Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Petraeus: Thanks Iran!

Some highlights from semi-live blogging the CNAS policy hoedown today: “Iran is our best recruiting officer right now,” said Gen. David Petraeus, the highest profile American general since the days of Colin Powell. He indicated that the Persian Gulf states are concerned by Tehran’s aggressive rhetoric. He also said he has seen “considerable resolve” in ...

585002_090611_petreausiran2.jpg
585002_090611_petreausiran2.jpg

Some highlights from semi-live blogging the CNAS policy hoedown today:

“Iran is our best recruiting officer right now,” said Gen. David Petraeus, the highest profile American general since the days of Colin Powell. He indicated that the Persian Gulf states are concerned by Tehran’s aggressive rhetoric.

He also said he has seen “considerable resolve” in Pakistan in recent weeks to deal with them Taliban. Seemed like faint praise to me — kind of like that Conchords’s song about how you are the most beautiful girl …  in the room.

ALI YUSSEF/AFP/Getty Images

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

More from Foreign Policy

Residents evacuated from Shebekino and other Russian towns near the border with Ukraine are seen in a temporary shelter in Belgorod, Russia, on June 2.
Residents evacuated from Shebekino and other Russian towns near the border with Ukraine are seen in a temporary shelter in Belgorod, Russia, on June 2.

Russians Are Unraveling Before Our Eyes

A wave of fresh humiliations has the Kremlin struggling to control the narrative.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva shake hands in Beijing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva shake hands in Beijing.

A BRICS Currency Could Shake the Dollar’s Dominance

De-dollarization’s moment might finally be here.

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in an episode of The Diplomat
Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in an episode of The Diplomat

Is Netflix’s ‘The Diplomat’ Factual or Farcical?

A former U.S. ambassador, an Iran expert, a Libya expert, and a former U.K. Conservative Party advisor weigh in.

An illustration shows the faces of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin interrupted by wavy lines of a fragmented map of Europe and Asia.
An illustration shows the faces of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin interrupted by wavy lines of a fragmented map of Europe and Asia.

The Battle for Eurasia

China, Russia, and their autocratic friends are leading another epic clash over the world’s largest landmass.