Outside the Beltway

Do we ask too much of our leaders?

Plus some thoughts on prohibitionist policies (because sometimes a Quick Pick grows in the making).

The office working to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba has been closed.

Despite some tough questions, Congressional Republicans didn’t land a glove on Secretary of State Clinton.

After an independent investigation blasted State Department leadership for lax security in Benghazi, three officials have resigned.

Has Petraeus provided the basic explanation for the administration’s immediate responses to Benghazi?

The David Petraeus/Paula Broadwell story gets curiouser.

An attempt to lay down some basic groundwork for discussing this story.

The Pentagon considers those killed by Nidal Hassan at Fort Hood three years ago victims of workplace violence, not terrorism.

Hillary Clinton doesn’t have much sympathy for her former aide’s inability to “have it all.”

What’s the truth about last night’s debate exchange about Libya?

Falling on the sword?

A round of finger pointing in the aftermath of the Benghazi attack.

The official narrative on the Benghazi consulate attack has changed again.

Mitt Romney’s speech at VMI today was billed as a major foreign policy address, but it was incredibly light on substance.

More than two weeks after four Americans — including the U.S. ambassador to Libya — were killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, FBI agents have not yet been granted access to investigate in the eastern Libyan city, and the crime scene has not been secured.

Good journalism? Or, bad ethics?

The Obama Administration’s response to the protests in the Muslim world has been entirely wrongheaded.

The Administration’s narrative regarding the attack that resulted in the death of Ambassador Christopher Stevens no longer holds water.

The Romney campaign’s critique of the President’s foreign policy record is weak, and based on bad history.

If the United States and Egypt were Facebook friends, their relationship status would be “It’s Complicated.”

The career of Larry Schwartz, who is the Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Cairo, is over.

A PAO named Larry Schwartz issued yesterday’s infamous statement against the explicit orders of his superiors.

Mitt Romney’s foreign policy weaknesses are starting to become apparent.

Mitt Romney’s initial response to the attacks in Egypt and Libya displayed a tendency to jump the gun rather than wait for the facts.

A day of protests over a film nobody has ever heard of has lead to the death of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya.

In another sign that things may not be going so well between Washington and Jerusalem, President Obama will not be meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu when he’s in the United States.

Disseting the Romney visit to the UK and musing about the state of GOP foreign policy views.

The US government has an odd and unproductive view on the concept of talks.