Ideas

What's There to Talk About With North Korea?

Kim Jong Un wants to talk to Trump and pause nuclear and missile tests—but the line between diplomacy and brinkmanship isn't that simple.

Threats

What If Trump's North Korea Bluster Actually Worked?

Kim Jong Un’s offer of talks with the U.S. is accompanied by questions about his intentions.

Ideas

Stand Up for the Constitution: Stop Unauthorized Involvement in Yemen's Civil War

The War Powers Act requires a Senate vote. Lawmakers should not duck their responsibility.

Policy

Trump Says His New Tariffs Are About National Security. They’re Not.

Few people believe him, and that’s a problem for him—and the world.

Ideas

Whatever Happened to Trump's Counterterrorism Strategy?

His approach borrows from his predecessors’, while exacerbating their worst, most counterproductive tendencies.

Ideas

Putin Just Gave Trump the Arms Race He Sought

'Let it be an arms race,' Trump said, two years ago. Now we have one. It doesn't have to be this way.

Policy

The Air Force One Deal May Be Less Rosy Than Claimed

The White House’s “fixed-price deal” may still leave the taxpayer on the hook. And a spokesman seems to have inflated the projected savings.

Business

White House, Boeing In Final Stages of New Air Force One Deal

President Trump and Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg met in White House this week to break gridlock on price of new presidential planes.

Ideas

Trump's Aimless War in Afghanistan Expands, Again

Why is the U.S. bombing Chinese separatists, and what does it say about the flailing war effort in Afghanistan?

Threats

Justice Launches Cyber Task Force

The task force will examine cyber efforts to undermine elections and critical infrastructure.

Policy

It Could Get Harder to Track US War Spending

The administration plans to push “enduring” costs from the Overseas Contingency Operations war fund back into the base budget in future years.

Threats

Mueller’s Indictment Reveals Details of Russian Election Interference

Thirteen Russian nationals connected to the shadowy Internet Research Agency were indicted by the special counsel on Friday.

Ideas

Don't Waste the New US Water-Security Strategy

President Trump should order the inclusion of water issues — a major driver of security problems — in the national defense and security strategies.

Ideas

Why Human Rights Have Taken Center Stage in the US-North Korea Crisis

Unable to threaten Pyongyang into submission, Trump turned to denouncing its nightmarish repression. That has consequences.

Policy

Cyber R&D Would Go Up at Defense, Down At Standards Agency

Budget proposal would cut 18% from NIST, just as it updates cybersecurity rules that apply across government.

Policy

Trump Proposes 10% Bump for the Pentagon — Then Four Flat Years

The coming military buildup is looking smaller than promised.

Threats

Here's How US-North Korea Crises Typically End

Donald Trump says he won't repeat the mistakes of the past. But the past offers clues to what he might do.

Threats

Peace Through Bombings: The US Strategy in Afghanistan

The goal of negotiating with the Taliban is at odds with President Trump’s statements.

Ideas

Let’s Call Trump’s Parade What it Is: Another Dangerous Attempt to Divide Us

I know a thing or two about good military ceremonies, and Trump’s parade is a bad idea.

Policy

Two-Year Budget Deal Would Raise Caps, Give Pentagon $700B in 2018

The deal comes with a new continuing resolution to give House and Senate lawmakers time to work out details.