A skipper’s thoughts on the Fitzgerald
Final judgments on causes and blame will have to wait completion of the investigation, but there’s sufficient information to raise some early questions.
David Bosco
Max Boot
Rosa Brooks
Thanassis Cambanis
Elizabeth Dickinson
Laurie Garrett
Kim Ghattas
Julia Ioffe
Leela Jacinto
Whitney Kassel
Jeffrey Lewis
Aaron David Miller
Suzanne Nossel
Thomas E. Ricks
David Rothkopf
Kori Schake
Emile Simpson
James Stavridis
Bruce Stokes
James Traub
Stephen M. Walt
Lauren Wolfe
Michela Wrong
Micah Zenko
Recent Voices
Honorary war dog of the week: A wild horse hanging out at Fort Polk, La.
He’s lying down and doesn’t wish to be bothered by a bunch of noisy Humvees.
Yes, there are times when it’s better for a country to be neutral than to be your ally
That seems counterintuitive. After all, in war, you need all the friends you can get, right?
You’d Be Scared if You Were Donald Trump, Too
The president is obsessed with the investigation into his relationship with Russia. He should be.
This Is How Great-Power Wars Get Started
Not with a bang, but basic strategic confusion in Washington about the links between Syria, Qatar, Iran, and Russia.
Metz’s critique: The problem is readiness means different things to the Army’s leaders and to company commanders
The thoughtful article by Captain J. Scott Metz in Armor magazine, shared by Tom Ricks here at Foreign Policy, has generated quite a bit of discussion in the senior ranks.
Book excerpt: ‘The Frontline Generation’ veteran meets a snide college professor
I knew the drill — state your name, major, and something interesting about yourself.
Mohammed bin Salman Will Rule Saudi Arabia for Another 50 Years
What the elevation of the young crown prince — now successor to the throne — means for the Middle East.
Hey, Geaney and ‘Nimble’: The era of the ‘fighter mafia’ is over, and the Air Force actually is doing better with non-pilots
Capt. David Geaney and Maj. “Nimble” both offered some useful insights about leadership in the Air Force on the Best Defense blog, but both miss the mark.
More from Dubik on mission command
This is a kind of commentary on the last item I ran by retired Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik on mission command.
Why Trump’s Foreign Policy Can’t Be Stopped
There are almost no checks and balances on the administration’s conduct of international affairs. And most Americans are fine with that.
North Korea Would Not Hesitate to Kill You
The scariest thing about the death of Otto Warmbier is that the Kim regime doesn’t feel even an ounce of remorse.
The EU Is Alive and Well, But the Referendums Are Coming
After the shock of Brexit, the French election has stabilized the patient in Brussels. But most countries still want a say on membership.
The significance of the battle for Mosul’s Great Mosque: This is where modern Iraqi history meets the medieval
A looming battle around Mosul’s medieval Great Mosque of al-Nuri as part of the final stages to push the Islamic State out of the city is expected to deliver another important tactical and even symbolic victory against the Islamic State.
Tom on ‘Morning Edition’
I like the interview that Steve Inskeep did with me about my new book on Churchill and Orwell.
It’s OK That Trump Doesn’t Care About Human Rights
America still does.
Donald Trump Is Proving Too Stupid to Be President
“You know, I’m, like, a smart person.” Uh huh.
2 new worrisome precedents in the Syrian war: Iranian missiles, and U.S. vs. Russia?
A U.S. Navy F-18 shot down a Syrian Su-22. That’s the first air-to-air downing by a U.S. aircraft since 1999.
A few names to consider:
Now who wants to tell me about their problems with diversity and immigration in today’s United States?
A rocket of a warning on SEAL suicides
“They are from the same platoon and suffering the same overexposure to combat,” writes retired SEAL officer Ed Hiner.
‘Mark’ delivers ammo for the Lewis gun
To these British troops.
Pilot management? The Air Force’s core problem is that we lack a strategy and so we do everything on a short-term basis
Anyone who’s uttered the immortal words “Hold my beer and watch this” knows the dangers of optimism.
Appeasement: A primer
Here’s the key thing to remember: Appeasement is a position of negotiating with a strong state from a position of weakness.
Strategy advice: Thinking out of the box requires getting your head out of that box
It is past time that we recognize the relevance of the field of management to the military world.
An excerpt from ‘One Mission: How Leaders Built a Team of Teams’
Midway through my year with General Stanley McChrystal, I found myself in the back-seat of a well-worn and dented SUV.
Trump Desperately Needs a Goodwill Ambassador
But is there anyone in the administration cut out to win friends and influence enemies?
Trump Isn’t Being a CEO. He’s Just AWOL.
The president’s delegation of determining troop levels in Afghanistan to the Pentagon is unprecedented and dangerous.
Hybrid war’s sword arm: The Russians have found good tactical innovations
A quote widely attributed to Julius Caesar goes something like this: “Men worry more about what they cannot see than what they can.”
Invasion of the Jareds
I rarely frequent posh places, but lately when I do, I am noticing young men who in attire, physique, and expression remind me of Jared Kushner, the youthful fellow who currently is the second most powerful person in the United States.
Screw Brad Pitt and the ‘War Machine’ He Rode in On
The Stanley McChrystal — and the war in Afghanistan — I knew is not at all like what you’ll see on Netflix.
Rate of fire: A Best Defense update
Studious little grasshoppers will remember that I’ve wondered aloud about the history of the rate of fire in combat.
Quote of the day: On German NCOs
They seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of hard, competent N.C.O.s.
When Italy built a transatlantic aircraft
Laugh if you must, but I am quite sure it served a terrific arugula salad.
North Korea Is About to Test a Missile That Can Reach Trump Tower
Is the U.S. president ready to put some muscle behind his tough talk?
The Saudi-Iran War Comes to Washington
In the battle for Middle East supremacy, Tehran and Riyadh are pulling out all the stops.
‘Proceedings’ braves fire from admirals as it reexamines the survivability of carriers
Congratulations to the editors of “Proceedings,” who once more waded into the debate over the future of the aircraft carrier.
Book excerpt: WWAMD? (AKA ‘If Alfred T. Mahan were advising the president’)
As we seek to craft an international maritime strategy for the nation, Mahan’s point of view — adapted somewhat for today’s world — still presents a timeless message.
A Shining Comey on a Hill
Can the former FBI director lead us back to our better selves?
Tom in Chicago this Sunday Afternoon
Come on down to the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest, which strikes me as a mouthful.
‘Total and Complete Vindication’? No Way.
There are reams of evidence pointing toward Trump's collusion and obstruction — and we don’t even know what James Comey said in closed session.
Making the Middle East Worse, Trump-Style
American presidents have generally been pretty good at botching things in the Middle East, but this one is winning at it.
That Time Theresa May Forgot That Elections Come With Opponents
The prime minister saw an election as a simple step on her Brexit checklist. Turns out not everyone felt the same way.
Best in the world? Nope. In fact, our small units are no longer as well trained as those of our allies, reports this Army captain.
At the squad, platoon, and company level, the U.S. Army is not as good as its allies, reports an Army captain.
Reliefs, ousters, and military misdeeds
The sins of the commissioned.
Where Capt. Geaney is wrong on the Air Force’s personnel problems: He’s confused management with leadership
I am a Major in the U.S. Air Force and I fly the F-16.
Book excerpt: ‘Going Deep’ describes the first submarine attack in wartime
War on the high seas had changed forever.
Tom’s new book a bestseller this Sunday
Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom will be no. 10 on the New York Times’ hardcover nonfiction bestseller list this Sunday.
Do British Voters Regret Brexit Enough to Dump Theresa May?
With polls tightening in the run-up to Thursday’s election, issues of terrorism, NATO, and the EU could determine the fate of the United Kingdom.
‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’: An interesting movie that I should have loved
I caught up with this film the other day when I was in airplane mode.
Trending
Latest
My FP
You'd Be Scared if You Were Donald Trump, Too
5344 Shares
-
64 Years Later, CIA Finally Releases Details of Iranian Coup
42739 Shares
-
The Rehabilitation of Africa’s Most Isolated Dictatorship
2242 Shares
-
Bumbling Ex-CIA Officer Charged With Selling Secrets to China
594 Shares
-
Emmanuel Macron Is Facing the ‘Mother of All Battles’
894 Shares
-
The Knives Are Out for South Korea’s Robber Barons
605 Shares
-
This Is How Great-Power Wars Get Started
892 Shares
-
The Arab World Has Never Recovered From the Loss of 1967
14909 Shares
-
Senators Urge Trump to Approve Taiwan Arms Sales
301 Shares
-
Senators Urge Trump to Approve Taiwan Arms Sales
301 Shares
-
Is Trump Tweet Guilting China?
87 Shares
-
Trump’s Cuba Policy and the Return of the American Boogeyman
93 Shares
-
Bumbling Ex-CIA Officer Charged With Selling Secrets to China
594 Shares
-
The Knives Are Out for South Korea’s Robber Barons
606 Shares
-
EU Underwhelmed by U.K.’s Brexit Offer for EU Nationals
134 Shares
-
State Department to Scrap Afghanistan-Pakistan Envoy
321 Shares
-
I Fled the Islamic State’s ‘Caliphate’ in Raqqa — But Fear Its Liberators
292 Shares
-
Tough Demands on Qatar Unlikely to Resolve Diplomatic Fight
207 Shares
-
A skipper’s thoughts on the Fitzgerald
23 Shares
-
×
