Outside the Beltway

The Pentagon is being ordered to draw up plans to withdraw roughly one-half of the American forces remaining in Afghanistan. It’s about time.

American troops have been in Afghanistan for seventeen years now, it’s time to bring them all home.

Notwithstanding the temptation to do something, both the United States and NATO need to resist the temptation to get involved in the latest conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

George H.W. Bush,, who served his nation as a warrior, Congressman, Ambassador, Vice-President, and President, has died at the age of 94.

A confrontation at sea between Russia and Ukraine is increasing tensions in a long-simmering conflict.

President Trump recently blamed former President Obama for “losing” Crimea. It was never ours to lose.

Losing the midterms is not going over well with the President.

One hundred years after the end of World War One, the forces that led to it are waking up from a long slumber.

Bret Stephens’ piece this week adds up to not much.

As the Saudis continue to dissemble and put forward an utterly implausible explanation for the death of Jamal Khashoggi, the Trump Administration shows no sign of having a spine.

American troops in Iceland for a military exercise were apparently quite thirsty.

President Trump is preparing to scrap a thirty-year-old treaty that marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. It would be a foolish mistake.

The Russians are interfering in our electoral system again, and they’re using our own hyperpartisanship to accomplish their goals.

Donald Trump is a coward and an apologist for evil around the world.

The three-decade-old name dispute between Greece and the former Yugoslav state of Macedonia remains unresolved after Sunday’s referendum.

President Trump’s second speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations wasn’t much better than the first, but it it did get the world laughing at us.

Last week, the Polish President floated the idea of a permanent U.S. military base in Poland. It’s a bad idea no matter how you look at it.

Donald Trump’s trade war is helping China expand its diplomatic influence.

Reports about tension between Defense Secretary James Mattis and President Trump are becoming louder, and it’s being suggested that Mattis could be out of office after the midterms.

President Trump is alienating our allies and making friends with dictators, and the world is responding as you might expect they would.

Russia’s real goal in interfering in American elections may not have anything to do with favoring one candidate over another.

The frequency and ease with which this President lies is, to say the least, alarming.

Trade deals take more than an afternoon chat.

Most Americans disapprove of the President’s handling of our relationship with Russia, and foreign policy more generally, in the wake of the Helsinki Summit. That’s not having much of an impact on his overall job approval, though.

Jon Huntsman, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, is rejecting calls that he should resign in the wake of what everyone seems to agree was a disastrous summit meeting with Vladimir Putin.

In trying to assess the Helsinki press conference, a blast from the past deserves a second look.

For example, Turkey’s Erdogan.

The 95-year-old elder statesman is slowly shedding his public reticence at the risk of the access on which he has built his fortune.

The Trump Administration is inviting Vladimir Putin to Washington, D.C. for a second summit in the fall. What could possibly go wrong?

Initial polling on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court find the public more divided than they have been for other recent SCOTUS picks, but that’s unlikely to impact the fate of his nomination.

One day after an embarrassing performance at the Helsinki Summit, President Trump an absurd, completely unbelieve walk back of things the entire world heard him say loud and clear.

President Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin was an even bigger disaster than anticipated.

Even if all he gets out of the Helsinki Summit is a handshake and a photograph, Vladimir Putin has already won.

Not surprisingly, the President’s visit to the United Kingdom wasn’t exactly diplomatic, or even borderline polite.

The NATO Summit is going about as well as can be expected.

On the eve of the NATO Summit, President Trump continues to engage in tactics that seem to serve no purpose other than to undermine America’s most important and successful alliance.

Recent polling finds that Americans aren’t feeling quite so patriotic right now. It’s understandable, but we shouldn’t give up hope.

Donald Trump continues to do something that Russian and Soviet leaders likely only thought possible in their wildest dreams, drive a wedge between the United States and its NATO allies.

A milestone for the nation’s oldest service academy, founded in 1802.

The White House is hoping for a relatively quick turnaround time to pick a replacement for Justice Anthony Kennedy.

President Trump reportedly trashed the NATO alliance in conversations at the G-7 Summit, something that should make Russian President Vladimir Putin quite happy.

The Presidents of the United States and Russia will meet next month and there’s reason to worry about what Trump might give away.

Not surprisingly, Canadians aren’t too thrilled with Donald Trump these days.

Turkey’s authoritarian leader is going to be around for a long time.

Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia have apparently finally settled a three-decade old name dispute.

Thanks to Donald Trump, the happiest man in the world right now is Vladimir Putin.

European alliance and Russian goals edition.

Hurricane Trump hit the G-7 this weekend, and the damage it left behind will take years to clean up.

Dan Coates, the Director of National Intelligence, has issued a strong warning that has received little attention.

Once again, President Trump seems intent on insulting a major American ally.