3 Things You Don’t Need Robert Gates’s Book to Know
Excerpts from a new tell-all book made quite a splash in Washington yesterday. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates apparently blasts President Obama on foreign policy… Read More
Chuck Hagel’s Military Service – Is It the Game-Changer?
President Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough recently said of former-Senator Chuck Hagel (R–NE), “I think he’ll be a great Defense Secretary. This is a… Read More
Washington in a Flash: Changing of the Guard at Pentagon
Robert Gates said goodbye to the Pentagon yesterday after serving two presidents and spending nearly five years as defense secretary. On his final day, President… Read More
Europe Must Heed Defense Secretary Gates’ Warning on the Future of NATO
In his farewell address in Brussels, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates delivered a blunt warning to America’s European allies: there is the real possibility of “a… Read More
Morning Bell: Will Leon Panetta Ensure That America Is Defended?
Amid a continuing war in Afghanistan, a new operation in Libya, ongoing military efforts in Iraq and a failing foreign policy doctrine, President Barack Obama… Read More
Libyan Security and the Sixth Fleet
In the ongoing debate about U.S. policy choices regarding Libya, one of the elephants in the room has been American aircraft carriers. Or, more precisely,… Read More
Taunting Secretary Gates: A Red Card for Bolivia’s Morales
On the way to a defense ministerial in Bolivia, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was asked about Iran’s growing presence in South America, particularly in… Read More
Stop Rushing New START!
In their most recent op-ed in The Washington Post. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates assert that “Until a new… Read More
Gates Meets Liang: Reviving Military-to-Military Relations?
With their meeting in Hanoi, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie are expected to revive military-to-military relations between the… Read More
Lifting Export Controls?
Over the weekend, President Obama notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D–CA) that he intended to allow the issuance of temporary munitions export licenses for C-130… Read More
Jimmy Carter’s National Security Policies—The Sequel?
They remade the Brady Bunch, Charlie’s Angels, and The A-Team—why not replay the presidency of Jimmy Carter? The Wall Street Journal’s John Fund joined the… Read More
Don’t Ask, I’ll Just Tell You What the Law Should Be
Late last week a federal district court in California struck down the military policy on service by homosexual persons, an activist ruling that, among other… Read More
Americans to Obama: Don’t Cut Defense
Following billion dollar bailouts and stimulus packages, the Administration is hoping to find “savings” elsewhere in the federal budget. One of its targets is defense…. Read More
Gates Going
In the coming months, lots of people will be cranking up their computers and burning up the airwaves with commentary on the just-announced departure of… Read More
How to Win Turkey
British Prime Minister David Cameron has completed a visit to Turkey with a passionate defense of Ankara’s aspiration to join the European Union. The charismatic… Read More
That 70s Show
According to The New York Times, Secretary Gates has told the Pentagon to tighten its belt to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and… Read More
SecurityNews
Nobody Asked Me, But … Provide Smooth Sailing for the U.S. Navy
America’s Navy sails alone. It’s impossible to compare the U.S. Fleet to the rest of the world’s navies, because the United States has a singular… Read More
Did the Russians Win on Missile Defense in the New START Treaty?
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations met on May 18 to hold a hearing with Secretaries Clinton and Gates and Admiral Mullen on the new… Read More
Defense Spending is Not the Problem
Speaking at the Eisenhower Library in Kansas on May 8th, Secretary Gates stated the following: “Given America’s difficult economic circumstances and parlous fiscal condition, military… Read More
Defense in the Driver’s Seat
This weekend, the secretary of defense called for additional spending cuts to keep the defense budget flat for the future. But flat budgets aren’t always… Read More
Gates Explains Iran Strategy Memo
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates yesterday sought to “correct” what he called “mischaracterizations” about the three-page memo that he had written on U.S. Iran policy… Read More
Awaiting the Nuclear Posture Review
The New York Times reports that the Obama Administration will probably change the United States’ nuclear policy in its upcoming Nuclear Posture Review. Specifically, President… Read More
Pull Your Weight, Europe
European leaders were shocked this week when Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a NATO audience that the alliance faces a “crisis” because the continent has… Read More
Gates’ Visit Bolsters U.S.-India Security Ties
As the Taliban assaulted Kabul, Defense Secretary Gates made an important visit to India, the South Asian giant whose partnership is critical to stabilizing the… Read More
Secretary of Defense Gates Backpedaling on Afghanistan
President Obama yesterday met with his top advisers to discuss Afghanistan policy and afterwards word leaked out that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates appears to… Read More
Beijing’s Capabilities Are Concern
Senior U.S. officials made two major statements last week concerning the implications of China’s military modernization: On Tuesday, Dennis Blair, the Director of National Intelligence,… Read More
Eyes Wide Shut
As the Senate prepares to consider the FY 2010 defense appropriations bill, members of Congress would be wise to listen to Appropriation Committee chairman Daniel… Read More
Eliminating F-35 Engine Choice: Cutting Our Nose to Spite Our Face
Defense Secretary Robert Gates indicated on September 1st that staff would recommend President Obama veto any legislation that continues to fund the F136, the alternate… Read More
Guest Blogger: Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA)
The defense budget is a lens through which we see our national defense priorities and the tool by which we will equip our warfighters and… Read More
Missile Defense Resurgent on Capitol Hill
Earlier this week the AP reported: Defense Secretary Robert Gates isn’t ruling out spending more on missile defense than what he’s asked for in next… Read More
