Prosecutors Spying on Navy SEAL Chief’s Defense Counsel

Disturbing news in the Eddie Gallagher case.

The Last Original Navy SEAL

94-year-old Bill Dawson has a story to tell and is the only one left alive to tell it.

Trump To Pick Patrick Shanahan To Be Secretary Of Defense

Patrick Shanahan, who has been serving as Acting Defense Secretary since James Mattis left in December, is being selected to replace Mattis in that position.

Trump Abandons Restraint In Foreign Policy In Favor Of Interventionism

While he campaigned on a message of restraint, Donald Trump has largely adopted the interventionist foreign policies of his predecessors.

Trump May Reverse Mattis on Academy Grads Going Pro

The President revived an old debate but added some new twists.

Navy aircraft carrier with jets Navy aircraft carrier with jets

Navy Chief: Get Past Ship Numbers

The raw number of vessels is not the best metric of naval power.

When Max Punishment is a ‘Slap on the Wrist’

Sexual misconduct in the military continues to frustrate observers.

McConville Hearings Highlight Military as Family Business

All three children of the next head of the Army are following in his footsteps.

Trump Won’t Rebuild Military Bases if He Has to Rebuild Puerto Rico, Too

A months-long standoff is stopping hurricane relief.

Pentagon Needs a New Pitch

Matt Bernius and I collaborated on an essay for Defense One.

American Intervention In Venezuela Would Be Counterproductive, Unwise, And Illegal

The ongoing apparent attempted coup in Venezuela is already leading to talk of American intervention in the event of a crackdown. That would be unwise and unjustified.

This Week’s Foolishness in Military Justice

In military justice Bizarroland, Rep Duncan Hunter intentionally commits “reverse UCI.”

Marine Commander Threatens Entire Division

Maybe there was a better way to get his point across?

Trump Vetoes Measure To Curtail U.S. Support For War On Yemen

President Trump has not surprisingly vetoed a Congressional resolution to limit American support for the Saudi war on Yemen. His defense for doing so is utterly absurd.

Fire the Commandant (if He Leaked the Memos)

There are even higher obligations than taking care of Marines.

booze alcohol whisky booze alcohol whisky

Military Outdrinks Everybody

Despite some obstacles, America’s armed forces drink other professions under the table.

Bob Dole Promoted to Colonel

He’s a national treasure who has been appropriately honored for a lifetime of service and sacrifice. But this seems different.

Andrew Marshall Dead at 97

The legendary figure was in charge of strategic forecasting at the Pentagon for decades.

Navy Ending Red ‘Misconduct’ Stripes

Military culture is a strange beast.

Pentagon Diverts $1 Billion for Illegal Wall Funding

The (Acting) Secretary of Defense has issued an unconstitutional order.

No Secretary of Defense in Sight

The office has been vacant for 81 days. President Trump has yet to nominate a replacement.

Trump Cancels Korean Military Exercises, Gets Nothing In Return

Once again, President Trump gets taken for a sucker by the North Koreans.

U.S. Leaving Behind A Token Force In Syria

Rather than pulling completely out of Syria the United States will be leaving behind a token force of about 200 troops. This is a mistake.

Federal Judge Rules Male-only Draft Unconstitutional

Now that women are allowed into all combat roles, the rationale for excluding them from Selective Service has evaporated.

Trump Gets His Space Force, Sort Of

President Trump will get his Space force, but it won’t exactly be what he wanted when he first proposed that idea.

The Rift Between The U.S. And Europe Gets Wider And Wider

The Trump Administration continues to drive a wedge between the United States and Europe, can it ever be repaired?

Juan Guaidó Won’t Rule Out U.S. Intervention In Venezuela, But Americans Should

The self-appointed Acting President of Venezuela has said he doesn’t rule out the idea of American intervention in his country, but we should rule it out immediately.

Trump Withdraws United States From INF Treaty

As threatened late last year, the Trump Administration has withdrawn from the Intermediate=Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. This is a mistake.

Supreme Court Lifts Injunction Barring Trump’s Transgender Military Ban

In what amounts to a setback, the Supreme Court has lifted an injunction barring the Trump Administration’s ban on transgender service in the military to go forward pending further legal proceedings.

Trump Talked About Withdrawing U.S. From NATO, Aides Say

Donald Trump continues to appear to advocate ideas that harm American national interests and benefit Vladimir Putin. Draw your own conclusions as to why.

Jim Webb For Secretary Of Defense?

Former Senator and Denocratic Presidential candidate Jim Webb is reportedly being considered for Defense Secretary.

Trump Sends Mattis Out The Door Early

President Trump announced today that James Mattis would be out as Secretary of Defense by the end of the year.

U.S. To Withdraw Up To 7,000 Troops From Afghanistan

The Pentagon is being ordered to draw up plans to withdraw roughly one-half of the American forces remaining in Afghanistan. It’s about time.

James Mattis Resigning As Defense Secretary In Rebuke To Trump’s Policies

In what clearly appears to be a rebuke of the President, Defense Secretary James Mattis is retiring as Secretary of Defense.

Military Deployment To Southern Border Extended Through End Of Year

Defense Secretary James Mattis has announced that the deployment of U.S. troops to the Mexican border will be extended through the end of this year.

It’s Beyond Time To Get Out Of Afghanistan

American troops have been in Afghanistan for seventeen years now, it’s time to bring them all home.

The U.S. And NATO Should Stay Out Of The Russia-Ukraine Fight

Notwithstanding the temptation to do something, both the United States and NATO need to resist the temptation to get involved in the latest conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Trump Asks Supreme Court To Take Up Challenges To Transgender Military Ban

The Trump Administration is attempting to bypass the Circuit Courts of Appeal and get immediate Supreme Court review of the President’s ban on transgender Americans serving in the military.

Nobody “Lost” Crimea. It Was Never Ours To Lose.

President Trump recently blamed former President Obama for “losing” Crimea. It was never ours to lose.

Veterans Day isn’t Memorial Day

Nor is it Armed Forces Day.

Army Officially Bringing Back ‘Pinks and Greens’

A slight variant of the uniform from World War II and Korea is coming to a soldier near you.

Trump, Nationalism, And The Lessons Of World War One

One hundred years after the end of World War One, the forces that led to it are waking up from a long slumber.

Trump Skips Visit To American Military Cemetery

Claiming it was because of the weather President Trump chose to skip a visit to a cemetery at the site of one of the bloodiest battles involving Americans in World War One.

Does the Military Really Need More Strategists?

My latest for War on the Rocks.

It’s Not the Military’s Job to Oppose Trump

My latest for The National Interest.

American Troops Arrive In Iceland, Drink All The Beer

American troops in Iceland for a military exercise were apparently quite thirsty.

Trump Sending 5,200 Troops To Border In Response To Non-Existent ‘Caravan’ Threat

President Trump wants to send more troops than we have in Syria and Iraq combined to the border to deal with a non-existent threat.

Trump’s Decision To Leave Reagan-Era INF Treaty Is A Foolish Mistake

President Trump is preparing to scrap a thirty-year-old treaty that marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. It would be a foolish mistake.