Outside the Beltway

More stupid, irresponsible rhetoric from the President of the United States.

Just about two weeks after being announced, the President’s proposed ban on military service by transgender troops is being challenged in Court.

Another escalation on the Korean peninsula.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff are making clear that President Trump’s tweets are not official policy. At least not yet.

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

Sad news about a Washington stalwart.

Donald Trump seems to have an odd habit of sharing highly classified information with questionable people.

Lt. General Michael Flynn is declining to comply with a Congressional subpoena regarding the Russia investigation, and invoking his rights under the Fifth Amendment.

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

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.

North Korea is threatening another nuclear test, the United States is threatening retaliation, and China is warning of a ‘gathering storm’ on the Korean Peninsula.

It’s not at all clear that there is a useful strategy at work here.

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

Trump appears to undervaluing existing bureaucracies listening more to hacks and ideologues.

President Trump has issued a revised ban on travel from six predominantly Muslim nations.

A new Pentagon proposal would place more discretion in the hands of field commanders, removing the need for Presidential approval.

Reports indicate that President Trump will seek to increase military spending. We don’t need to, and we can’t really afford it.

There are growing signs that the Deep State is seeking to thwart legal orders from President Trump. This is dangerous.

Steve Bannon is in. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and Director of National Intelligence are out. Sort of.

As expected, Donald Trump yesterday signed Executive Orders targeting Muslims and refugees.

Delegating the morning briefing to advisors isn’t actually that unusual.

Three of the top four national security positions in Donald Trump’s Cabinet will be filled by retired Generals. This isn’t necessarily a good thing.

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

For Donald Trump, it appears that ignorance is bliss.

The United States and Russia have reached an agreement to end fighting in Syria, but it seems unlikely to succeed given that it doesn’t involve the parties actually doing the fighting.

President Obama’s ISIS policy has been far from perfect, but to call him a “Founder” of ISIS is to ignore both history and reality.

American forces will continue to stay in Afghanistan well after Barack Obama leaves office thanks to a new policy announced today.

Marines, especially female Marines, will be allowed to be heavier in the new year.

Unlike previous civil rights changes, this one came without much fanfare, fight, or even discussion.

The Senate has passed an amendment to a military spending bill that would require women to register for the draft.

President Obama’s visit to Hiroshima left just the impression it should have.

A journalistic legend has passed away just days after his retirement was officially announced.

A treasure trove of documents from a law firm in Panama could prove problematic for a large group of international leaders.

Given the stakes headed into the latest version of ‘Super Tuesday,’ last night’s Republican debate was surprisingly subdued.

My latest for RealClearDefense, “The Forgotten Veterans of Desert Storm,” has posted. The headline belies the argument.

The U.S. is poised to send troops to the front lines of yet another war we have no reason to be involved in.

The President has another plan to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. It’s as likely to be well-received on Capitol Hill as all of his other previous plans on this issue.

American forces will be deployed to a combat area in southern Afghanistan, reversing current policy and calling the President’s promised withdrawal date into even further doubt.

The Army Chief of Staff and Commandant of the Marine Corps told Congress that women should be required to register for the draft just like men are.

Get ready for an expansion of the war against ISIS into Libya, because it’s probably not far away.

New email headaches for Hillary Clinton, but it’s not clear what impact they will have on the race for President, if they have any impact at all.

Ten American sailors detained by Iranian forces late Tuesday were released early today, something that seems to clearly demonstrate the value of diplomacy.

Donald Trump’s plan to exclude Muslims from the United States is provoking condemnation, and confusion, around the world.

Tensions between Russia and Turkey remain high in the wake of yesterday’s incident, but there are some signs that things are starting to cool down.

Hillary Clinton’s recently announced policies toward the ISIS fight are as incoherent and misguided as President Obama’s and those of her Republican opponents.

Disturbing reports over the weekend that American leaders may not be getting the kind of unbiased intelligence analysis about ISIS that they need to make decisions.