The Trials of Patrick Shanahan
After months of uncertainty, Trump’s acting defense secretary is making his presence felt inside the administration.
Critics Should Stop Declaring Defeat in Afghanistan
The war is not yet over and its outcome is not yet certain.
If You Bowl Alone, You Can’t Fight Together
National security depends on a vanishing sense of community.
Will Congress Let Trump Build More Nuclear Weapons?
The administration and Capitol Hill are on a collision course over the future of U.S. nukes.
It’s Not Too Late to Stop Turkey From Realigning With Russia
Strains in U.S.-Turkish relations are leading Erdogan into Putin’s embrace. Smart diplomacy and defense assistance can bring America’s NATO ally back into the fold.
‘The 21st-Century Space Race Is On’
Michael Waltz, Congress’s first Green Beret, talks about the new Space Force and America’s budding commercial launch industry.
Nostalgia Is a National Security Threat
By idealizing the past, Americans have made themselves unsafe in the present.
Americans Can’t Give Up The Cult of War
The endless conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East are ritual, not strategy.
U.S. Military Wary of China’s Foothold in Venezuela
The head of U.S. Southern Command says Beijing is using disinformation and debt diplomacy to dig in as Maduro clings to power.
Scandinavia Won’t Be Russia’s Next Target
Mikheil Saakashvili’s country was a victim of Putin’s aggression. Finland and Sweden won’t be.
The Navy Wanted a New Cyber Official, but a Housing Scandal Got in the Way
Military families complain of appalling living conditions.
China’s Scare Tactics Prompt U.S. Fears of a Clash Over Taiwan
American military officials in the Pacific worry that U.S. and Chinese interests could collide in the island democracy.
China Is Spying On Israel to Steal U.S. Secrets
Benjamin Netanyahu ignored the intelligence operations of Beijing and Moscow for too long. Now, the Israeli government is finally paying attention, but it could be too late.
Poor Nation, Rich Army
This Republic Day, Pakistan should consider why it remains underdeveloped as its military booms.
A Rising China Is Driving the U.S. Army’s New Game Plan in the Pacific
New missiles and large-scale exercises part of long-term strategy to deter Beijing.
The Japanese Air Force Needs an Upgrade
Faced with China’s increasing aggression, Japan must invest in fifth-generation fighter jets to deter Beijing’s expansion.
The Pentagon’s Empty Throne
Patrick Shanahan, America’s longest-serving acting defense secretary, faces an increasingly hostile Senate.
Iran Is Mastering the Final Frontier
Tehran’s military is advancing ever farther into outer space—and the threat is bigger than Washington is letting on.
U.S. Begins Work on New Missiles as Trump Scraps Treaty With Russia
Some worry the deployment of these weapons could spark a nonnuclear missile race.
At Trump’s Pentagon, Empty Offices Are the New Normal
The problem has worsened since James Mattis left the U.S. Defense Department.
Follow FP
