Ideas
New, More Usable Nukes for Trump? No.
Congress should use the new defense authorization bill to bar the deployment of new, dangerous, and redundant nuclear weapons.
Ideas
The Disturbing Logic of Trump’s Lovefest With Kim Jong Un
“The cheapest concession you can make in a negotiation is to give the other fellow a little respect.”
Ideas
A Middle East Peace Plan Built on Un-American Principles
Jared Kushner wants to use prosperity as a shiny object to distract Palestinians while their political aspirations are swept away.
Policy
Nuclear Experts Beg Congress to Push Back on Trump Administration’s ‘Dangerous Impulses’
A letter asks House and Senate Armed Services leaders to defund small nukes and support an extension for New START.
Ideas
The US-UK Alliance Has Seen Better Days
As President Trump arrives in Britain, the two partners are divided on how to deal with Iran, Huawei, and even Brexit.
Policy
Shanahan ‘Not Planning’ USS McCain Investigation, But Still Reviewing Facts
“There’s no restriction on how people can send email,” the acting defense secretary said.
Policy
Still 'Acting' Shanahan Faces Test With China Face-off and USS McCain Scandal
Raising the stakes for the would-be SecDef, the White House has not yet sent formal nomination paperwork to the Senate.
Ideas
A Stain on the Honor of the Navy
In acceding to a White House request to cover the name of the USS John S. McCain, officers and officials revealed a rot within the service.
Threats
Shanahan Heads to Asia as White House Beats Drums on Iran
The acting defense secretary is expected to detail how the Pentagon is implementing a strategic shift away from counterterrorism.
Ideas
Mueller: Russia Interfered, Trump Obstructed. Now It’s Up to Congress.
Read our report, says the special counsel: the evidence does not exonerate the president.
Ideas
The Leading Narratives on War-Crimes Pardons Are Wrong
Troops are not merely victims of war, nor do pardons destroy justice. But there’s a deeper threat here.
Ideas
Trump Pushes Army Corps of Engineers to Hire a Favored Firm
The president should not be pressing military leaders to award a contract to a company controlled by a political ally that has failed to meet standards.
Policy
Trump Bypasses Congress to Sell Arms to Saudis, UAE
The rare decision, a fallout of last year’s Khashoggi killing, comes as tensions rise with Iran.
Policy
US To Send 900 Troops To Middle East To Counter Iran
The Trump administration insists that the deployment is purely defensive.
Threats
Iran Briefings Leave Congress Divided Over Trump’s Intentions, War Powers
“Everybody is deeply concerned about Congress getting cut out,” said one Democrat after hearing from Pompeo, Dunford, and Shanahan.
Ideas
Can Congress Use Fines to Pry Loose the Full Trump-Russia Report?
The legal framework governing situations such as this is seldom used and little known.
Threats
The Partisan Divide on How to Read the Intelligence on Iran
Adam Schiff lays out his worries on the intelligence, but the Trump administration is pushing back.
Threats
After Executive Order, Trump Administration Puts More Pressure On Huawei
The Chinese telecom company can no longer buy U.S. tech without a waiver, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced Thursday.
Ideas
Take It From an Iraq War Supporter—War With Iran Would Be a Disaster
It would mean repeating a mistake, only on a much bigger scale: without allies, without justification, and without any plan at all.
Science & Tech