Outside the Beltway

America’s involvement in the Israeli and Ukrainian war efforts is more than advertised.

Congress is doing something, at least.

“You can’t be against everything.”

A brilliant national security leader is gone too soon.

Another morale booster for the good guys.

The Army’s in a bind, because it’s way behind, and willing to make a deal.

Nobody even agrees on what baselines to use.

As American forces retreat, Russia and Turkey are dividing up northern Syria like,well,a turkey.

As if the situation in the Persian Gulf weren’t already tense enough, the Iranians shot down an American reconnaissance drone late yesterday

The legendary figure was in charge of strategic forecasting at the Pentagon for decades.

Donald Trump’s trade war is helping China expand its diplomatic influence.

Donald Trump’s vanity-seeking military parade has been postponed amid reports that the estimated cost has increased dramatically.

Seemingly out of nowhere yesterday, the Commander-in-Chief ordered the Pentagon to create a fifth service.

Of course Donald Trump wants a military parade, it would be consistent with his delusions of grandeur.

Early on the morning of Sept. 26, 1983, Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov helped to prevent the outbreak of nuclear war.

Once again, Congress is abdicating its Constitutional responsibilities.

The people who would most immediately be impacted by a war on the Korean peninsula don’t seem quite so concerned. Perhaps we should take a cue from them.

Another escalation on the Korean peninsula.

Another provocative move by North Korea.

South Korea has elected a new President who breaks with his impeached predecessor in favoring dialogue with the North.

South Korea removes a corrupt leader by peaceful means.

North Korea continues to advance its nuclear program but it’s unclear what anyone can do about it.

More saber rattling from Pyongyang.

Marco Rubio was the man in the cross hairs in last night’s Republican debate.

Chinese analysts are telling their American counterparts that North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is far more sophisticated than previously believed.

My latest for The National Interest, “Obama’s Paris Blunder: Part of a Much Bigger Problem,” has posted.

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

The next phase of Israel’s attack on Hamas has begun.

Yet another autiobiography invites public discussion about her accomplishments.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas appears to be heading in one unfortunate direction.

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

An attack on Iran’s nuclear program would be far more complicated than a one-off attack.

A new IAEA report may make an Israeli strike on Iran in the near future more likely than it has ever been.

Some troubling, sad, and downright puzzling stories

Mitt Romney’s confrontational approach to Russia makes no sense.

My first piece for the Christian Science Monitor, co-authored with my Atlantic Council collegue Barry Pavel, has been posted.

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

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

For a change, President Obama and not one the Republican contenders to replace him has gotten into trouble for accidentally speaking the truth.

To Republicans, even thinking about engaging in diplomacy is enough to accuse the President of appeasement.

Just a reminder: Turkey is a NATO ally.

We’re hearing the howls of a wounded bear.

The US-Israeli relationship is not one of equals.

James Franco is a film director, screenwriter, painter, author, performance artist and actor. And working on a PhD at Yale.