Outside the Beltway

Not surprisingly, Radical Islamists are taking notice of the tone of debate in the United States over the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque.”

While American politics concerns itself with trivial issues, Pakistan finds itself dealing with a devastating natural disaster that could have real geo-political implications.

America’s mission in Iraq is shifting from an active combat role to a smaller security presence. But the war that gripped our attention for years is now off the radar screen.

The United States has promised $150 million in aid to flood-ravaged Pakistan. Should we have?

Why are people’s views about Islam so screwed up ? Mostly because the only things they know about it tend to be the worst possible aspects of all.

Policy expert recommends driving off cliff!

Either Obama’s Defense Secretary and commanding general are conspiring to undermine his July 11 deadline for withdrawal from Afghanistan or that they’re carrying out his intent.

As many American soldiers have died in Afghanistan under Obama as under Bush.

General Stanley McChrystal has been hired to teach leadership at Yale.

Robert Gates says he wants to retire next year, but will the call of duty cause him to stay longer ?

A major part of the problem with the seeming growing wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in some quarters of US politics is that it seems to equate Islam as “the enemy.” If that’s the case, then US foreign policy has some ‘splainin’ to do.

The GOP is playing a dangerous game with the anti-Islamic rhetoric that it seems to be courting these days.

Barack Obama has significantly widened his predecessor’s global war on terrorism, even if he’s no longer calling it that.

According to a new MSNBC/Wall Street Journal poll, the public that will head to the polls in November is increasingly gloomy and pessimistic.

Every new report out of Iran seems to bring us closer to the moment when Israel has decided it’s heard enough. What happens if that day actually happens ?

Of the U.S. military’s 10 combatant commands, only three are held by Army or Marine generals.

There’s a war of words developing between the Pentagon and the information-sharing website Wikileaks.

Holland became the first NATO member to pull out of Afghanistan. How long before the rest follow?

The American military is on a mission in Afghanistan that the public is increasingly starting to question.

ABC’s Sunday talking heads show has a new host. Is she a secret Taliban sympathizer?

A growing number of conservatives are in dismay about the state of their movement.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t say whether she thinks the war in Afghanistan is worth the increasing toll on American blood and treasure.

A review by the Army of its alarming spike in suicides blames it on the new strain of risk-seeking recruits who join during wartime and commanders who neglect to rein them in.

While President Obama is pushing the Afghanistan surge, large numbers of elected Democrats are demanding we get out.

“I don’t condone leaking secrets. But nor do I condone a policy that can only work in secret.” – Bernard Finel

Three different ways they’re viewing the leaked “war logs” across the Pond.

Will the Wikileaks document dump give even further impetus to the growing sentiment that the United States needs to leave Afghanistan ?

The scumbags at WikiLeaks have published a huge trove of classified documents provided to them by one or more traitors in our military.

With everyone concerned about the budget deficit, the idea of cutting military spending is finally gaining traction on Capitol Hill.

General Stanley McChrystal retired with full honors while being lauded by the Secretary of Defense.

Feldpost für unsere Soldaten is a campaign recognizing the sacrifices of German soldiers fighting in Afghanistan.

The movie version of Captain America will dress like the flag but won’t be waving it.

Now we’re doubling down on the Karzai government.

Vice-President Biden glances into the future and sees a relatively good year for Democrats. Is he right ?

Will a debate over foreign policy tear apart the GOP ? Probably not.

There is an al Qaeda link to yesterday’s terrorist attack in Uganda.

Some people are saying that David Petraeus deserves promotion to a rank last held by Omar Bradley.

The Taliban have a new secret weapon: Monkey terrorist soldiers.

Is Ann Coulter’s defense of Michael Steele’s Afghan War skepticism the beginning of conservative split, or just an attempt to pile on President Obama ?

Topics include the continuing dismal state of the economy, including the lack of jobs and business investment. On the lighter side: Afghanistan.

It looks like we’ll have at least five more months of Michael Steele gaffes to look forward to.

The latest bad idea from some conservative pundits ? Sarah Palin for Chair of the Republican National Committee.

General Petraeus is in charge in Afghanistan! What exactly does this change?