Ideas
Esper's Convenient Lie
The defense secretary's claim that the two decades of countering violent extremism left the U.S. under-prepared for a near-peer fight doesn’t hold water.
Ideas
The Air Force Needs a New Non-Stealthy Bomber
There are important things the B-1 and B-52 do that the B-21 won’t.
Ideas
Alexander Vindman: Trump Is Putin’s ‘Useful Idiot’
In his first interview, a key witness in the impeachment trial says Trump goes out of his way to try to please the Russian president.
Ideas
How Putin Got Into America’s Mind
He learned the art of destabilizing his opponents from the Stasi, East Germany’s secret police.
Ideas
Assessing Trump’s National Security Record
How has he done against four main threats our nation faces?
Policy
From Racism to Russia, Top General Says Army Must Change
Gen. McConville addressed the nation’s internal unrest, trust of the military, even QAnon, in a wide-ranging interview with Defense One.
Science & Tech
Neurotoxins Are A Rising Threat. Here’s How the Military Will Detect Them
As Alexey Navalny recovers, a new spray promises far faster detection of these deadly chemicals.
Policy
As Russia Provokes, Trump Remains Silent
The president continues a pattern of deference to Moscow amid unsafe air operations, a roadway collision that injured U.S. troops, and the poisoning of a Putin critic.
Ideas
Honor World War II with a Better, Shared Future
We believe that the best way to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the peace is to join hands.
Policy
Trump's Halt to Election-Security Briefings Worries Many
DNI Ratcliffe’s edict comes just two months ahead of Election Day, with Russia, China and Iran all intent on influencing the outcome.
Ideas
Bad Cyber Actors Don’t Fear the Law. We Can Change That.
Better coordination among law enforcement agencies at home and abroad are key to the layered deterrence strategy we need.
Policy
Biden: Trump’s ‘Subservience’ to Putin Is ‘Humiliating’ to the US
“Never before has an American president played such a subservient role to a Russian leader,” the Democratic candidate said.
Threats
Stone Knew About Wikileaks; Manafort Dished to Russian Intel, Senate Finds
After the Senate Intelligence Committee’s fifth and final report, Democrats still say collusion. Republicans still say no.
Ideas
The Navy Needs More Ships — and Vision, Too
From shipyards to sea, the Navy needs to show more passionate leadership articulating what its future must be, and why.
Ideas
We Need to Reorganize More than the Military
U.S. defense and diplomacy needs a major redesign to get serious about strategic competition with China and Russia.
Ideas
NATO Needs to Focus on the Black Sea
William of Ockham would like a word with those who worry more about a potential Russian invasion of the Baltics than ongoing interventions in the Balkans.
Threats