Cold War

October 21, 2026 | Clifford D. May |

A letter to the POTUS 

Why you should be the Leader of the Free World

October 15, 2026 | Logan Rolleigh, Ryan Brobst, Jordan Ross

Washington’s Counter-Mine Wakeup Call

The Islamic Republic of Iran delivered a wakeup call to the U.S. Navy regarding the service’s ability to clear mines. The still-contested Strait of Hormuz demonstrates that mine clearing under fire is...

October 14, 2026 | Ivana Stradner, RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

Is Russia playing deadly games with the plague? Look to its history.

Excerpt One of the greatest scourges the world has ever known is in recent headlines: the Plague. A technician at Russia’s Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute has died of “pneumonia of unknown...

September 28, 2026 | Jiwon Ma |

Strengthening NATO Through Military Mobility and Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity

September 17, 2026 | Ahmad Sharawi, Justin Leopold-Cohen

Syria’s military is rebuilding, but foreign influence may slow security progress

Foreign influence in the Syrian military, chiefly Turkish and Russian, combined with the continued presence of extremist elements within its ranks, will constrain Damascus’s ability to take steps consistent...

September 17, 2026 | Hussain Abdul-Hussain |

Saudi Arabia Picked a Fight With the Two Nations That Could Help It the Most Against the Houthis — Israel and the UAE

Riyadh is running out of options, and more importantly, it is running out of time.  In less than two weeks, Iran and its proxy militia in Yemen have effectively checkmated Saudi Arabia by severing...

September 10, 2026 | Richard Goldberg, Ben Cohen, Joe Dougherty

Previewing the 2026 UN General Assembly

September 9, 2026 | Edmund Fitton-Brown |

Post-9/11 Lessons — We Overlooked Festering Geostrategic Issues

As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, it is important to reflect on the historic significance of that atrocity and on the lessons we have drawn and should draw from it. The 20 years that followed...

August 21, 2026 | Clifford D. May, Joby Warrick

Joby Warrick resurrects Carlos the Jackal

August 12, 2026 | Clifford D. May |

Islamism 101

America’s leaders refuse to do their homework

August 6, 2026 | Elizabeth Robbins |

Why Congress Should Tear Down USAGM’s Firewall

As US adversaries clog global airwaves, US-funded media should advance US interests around the world.

August 5, 2026 | Ivana Stradner, Camille Roussel

Russia Is Back to Banning Books

Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time,” Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando,” and Stephen King’s “It.” These are just a few victims of book purges happening all over Russia. Every...

August 5, 2026 | Clifford D. May |

The Axis of Aggressors vs. America

During the Cold War, the U.S. had only one major enemy – now we have four

July 21, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Washington Is Starting to Treat Syria and Iraq as One Policy

In recent weeks, Syria and Iraq have positioned themselves to be key players in a new Middle Eastern order. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was in Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump...

July 11, 2026 | Bradley Bowman |

Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 — and we must do the same

The consequences of the NATO summit that concluded Wednesday in Ankara will be determined primarily by two questions: Will Europeans step up to honor their defense-spending commitments and carry more of...

June 30, 2026 | RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery |

A Strategy for Winning the Cold War: NSC-68

In April 1950 President Harry Truman produced his seminal national security document, and one of the most consequential strategic documents in American history—NSC-68. This National Security Council...

June 23, 2026 | Emmerson Overell |

Fly Me to the Moon: 4 Ways Artemis Builds on Apollo’s Giant Leap

The last time Americans walked on the lunar surface, the Soviet Union was the enemy and a flag plant was the finish line. Today’s competition bears little resemblance to the Cold War space race that...

June 19, 2026 | Keith Self, RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

You Can’t Deter China by Ignoring Europe

The stronger and more united NATO remains, the less incentive Beijing will have to test American resolve elsewhere.

June 15, 2026 | Ben Cohen |

Can US Engagement Rescue the United Nations From Irrelevance?

The next UN leader will take office at a time when the international body is experiencing an unprecedented crisis of purpose.

May 27, 2026 | Clifford D. May

Farewell Fidelismo?  

Trump has a chance to liberate the Cuban people – and others