Features

In two Iraqi cities, signs of progress and frustration

“Another day fighting the war on drugs.” So commented a Marine Corps platoon commander as he stood atop a dirt- and rock-strewn hill …

As part of the media fuss over the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), critics of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have taken the opportunity to once again snipe at the concept of transformation, as …

A loyal reader caught AFJ in a non-word red-handedness. In military use, rostered shows up from time to time as “battle-rostered”; that is, troops listed as ready for combat or assigned to …

Traditional amphibious warfare remains the focus of Marine Corps planning and drives its spending priorities. But the service is more likely to engage in stability operations, says Max Boot, and should re-embrace …

American strategists have, since the end of the Cold War, been a day late and a dollar short in appreciating the change in relations with the People’s Republic of China. The first …

The history of the U.S. Marine Corps has been marked by a series of existential crises; the question often has been, “What do we need the Marines for?” At least now, if …

Six reasons why the QDR wont matter

Considering how much effort went into its preparation, the Quadrennial Defense Review report sent to Capitol Hill on Feb. 6 is a surprisingly modest document. …

Special ops forces are misused as man-hunters, critics say

For the United States’ special operations forces, these should be the salad days. In late 2001, a relatively small number of Army Special …

For its 34-2 vote of “no confidence” in Connecticut’s Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman for his support of the war in Iraq, and in the Middle East more broadly. Referring to the senator …

Relying on single suppliers could cost in the long run

Besieged by spiraling weapons prices, mounting war costs and acquisition budgets that are unlikely to grow, the U.S. military is searching for …