Articles by James Carafano

PoliticsCommentary

What If America Had Lost the Revolutionary War?

James Carafano | July 12, 2015

What if America’s most patriotic holiday was not July 4, but December 25? It could have been the day the British crown got its best… Read More

InternationalCommentary

Forget Iran: North Korea May Be More Immediate Threat

James Carafano | July 11, 2015

While the White House winds up its deal on the future of Iran’s nuclear program, angst abounds in U.S. national security circles. Contributing to the… Read More

SecurityCommentary

What Fireworks Does ISIS Plan for the 4th of July?

James Carafano | July 03, 2015

What to make of reports that ISIS may try to pull off a terrorist attack on Independence Day? Let’s look at the facts. It is not the… Read More

Health CareCommentary

Ebola Could Be Back This Summer

James Carafano | June 27, 2015

Summer is scary. Sharks attack. Hurricanes harry us. Draught and heat exhaustion claim casualties. And, last year there was Ebola. And, Ebola could be back…. Read More

SecurityCommentary

Why Terrorists Love Twitter

James Carafano | June 14, 2015

There is nothing social about using social networks to help slaughter innocents and disseminate murder porn. But that kind of activity is merely symptomatic of… Read More

SecurityCommentary

There Have Been Six Terrorist Plots Since April Alone. How Concerned Should We Be?

James Carafano | June 14, 2015

Islamist terrorists are busier than ever trying to kill us. That’s a fact. Two years ago, The Heritage Foundation conducted an exhaustive review of publicly available U.S…. Read More

SecurityCommentary

When Obama Leaves Office, the Military Will Be Smaller Than It Was Prior to 9/11

James Carafano | June 13, 2015

A “tiger mom” might go ballistic if her child came home with a “needs improvement” on his kindergarten report card. But most adults wouldn’t panic…. Read More

SecurityCommentary

Stanley McChrystal’s Accidental Exposé About the Military

James Carafano | May 30, 2015

Retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal has penned a revealing book—but its revelations are not intentional. The combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and his team… Read More

SecurityCommentary

This World War II Soldier’s Story Reminds Us of Why Memorial Day Matters

James Carafano | May 25, 2015

If any day is more than just a day, then Memorial Day is it. Sometimes remembering just one soldier reminds us why. His name was… Read More

SecurityCommentary

To Defeat Islamic State, America Must Re-Engage in the War of Ideas

James Carafano | May 24, 2015

It’s easy to adopt a ho-hum attitude about the Middle East at times. To see it as the place where, as comedian Louis C.K. recently… Read More

EconomyCommentary

The 7 Steps the Next President Should Take to Boost Our Economy

James Carafano | May 09, 2015

Foreign policy should work to advance a constructive agenda—something that’s been largely lacking in the Obama era. Hopefully, the next president will come up with… Read More

SecurityCommentary

How the Next President Can Improve Politician-Military Relations

James Carafano | May 02, 2015

Relations among political leaders, civilian agencies and the military blow hot and cold. At this point, things are rather chilly. For more effective coordination between… Read More

InternationalCommentary

How the Next President Can Stand Up to a Resurgent Russia

James Carafano | April 12, 2015

Usually, domestic issues are front-and-center in presidential campaigns. Not so this year. From Islamist terror in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East to the growing… Read More

PoliticsCommentary

How America’s Next President Can Lead on Foreign Policy

James Carafano | April 05, 2015

Basketball teams of unexceptional gifts don’t even get a ticket to the dance. This year, three of the teams advancing to the NCAA Final Four… Read More

SecurityCommentary

How Serious Is ISIS Threat Against Military Families?

James Carafano | March 24, 2015

Our military and their families carry a heavy burden on behalf of all of us. That makes the threat against them by a shadowy outfit… Read More

SecurityAnalysis

What the Next President Can Do to Clean Up Obama’s Middle East Mess

James Carafano | March 14, 2015

President Obama sure knows how to get the world’s attention. His public tantrum over Benjamin Netanyahu being invited to speak before a joint session of… Read More

PoliticsCommentary

What We Can Learn From Obama’s Reaction to the Senate’s Iran Letter

James Carafano | March 10, 2015

President Obama has not been this mad since last week when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress raising key concerns… Read More

PoliticsCommentary

Congress Should Listen to Netanyahu’s Warnings on the Obama Iran Deal

James Carafano | March 03, 2015

Jimmy Carter had one of the worst foreign and defense policy records of any modern president. But, at least he cut one good deal. The… Read More

SecurityCommentary

The U.S. Needs to Deal with China Differently

James Carafano | February 16, 2015

Between complacency and confrontation there is a responsible way forward that keeps the Asia-Pacific a big enough place to accommodate the vital interests of both… Read More

SecurityCommentary

The New Arms Race Is About Bytes, Not Bombs

James Carafano | February 08, 2015

The new arms race scrambles for bytes, not bombs. To take and hold the cyber high ground, the armed services (and just about everybody else)… Read More

InternationalCommentary

U.S. Should Join With These 3 Countries to Fight Back Against China

James Carafano | February 07, 2015

Face it. China is a problem. Nations across the Pacific and Asia are looking for constructive solutions. And that’s the promise of a Quad Dialogue—a… Read More

SecurityCommentary

‘Leading From Behind’ Isn’t Working, Mr. President

James Carafano | February 01, 2015

Nearly nine out of 10 Americans skipped President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address. According to Nielsen, only 31.7 million tuned in on Jan…. Read More

PoliticsCommentary

The State of the Union Speech Is Still Relevant

James Carafano | January 24, 2015

This speech made history. No State of the Union address in the modern era makes the case more that America stands as strong and resilient… Read More

PoliticsCommentary

Where You Can Learn About the (True) State of the Union on National Security

James Carafano | January 19, 2015

“Mama” may well be the first word out of a newborn politician’s mouth. But the first full sentence is likely to be “It is time… Read More

SecurityCommentary

Washington Needs to Stop Being Clueless About the Internet, Cybersecurity

James Carafano | January 18, 2015

On Monday, U.S. Central Command lost control of its Twitter and YouTube accounts. It serves as yet another reminder of irresponsible social networking practices by… Read More

SecurityCommentary

We Need to Debate What’s Right, Wrong with American Military Power

James Carafano | January 16, 2015

Post-mortems on “How We Lost Iraq and Afghanistan” seem to be proliferating—even though there’s a lot of “mors” still happening in those battlegrounds. Of course,… Read More

SecurityCommentary

How Obama’s Cuba Deal Hurts Cubans

James Carafano | January 04, 2015

President Obama’s decision to make nice with Cuba’s repressive, anti-American regime creates a great number of losers. Topping the list, of course, are the people… Read More

SecurityCommentary

What ‘The Interview’ Taught Us: We Must Fight Back Against North Korea

James Carafano | January 03, 2015

Americans have seen the future, and they don’t much like it. The Sony hack reminds us that everything online is vulnerable. Worse, malicious digital acts… Read More

InternationalCommentary

Putin May Have Just Lost One of His Best Friends: Angela Merkel

James Carafano | December 06, 2014

“Saturday Night Live” often acts as a good barometer of what’s going on in the world.  Last week, its opening sketch nailed just how grumpy… Read More

SecurityCommentary

Why Did Obama Ever Think Hagel Was Qualified to Be Defense Secretary?

James Carafano | November 29, 2014

Breaking news from the White House: Chuck Hagel lacks the skills to be defense secretary. Talk about understatement. That’s like the last soldier on the… Read More