would change nothing.