Donald Trump's Libertarian Christmas?: Podcast
Reason editors' best and worst moments of 2018, including the president's welcome and long-overdue drawdown from Afghanistan
Military
Bringing Troops Home From Syria and Afghanistan Also Brings Fits of Bipartisan Rage: Reason Roundup
Plus: United Nations goes to bat for Julian Assange and Slack censors chat with Iranians.
It Looks Like Trump Is About to Pull the U.S. Out of Afghanistan, Too
After announcing draw-down from Syria, the president may be seriously contemplating getting out of Afghanistan as well.
'We've Beaten [ISIS]…Now, It's Time for our Troops To Come Back Home'
Donald Trump explains his decision to withdraw from Syria directly to the American people.
The Pentagon's Serial Waste and Shoddy Accounting Don't Preclude It From Getting More Money, Apparently
Defense budgeting should be a strategy debate, not a rubber stamp for higher spending
More Drones, More Bombs, More Deaths—Our Machine of Military Intervention Grinds On
A soldier died in Afghanistan over the Thanksgiving holiday. Why are we still there?
The Military Is 'Securing' a 1,900-Mile Border with 22 Miles of Razor Wire
"Operation Faithful Patriot" is nothing more than a very expensive, politically motivated P.R. campaign.
The Pentagon Fails Its First Comprehensive Audit
According to Deputy Secretary Patrick Shanahan, no one expected it to pass anyway.
First Full Year of Trump-Run Foreign Policy Sees Record Number of Bombs Dropped on Afghanistan
Both casualties and expenses are rising.
Trump's Military Parade Would Have Been Foolish, Expensive, Authoritarian. Canceling It Was the Right Move.
There will be no military parade today. There shouldn't be one any other day, either.
Deploying Troops to the Border Is Expensive and Unnecessary, but at Least They're 'Getting Training Out of' It
"Training" is not a good enough justification for spending $200 million to send 8,000 troops to the border.
Space Force: The Real Loser From Yesterday's Election Results?
If the Space Force goes down before it ever got up on its feet, that's probably for the best.
Pentagon Reportedly Admits Migrant Caravan Doesn't Pose Threat, Might Still Spend $220 Million to Stop It
Trump can probably find someone better to set up barbed wire fences on the border.
Nigerian Army Justifies Killing Protesters With Trump Video on Stone-Throwing Migrants
Trump's comments are not the same as the Nigerian Army's actions. But regardless of the nation, shooting protesters is bad.
Despite $900 Billion Spent and 2,400 U.S. Lives Lost, Afghanistan Continues to Deteriorate
The government's Afghanistan watchdog releases sobering report on the progress of the war.
Let's Not Treat Koch's Libertarian Opposition to U.S. Military Action in Yemen as 'Unexpected'
Can we stop being surprised (or pretending to be surprised) at well-established critiques of interventionism?
The Air Force Spent Over $300,000 on 391 Special Coffee Mugs
As it turns out, the 3D-printed solution costs 50 cents
Data Showing Navy's Poor Aviation Safety Record Disappears From Website
If the Navy wants people to trust that it's taking steps to be better, less transparency isn't going to help.
NASA Administrator: We Need a Space Force to Save Energy Grid From 'Existential Threat'
Is another bureaucracy really going to solve the problem?
John McCain, the Senate's Most Influential Hawk, Is Dead
The late Arizona senator's relentless energy and patriotic sense of honor led him to heroic acts of defiance, but also misguided support for disastrous foreign interventions.
Trump Suggests Buying More Jet Fighters With Money Saved By Postponing Military Parade
Trump says it's D.C. politicians' fault his military parade got postponed. But at least now we can afford more jet fighters!
Trump's Ridiculous Military Parade Is Already Three Times Over Budget
Which is actually not too bad by Pentagon standards.
Trump Signs $82 Billion Spending Boost for Pentagon
"It was not very hard" to get the spending bill through Congress, Trump said. And he's definitely right about that.
Trump Administration Presses Ahead With Space Force His Own Defense Advisers Say Is a Terrible Idea
A new military service focused on space would be a burden on both taxpayers and the private space industry.
Pentagon Moves Forward With Space Force, Though Congress Hasn't Approved It Yet
The Pentagon can't create an entirely new branch of the military on its own. But it's moving forward where it can.
Neil deGrasse Tyson: We Need a Space Force to Protect the Earth From Asteroids
The famed astrophysicist thinks a lot of people are only against the Space Force because it was Trump's idea.
Trump Ignores Critics, Claims 'Everyone Is Very Excited' About Space Force
In Trump's world, "everyone" is absolutely thrilled about his widely criticized plans to establish an entirely new branch of the U.S. military.
Senators Demand an Explanation After the F-35 Savings Estimate Is Off By $600 Million
The Senate asks the Pentagon's F-35 program to explain its sizable discrepancy in savings estimates.
Rep. Justin Amash Calls Out House Republicans for Passing 'Massively Wasteful' $675 Billion Defense Bill
Amash was one of just three House Republicans to vote against the spending bill.
'Only One Person' Wants This Insane, Budgetless Military Parade
Pentagon officials are dragging their feet as they begin planning the military parade ordered by President Trump.
The Senate Just Gave the Pentagon an $82 Billion Boost. That's More Money Than Russia's Entire Military Budget.
Democrats will oppose anything Trump wants, unless it's more money for the Pentagon.
A New Draft: "Adjudication Outside Article III"
A new draft article on so-called "non-Article III courts" with implications for the pending case of Dalmazzi v. United States.
The U.S. Military Says It Killed About 500 Civilians Last Year. Outside Groups Put the Count Far Higher.
A lot of people are dying in unauthorized wars.
PBS Lets Vets Themselves Describe Life Inside the War Machine
Documentaries for Memorial Day focus on the troops' experiences.
Pulling Out of the Iran Deal Could Endanger U.S. Troops
Iran has the ability, and now the incentive, to wreak havoc on Americans and American objectives in neighboring Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Trump Administration Is Not Bothering to Estimate Civilian Drone Deaths
Obama's shamefully weak stab at transparency has been abandoned.
Senators Respond to Trump's Unauthorized Military Strike on Syria by Trying to Give Him Even More War Powers
This new proposed bipartisan authorization seems more like a blank check for war.
Trump's Second Attempt to Ban Transgender Troops Lets Those Currently Serving Stay
For any transgender person attempt to enlist, though, it's a new version of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
'Peace Through Strength' Is a Racket
The way to achieve peace is not to prepare for war but to reject militarism and empire, and embrace nonintervention.
One Pentagon Agency Lost Track of $800 Million—But Now We're Spending Even More on Defense
Because national defense is our government's top priority, Pentagon spending demands close scrutiny
Let's Go Ahead and Have a Military Parade in Washington, but Declare Victory in the War on Terror First
Trump wants to outdo the Bastille Day festivities in Paris.
Damning Audit Says Pentagon Cannot Account for $800 Million
Meanwhile, Trump and congressional Republicans want to remove spending caps for the Defense Department.
