Why The Adults Are Not Reining in Trump

By Paul Pillar Optimism has repeatedly been expressed, especially after any qualified and respected person has been appointed to a senior position in the current administration, that the “adults in the room” will check the excesses and compensate for the… Continue Reading

Mulligans and Mercenaries in Afghanistan

by John Feffer Donald Trump loves to play golf. So far, he has teed off twice as many times as Barack Obama had at the same point in his term. Indeed, Trump has spent as much as 20 percent of his presidency at various… Continue Reading

Donald Trump’s Marine Corps Presidency: The Few…The Proud…The Unhinged

by Mark Perry Ask anyone in the Pentagon for their opinion of new White House chief of staff John Kelly, and the answer is nearly unanimous: “Kelly is one of the most fundamentally decent people I’ve ever met,” a senior… Continue Reading

Careful of What You Wish For

by Perry Cammack and Richard Sokolsky Amidst the turmoil in the Arabian Peninsula caused in part by Saudi behavior toward Yemen and Qatar, it is easy to forget that, until quite recently, Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy was cautious and conservative. It… Continue Reading

Killing Civilians in Iraq and Syria

by Edward Hunt The ongoing effort of the United States to eradicate the Islamic State by aggressively launching airstrikes against targets that include non-combatants is causing significant harm to civilians in Iraq and Syria. Estimates of civilian deaths from airstrikes… Continue Reading