Outside the Beltway

82nd Airborne solider David Hickman was the 4474th American serviceman killed in Iraq. He should be the last.

After 3,193 days and more than 4,000 lives, the American war in Iraq is officially at an end.

Don’t believe the fear mongering about the coming decreases in the growth of defense spending.

With the Super Committee dead, 2012 is likely to see a fight over the defense cuts set to take place starting in 2013.

Thomas Ricks posts several recommendations for fixing the Army. Most of them are really, really stupid.

Doug Feith’s replacement is prettier and softer spoken.

The Secretary of Defense has some words of warning for those advocating military action against Iran.

The CIA’s drone war in Pakistan has gotten so out of hand that the Pentagon and State Department are reigning it in.

Herman Cain’s promise to rely on “experts” should raise eyebrows everywhere.

The post-Gaddafi era has been made permanent. What comes next?

When the FBI essentially creates a terrorist in order to arrest him, have we really accomplished anything?

Beginning with “BREAKING: Witnesses reporting screams and gunfire heard inside Capitol building,” a series of tweets with the #CongressHostage hashtag have been decidedly unfunny.

Rezwan Ferdaus, an American Muslim, has been charged with a major terrorist plot against his country.

More pay for play at the White House?

Four American soldiers are now on the ground in Libya. Reports have them wearing boots.

Was it wrong for the NFL to schedule its opening Sunday on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks?

Measuring our progress a decade after the 9/11 attacks

Killing’s our business and business is good.

Romney’s VFW speech was filled with tropes and bromides but nothing that should raise eyebrows.

My first piece for CNN has been posted at Fareed Zakaria’s Global Public Square.

The U.S may be on the verge of committing the next decade to the future of Afghanistan.

Dick Cheney’s long-awaited book’s out and he promises lots of bombshells that will have heads exploding in DC.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave the strongest signal ever that there will be some U.S. military presence in Iraq after December 31st.

DARPA has a revolving door that doesn’t revolve.

So, you want a career in foreign policy field and are weighing your options….

The defense spending lobby is already engaging in fear-mongering over very modest defense cuts.

The cuts to Pentagon spending in the new debt deal are further revealing a split in the GOP over foreign policy and military spending.

A take on the conflict that’s probably different from the one you’ve been reading.

Condi Rice’s speechwriter thinks Huntsman can appeal to the Tea Party.

Now that America’s political leadership have probably averted a self-inflicted global economic calamity, it’s time to assess the winners and losers.

President Obama and Congressional Republicans have the outline of a deal to raise the debt limit past the 2012 elections.