Does A President’s Cabinet Even Matter Anymore?

The President’s Cabinet is less a Team Of Rivals and more a Team Of Managers.

Russia And Syria: More Than Meets The Eye

The factors influencing Russian policy in Syria are many, and some of them are quite ancient.

Romney and the Military

Romney comes down firmly on the guns side of guns and butter.

Does It Matter If A Presidential Candidate Never Served In The Military?

For the first time in 68 years, neither major party candidate for President has served in the military. Does this matter?

Romney Campaign Warns Of Soviet Threat To Czechoslovakia

Does the Romney campaign know the USSR doesn’t exist anymore? Of course they do, but the language they use still means something.

Russia Our “Number One Foe”?

Mitt Romney called Russia our “number one geopolitical foe.” Is he right?

The Consequences Of Attacking Iran

An attack on Iran is likely to unleash consequences that we are unprepared to deal with.

No, It’s Not Martial Law, It’s Preparedness

No, the Obama Administration is not plotting to nationalize the economy in the name of some “national emergency.”

Romney, Reagan, and Republican Fairy Tales Redux

There are all manner of myths that are held by supporters of both parties. Debunking them is not the role for presidential aspirants.

A Flawed Legal Argument

Peter Berkowitz has presented a flawed legal argument for attacking Iran.

Santorum’s Gospel Of Doom And Gloom

Rick Santorum’s stump speeches have becoming increasingly dark.

Republican Senators Leading Effort To Halt Automatic Pentagon Cuts

Not surprisingly, Republicans are trying to reverse the automatic cuts to defense spending agreed to in August.

What Newt Gingrich Really Thought Of Ronald Reagan

He may be praising Ronald Reagan now, but Newt Gingrich was singing a different tune in the 1980s.

Army Officer Promotion Rates Returning to Normal

The US Army is returning to a peacetime mindset, which means promotions will cease to be automatic for anyone willing to endure service.

Obama’s Defense Cuts: 1992 All Over Again

President Obama’s Pentagon is planning for an unlikely war with China rather than the small wars America will inevitably fight.

Rick Santorum’s Disturbing Foreign Policy Vision

Rick Santorum’s foreign policy positions are troubling in many respects.

National Guard Gets Joint Chiefs of Staff Slot For No Apparent Reason

Despite the opposition of the SECDEF and Joint Chiefs, the latter expanded yesterday.

Unless You’re In The Military, The President Is Not Your Commander In Chief

Many people seem to have a rather inappropriate view of their relationship to the President of the United States.

Mikhail Gorbachev: The World Would Be Better If The USSR Was Still Around

Not surprisingly, the last man to lead the Soviet Union believes we’d be better off if it still existed.

Newt Gingrich, You’re No Ronald Reagan

Like many Republicans before him, Newt Gingrich is trying to claim the mantle of Reagan. He is the one least entitled to it.

Gingrich Takes Fire At Iowa Debate, Romney Misfires

This time, it was Newt Gingrich who walked away unscathed from a Republican Presidential debate.

The Truth About The Coming “Cuts” To Defense Spending

Don’t believe the fear mongering about the coming decreases in the growth of defense spending.

Could Gingrich Win The GOP Nomination?

Could Newt Gingrich really become the Republican nominee? Stranger things have happened.

Republican Foreign Policy Debate Post-Mortem

I liveblogged and tweeted my instant, mostly snarky, reaction to the CNN foreign policy debate. Here are some more fully formed thoughts.

With Super Committee Dead, Showdown Likely Over Defense Cuts

With the Super Committee dead, 2012 is likely to see a fight over the defense cuts set to take place starting in 2013.

What Went Wrong With The GOP

How did Republicans get in this mess?

Obama’s Second Term

“Democratic” pollsters Pat Caddell and Doug Schoen argue that President Obama should decline to run for re-election.

Police Violence and Perpetual War

Why we shouldn’t be surprised that police are using tools of violence against protestors.

Fixing the Army (By Ruining It)

Thomas Ricks posts several recommendations for fixing the Army. Most of them are really, really stupid.

Foreign Policy Mostly Missing From Republican Race

The Republican candidates for President have been mostly silent about foreign policy issues. That changes starting tonight.

Class War Within a Class War

It’s the 5% versus the 1% moreso than the 99% against the 1%.

Clark Clifford Republicans

Have Republicans been co-opted by the Big Government they claim to hate?

When It Comes To Foreign Policy, Herman Cain Is Dangerously Clueless

Herman Cain’s foreign policy consists of little more than deliberate ignorance.

The Inevitable “Third Party” Debate Returns

Like clockwork, the arguments for creation of a third party are popping up again.

Military Retirement Debate: Fairness, Sustainability, and Incentives

Debating proposed changes to the US military’s retirement system.

What’s Wrong With Our Government

When the old rules don’t apply anymore, the system breaks down.

Fact Checking Mitt Romney’s Claim That the President Has “Apologized For America”

During last night’s debate, Mitt Romney repeated a charge that has become part of the conservative zeitgeist. But is it true?

Poll: Americans Say Asia More Important To U.S. Interests Than Europe

A new poll shows that Americans are starting to look East.

Bachmann and the Soviet Union

Does Bachmann think the USSR is on the rise? I expect not, but her defense and fiscal policy skills still need some work.

“The Most Pivotal Time In American History,” Or The Least?

Examining the impact of current events requires stepping back from them just a little bit.

China, US Debt, and Power

Joseph Nye explains why China’s “demand the United States address its structural debt problems and ensure the safety of China’s dollar assets” is really just talk.

Are The Good Times Really Over For Good?

Watching the news and reading the op-eds makes it clear: America is doomed.

Mark Hatfield Dead at 89

Former Oregon governor and long-time US Senator Mark Hatfield has died.

Fight Brewing Over Defense Cuts

The defense spending lobby is already engaging in fear-mongering over very modest defense cuts.

Debt Deal Reveals GOP Split On Defense Spending

The cuts to Pentagon spending in the new debt deal are further revealing a split in the GOP over foreign policy and military spending.

How did we get to Trillion Dollar Deficits?

It is always useful to go inside the numbers.