Outside the Beltway

My latest for The National Interest, “Hagel’s Three Questions,” ponders our national security decisionmaking.

So what, exactly, is going on in North Korea? And how should we respond to Kim’s bluster?

For the moment, Republicans appear to be blocking Chuck Hagel’s nomination to be Secretary of Defense but they don’t seem to know why they’re doing it.

Despite some tough questions, Congressional Republicans didn’t land a glove on Secretary of State Clinton.

My latest for The National Interest, “Obama Doctrine, Reagan Doctrine,” is out.

The notion that guns prevent tyranny is based on fantasy and movies, not reality.

Would a formal guarantee of Israel’s security deter Iran from whatever nuclear weapons development program it has?

Recent comments from Russian officials suggest that the nation may be preparing to cut its longtime ally loose.

After an independent investigation blasted State Department leadership for lax security in Benghazi, three officials have resigned.

People continue to spread conspiracy theories explaining the “real reason” that David Petraeus’s extra-marital affair became public.

If nothing else, the Petraeus affair is teaching us a valuable lesson in just how extensive the Surveillance State has become.

The scandal now surrounding David Petraeus should lead people to reassess his past record.

The David Petraeus/Paula Broadwell story gets curiouser.

A surprise Friday resignation at the CIA.

Without question, Barack Obama won the foreign policy debate in the 2012 campaign.

If we elected presidents by a national telephone survey using Gallup’s likely voter screen, Mitt Romney would be a happy man.

First in a series of posts looking at the substance of the final presidential debate, ostensibly about foreign policy.

Like the men who came before him, Barack Obama has vastly increased the powers of his office. Someone should have asked him about that last night.

The candidate’s meet for one last time tonight to talk about some of the most important issues in the world.

President Obama is keeping the conflict in Syria at arms length. That’s a good idea.

What’s the truth about last night’s debate exchange about Libya?

Last night’s debate was rough and tumble, but it’s unlikely to change the state of the race.

President Obama stopped the bleeding from the first debate.

Falling on the sword?

The worst elements among the Syrian rebels seem to be the ones getting the arms.

The argument that the United States should start assisting the rebellion in Syria has many flaws.

A round of finger pointing in the aftermath of the Benghazi attack.

Last night’s Vice-Presidential debate was combative, but is unlikely to have a major impact on the race for President.

One of Mitt Romney’s own supporters didn’t like his foreign policy speech very much.

The official narrative on the Benghazi consulate attack has changed again.

Mitt Romney’s speech at VMI today was billed as a major foreign policy address, but it was incredibly light on substance.