Policy
What John Bolton's Appointment as National Security Adviser Means
Until today, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster was considered Trump's most militant adviser on North Korea.
Threats
The Return of the Iraq War Argument
The North Korea debate shows the enduring attraction of "preventive war."
Ideas
How Postponing a Wargame Helped Create a Diplomatic Opening
Delaying Foal Eagle 2018 made an underappreciated contribution toward the first meeting of U.S. and North Korean heads of state.
Ideas
A Trump-Kim Summit: 'Why the Hell Not?'
Direct talks between America’s and North Korea’s heads of state have never been tried, and nothing else has worked.
Ideas
Trump Risks Trading Away the US-South Korean Alliance
Kim Jong Un is offering a deal at a price that could be way too high—and that the president could easily accept.
Ideas
What's There to Talk About With North Korea?
Kim Jong Un wants to talk to Trump and pause nuclear and missile tests—but the line between diplomacy and brinkmanship isn't that simple.
Ideas
Let the Korean Breakthrough Run Its Course
The new round of talks can only succeed if the Trump administration resists its own worst impulses.
Threats
What If Trump's North Korea Bluster Actually Worked?
Kim Jong Un’s offer of talks with the U.S. is accompanied by questions about his intentions.
Ideas
Expect North Korea to Add Nuclear Coercion to Its Provocation Playbook
Kim's nuclear arsenal is built to "deter and coerce." We're probably going to find out soon what forms the latter will take.
Threats
US Announces New Sanctions Against Smugglers Who Bring Fuel to North Korea
The White House takes aim at international shipping companies in its latest attempt to undermine Pyongyang’s weapons developments.
Science & Tech
North Korea Is Upping Its Offensive Cyber Operations
As Pyongyang runs out of money for missile tests, expect more hacking.
Ideas
Why Human Rights Have Taken Center Stage in the US-North Korea Crisis
Unable to threaten Pyongyang into submission, Trump turned to denouncing its nightmarish repression. That has consequences.
Science & Tech
Pentagon Requesting $66M For Laser Drones to Shoot Down North Korean Missiles
The Missile Defense Agency is rushing to put more solutions in the field and trying to put past failures behind them.
Threats
Here's How US-North Korea Crises Typically End
Donald Trump says he won't repeat the mistakes of the past. But the past offers clues to what he might do.
Ideas
Let’s Call Trump’s Parade What it Is: Another Dangerous Attempt to Divide Us
I know a thing or two about good military ceremonies, and Trump’s parade is a bad idea.
Ideas
Is Trump Preparing for War With North Korea?
The omissions in the State of the Union, and the fate of Victor Cha, all point in the same direction.
Threats
Trump's Red Line on North Korea Gets Fuzzier
Mike Pompeo adds a few caveats to America's strategy.
Threats
What A Nuclear Missile Attack On Hawaii Would Look Like
A blast over Honolulu would be catastrophic. That doesn’t mean the government shouldn’t help the public prepare for one.
Ideas
What if H.R. McMaster Is Right About North Korea?
It’s reassuring to think the country wants only a defensive capability. It could very easily be wrong.
Ideas
Don’t Hold Missile-Defense Hostage to the Illusion of a Perfect Grade
How is North Korea improving its ICBMs so quickly? It’s not afraid of a test failure — or six.
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