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
Nuclear Weapons Are Getting Less Predictable, and More Dangerous
Facing steerable ICBMs and smaller warheads, the Pentagon seeks better tracking as the White House pursues an unlikely arms-control treaty.
Ideas
Trump’s Counter-Iran Moves Are Provocative, But They’re Not War
Truly bad messaging is undermining trust among allies and the American public — and increasing the chance of accidental escalation.
Threats
A Bewildering Briefing on the Iranian Threat Leaves More Questions Than Answers
A deputy commander of the counter-ISIS coalition appeared to rebut White House claims about Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.
Ideas
Russia Has Americans’ Weaknesses All Figured Out
Election interference is one front in Moscow’s larger campaign to undermine the U.S. without prompting a military response.
Ideas
Trump’s ‘Maximum Pressure’ Won’t Make Iran Yield
The one thing Tehran would find more intolerable than the crushing impact of sanctions is raising the white flag because of them.
Ideas
Trump’s Bet on Kim Might Not Pay Off
All that’s preventing the collapse of talks is that North Korea’s missiles haven’t flown far enough yet.
Policy