Obama’s Last National Security Strategy

by John Feffer The world of today appears to be a great deal more dangerous than the one that President Obama inherited on taking office in 2009. The Islamic State (ISIS or IS) has remade the map of a large… Continue Reading

When Military Power is Not Enough

by Robert E. Hunter At West Point last May, President Obama said that “Just because we have the best hammer does not mean that every problem is a nail.” He continued “…US military action cannot be the only—or even primary—component of… Continue Reading

Azerbaijan Pursues Drones, New Security Hopes

by Shahin Abbasov  Heightened tensions with longtime foe Armenia over breakaway Nagorno Karabakh and mediator Russia’s Ukrainian adventure appear to be pushing Caspian-Sea energy power Azerbaijan ever more strongly toward a military strategy of self-reliance. The strategy comes via two approaches: first, a build-up in Azerbaijani-made… Continue Reading

Rise of Terror Groups Demands Hard Look at US Policy

by Derek Davison The resurgence of “Salafi-jihadist” terrorist groups is once again at the forefront of national security thinking in Washington. A report released this week by the RAND Corporation, “A Persistent Threat: The Evolution of al Qa’ida and Other… Continue Reading

Gates Wrote Obama’s West Point Speech

by Jim Lobe In light of the chorus of criticism and contempt by neoconservatives and other hawks (like the Washington Post’s editorial board) leveled at President Barack Obama’s West Point speech last week, I found striking the similarities in basic… Continue Reading