Over the past year, real-estate tycoon Donald Trump mesmerized the American media during his run for the presidency. He broke every rule of expected conduct for presidential candidates and not only survived—he thrived. Many of his attention-grabbing departures were matters of style and character. But among his heresies …
Read More »North Korea is on its ‘way to an arsenal of perhaps dozens’ of nuclear warheads
In the wake of North Korea’s latest nuclear test, a panel of experts discussed the possible implications of a nuclear weapons “no-first-use” policy on global security at the Heritage Foundation on Thursday. A “no-first-use” policy calls for a country to not use nuclear weapons first and only in response to an attack. Last week, Pyongyang carried out …
Read More »Is Russia Preparing for War?
Is Russia preparing for a new war in Ukraine? The answer—according to some of the best analysts specializing in the region—is: Maybe. Some, like former The National Interest editor, Dr. Nikolas Gvosdev, currently the Jerome E. Levy Chair for Economic Geography and National Security at the U.S. Naval …
Read More »Here’s Why Turkey’s Syria Intervention Is A Huge Gamble
Abu Mostafa was elated. Backed by Turkey’s armed forces, his Free Syrian Army unit racked up a series of rare victories against ISIS fighters in northern Syria this week, retaking five villages from the jihadi group on Tuesday. Turkey’s intervention in Syria is meant to push ISIS and …
Read More »In Aleppo, a potential turning point for Syria
Aleppo, Syria’s commercial powerhouse and a symbolic rival to the capital Damascus, has been under siege for most of a civil war that is well into its sixth year. But the intense fighting there now, where the rebels that once dominated the city are fighting to stave off …
Read More »Battle for Mosul Weeks Away as 500 US ‘Advisers’ Jet In
Hundreds of American troops have arrived in Iraq to co-ordinate a looming assault on Mosul, the largest city still under the control of Islamic State. Nearly 500 US military advisers have flown into Qayyara airbase 40 miles south of the city in the past week as their commanders …
Read More »How Putin and Xi Outsmarted Obama and the West at G20 Summit
On September 4-5, the G20 held its annual summit in Hangzhou, China, President Xi Jinping’s home. G20 summits tend to be meaningless, but this one appears to have been outright harmful. The signature event was when President Barack Obama’s Air Force One was not met with a staircase—and it …
Read More »The only map you need to see to know North Korea is peppered with hardened nuclear facilities
North Korea has the dishonorable distinction of being the only country to test nuclear weapons in this century. On Friday, the rogue regime carried out its largest nuclear test, which was the second one this year and fifth since 2006. As the following map shows, North Korea is peppered with …
Read More »Pentagon chief, S. Korean officials discuss North Korean nuke test
Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Friday morning spoke to his South Korean counterpart after North Korea conducted a nuclear missile test a night earlier, the Pentagon said. During the call, Carter reaffirmed an “ironclad” American commitment to the defense of South Korea, and its inclusion under the U.S. …
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