Ideas
The US Military is Not, and Can Never Be, Afghanistan’s Police
If we were 'almost a police force' in Afghanistan, we already would have won.
Ideas
Everyone Is Getting Sucked Into the Iran Morass
The U.S. threatened Iran after an attack on a Saudi oil field sent global energy prices soaring, showing how the tensions affect literally everyone.
Science & Tech
The US Government Will Spend $1B on AI Next Year — Not Counting the Pentagon
That's the latest estimate from the White House. But industry experts say it might not be enough.
Policy
Mike Pompeo Is Bigger Than the Pentagon — For Now
“I think that Pompeo is now running foreign policy in the Trump administration in the way that Cheney ran it in the Bush administration,” said one analyst.
Ideas
Bolton’s Departure Signals Trump’s Foreign-Policy Pivot
The president is turning away from conflict and toward diplomacy—and that will shape his choice of the next national security adviser.
Ideas
Trump OKs Ukraine Aid — But That’s Not the Right Choice
America doesn’t gain anything by escalating an unwinnable war on Russia’s border.
Ideas
A Terrific Deal—For the Taliban
The president should have to answer for the Afghanistan mess in the 2020 election.
Ideas
John Bolton Will Hold This Grudge
His dismissal by tweet came after an unusually long prelude of disrespect, both by President Trump and by favored allies.
Ideas
The White House’s Impossible Job
The problem is not that Trump failed to get along with John Bolton—it’s that he doesn’t want a national security adviser in the first place.
Ideas
When it Comes to Allies, Americans Get It
New polling reveals Trump's disparagement of U.S. allies remains a bridge too far for most Americans — and it should remain so.
Policy
Bolton Fired as National Security Adviser. Who's Next?
Trump's third NSA is let go after being sidelined at major international events.
Policy
Do Americans Really Want to End 'Forever Wars?' Survey says...
Some surprises, and unsurprising party lines, are revealed in the latest Chicago Council poll on American foreign policy opinions.
Ideas
America’s Déjà-Vu Withdrawal from Afghanistan
Like Obama in Iraq, Trump wants to stop fighting before the war is done.
Threats
The Writing Was on the Wall With Afghanistan
The latest bout of bloodshed may have played some role in the actions Trump just took, but it is also a convenient out for an administration that had gone all in on a floundering initiative.
Ideas
How Not to Run the World
Once upon a time, the American commitment to regularity in meetings and reasoned decision making allowed the rest of the world to sleep a little easier.
Ideas
The Mattis Two-Step
The forever general’s attempt to "stay out of politics" is bringing him right into it.
Ideas
The Man Who Couldn’t Take It Anymore
“I had no choice but to leave,” James Mattis says of his decision to resign as President Trump’s secretary of defense.
Threats
Alleged Israeli Strikes Bring US to Crossroads in Iraq
The Pentagon is worried that attacks on Iran-linked targets could damage its relationship with Baghdad. But what does the White House want?
Ideas
Saudi Arabia and Israel Are Growing Closer. Why?
The simple answer is Iran. But there is a more complex answer as well.
Ideas