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Opinion

Expert Q&A: Former CENTCOM Commander on U.S. Troops in the Middle East

General Frank McKenzie (Ret.)

Expert Q&A: Former CENTCOM Commander on U.S. Troops in the Middle East

EXPERT Q&A — The American force posture in the Middle East — some 40,000 troops spread across the region — came into focus following the 12-day war [...] More

IranMiddle East

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Getting NATO to Be Able to 'Fight Tonight'

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (Ret.)

Getting NATO to Be Able to 'Fight Tonight'

EXPERT Q&A — Last week’s NATO summit in The Hague was largely seen as a success, with all members (except Spain) agreeing to raise the alliance’s [...] More

Europe

The Math Behind Trump's $1 Trillion Defense Budget

Walter Pincus

The Math Behind Trump's $1 Trillion Defense Budget

OPINION — “The President's FY ‘26 [Fiscal Year 2026] National Defense Budget requests $1.01 trillion, which is a 13 percent increase from FY '25 [...] More

Walter PincusFine Printmilitary

The Downward Spiral of Western Counterintelligence

Julian McBride

The Downward Spiral of Western Counterintelligence

OPINION — Counterintelligence is one of the most vital functions of the intelligence community, helping protect against foreign threats. [...] More

IntelligenceAlternative Perspectives

An Urgent Call to Close the Loopholes on Chips and China

Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

An Urgent Call to Close the Loopholes on Chips and China

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE / OPINION -- The core lessons from the Cold War should guide us as we face the new “Axis of Aggressors” today. First among these, [...] More

ChinaRear Adm. (Ret.) Mark MontgomeryTech/CyberAsia

A Good NATO Summit, Though Russia Won a Round

General Philip M. Breedlove

A Good NATO Summit, Though Russia Won a Round

EXPERT Q&A — NATO leaders convened in The Hague this week for a summit aiming to strengthen the alliance's defenses, with the ever encroaching threat [...] More

Europe

NATO Wins Will Have an Impact

Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

NATO Wins Will Have an Impact

CIPHER BRIEF EXPERT Q&A — NATO leaders convened at The Hague this week and agreed to raise the alliance’s defense spending target to 5% GDP, marking [...] More

RussiaRear Adm. (Ret.) Mark MontgomeryUkraineNATOEurope

North Korea’s Sticking Points: Abduction and Uranium Enrichment

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

North Korea’s Sticking Points: Abduction and Uranium Enrichment

OPINION — In September 2002, North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong-il, admitted to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi that North Korea had [...] More

Ambassador Joseph DeTraniAsia

What Was Trump Thinking When He Ordered the Strike on Iran?

Walter Pincus

What Was Trump Thinking When He Ordered the Strike on Iran?

OPINION / FINE PRINT — “I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked [...] More

Middle EastWalter PincusFine Print

Will Anything Stop Iran's Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons?

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

Will Anything Stop Iran's Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons?

OPINION -- The weekend bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites in Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow surprised the leadership in Tehran. It shouldn’t have, given [...] More

IranAmbassador Joseph DeTraniNuclearMiddle East

Could Iran's Judiciary Chief Be the Next Supreme Leader?

Steven Ward

Could Iran's Judiciary Chief Be the Next Supreme Leader?

OPINION — As Israel's unprecedented military campaign and targeting of Iranian military leaders and scientists wreaked havoc across Iran last week, [...] More

Middle East

The Intelligence Behind the Strike: Was Everyone Wrong About Iran’s Nuclear Program?

Dr. Clement Renault

The Intelligence Behind the Strike: Was Everyone Wrong About Iran’s Nuclear Program?

OPINION — On June 13, 2025, just after midnight, Israel launched a military operation against Iran, citing an urgent need to halt Tehran’s march [...] More

Middle EastAlternative Perspectives

NATO's Critical 1.5 Percent

Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

NATO's Critical 1.5 Percent

Annie Fixler

NATO's Critical 1.5 Percent

OPINION -- This week's NATO Summit will focus on the proposal that each member raise its overall defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic [...] More

Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark MontgomeryNATOEuropeAnnie Fixler