Outside the Beltway

America has become involved in conflicts around the world, largely without the knowledge of the American people or the consent of their representatives, and it doesn’t appear that’s going to end anytime soon.

White House Chief Of Staff John Kelly publicly defended the President’s call to a military widow yesterday, but he got several facts wrong in the process.

The capital of the purported caliphate declared by ISIS has apparently fallen, but that doesn’t mean the end of ISIS. In fact, it may make the group more dangerous.

President Trump sinks even lower.

Now Donald Trump is using the death of American soldiers to tell lies about his predecessor.

The Bergdahl case comes to an end.

In a marked departure from previous American Presidents, Donald Trump delivered a highly belligerent speech to the U.N. General Assembly.

America’s longest war seems likely to soon turn into America’s never-ending war.

Once again, Congress is abdicating its Constitutional responsibilities.

Arguments advanced by those advocating a bill that would prevent Americans from participating in a boycott of Israel would not violate the First Amendment appear to be without merit.

Donald Trump gave a campaign-style speech in Phoenix last night and reminded us of everything that’s wrong with him.

President Trump’s Afghanistan policy sounds awfully familiar, and it’s likely to lead to the same results.

The Daily Caller crosses a line and doesn’t seem to regret it.

Based on initial reports, Trump’s Afghanistan policy looks a lot like what we’ve seen for the past sixteen years.

The First Amendment protects the rights even of the people who gathered in Charlottesville to promote hatred and violence, However, it does not shield them from the consequences of that speech.

Another one bites the dust.

Vice-President Pence is advocating the admission of Georgia into NATO. That would be a bad idea.

A step backward on civil rights from a President who claimed he would be a friend to the LGBT community.

Donald Trump’s first overseas trip went about as badly as you’d expect it would.

A legendary statesman has passed.

A night of carnage and depravity in the United Kingdom.

America’s longest war is still going on, and President Trump’s advisers want him to continue his predecessor’s policies of continuing to re-expand American forces in a war that has seemingly no end.

As he nears the end of his first 100 days in office, President Trump continues to suffer from bad poll numbers.

A majority of Americans support last week’s airstrikes in Syria but are skeptical of any expansion beyond that.

Despite American air strikes, ISIS is expanding its power amid the chaos in Libya.

Just about two months into office, Donald Trump’s job approval number are worse than any newly elected President since World War II.

Hawaii is the first state to challenge the Trump Administration’s revised Muslim travel ban.

My latest is out at RealClearDefense.

A military judge has rejected a motion to dismiss the case against Bowe Bergdahl based on comments made by Donald Trump when he was a candidate for President.

Budget hawks in the GOP face a showdown with Donald Trump’s spending ambitions this year that will likely decide whether we’ll ever get spending under control.

Could Donald Trump’s comments about Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl on the campaign trail lead to the case against Bergdahl being dismissed? A military judge will have to decide.

With two votes last night, President Trump’s Cabinet is coming together.

In a closer than normal vote for the position, Rex Tillerson has been confirmed as Secretary of State.

The 117 CIA officers who have died in our service should not be used to score cheap political points.

A potentially controversial commutation from President Obama today.

I’m in the New York Times’ “Room for Debate” with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Duke’s Peter Feaver.

While it seems a strange choice at first blush, it’s a good one.

Even if you’re not sure who you should vote for, it’s obvious who you shouldn’t vote for.

According to reports, Vice-President Biden is on a Clinton campaign short list for Secretary of State.

Donald Trump appears to be pushing voters from America’s fastest growing minority group into the Democratic camp.

Just about two days after setting off bombs in New Jersey and New York City, a suspect is in custody.

The sense of national ‘unity’ that existed in the wake of the September 11th attacks didn’t last for very long.

Athletes are sitting out the Star Spangled Banner to air their grievances. Management is pushing back.

My latest for War on the Rocks.

President Obama will leave office as the first two term President who presided over eight years of war. It didn’t start with him and it won’t end with him.