Threats

Obama Orders Air Campaign Against ISIS in Libya, Escalating ‘No-Boots War’

There’s no projected end to the strikes, which U.S. officials say have been requested by the new Libyan government.

Threats

As Anti-ISIS Forces Close In on Mosul, Coalition Leaders Focus on What’s Next

At a closed-door meeting outside Washington, the multinational group called for more post-conflict planning.

Ideas

Inside the ISIS Enlistment Files: All Jihad is Local

I analyzed over 3,500 leaked ISIS enlistment forms. Here’s what I found.

Ideas

This Time, Post-War Iraq Needs a Real Plan With Real Money

A plan for reconciliation in Iraq should also come out of this week’s counter-ISIS coalition meeting in Washington.

Ideas

In Iraq, the 'Real Mystery' Is What Comes After ISIS

Even as Iraqi special forces and Shia militias roll back the self-proclaimed Islamic State, Baghdad has done little to address the underlying causes of Sunni militancy, says journalist Ned Parker.

Ideas

Rest Assured, UK Remains Committed to NATO

The UK will continue to be a strong and reliable ally, particularly in NATO.

Ideas

What Comes Next After Raqqa and Mosul?

Obama is making U.S. special operators and locals do most of the fighting. When ISIS falls, Iraq and Syria need better leaders to keep this from happening again. So, what’s the plan?

Ideas

And the War Came: A Call for Unity—Not to Arms—in My Hometown Orlando

A Pentagon reporter raised in Orlando returned to measure the distance from the battlefield to the homefront, and found something unexpected.

Science & Tech

Air Force Wants New Plane to Replace A-10, Fight ISIS

Generals float idea of new CAS aircraft — and beyond that, an “arsenal plane” or “flying Coke machine.”

Ideas

What the West Can Do about The Biggest Obstacle to Libyan Stability

The more Libya's foreign allies can weaken Gen. Khalifa Hifter, the more fighters will break away from him and join the new government.

Science & Tech

Meet the Navy SEAL Leading the Fight Against ISIS Messaging

Michael Lumpkin, who joined the State Department after serving as DoD's special-ops leader, believes he’s got a model for future efforts to counter extremism online in real time.

Policy

A Judge Shouldn’t Force Congress to Debate War

Feckless lawmakers are certainly ducking one of their most solemn duties. But a soldier’s lawsuit won't fix things.

Threats

Iraq Is Trying to Fight a War Around 50,000 Civilians in Fallujah

Only 800 people have fled the city since Baghdad began attacking IS positions on Sunday. What happens next may set the template for Mosul as well.

Threats

America’s New Special Operations Commander Wants to Predict the Future

With so many elite troops fighting ‘an extremist phenomenon that’s gone rabid’ in failed states, Gen. Tony Thomas wants to get his operators ahead of the curve.

Ideas

Stop Saying We're Dropping 'Cyber Bombs' On ISIS

It is better to see cyber operations for what they are: changing spreadsheets, intercepting email, jamming comms, and a lot of deception.

Ideas

To Beat ISIS, We Must Think Smaller

People become radicalized when they lack hope, jobs, and purpose. Local investments can break the cycle.

Threats

After ISIS, Americans Fear Cyberattacks Most

Nearly three in four people consider them a major threat to the U.S., but presidential candidates have largely ignored the issue.

Science & Tech

What A War With ISIS in Libya Would Look Like

With three competing governments, some of which hate each other more than the Islamic State, things would get tricky fast.

Policy

Soldier Takes Obama to Court Over War on ISIS

A U.S. Army officer stationed in Kuwait argues the president has violated the War Powers Resolution in a case that carries major constitutional implications for the White House.