Threats
Syria’s War Has Been a ‘Goldmine’ for North Korea—and Don’t Expect It to Change Anytime Soon
Weapons from North Korea have ended up in Syria, ultimately enriching the Kim regime and prolonging Bashar al-Assad’s grip on power.
Ideas
How Will Trump Get Us From Tomahawks to the Peace Table?
Trump called for an end to Syrian bloodshed. Tillerson was unprepared in Moscow to say how. But all roads still lead through Geneva.
Threats
‘No Doubt’ Syria Behind Chemical Attack, Mattis Says
And Trump’s rush order for a counter-ISIS plan, remains just a “skeleton,” Mattis said. "It's going to take time."
Threats
Rex Tillerson’s Russian Mission Impossible
The secretary of state is expected to use his visit to Moscow this week to demand Russia break with Assad. This is wishful thinking.
Ideas
Trump's Unlawful Attack in Syria
Trump launched an attack on Bashar al-Assad’s government without the legal authority to do so.
Ideas
In Syria, Russia Falls Victim to Its Own Success
Moscow’s rogue client has destroyed the country’s ability to present itself as an indispensable arbiter in the conflict.
Ideas
Seven Dubious Arguments for Not Fighting Assad
Intervention may not be the right choice. But we should at least be clear about what we are—and aren’t—debating.
Ideas
Easy There, Blob. With Obama, We Faced A Different Syria
Four years ago, everything was different in Syria. I support these strikes, but two of our worries remain the same: escalation and loss of control.
Threats
Here’s What US Missiles Hit At the Syrian Airbase
And why Shayrat Airfield’s runways weren’t one of the targets.
Science & Tech
Can US Warplanes Evade Russian Air Defenses? We May Soon Find Out in Syria
If things go south, high-end American fighters may take on top-of-the-line Russian anti-aircraft missiles.
Business
The US Is About to Stop Buying Tomahawk Missiles, Like the Ones That Hit Syria
But it’s planning to upgrade its existing stock — and lay the groundwork for a next-generation cruise missile.
Ideas
Seven Disturbing Implications of Trump's Syria Strike
The attack raises a series of questions about the president’s approach to America’s political processes and institutions.
Ideas
Counterpoint: Trump’s Syria Strike Was Unconstitutional and Unwise
The military intervention solved nothing, while bypassing Congress, betraying the president’s non-interventionist supporters, and highlighting his hypocrisy.
Ideas
The Obama Doctrine, R.I.P.
Under pressure to respond to Assad’s use of chemical weapons, Trump reached for the same playbook that his predecessor resisted opening.
Ideas
America Should Have Hit Assad Four Years Ago
When dealing with mass killing, deterrence is more effective than disarmament.
Ideas
‘It Was High Time’
The right move, if the wrong president, for Obama's internal critics who wanted air strikes in Syria for three years.
Threats
The Fight Against the Islamic State Just Got Harder
Initial thoughts on the Trump administration’s new front in the Syrian war.
Science & Tech
The Sarin Gas Attack In Syria Ignited an Information Battle
Victims quickly took to social media to distribute evidence of the use of chemical weapons.
Threats