Ideas
Obama's 'Red Line' That Wasn't
Inside the president’s last-minute decision not to bomb Syria in 2013.
Ideas
The Obama Doctrine
The U.S. president talks through his hardest decisions about America’s role in the world.
Business
Obama's Security Clearance Overhaul Lands with a Thud Before Lawmakers
The plan, which tasks the Pentagon with safeguarding new investigations, appears to just be 'window dressing on a broken home.'
Policy
Obama’s Gitmo Closure Plan: What’s New and Where the Problems Are
The White House’s plan gives Congress 13 different sites to choose from—and just added a lot of fuel to an already heated topic in a national security election year.
Ideas
Obama Punts Controversial War Account to Successor
The president, who decried the Pentagon’s 'dishonest' war chest, will leave office with it firmly entrenched.
Science & Tech
White House Wants to Revamp Cybersecurity In New $19B Plan
President Obama's last budget also calls for a new chief information security officer and $62 million to help hire 10,000 new workers.
Policy
Rubio Proves Obama's Point About Islam and Intolerance in the US
Sen. Marco Rubio accused the president of 'pitting people against each other' in Obama's visit to a mosque this week.
Policy
Obama Confronts the Politics of Religion and Terrorism
The president preached inclusion and hit back at anti-Muslim rhetoric during his first appearance at a mosque.
Science & Tech
The Obama Administration’s Encryption Views Are All Over the Map
Some government officials are focused on catching criminals, while others worry about empowering hackers.
Policy
The Obama Doctrine Has No Heir in Hillary Clinton
As Clinton puts more distance between her foreign policy and President Obama’s, his national security legacy may prove short-lived.
Policy
The GOP's Iran Frustration Signals a Lack of Options in Months Ahead
Republicans are irate over the Obama administration’s handling of Iran—and there’s little they can do to stop it.
Ideas
The Diplomat-in-Chief Hits a National Security Trifecta
If Barack Obama were a Republican, Congress would have already named an airport after him.
Policy
US Touts Diplomacy, Hits Iran with New Sanctions
Despite the high-profile diplomatic moves, the president said 'profound differences' continue to separate Washington and Tehran.
Ideas
Obama Is About To Launch A New Nuclear Arms Race. There’s a Better Way.
Despite his anti-nuclear words, the president is about to cave to the nuclear arms priesthood.
Policy
GOP Candidates Try to Scare the Hell Out of America
In Thursday's debate, candidates exploited the nation’s anxieties over national security and Obama.
Ideas
Obama's Legacy: Limited Force, Limited Influence, Lingering Questions of What America Should Be
Obama’s long-view for the Middle East stands little chance of playing out as Americans — and events — cry for the U.S. to do more.
Policy
In Final State of the Union, Obama Fights the Fear that Threatens His Legacy
'I know this is a dangerous time. But that’s not because of diminished American strength or some looming superpower,' the president assured the nation Tuesday.
Policy
Annotated: President Obama’s 2016 State of the Union Address
A complete transcript of the president's speech from Tuesday night—with an eye on what lies ahead in U.S. national security. Click the yellow highlights for notes, thoughts, charts and links.
Business