Outside the Beltway

Another setback for Teheran.

Another huge blow against Iranian’s regional strategy.

Putin ignored warnings from US intelligence.

It’s what we do. I mean this is what we do.

The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy.

The game of tit-for-tat continues.

The 21st century’s most brutal conflict and the laws of war.

Tehran-backed forces are routinely shooting at American forces.

The war in Israel is in danger of expanding.

America’s involvement in the Israeli and Ukrainian war efforts is more than advertised.

It’s . . . complicated.

A brilliant national security leader is gone too soon.

While enormous, the commander-in-chief’s control over state secrets is not absolute.

A precision drone strike on a balcony in Kabul took out a longtime nemesis.

The 45th President was a psychopath.

More brutality from an ostensible US ally.

The American way of war kills a lot of noncombatants.

A former classmate is going to be one of the US military’s most senior leaders.

American cheese will henceforth be known as liberté cheese. And not because of the metric system.

After 20 years, the conflict closes much as it began.

An unsatisfying first(?) response.

Thirteen Marines and dozens of Afghan civilians are dead in a much-anticipated attack.

The evacuation could soon become a terrorist target.

The live coverage of Wednesday’s assault on American democracy underplayed its seriousness.

A proportional response.

Another milestone has been reached.

It’s not clear what has been achieved.

A bold new plan for security in the Middle East.

President Trump’s threat to attack Iranian cultural sites would most likely constitute a war crime if he actually carried it out.

The assassination of a top Iranian official on a visit to Baghdad is having the expected negative impact on our relationship with Iraq and the fight against ISIS.

Despite Pompeo’s assurances, we are already seeing consequences for the Suleimani killing.

Amid protests over American airstrikes, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has become a target.

The Secretary of the Navy was abruptly dismissed late yesterday in a dispute over the a case involving a SEAL accused of war crimes.

Against the advice of his top military advisers, President Trump has cleared three American soldiers of war crimes, sending a horrible signal to the world and to the troops in the field.

There’s apparently big news in the fight against ISIS.

As American forces retreat, Russia and Turkey are dividing up northern Syria like,well,a turkey.

ISIS is quickly taking advantage of the abrupt American withdrawal from northern Syria.

American negotiators are claiming a ceasefire in northern Syria. The Turks, Syrians, and Russians are the winners, the Kurds are the losers, and we look like schmucks.

As the Turkish invasion of northern Syria continues, Donald Trump responds with basically nothing.

Turkish forces advance, American forces retreat, the Kurds seek new allies, and Syria and Russia come out the winners.

Just days after President Trump agreed to remove American forces from the scene, Turkish forces are entering northern Syria and Kurdish forces say they ar ready for war.

President Trump’s latest Syria move is coming under heavy criticism even from fellow Republicans.

The United States is withdrawing its small force from Northern Syria, clearing the way for a Turkish invasion that will likely
aim to wipeout the Kurdish forces in the region.

Not surprisingly, President Trump told Russian officials early on that he didn’t care if Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

This could be a very big deal – unless it isn’t.

Sunday’s attacks in Sri Lanka make it clear that the claim that ISIS has been defeated are nowhere close to being true.

Further evidence that Sri Lankan authorities failed to act on warnings of rising Jihadism in their country.

ISIS is claiming responsibility for Sunday’s attacks in Sri Lanka, a strong sign that the claims by the Trump Administration that it had largely defeated the group were not true.

Evidence is emerging that the Sri Lankan government had advance warning regarding potential terror attacks but failed to act on the information.

Pledges from wealthy men to help rebuild Notre Dame cathedral after a devastating fire is generating backlash.