Outside the Beltway

Michelle Howard has become the highest ranking woman in the history of the US Navy–and the US military, period.

For veterans who get in trouble with the law, *when* they commit a crime can have profound implications on their future. Does this make sense?

Some 2000 veterans of World War II were lobotomized by the VA. That’s awful but not outrageous.

Democracy was nice while it lasted.

There are many choices in dealing with Iran’s nuclear program there are many choices, but some are better than others.

You know the Defense budget is getting tight when we can’t spare a few measly fighter planes to escort an imaginary character.

Dana Milbank offers a nonsensical reason for denying our youth the freedom to choose their own path.

China sends a message, and the U.S. responds. What happens next is anyone’s guess.

A leaked internal email has the Army in hot water with feminists.

The juxtaposition of two stories in the Marine Times strikes me as odd.

Without hard choices on pay and benefits, the Pentagon will have to make big cuts in readiness.

A bizarre hit piece in National Journal gives the false impression that our military leaders are considering removing the president.

For some same-sex couples with a military spouse, living together on base is proving difficult to implement quickly.

A Pentagon Equal Opportunity training manual points out the obvious.

Few subjects rile members and veterans of military service more than changes to the uniform.

My review of Andrew Bacevich’s latest book, Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country.

My latest for The National Interest, “The Military and the Shutdown: Assessing the Damage,” is out.

90 percent of DoD civilians will go back to work soon. What message does that send?

The Pentagon is recalling up to 300,000 furloughed civilian employees on the same day that Congress voted to pay all furloughed employees when the government reopens.

The NFL donates its game broadcasts to troops deployed in harm’s way but they still won’t get to see them during the shutdown.

My latest for Defense One, “The Army’s Misguided Crackdown on Tattoos,” has posted.

My latest for The Atlantic, “It Isn’t the Military’s Place to Weigh In on the Syria Debate,” has posted.

President Obama’s plans in Syria are as unclear as they were before he spoke last night.

Even before the Russian curve ball, the public opposition to military strikes on Syria was mounting.

Opposing interventionism and unnecessary and unwise military engagements is not isolationism.

A throwaway comment by John Kerry in London has led to some interesting diplomatic developments.

Heading into an intense week of Congressional lobbying, the odds still seem against the Administration on Syria.

“No More Baby Steps,” my first piece for Defense News, has posted.

f Assad is eating Cheerios, we’re going to take away his spoon and give him a fork.

President Obama is trying to launch a war but there’s a lot of competition for attention.

With Congress coming back Monday, the prospective vote counts are decidedly against authorizing military force against Syria.

Given that the vote count seems to be heading that way, this is a question worth examination.