Outside the Beltway

The military promotion system does not reward top performers rapidly enough.

The popular notion that the United States military is monolithically Republican is mistaken.

Sometimes there was no sugar or Splenda for coffee. On chicken wing night, wings were rationed at six per person.

As they did four years, ago the New York Giants will get a parade in New York City today. Some are wondering when Iraq War vets will get theirs.

Mitt Romney’s statements about the planned early draw down in Afghanistan make no sense whatsoever.

A change in the law will radically increase retirement pay for generals and admirals.

Andrew Exum notes that most analysts who call for military intervention fail to specify the particulars.

We need to have opinions on a subject as serious as war with Iran.

Everything the critics say about the decision is right–and so is the decision.

Not surprisingly, Republicans are trying to reverse the automatic cuts to defense spending agreed to in August.

My latest for The Atlantic explains, “Why We Should Be Glad the Haditha Massacre Marine Got No Jail Time.”

Last night’s State Of The Union Address contained another unfortunate example of the prevalence of militaristic rhetoric in domestic politics.

A Federal Judge deals with the clash between individual rights, law enforcement, and technology.

Mitt Romney is making claims about Naval readiness that are, at best, misleading.

The US Army is returning to a peacetime mindset, which means promotions will cease to be automatic for anyone willing to endure service.

Once again, Ron Paul showed last night why he could never win the Republican nomination.

Apparently, people who work for the government are surfing the World Wide Web.

Understanding the outrageous.

A Washington Post fact check calls this “true but false.”

Michael Hastings has yet another credulous story attempting to smear the United States military.

Can the government force a criminal defendant to reveal a computer password? A Federal case in Denver is dealing with that question right now.

President Obama’s Pentagon is planning for an unlikely war with China rather than the small wars America will inevitably fight.

Rick Santorum’s foreign policy positions are troubling in many respects.

Rick Santorum has some bizarre views when it comes to the dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Despite the opposition of the SECDEF and Joint Chiefs, the latter expanded yesterday.

To Republicans, even thinking about engaging in diplomacy is enough to accuse the President of appeasement.

Many people seem to have a rather inappropriate view of their relationship to the President of the United States.

Ron Paul is doing well right now solely because of the unique characteristics of Iowa and New Hampshire.

For years, analysts have worried that Iraq’s tenuous hold on stability would collapse upon the withdrawal of US forces. We’re now watching it happen.

A smoking gun?