National Security News

The Daily Signal provides reports on national and homeland security issues, including military readiness, intelligence operations, border protection, and global conflicts. Featuring news, analysis, and commentary, this section explores how security policy decisions affect America’s national defense and freedom.
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  • news

    Tom Steyer, Largest 2014 Donor, Says Americans Worry Big Political Donors Get ‘Special Privileges’
    San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer, the largest donor in the 2014 election cycle, says the way to win the debate on the environmental issues he cares about is to emphasize how money in elections and industry lobbyists are hindering a healthier environment. People may not inherently care about big-picture ideas, he said at a panel…
    Josh Kaib | Kathryn Watson
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  • opinion

    SM-3s and SM-2s Highlight U.S. Missile Defense Needs
    The U.S. Navy and the Missile Defense Agency completed a successful test of the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) interceptors this past week, marking the 10th anniversary of the Aegis missile defense system becoming operational. During this simulated attack, the SM-3 Block IB destroyed a short-range ballistic missile and the two SM-2 Block…
    Michaela Dodge
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  • opinion

    Hagel Doesn’t Get It: Planning to Have a Plan to Ensure Military Readiness Doesn’t Cut It
    At the annual Defense Forum at the Reagan Presidential Library, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel delivered a much-publicized speech last Saturday about how to make sure our military is ready to defend the nation’s vital interest in these difficult days. But Hagel didn’t describe a plan to deliver “game-changing” technology; he gave a speech about planning…
    James Carafano
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  • news

    Which City Has the Freest Transportation Market? This Map Ranks the Best and Worst
    Is your city transportation-friendly? A new interactive scorecard, created by the R Street Institute, grades 50 cities on their regulatory openness toward car services. The report seeks to identify whether cities encourage competition in the transportation market. Andrew Moylan, senior fellow at the R Street Institute, said the scorecard provides a snapshot of the current regulatory…
    Alex Anderson
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  • opinion

    What We Need to Do to Make Sure We Don’t Have to Bailout Financial Firms Ever Again
    The Republicans will hold a comfortable majority in the U.S. House and, at most, a 55 seat majority in the Senate for the 114th Congress. That’s not a wide enough margin to override a Presidential veto. Still, the Republicans owe it to their constituents to exercise governance. On election night Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated…
    Norbert Michel
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  • news

    Implementing This Reform Could Help Ax Waste at the Pentagon
    Making defense operations more efficient is a natural common cause for Congress and the Pentagon. Increased efficiency would save money—freeing up dollars that the Pentagon could plow back into rebuilding the capacity and capabilities needed to defend the country. Sadly, talk about how to do this always starts in the wrong place. Some want to…
    James Carafano
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  • opinion

    How the GI Bill Launched a Social Revolution
    It’s always heartening when Veterans Day rolls around each November to see our nation pay tribute to those who have served so nobly in our armed forces. We often do it in small ways. My wife and I recently noticed, for example, that a local supermarket had set aside a pair of parking spaces marked…
    Ed Feulner
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  • news

    Tax Incentives for Certain Va. Businesses Driving State into Debt
    RICHMOND, Va. — Tax incentives for selected businesses are driving Virginia deeper into debt, and House Speaker Bill Howell says he’s committed to curbing the special breaks. “Virginia needs a tax code that encourages growth, and that means making it simpler and more transparent,” Howell, R-Falmouth, said recently. “We can eliminate those incentives and lower the…
    Kenric Ward
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  • opinion

    13 Things You Should Know About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Its Anniversary
    Thirty-two years ago today, after a week of honoring American veterans, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. With more than 4 million visitors each year, the Vietnam Memorial is a beautiful tribute to the heroes of the Vietnam War. On the anniversary of the memorial's dedication, check out our collection of photos…
    Kelsey Lucas
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  • opinion

    Lame-Duck Congress Must Renew Its Commitment to Missile Defense
    As Republicans enjoyed remarkable gains on Election Day, capturing control of the Senate and tightening their grip on the House, a palpable shift in the prevailing power structure overcame Washington. Although the Republican Party won’t actually take control of the Senate until January, a number of important issues will demand more immediate consideration. Among the…
    Scott Erickson
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  • news

    This Film Has the Military Hooked, but Not Hollywood
    For soldiers returning from faraway battlefields, coming home isn’t always easy. The acclaimed film “Fort Bliss” seeks to bring those struggles to the big screen, garnering praise from viewers and the Pentagon but a lackluster response from Hollywood. The film, which opened to limited release in April, won the support of critics, viewers—including Secretary of Defense…
    Melissa Quinn
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  • news

    Reagan on Veterans Day: ‘Peace Fails When We Forget What We Stand For’
    America has officially honored its veterans on Nov. 11 since 1954, when an act of Congress changed the name from Armistice Day, recognizing the 1918 ceasefire between Germany and Allied nations. Veterans Day became a federal holiday to honor those who have served in the U.S. military. The video above features excerpts from President Ronald Reagan’s Veterans Day remarks…
    Alex Anderson
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  • opinion

    Why We Served: A Thank You to Our Fellow Veterans
    “Those who live today remember those who do not. Those who know freedom remember today those who gave up life for freedom.”  —Ronald Reagan, Nov. 11, 1988, Veterans Day National Ceremony, Arlington National Cemetery As we pause to honor all Americans who have served in our armed forces, especially those who gave their last full…
    Steven Bucci | Cully Stimson
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  • opinion

    Veterans Are the Real 1 Percenters
    Mentioning “1 percenters” conjures up images of protest and class warfare. But there is another 1 percent who are beyond politics: the men and women who serve in America’s armed forces, as well as the veterans who served before them. Despite over a decade of ceaseless war against terrorism, fewer than 1 percent of the…
    Bruce Klingner
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  • opinion

    Good News: A GOP Congress Usually Correlates with Booming Financial Markets
    It was exactly 20 years ago, in November 1994, that Republicans under the maverick leadership of Newt Gingrich and his Contract with America took over the House of Representatives for the first time in nearly half a century. What may not be remembered is that the GOP sweep continued what became the longest and strongest…
    Stephen Moore
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  • opinion

    How to Slash the Bloated Pentagon Bureaucracy in 5 Steps
    Before the arms race with the Soviet Union came the hiring race among U.S. military bureaucracies. It started not long after the National Security Act of 1947 established what became the Department of Defense (DoD). The Secretariat added staff and functions to ride roughshod over the services. In turn, the services added staff to meet…
    James Carafano
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  • news

    Top Navy SEAL Officials Aren’t Happy With Teammates Spilling bin Laden Secrets
    Two high-ranking Navy SEAL officials are scolding any current or former members of the service who would “advertise” their service or “seek recognition” for their actions. A letter signed by Force Master Chief M.L. Magaraci and Rear Adm. B.L. Losey, commander of Naval Special Warfare Command, is believed to be a preemptive response to a Fox News…
    Kelsey Bolar
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  • news

    From In-N-Out Burger to Nilla Wafers, Here’s How Politicians Are Spending Election Night
    Some of them went from town to town, campaigning as the clear underdog. Others, not up for re-election, used their political clout to elevate U.S. Senate hopefuls from state to state. A few laid low, allowing tensions on the Left to steer the momentum of the midterm elections. And some went big, spending millions of…
    Kelsey Bolar
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  • news

    Facing Bleak Prospects, Va. Millenials Want Government Both to Do More and Get Out of the Way
    That much-mentioned, so-called millennial generation in Virginia is facing an uphill economic climb. The average student loan debt of 18- to 35-year-oldspolled by Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center for Public Policy is $33,500. Four out of five say they believe the economic challenges they face are greater than the ones their parents did at the…
    Kathryn Watson
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  • news

    3 Schoolgirls’ Attraction to ISIS Reveals 24/7 Security Concern
    News that three teen-age schoolgirls from the Denver area skipped class and headed off to join the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria isn’t as surprising as it first appears, a national security expert says. “This is something law enforcement officials are going to have to be on 24/7,” James Carafano, vice president of foreign…
    Josh Siegel
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