Defending the Summary Execution of Suspected Drug Smugglers, Trump Declares an 'Armed Conflict'
The president thinks he can transform murder into self-defense by executive fiat.
National Defense
Trump Calls His Drone Strike on an Alleged Drug Boat 'Self-Defense.' It Looks More Like Murder.
Equating drug trafficking with armed aggression, the president asserts the authority to kill anyone he perceives as a threat to "our most vital national interests."
Trump's 'Department of War' Rebrand Might Be His Most Honest Move Yet
A billion-dollar rebrand won’t change the fact that defense hasn’t meant defense in decades.
The GAIN AI Act Looks More Like Protectionism Than National Security
Tucked into the defense bill, the GAIN AI Act would force Nvidia and other firms to prioritize domestic sales at the cost of global competitiveness.
Parades Are Great, but We Shouldn't Venerate the Military
America’s founders were deeply suspicious of a standing army.
The Pentagon Is Getting $150 Billion From the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Giving the Defense Department even more taxpayer money is a recipe for waste, not security.
Pete Hegseth's Carelessness and Dishonesty Mirror Hillary Clinton's
The defense secretary, who shared information about imminent U.S. air strikes in a manifestly insecure group chat, thought Clinton should be prosecuted for her careless handling of sensitive information.
The Bipartisan War on Elbridge Colby
Hawks from both major parties lashed out at the confirmation hearing for Trump’s nominee for top military strategist.
U.S. Tells Europe To Handle Its Own Defense
The U.S. is no longer willing to subsidize prosperous countries that won’t defend themselves.
Did the U.S. Provoke Russia's Invasion of Ukraine?
Antiwar.com's Scott Horton and The Free Press's Eli Lake debate U.S. foreign policy and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Pentagon Keeps Losing Equipment and Buying Stuff It Doesn't Need
How the U.S. military busts its budget on wasteful, careless, and unnecessary 'self-licking ice cream cones.'
The National Debt Is Crossing an Ominous Line
The U.S. has successfully navigated past debt challenges, notably in the 1990s. Policymakers can fix this if they find the will to do so.
The National Debt Is Now So High That Every American Essentially Owes $100,000
We could grow our way out of our debt burden if politicians would limit spending increases to just below America's average yearly economic growth. But they won't even do that.
Opposition to U.S. Steel Sale Shows How Similar Biden and Trump Are on Trade
Economic nationalists are claiming the deal endangers "national security" to convince Americans that a good deal for investors, employees, and the U.S. economy will somehow make America less secure. That's nonsense.
Trump Had a Point About NATO Free-Riding Off American Defense
It’s true that the U.S. pays too much of the continent’s defense bills even as it’s going broke.
Weapons for Christmas
Plus: Elon Musk's mom tells off the FCC, A24 tackles civil war, Nate Silver talks F.A. Hayek, and more...
Pentagon Fails Sixth Audit in a Row
Though federal law has required annual financial reports, the Department of Defense simply did not complete them until 2018. It has since failed each year.
Americans Learned a Lesson About Interest Rates. Washington Has Not.
Higher rates lead to more debt, and more debt begets higher rates, and on and on. Get the picture?
Senators Want To Declare Fentanyl a National Security Threat
Plus: SCOTUS won't hear Reddit sex trafficking case, debt deal would increase spending on SNAP benefits, and more...
Neither the Constitution Nor Common Sense Supports the Argument the Debt Ceiling Is Unconstitutional
Professor Prakash dispatches the arguments for unilateral Presidential authority to disregard the debt ceiling.
Recent Airstrikes Are Our Periodic Reminder That We're Fighting a War in Syria
Four years after IS was officially defeated, the U.S. continues to keep hundreds of troops in Syria to fight the vanquished terrorist group.
The Jones Act Is Driving Up Prices and Making Crises Worse
The legislation, which forbids shipping anything between American ports in ships that are not U.S. built and crewed, is just another a special deal that one industry has scammed out of Congress.
This Military Spending Bill Will Make Puerto Rico's Next Hurricane Disaster Even Worse
The maritime industry inserted some protectionism into the National Defense Authorization Act.
A Skeptical Public May Stop War With Russia
After disappointment in Afghanistan, Americans show no eagerness for a new conflict.
Could the CIA and FBI Have Stopped 9/11?
We may have misinterpreted 9/11 as a harbinger, when it was really just an outlier.
Don't Ask U.S. Troops To Solve Haiti's Problems
It’s unclear what a military intervention could even accomplish.
The Publication of the Pentagon Papers Still Sets an Example 50 Years Later
Whistleblowers and publishers are crucial for keeping government officials reasonably honest.
On Memorial Day, Remember Skepticism Toward a Large, Standing Military
Thank the troops, but question the uses to which they’re put.
Reckless Foreign Policy Gives the U.S. a Bad Reputation
A significant portion of the world views the U.S. as a threat to democracy in their home countries.
The U.S.-China Relationship Doesn't Have To Be 'Increasingly Adversarial'
Many U.S. complaints about China aren’t about actions that threaten U.S. security.
Joe Biden's Secretary of State Pick Has Been an Avid Backer of American Military Intervention
The president-elect's forthcoming nomination of Antony Blinken as the country's top diplomat suggests an appetite for continuing America's role as the globe's policeman.
Trump Administration Threatens Veto Over Defense Bill That Only Spends $733 Billion
The White House is asking Congress to spend $750 billion on the military this coming fiscal year.
Michigan Congressmen Blame Justin Amash After Their State Is Passed Over for Missile Defense Site
They were hoping to hit the Department of Defense jackpot.
Republicans and Democrats Spar Over Whether Defense Spending Should Increase by $20 Billion or $30 Billion
The depressing bipartisan consensus on ever-increasing defense spending shows no sign of breaking down anytime soon.
Good News, Ladies! The Military-Industrial Complex Is Ours Now!
No one wants to consider if casually blowing things up is a good idea in the first place.
Americans Have Always Been Obsessed With National Security
Since the beginning of the republic, nationalists have warned that because America is exceptional, it faces constant danger.
Rand Paul and 10 Heedless Hawks
The Kentucky senator offers a desperately needed alternative to the GOP's mindless militarism.
Alarmist Marco Rubio: 'Nothing Matters If We Aren't Safe.' Okay, I'm Alarmed.
Conversely: We are safe, so some things matter.
Keep Rand Paul Weird
Will the libertarian-leaning presidential candidate shed the differences that make him interesting?
The Squeal of the War Hogs
Why do Lindsey Graham and John McCain think half a trillion dollars is not enough to defend the country?
The Right Is Wrong About Defense
Conservatives insist military outlays must remain high in order to sustain employment levels. Are they serious?
Motives Aside, the NSA Should Not Spy on Us
We may have more to fear from spies acting out of patriotic zeal than those acting out of power lust or economic interest.
Our Fruitless Quest for Missile Defense
We've spent 30 years and $200 billion, and what have we got to show for it?
The Iraq War's Unhappy Anniversary
Remembering the bipartisan efforts to expand the size and power of government.
