Topic: Center for a New American Security
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Why no safe zone in Syria, yet? 5 complications
The flood of Syrian refugees entering Turkey – as many as 5,000 a day for the last 10 days – has ratcheted up the pressure for a safe zone’s creation. But a safe zone is complicated and carries many risks.
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Briefing
Defense cuts: three things Americans should know
The US House approved a bill in July that’s likely to spark a showdown on military spending.
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3 questions US forces must answer before declaring victory in Libya
Even as fighting in Libya continues, Pentagon officials and US commanders overseeing operations on the ground are wrestling with tough questions about the future of the campaign – and what military forces still need to do before they can consider it a victory.
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Five ways 9/11 has transformed the US military
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, fundamentally transformed the way the United States military wages war, forcing the Pentagon to rethink some of its basic tenets. Here are the Top 5 changes since 9/11.
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Can the US military help Libyan rebels oust Muammar Qaddafi? Four options.
As violence in Libya increases, US officials have promised that the administration is exploring “all possible options for action” against Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi. But what are steps the US military could take to aid rebels, and how feasible are they?
All Content
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Violence in Iraq spikes. Are US security interests in jeopardy?
A recent rise in civilian deaths and injuries in Iraq is cause for concern, but Pentagon personnel say Iraqi security forces are proving to be 'very capable' in the year since US troops departed.
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Pentagon vs. Al Qaeda: Panetta hints at shifting US tactics
In a little-noticed policy speech, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says Al Qaeda has been adapting to the US offensive against its leadership, requiring the Pentagon to adopt new tactics.
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Presidential debate 101: Does Romney want extra $2 trillion for Pentagon?
Romney's call for Pentagon spending to be no less than 4 percent of GDP could add $2 trillion to its budget. But Obama's claim that this is money the military doesn't want misses a key issue: civilian control.
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Should military veterans endorse presidential candidates?
A provocative new study examines some potential pitfalls when retired military veterans wade into political campaigning. Endorsements could erode trust in the military, the report finds.
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Terrorism & Security
Another insider? Uniformed Afghan suicide bomber kills 14 (+video)After a heavy weekend of violence, a suicide bomber wearing a police uniform attacked NATO and Afghan forces, killing at least 14 on Monday in the southeastern town of Khost.
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Afghanistan war claims 2,000th US soldier, but pace slowing
The 2,000th US soldier to die may have been the victim of another insider attack. Overall, the conflict has grown less deadly for US troops since 2010.
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Why no safe zone in Syria, yet? 5 complications
The flood of Syrian refugees entering Turkey – as many as 5,000 a day for the last 10 days – has ratcheted up the pressure for a safe zone’s creation. But a safe zone is complicated and carries many risks.
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Opinion: Help wanted: Geek squads for US cybersecurity
The now-dead Cybersecurity Act of 2012 included provisions to beef up a federal workforce of experts to defend against cyberattacks. But it's not too late. Wisely, federal agencies are not waiting for legislation to build their cyber geek squads. Still, more steps must be taken.
- Briefing
Defense cuts: three things Americans should know
The US House approved a bill in July that’s likely to spark a showdown on military spending.
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Opinion: At G20 summit, West must partner with rising democracies in new global order
At the G20 summit in Los Cabos, the agenda will be full of tricky issues. The US and European delegations must look at the bigger picture, one in which the West will need to partner with the rising powers that are today’s global swing states: Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Turkey.
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Backchannels
You can't say it enough: Syria is really different from LibyaSyria's war is as violent today as at any point of the over year-long conflict, and a UN peace plan spearheaded by Kofi Annan is in tatters. But that doesn't spell military intervention.
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Soldier's killing spree: Is end of Afghanistan war near? (+video)
Widespread Afghan outrage could force the US to accelerate plans to bring the Afghanistan war to a close. But that hasn't happened yet, and military officials are wary of a quick withdrawal.
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US inching closer to favoring arms for Syria rebels
The US has so far used diplomacy to put pressure on the regime of Syria President Assad. But as the death toll mounts, the Obama administration's opposition to arming Syria rebels may be softening.
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As Syria's Assad pummels Homs, West reluctantly weighs military option
After diplomatic efforts at the UN failed Saturday, there is a growing consensus that supporting the rebel Free Syrian Army may be the only way to break the stalemate between Assad and his opponents.
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Post oil: Pentagon "Green Hawks" see energy security in biofuel (VIDEO)
"Green Hawks" at Pentagon see energy security in biofuel alternatives for a post-oil world.
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3 questions US forces must answer before declaring victory in Libya
Even as fighting in Libya continues, Pentagon officials and US commanders overseeing operations on the ground are wrestling with tough questions about the future of the campaign – and what military forces still need to do before they can consider it a victory.
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US Embassy attack raises concerns of a shift in Taliban strategy
The US Embassy attack and others around Kabul cause few casualties but may signal the Taliban's desire to engage in a politically and psychologically effective war of attrition.
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Five ways 9/11 has transformed the US military
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, fundamentally transformed the way the United States military wages war, forcing the Pentagon to rethink some of its basic tenets. Here are the Top 5 changes since 9/11.
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US military officials in Iraq warn of growing Iranian threat
American military officials say the upcoming US withdrawal has emboldened Iranian-backed militias, which they blame for recent deadly attacks and allege are stockpiling weapons.
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You hack, we shoot: Pentagon discusses armed counterstrikes to cyberattacks
Lawmakers and some Pentagon officials argue that the US should shift cyberdefense from 'How to build the next best firewall' to an offensive message: Those who attack US computers risk 'land-based attack'.
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Troop exit plan means hard choices for US commanders in Afghanistan
Obama's decision that all 30,000 'surge' forces must leave Afghanistan by end of next summer is not the troop exit plan US military leaders were hoping to hear. What choices confront them?
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Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Three options weighed by the White House
How many US troops are coming home from Afghanistan this year? On the eve of Obama's speech on his promised July start to the drawdown of American forces, here are three scenarios.
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How Leon Panetta could change Washington as next Defense secretary
Leon Panetta, currently CIA director, is a close ally of Vice President Biden. But political realities could prevent him from adopting Mr. Biden's stance on US troops in Afghanistan.
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Opinion: As debt grows, so does US exposure to attack
As President Obama and Republicans duke it out over the federal debt, they must bear this fact in mind: Growing federal debt threatens the long-term national security of the United States.
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With Obama's speech, momentum gathering to cut defense spending
Like Medicare and Social Security, cutting defense spending has been something of a 'do not enter' zone for many lawmakers. But that may be changing.
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