Ideas
Why America Loses Every War It Starts
There’s no school for presidents, JFK said — but there needs to be a way to bring knowledge and understanding to bear on presidents’ decisions.
Science & Tech
White House Speeds Up Decisions on Disclosing Dangerous Software Bugs
More agencies will be invited to the table, and more quickly, Trump’s cyber coordinator says.
Ideas
The Most Dangerous Man in the World
It is dawning on Congress that no one can stop President Trump from ordering a nuclear attack.
Threats
Can Russia Help the US as Much as Trump Says It Can?
What the U.S. president may have in mind when he tweets about teaming up with Putin “to solve North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, terrorism."
Ideas
Taking Putin's Word For It
Trump wants to believe both the Russian president’s denial of election meddling, and the conclusions of his own intelligence agencies. But he can’t have it both ways.
Policy
Congress Is Concerned About Who Gets to Launch Nuclear Bombs
Here are three questions to consider during and after lawmakers hear testimony on nuclear authority.
Policy
Many Top Cybersecurity Posts Remain Empty — And Not On Purpose
Filling various CIO and CISO jobs is taking a temporary backseat to more senior appointments, the White House cybersecurity coordinator says.
Policy
‘Indo-Pacific’ Is the Trump Administration’s New Name for Asia
Why it matters: Chinese media and leaders pay a lot of attention to fine details like this.
Threats
Saudi Arabia's Very Public, Very Risky Palace Intrigue
The arrest of 11 senior figures, including one of the world’s richest men, is a sign of the crown prince’s consolidation of power.
Ideas
Four New Questions For Trump on Syria
The ISIS fight is nearly over, military leaders say. Is the United States ready to lead what happens next?
Ideas
A Former CIA Director Describes the Dangers of 'Trump Unleashed'
John Brennan praises the advisers who restrain Donald Trump’s impulses, calls out the president’s “enablers” inside the White House, and considers the prospect of World War III.
Threats
Trump’s Policy on Terrorism Suspects Looks Like Obama’s
A captured Benghazi suspect is reportedly being brought to the U.S., which means he will be tried in a civilian court.
Policy
A Federal Court Pushes Back on Trump’s Transgender Military Ban
A judge issues a preliminary injunction, taking issue with everything from the framing of the directive to the way it was delivered.
Ideas
Trump Isn't the Only Problem with Trump's Foreign Policy
America’s approach to the world is a complicated mess, for reasons that predate the current president.
Science & Tech
Trump Administration Plans a New Cybersecurity Strategy
The strategy will be based on the main elements of the president’s May executive order.
Ideas
US Space Policy Should Aim to Preserve Advantage on the New Frontier
As in the 19th-century American West, the government must recognize its limited yet crucial role in fostering the nation’s interests in space.
Ideas
What McCain Knows That Kelly Forgot
One veteran offered a dark picture of a nation estranged from its military—the other, a more hopeful vision of a future brighter than the past.
Ideas
A Tale of Two Speeches
Sen. McCain and former President Bush called for Americans to rise to global leadership, and underscored the concrete benefits that have accrued from it. In normal times, this would be unexceptional.
Ideas
The Contradiction at the Core of Trump's North Korea Strategy
The president’s national-security advisers say they’re running out of time to do something extremely time-consuming.
Ideas