Archive for April, 2006

China’s surface fleet modernization fits Beijing’s appetite for sea power

During 2005, the Chinese government noisily celebrated the 600th anniversary of the voyages of the fabled Adm. Zheng He. At home and …

One of the happier unintended consequences of the global war on — oops, the “long war” for the greater Middle East — has been a flowering of thoughtful writing about war. For …

As alert readers will recall, we darted Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace last month for his giddy optimism about U.S.-China relations. This month’s Pace Dart goes to …

Great powers, indigenous armies

It wasn’t so long ago that empire was in. For a brief, strange, almost Olympian moment earlier in this decade, it was just about all America’s foreign policy …

Why Congress complains about, but won’t end, supplemental appropriations

If Reps. Ike Skelton and Neil Abercrombie had their way, or if Sens. Jack Reed and John McCain were writing the 2007 Pentagon …

We are only a few moments away from the opening of the 2006 political campaign season. The election could well be a strategically decisive moment. Consider the following:

• President Bush’s approval …

Easy-win concepts crumble in combat

During the Second World War, American and British air-campaign planners attempted to force the Nazi war machine into collapse by attacking crucial links in Germany’s national infrastructure. …

President’s visit to Afghanistan fails to ease concerns for future

Interrupting his long-planned trips to India and Pakistan for a “surprise” March 1 visit to Kabul, President Bush reiterated the U.S. commitment …

I’ve known Stephen Cambone for a number of years. We’ve disagreed about a lot of issues. I’ve heard people in the Pentagon say a lot of nasty things about Steve. I’ve also …

The courtship of India was begun by President Clinton, but the Bush Administration has brought what is potentially the most important strategic partnership of the coming century to the point of consummation. …