Trump for the Defense

by William Hartung As with so much of what Donald Trump has said in recent months, his positions on Pentagon spending are, to be polite, a bundle of contradictions.  Early signs suggest, however, that those contradictions are likely to resolve… Continue Reading

Iran: Key to Stabilizing the Middle East

by Thomas W. Lippman At multiple conferences in Washington this month, participants have engaged in long, thoughtful discussions of the multiple crises in the Middle East and what perils there will await the next president of the United States.

As Optimism Grows, Possible Iran Deal Gains Key Endorsement

by Jim Lobe Optimism that the US and world powers can, after all, strike a nuclear deal with Iran by or shortly after the current November 24 deadline appeared to grow here in Washington substantially this week. Such a deal… Continue Reading

The U.S. and the Gulf: A Failure to Communicate

by Thomas W. Lippman It was like a movie in which different characters see the same events in completely different ways. At one of those Washington think-tank panel discussions the other day, senior U.S. national security and military officials insisted… Continue Reading

Anthony Cordesman: Give Diplomacy Priority While Preserving Security

Anthony Cordesman, a highly respected military and security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), writes in a co-authored CSIS report that while the US should be prepared for the worst — an Iranian sprint towards a nuclear… Continue Reading