National Security

Putin at desk

Will Russia Leave the West? Will Russia Leave the West?

The new Cold War could drive the planet’s largest country, long anchored politically in both geopolitical worlds, eastward to stay.

Sep 13, 2017 / Stephen F. Cohen

Trump at Andrews Air Force Base

The ‘World’s Greatest Military’ Is Indeed Great—at Defeating Itself The ‘World’s Greatest Military’ Is Indeed Great—at Defeating Itself

American forces seek to dominate everywhere, but they win decisively nowhere.

Sep 12, 2017 / William J. Astore

Soldiers Mourn

What Are American Soldiers Actually Dying For? What Are American Soldiers Actually Dying For?

It’s time to reconsider whether the United States is really a force for good in the Middle East.

Sep 7, 2017 / Danny Sjursen

Putin at desk

Does Putin Really Want to ‘Destabilize the West’? Does Putin Really Want to ‘Destabilize the West’?

Just as there is no forensic evidence of a Kremlin “attack on our democracy” in 2016, there is no political logic for Putin’s alleged motives.

Sep 6, 2017 / Stephen F. Cohen

North Korea missile

Diplomacy With North Korea Has Worked Before, and Can Work Again Diplomacy With North Korea Has Worked Before, and Can Work Again

The war hawks are wrong when they say that past negotiations, like the 1994 Agreed Framework, didn’t make a difference.

Sep 5, 2017 / Tim Shorrock

DNC HQ

A Leak or a Hack? A Forum on the VIPS Memo A Leak or a Hack? A Forum on the VIPS Memo

A letter from dissenting members of VIPS, a reply from VIPS, and the results of our independent review.

Sep 1, 2017 / no-paywall / Various Contributors

Gorbachev Reagan Bush

The Lost Alternatives of Mikhail Gorbachev The Lost Alternatives of Mikhail Gorbachev

Thirty years ago, the last Soviet leader gave the world the possibilities of a democratic Russia and (with Ronald Reagan) an end to Cold War and nuclear arms races. Today, it is as...

Aug 24, 2017 / Stephen F. Cohen

DHS Twitter Account

Trump’s Border Security May Search Your Social Media by ‘Tone’ Trump’s Border Security May Search Your Social Media by ‘Tone’

New databases are being built for this experimental surveillance.

Aug 23, 2017 / Aaron Miguel Cantú and George Joseph

Anti-Nuclear War Demonstration

The Only Sensible Way Out of the North Korea Crisis The Only Sensible Way Out of the North Korea Crisis

In a dual freeze, Pyongyang would cease missile tests in exchange for a moratorium on Washington’s massive war games.

Aug 23, 2017 / Editorial / Tim Shorrock

Cuban missile crisis

What the Cuban Missile Crisis Can Teach Us About the North Korean Missile Crisis What the Cuban Missile Crisis Can Teach Us About the North Korean Missile Crisis

To avoid catastrophe, Kennedy turned to diplomacy. Trump would be wise to do the same.

Aug 23, 2017 / Martin J. Sherwin

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