John Ratcliffe

Why Europe Isn’t Ready for NATO 3.0

US retrenchment from Europe, even if premised on European burden-sharing, will expose the continent to Russian aggression.

Stalled in Ukraine, Putin may try to break NATO

Dwight Eisenhower is said to have counseled that if a problem can’t be solved, you should enlarge it.  Is Vladimir Putin now applying that maxim perversely? I’ll bet you a ruble the CIA...

Germany is stepping up on defense — and Washington should celebrate

The Pentagon’s review of U.S. force posture in Europe has many NATO allies asking questions about the future of America’s military footprint on the continent, even as CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled...

Putin is testing NATO because he thinks the West will flinch

CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow this week comes as U.S. intelligence warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be prepared to escalate against...

Putin’s Knee-Jerk Nuclear Saber-Rattling

This week the Kremlin is signaling that further escalation remains on the table, with some Russian officials reportedly discussing nuclear weapons as a last resort, Bloomberg reports. The...

How Putin’s Black Sea food fight puts the world — and your grocery bill — at risk

The oil war in the Black Sea between Russia and Ukraine is turning into a food fight — with potentially disastrous implications. Moscow, fuming at strikes on its “shadow fleet” of sanctions-evading...

Farewell Fidelismo?  

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

Reported U.S. Intelligence Notes Threat From Cuba’s Russian and Iranian Drone Stockpile

Latest Developments Cuba Reportedly Acquired 300 Drones, Is Eyeing U.S. Targets: Cuba has reportedly procured some 300 military drones and discussed using them against possible U.S. targets, including...

Oversights Mar Low-End Estimate of Tehran’s Nuclear Weapons Timeline

U.S. intelligence assessments have concluded that Iran is now 9 to12 months away from being able to build a nuclear weapon, according to a Reuters report. Taken at face value, the report would indicate...

Trump’s 15-point Iran truce plan would let one terrifying threat slide

Four weeks after the United States and Israel launched their combined assault on Iran’s clerical regime, the war has reached a tipping point. Over the last few days, President Donald Trump has spoken...

The case for wars of choice 

The alternative is wars with our backs against the wall

Are Nuclear Tests Back?

Clarity is key on most issues relating to nuclear weapons, and testing them is no exception.

The media’s misleading message

Trump and Hegseth’s complaints are justified

The Dangers of Iran’s Cyber Ambitions

Decoding the CCP: BRI means Bribery and Repression Initiative

If we let the CCP get into our heads and shape our language, we are letting it shape our thoughts, which shape our actions.

Is Beijing Planning a Rob, Replicate, Replace Olympics?

The Olympics delivers to China’s door some of the most genetically blessed people on the planet. A February 2021 report by the US’ National Counterintelligence and Security Center described China’s...

Athletes have good reason to beware Xi Jinping’s Beijing Winter Olympics

There are growing calls to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing or to ­relocate the event to a different nation. It isn’t hard to see why, given China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, horrific...