Military Lets Troops Wear Uniforms for Gay Pride Parade

In a stunning reversal of policy, DOD is allowing soldiers to march in a gay pride parade in uniform.

200 Years Ago Today, America’s First War Begins

Two centuries ago, a war that makes less and less sense with the passage of time began.

Personal Fitness Infomercials

Physical fitness and weight loss infomercials have gone from promising ease to promising a grueling challenge. What happened?

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Diplomacy By Other Means Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

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?

SEALs Swift Boating Obama?

Some Navy SEALs are weighing in on the brouhaha.

How Risky Was the Osama bin Laden Raid?

We seldom blame presidents for bold actions that go wrong. We despise them for appearing weak and indecisive.

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.

USS Harvey Milk?

Should the United States Navy name a ship after martyred gay activist Harvey Milk? This is not a rhetorical question.

Ensign Chuck Hord, Lost at Sea

The story of Ensign Chuck Lord may be the greatest—or perhaps only—prank in Pentagon art history

Marine Sergeant Booted For Anti-Obama Facebook Comments

Marine Sergeant Gary Stein will soon be free to criticize the commander-in-chief all he wants. As a civilian.

The Consequences Of Attacking Iran

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

Captain Carroll LeFon, Neptunus Lex, Killed in Crash

Carrol LeFon, better known on the Internet as Neptunus Lex, one of the original milbloggers, has been killed in a fighter jet crash.

Mitt Romney Is Not Convincing Me

Mitt Romney outlines his plan for dealing with Iran.

Mitt Romney’s Misleading Claims About The United States Navy

Mitt Romney is making claims about Naval readiness that are, at best, misleading.

Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, And Serving Your Country

When did serving your country become something political opponents attacked you for?

UK Defense Secretary Tough on Iran, Tougher on Europe

Philip Hammond addressed the Atlantic Council this morning in advance of a meeting with Leon Panetta.

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.

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.

The Other Jobs Crisis

You’d think that in today’s world employers wouldn’t have trouble finding qualified employees. You’d be wrong.

Russia on Combat Alert over NATO Missile Defense

We’re hearing the howls of a wounded bear.

Fixing the Army (By Ruining It)

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

Herman Cain Won’t Be President and That’s a Very Good Thing

The former pizza executive is a smart guy. But he’s not fit to run the country.

American War Dead Dumped in Landfill

The remains of US servicemen killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were thrown out with the trash.

The Costs Of Attacking Iran

An attack against Iran’s nuclear weapons research facility won’t be an easy thing.

Defense and State Reining in CIA Drone War

The CIA’s drone war in Pakistan has gotten so out of hand that the Pentagon and State Department are reigning it in.

Wars and Rumors Of Wars

It’s time for another round of speculation about Iran and its nuclear program.

Army Ranger Killed on 14th War Deployment

SFC Kristoffer Bryan Domeij was killed in action in Afghanistan Saturday, on his fourteenth combat tour.

The USA and the LRA

This is looking less crazy, less sudden, and less an exercise in presidential whimsy than it seemed.