Outside the Beltway

Trump Job Approval Sinks Further

· Monday, May 18, 2026 · 13 comments

An unpopular war and sagging economy are driving down already low ratings.

The Toothless War Powers Resolution

· Friday, May 1, 2026 · 11 comments

What happens at the 60 day mark of the Iran War? Nothing.

Whither the World Order

· Monday, April 27, 2026 · 8 comments

A requiem for something lost.

Iran Declares Strait Open; Trump Says Thanks But No Thanks

· Friday, April 17, 2026 · 14 comments

We’ve switched roles.

The Veep, the Pope, and Just War Theory

· Wednesday, April 15, 2026 · 34 comments

Also, this Just In: WWII Was 80 Years Ago

President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.

Trump Approval at Historic Lows

· Saturday, April 4, 2026 · 8 comments

Only Nixon has been lower.

Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy A. George speaks during a transformation panel during the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) 2025 Annual Meeting & Exposition, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Oct. 15, 2025. AUSA provides attendees with insights into U.S. Army priorities, explore cutting-edge technologies, and engage in high-impact networking with key decision-makers. The theme this year is “Agile, Adaptive, Lethal: Winning at the Pace of Change.” Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy A. George speaks during a transformation panel during the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) 2025 Annual Meeting & Exposition, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Oct. 15, 2025. AUSA provides attendees with insights into U.S. Army priorities, explore cutting-edge technologies, and engage in high-impact networking with key decision-makers. The theme this year is “Agile, Adaptive, Lethal: Winning at the Pace of Change.”

Purge of Military Brass Continues

· Friday, April 3, 2026 · 12 comments

Undermining the professionalism of the officer corps.

Trump’s Iran Speech

· Thursday, April 2, 2026 · 21 comments

Nineteen minutes. Zero answers.

Iran War One Month In

· Saturday, March 28, 2026 · 17 comments

There’s still no strategy.

Trump Threatens to Obliterate Iranian POWER PLANTS

· Sunday, March 22, 2026 · 9 comments

STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST, naturally.

Robert Mueller, 1944-2026

· Sunday, March 22, 2026 · 2 comments

An American patriot is gone at 81.

Trump to Expand and/or End Iran War Soon

· Saturday, March 21, 2026 · 38 comments

The Art of the Deal in action.

Iranian Regime Consolidating, Cracking Down

· Tuesday, March 17, 2026 · 15 comments

The regime is not a -changin’.

Iran War: No End in Sight

· Friday, March 13, 2026 · 29 comments

Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine conduct a press briefing on Operation Epic Fury at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., March 10, 2026. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine conduct a press briefing on Operation Epic Fury at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., March 10, 2026.

Pentagon Killed Civilian Protection Program, Leading to Killing Civilians

· Wednesday, March 11, 2026 · 25 comments

Lethality.

Wars Have Consequences

· Saturday, March 7, 2026 · 19 comments

Oil prices are sharply up.

SaturTabs

· Saturday, March 7, 2026 · 6 comments

Unserious and Reprehensible

· Friday, March 6, 2026 · 39 comments

Memes, movies, TV shows, and actual war. One of these things is not like the other.

CIA Backing Kurdish Forces to Disrupt Iran

· Wednesday, March 4, 2026 · 23 comments

What could go wrong?

I’ll Have What Friedman is Smoking…

· Monday, March 2, 2026 · 21 comments

Are our columnists learning? (I think you know the answer).

On Regime Change

· Sunday, March 1, 2026 · 6 comments

What it is and isn’t. Some polisci basics.

Ali Khamenei's visit to the exhibition of achievements of the IRGC Aerospace Force 19 November 2023 Ali Khamenei's visit to the exhibition of achievements of the IRGC Aerospace Force 19 November 2023

The Ayatollah Is Dead. Now What?

· Sunday, March 1, 2026 · 11 comments

I’m sure there’s a plan for that.

Iran War Roundup

· Saturday, February 28, 2026 · 15 comments

Preliminary thoughts from several columnists.

We’re at War With Iran

· Saturday, February 28, 2026 · 30 comments

“Major combat operations” are underway.

President Donald Trump participates in the Board of Peace Charter Announcement and Signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum, Thursday, January 22, 2026, at the Davos Congress Center in Davos, Switzerland. President Donald Trump participates in the Board of Peace Charter Announcement and Signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum, Thursday, January 22, 2026, at the Davos Congress Center in Davos, Switzerland.

Trump Preparing For War With Iran

· Friday, February 20, 2026 · 27 comments

You’re going to be finding out over the next, maybe, 10 days. 10 to 15 days, pretty much, maximum.

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DC Grand Jury Refuses to Indict Over ‘Illegal Orders’ Video

· Wednesday, February 11, 2026 · 10 comments

An absurd matter has come to its rightful conclusion.

Just Following Orders

· Monday, January 5, 2026 · 12 comments

An oft-misunderstood legal principle.

U.S. Invades Venezuela, Captures President

· Saturday, January 3, 2026 · 28 comments

We’ve seen this movie before.

Walter Cronkite on Television During Ford-Carter Debate by Thomas J. O'Halloran, 1976 (LOC) Walter Cronkite on Television During Ford-Carter Debate by Thomas J. O'Halloran, 1976 (LOC)

A New Day at CBS News

· Friday, January 2, 2026 · 19 comments

Fewer lies! Fewer experts!

Some People Will Never Learn

· Wednesday, November 19, 2025 · 31 comments

Bret Stephens wants to oust Maduro in Venezuela.

Nancy Pelosi to Retire

· Friday, November 7, 2025 · 12 comments

The octogenarian Speaker Emerita will not seek re-election.

Dick Cheney, 1941-2025

· Tuesday, November 4, 2025 · 13 comments

The former Defense Secretary and Vice President is gone at 84.

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) transits the Atlantic Ocean, Feb. 3, 2020. Ford is underway conducting carrier qualifications. USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) transits the Atlantic Ocean, Feb. 3, 2020. Ford is underway conducting carrier qualifications.

We’re on the Verge of War With Venezuela (and Maybe Colombia)

· Saturday, October 25, 2025 · 27 comments

What could possibly go wrong?

In Front of Our Noses: “We’re going to kill them.”

· Friday, October 24, 2025 · 7 comments

How WWII Affects Contemporary Thinking

· Sunday, September 28, 2025 · 32 comments

Some musings on the wrong lessons from a major global event.

A picture of a file with hiv aids treatment written on the spine together with capsules, blood samples, syringe and an ECG chart. A picture of a file with hiv aids treatment written on the spine together with capsules, blood samples, syringe and an ECG chart.

Millions Will Die Unless US Aid Money is Replaced

· Saturday, July 12, 2025 · 21 comments

A dire warning from the UN.

photo of writing, hand, number, love, finger, pink, note, brand, text, message, organ, list, emotion, embassy, sense, arguments, on the other hand photo of writing, hand, number, love, finger, pink, note, brand, text, message, organ, list, emotion, embassy, sense, arguments, on the other hand

In Defense of Throat Clearing

· Wednesday, July 9, 2025 · 31 comments

It’s bad writing, but a necessary evil.

The free high-resolution photo of light, night, texture, sparkler, firework, celebration, sign, symbol, flag, usa, holiday, fire, freedom, black, festive, celebrate, explode, memorial, july, american, fun, patriot, gold, illustration, happy, year, stars, party, new, day, united, labor, 4th, independence, fourth, states, patriotic, sparkles , taken with an Canon EOS 5D Mark II 03/10 2017 The picture taken with 35.0mm, f/1.6s, 1/30s, ISO 400 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. The free high-resolution photo of light, night, texture, sparkler, firework, celebration, sign, symbol, flag, usa, holiday, fire, freedom, black, festive, celebrate, explode, memorial, july, american, fun, patriot, gold, illustration, happy, year, stars, party, new, day, united, labor, 4th, independence, fourth, states, patriotic, sparkles , taken with an Canon EOS 5D Mark II 03/10 2017 The picture taken with 35.0mm, f/1.6s, 1/30s, ISO 400 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0.

American Patriotism at 250

· Monday, June 30, 2025 · 54 comments

This ain’t 1976.

Ceasefire in Iran War

· Tuesday, June 24, 2025 · 34 comments

This phase seems to be over. [Or maybe not!]

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the situation room during the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the situation room during the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites.

U.S. Bombs Three Iranian Nuke Sites

· Sunday, June 22, 2025 · 33 comments

The war is on.

Why Might Iran Want a Nuke?

· Saturday, June 21, 2025 · 34 comments

Is dropping it on Israel the most likely reason?

Israel-Iran War: What’s the End State?

· Saturday, June 21, 2025 · 39 comments

Thinking about possible outcomes.

Trump Has Approved Iran War Plans

· Thursday, June 19, 2025 · 35 comments

Whatever that means.

Right Wing Media On Iran In 2025 Sounds A Lot Like It Did On Iraq In 2002/3

· Wednesday, June 18, 2025 · 33 comments

We’re officially past rhyming and into history (or at least rhetoric) repeating.

Regime Change in Iran

· Monday, June 16, 2025 · 34 comments

Trump and Netanyahu do not see eye to eye on the matter.

Israel May Attack Iran Soon

· Thursday, June 12, 2025 · 28 comments

A major escalation in Middle East tensions is forecast.

American Exceptionalism

· Sunday, April 13, 2025 · 38 comments

USA! USA! USA!

X/itter Reacts To The Tariffs

· Thursday, April 3, 2025 · 11 comments

It’s like tab clearing, but for those with no attention spa… squirrel!

‘The Economic Version of the Iraq War’

· Thursday, April 3, 2025 · 46 comments

We are about to find out the degree to which trade wars are good and easy to win.

US Abandons Ukraine, Ruptures Atlantic Alliance

· Monday, February 24, 2025 · 28 comments

A shocking but completely unsurprising development.

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