The Pentagon’s Spoiling for a Fight, But With China, Not Iran

by Michael T. Klare The recent White House decision to speed the deployment of an aircraft carrier battle group and other military assets to the Persian Gulf has led many in Washington and elsewhere to assume that the U.S. is… Continue Reading

Rouhani’s Iraq Visit Undercuts U.S. Iran Policy

by Kaveh L. Afrasiabi This week, President Hassan Rouhani’s three-day Iraqi visit marks an important turning point in Iran-Iraq relations. Rouhani aims to boost bilateral ties and, simultaneously, circumvent suffocating U.S. sanctions. This much-anticipated visit, Rouhani’s first as Iran’s president,… Continue Reading

Has the Arms Industry Captured Trump’s Pentagon?

by Mandy Smithberger and William D. Hartung The way personnel spin through Washington’s infamous revolving door between the Pentagon and the arms industry is nothing new. That door, however, is moving ever faster with the appointment of Patrick Shanahan, who… Continue Reading

Weapons in Space: Potential Gift to Contractors, Definite Danger to Security

by William D. Hartung The Pentagon’s new Missile Defense Review has been rightly criticized for being dangerous, unworkable, and unaffordable. Or, as Newsweek’s headline on the topic put it, “Trump’s Space Missile Plan Is Too Expensive and Will Not Work,… Continue Reading