China on Track for Peer Military Status with U.S. by 2050
According to a recent report by the National Defense Strategy Commission (NDS), the U.S. Department of Defense and the White House “have not yet articulated […] More
military
The Staggering Cost of the Never-Ending ‘Global War on Terror’
Bottom Line Up Front By October 2019, the U.S. will have spent approximately $6 trillion in efforts related to support of the so-called ‘global […] More
The Russian Threat You’re Not Hearing About
‘The Homeland’ is part of a dedicated series of Cipher Brief columns focused on examining the full range of threats to U.S. national security. The […] More
Arming Troops on Base After Parkland? Not so fast.
Will the Department of Defense amend its policies regarding troops carrying private firearms on military bases? More importantly, should it? “The Cipher Brief has become […] More
TAPS Offers Solace for Survivors as Military Suicides Surge
Nearly two decades after the 9/11 attacks, the American public has seen large numbers of troops returning from conflict areas, so it’s tempting for citizens […] More
For Those Who Gave All: Special Operations Warrior Foundation
This Christmas season was unlike any previous holiday for many military families. U.S. Special Operations Command lost 47 troops in the line of duty, out […] More
GallantFew: Vets Guiding Vets
GallantFew’s mission is to prevent veteran isolation by connecting new veterans with hometown veteran mentors, thereby facilitating a peaceful, successful transition from military service to […] More
National Military Family Association: Taking Care of the Homefront
As I scramble around doing last-minute shopping and other preparations for the Christmas holidays, I occasionally stop to count my blessings. One of those is […] More
A Wolf in Mercenary Clothing? Russian Contractors as Gray Zone Tool
Moscow may increasingly look toward private military companies (PMCs), known in Russia as Chastnye Voennie Companiy (ChVK), to exert plausibly deniable and economically and politically […] More
Iran Rejects UN Inspections of Military Sites
Iran has rejected a U.S. demand that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors be allowed to check out Iranian military sites. “Iran’s military facilities are […] More
Returning Foreign Fighters or the Ones Who Stayed Home – What’s Worse?
As the Islamic State diminishes in Iraq and Syria, experts have warned that returning fighters could reorganize and carry out attacks in their home countries. […] More
North Korea Talks Could Be Maddening, But What’s There to Lose?
President Donald Trump said Thursday his earlier “fire and fury” warning to North Korea may not have been “tough enough,” and he called for the […] More
Cipher Brief Expert View: Sharif’s Resignation a Win for Pakistani Military
On Friday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigned after the Pakistani Supreme Court disqualified him from office on charges of corruption. Sharif’s family finances were […] More
“Mother of All Bombs” Kills 36 ISIS Fighters in Afghanistan
Afghan defense officials announced Friday that 36 ISIS fighters were killed by a U.S. air strike on a tunnel and cave complex, with the possibility […] More
Aligning the Pentagon Budget with Strategy
The United States has been at war for 15 years, and at the same time, it has attempted to modernize and maintain readiness. President Donald […] More
An Understanding of the Mission: Former Military in Trump’s Cabinet
Compared to the rest of his proposed cabinet, President Donald Trump’s pick of retired Marine Corps General James Mattis for Secretary of Defense has been […] More
Civilians and the Military Under Trump
In the wake of retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn’s resignation as National Security Advisor on Monday over his communications with the Russian Ambassador to the […] More
What Mattis Needs to Do As Defense Secretary
The arcane art of measuring the health of civil-military relations is experiencing a renaissance. Although it is welcomed by those who practice it, the reasons […] More