Features

In a speech delivered in Prague in April, President Barack Obama pledged “America’s commitment to take concrete steps towards a world without nuclear weapons,” beginning with work to reduce the U.S. arsenal. …

How Obama’s team can avoid political minefields

President Barack Obama must insulate his defense policy from political strife. He came into office riding a tidal wave of popularity, but his lack of …

Killing is a necessary precursor to successful counterinsurgency

The six years of Operation Iraqi Freedom have seen a fundamental shift in how the U.S. military fights. In early 2003, the Rumsfeldian doctrine …

Your two-part cover story, “Starting over,” [January] was right on target. Phillip S. Meilinger, in his article “New principles for new war,” has done a great job updating the 20th-century principles of …

In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in January, Defense Secretary Robert Gates pointed out that since the end of World War II, there have been nearly 130 studies on problems …

To the Marine Corps, the latest service to perform miserably at managing a complex, multibillion dollar program. The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, or EFV, went back to the drawing board after program costs …

When I taught at the National War College, an exercise required students to develop a national security strategy, then a national military strategy and finally a rough-cut at force-structure recommendations. Because the …

The basic principles of war have not, nor will they ever, change. The reasons we go to war will change, the way we fight will change, the tools we use will change, …

The first causality in the fiscal 2010 budget could be the U.S. missile defense program. Before shutting the door on missile defense funding, the new administration needs to consider three important mandates. …

To President Barack Obama for achieving almost the impossible by outlining an Iraq withdrawal plan that has widespread support. By acting cautiously and choosing a middle course, and by emphasizing U.S. success …