Ideas
‘Are You in This?’
If so many Americans believe Russia is an ally, China is a good business partner, and terrorism isn’t worth fighting anymore, how can the United States be counted on for global security?
Threats
Despite Threatening It, Trump Is Keeping the Military Out of Venezuela
The administration is sticking to an approach that it has favored against adversaries from Iran to North Korea: gradual economic strangulation.
Ideas
Don't Let Trump Go to War With Iran
Fifteen years after the U.S. entered Iraq, the president is inching us closer to another unnecessary fight.
Ideas
The Coming Split in NATO
Trump wants our European allies to build their military strength. What will it look like if they do?
Threats
If Trump Won't Lead in Syria, Someone Else Will
Unless the president can articulate and lead a plan, Syria’s future will be determined by Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
Threats
The Return of the Iraq War Argument
The North Korea debate shows the enduring attraction of "preventive war."
Ideas
The Iraq War and the Inevitability of Ignorance
The U.S. is destined to keep overlearning the lessons of the last conflict.
Ideas
Don't Let Trump Fool You, He's Still No Interventionist
Despite the cruise missiles in Syria and MOAB in Afghanistan, if you’re anticipating another military campaign the size of Libya’s in 2011, prepare to be disappointed.
Ideas
Seven Dubious Arguments for Not Fighting Assad
Intervention may not be the right choice. But we should at least be clear about what we are—and aren’t—debating.
Threats
'We Are Not Frozen in a Nightmare,' Says Defiant John Kerry
The secretary of state insisted America is more engaged in global conflicts with deeper impact than ever before, in a sweeping speech at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
Ideas
The Legacy of Obama's 'Worst Mistake'
It's not just in Libya—the last 15 years of U.S. military interventions has revealed a troubling gap in the way America goes to war.
Ideas
Resettling Syria's Refugees Would Be Cheaper Than Widening the War
It would also be morally and practically superior to the West's current selective intervention.
Policy
Debate Shows GOP Candidates Remain Divided Over How To Use the Military—and When
On national security, the Republican field continues to offer as many plans filled with blanks as criticisms.
Ideas
Want To Intervene in Syria? Answer These Questions First
Even as the cries for action rise, the mistakes of past interventions — in Libya, Iraq, and elsewhere — demand forethought.
Threats
Expect Less Than Advertised As Turkey Enters ISIS Fight
White House officials called Turkey's new role in the fight against ISIS 'game-changing.' In reality, Ankara's escalation is likely to achieve much less than expected.
Ideas
Before You Listen To Pundits on Iran, See What They Said On Iraq
To a degree that will baffle historians, the political-intellectual complex that made the Iraq War possible remains intact and powerful.
Threats
UN Ambassador Warns Against Intervention Fatigue
As the U.S. fights global threats from Ebola to the Islamic State, U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power warns against intervention fatigue. By Molly O’Toole
Ideas
Does America Really Need To Be the Leader of the Free World?
An MIT professor and a war veteran discuss whether the U.S. should respond to every crisis that pops up across the globe. By Scott Beauchamp
Threats
Hagel Says ‘Indispensable’ U.S. Still Not the World’s Police
President Obama says the U.S. is ‘indispensable’ to global security, but for Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that doesn’t mean it’s the world’s police. By Kevin Baron
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