How should the United States respond to the crisis in Ukraine? The president should make clear that using force to settle issues with Ukraine is not acceptable. But the key is having concrete measures to back up his statement that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine. Continue Reading
The recently announced agreement that came from a bilateral meeting in Beijing between the United States and North Korea should be greeted with cautious optimism. It could be the start of a positive relationship between the two countries and help to resolve some of the serious issues that have plagued their relationship and caused serious tensions, not only between these two countries but also in the Asian-Pacific region. Continue Reading
Who was Anwar al-Awlaki and how will his death impact Al Qaeda or the West? Richard Stoll, the Albert Thomas Professor of Political Science at Rice University and a Rice scholar at the Baker Institute, and Joan Neuhaus Schaan, fellow in homeland security and terrorism, offer their views in the two entries below. Continue Reading
The death of Osama bin Laden is a significant milestone in America’s conflict against Al Qaeda even if, as some experts say, bin Laden had become more of a figurehead and less of a leader and operational planner. But we… Continue Reading
As we approach the 20th anniversary of the 1991 Gulf War, it seems appropriate to ask what we should learn from that conflict. One important lesson is that the United States has an outstanding military. This is clear today, but… Continue Reading
Let me begin by saying two things: 1. The U.S. government classifies too much information. 2. While a number of the leaked documents are embarrassing, they probably do not damage U.S. national security. But there are dangers to these disclosures.… Continue Reading
Yesterday, President Obama announced that General Stanley McChrystal was resigning as commander in Afghanistan and would be replaced by General David Petraeus. For the most part, the challenges that Petraeus faces today and in the future are exactly the challenges… Continue Reading