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.
Policy
Trump's Defense Hike Would Violate Budget Law, Congress' Analysts Confirm
An April 3 report by the Congressional Research Service says the White House’s draft 2018 request does not comply with the $549 billion cap.
Ideas
How Should the US Respond to Assad's Chemical Attacks?
Military intervention—even for the best moral reasons—always has unpredictable consequences.
Ideas
The Silence of Rex Tillerson
Sooner or later, someone needs to explain what Trump’s foreign policy is. But the secretary of state does not seem to understand his job.
Ideas
Egypt and America Are Destined to Disappoint Each Other
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s supporters in Washington are about to get mugged by reality: His regime is alarmingly weak.
Ideas
A Bad Time for a Trump-China Summit
A former South Korean lawmaker says the White House needs to strengthen its relationship with Seoul before deciding to grant the same level of respect to Beijing.
Policy
‘General Flynn Certainly Has a Story to Tell’
The former national-security adviser has asked congressional committees and the FBI for immunity in exchange for his testimony, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Business
Boeing Launches Info War on the Navy’s F-35
The aerospace firm is quietly urging policymakers to cut planned purchases of carrier-based Joint Strike Fighters and buy Advanced Super Hornets instead.
Science & Tech
Is Trump Still Tweeting From His Unsecured Android Phone?
If so, he’s extremely vulnerable to being hacked.
Policy
What One Joint Chief Of Staff Thinks of Trump
Do the generals have too much influence? I asked the U.S. Air Force’s top military leader.
Ideas
When the House of Trump Met the House of Saud
The Saudi and Trump families looked cozy in their first state visit, but beneath the gilded surface, don’t expect much to change in U.S.-Saudi relations.
Ideas
Three Lingering Questions For Trump's New Plan to Fight ISIS
If Trump sends more American boots to Syria, who will fight alongside them, and — stiil — what comes next?
Policy
Trump Budget Would Abolish 19 Agencies, Cut Thousands of Federal Jobs
State and EPA hit hardest; performance plan would “untie” managers’ hands.
Ideas
Trump’s Bigger Military Won’t Necessarily Make the US Stronger or Safer
The Pentagon can’t properly train and support the people and weapons it already has. Simply adding more won’t solve the problem — and could undermine long-term readiness.
Policy
Trump Proposes More Money for Nukes, Border Security
Dubbed a “hard-power” budget by administration officials, the 2018 spending plan includes money for a controversial border wall.
Ideas
What's the Purpose of President Trump's Navy?
Does the president's specified goal of 350 ships meet the needs of the nation in the 21st century? The answer is not yet clear.
Policy
Flynn, Turkey, and the Long Paper Trail Trump Missed
An Erdogan government insider had contracts with Flynn’s group going back to the campaign, documents filed by Trump’s former national security advisor’s firm show.
Policy