Outside the Beltway

Few subjects rile members and veterans of military service more than changes to the uniform.

My review of Andrew Bacevich’s latest book, Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country.

My latest for The National Interest, “The Military and the Shutdown: Assessing the Damage,” is out.

90 percent of DoD civilians will go back to work soon. What message does that send?

The Pentagon is recalling up to 300,000 furloughed civilian employees on the same day that Congress voted to pay all furloughed employees when the government reopens.

The NFL donates its game broadcasts to troops deployed in harm’s way but they still won’t get to see them during the shutdown.

My latest for Defense One, “The Army’s Misguided Crackdown on Tattoos,” has posted.

My latest for The Atlantic, “It Isn’t the Military’s Place to Weigh In on the Syria Debate,” has posted.

President Obama’s plans in Syria are as unclear as they were before he spoke last night.

Even before the Russian curve ball, the public opposition to military strikes on Syria was mounting.

Opposing interventionism and unnecessary and unwise military engagements is not isolationism.

A throwaway comment by John Kerry in London has led to some interesting diplomatic developments.

Heading into an intense week of Congressional lobbying, the odds still seem against the Administration on Syria.

“No More Baby Steps,” my first piece for Defense News, has posted.

f Assad is eating Cheerios, we’re going to take away his spoon and give him a fork.

President Obama is trying to launch a war but there’s a lot of competition for attention.

With Congress coming back Monday, the prospective vote counts are decidedly against authorizing military force against Syria.

Given that the vote count seems to be heading that way, this is a question worth examination.

Would House Republicans really defer from voting on a Syria resolution to prevent embarrassing the President on the world stage?

The President has admitted that there is no imminent threat to the United States in Syria.

Things aren’t looking good for President Obama in the House of Representatives.

Bombing Country B to “send a message” to Country A is not a valid argument for bombing Country B.

President Obama seems to have forgotten the words of a certain Illinois State Senator back in 2002.

Is U.S. planning against Syria moving beyond just chemical weapons?

President Obama seems to want to forget his red line.

A proposed Syria authorization being considered in the Senate places several limits on Presidential authority to act, but it’s unclear if those limits can actually work.

Not surprisingly, Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle are lining up behind the President in the debate over Syria.

The Maryland Air National Guard bombed Darlene’s Tavern. Oops.

Some questions that the Administration needs to answer before attacking Syria.