Department of Defense

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Image Credit: Secretary of Defense (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Hagel and the defense budget

Gary Schmitt | February 1, 2013, 2:15 pm

Senator Lindsey Graham’s skewering yesterday of former senator and prospective defense secretary Chuck Hagel over the latter’s comments about the “Jewish lobby” and its ability to “intimidate” members of Congress will certainly go down in the history of confirmation hearings … read more >

Image Credit: The U.S. Army (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

Sequestration’s first casualty: The US economy

Tim Welter | January 30, 2013, 1:16 pm

It is happening. The impact on the economy by “soft sequestration” is here. How this could be characterized by anyone as a surprise or unexpected is a little bit beyond belief. The term “soft sequestration” is often used by my … read more >

Image Credit: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

8 questions for Chuck Hagel

Danielle Pletka | January 7, 2013, 10:27 am

Despite strong bipartisan opposition (bipartisanship!), Barack Obama has reportedly decided to plunge ahead and nominate former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel to be the next Secretary of Defense. Plenty of ink has been spilled, and more will come on the senator’s … read more >

Image Credit: Sgt. David A. Bryant (US Army)

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

A woman of substance

Paul Wolfowitz | December 20, 2012, 12:35 am

I am not deeply familiar with Michele Flournoy’s record at the Defense Department or with her overall qualifications to be Secretary of Defense, but I know about one aspect of her work as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy that weighs … read more >

Image Credit: Leon E. Panetta (Secretary of Defense's Flickr stream) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy

A clandestine service for the DIA

Gary Schmitt | December 3, 2012, 11:42 am

Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported that the Pentagon is planning to expand significantly its clandestine human collection efforts. In theory, this is all to the good. For the longest time, the only real player in this game was … read more >

11.27.12 Eaglen US RDT&E Spending 2009-2013

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

7 reasons to maintain America’s defense R&D spending

Henrik Temp | November 27, 2012, 3:00 pm

Under current and proposed policy, America’s defense budget will be cut by nearly $900 billion next year. These cuts will have dramatic consequences for our military preparedness across the board, but they are particularly worrisome in regards to our defense … read more >

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan E. Rice attend the dignified transfer ceremony for the U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens. Image credit: Official Secretary of Defense Flickr

Foreign and Defense Policy

Ask the scholars: Who’s on deck for State and Defense?

Brittany French | November 15, 2012, 1:21 pm

There’s been a ton of talk in the media over who President Obama will appoint as successors to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. Rumors are flying that Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry … read more >

Image Credit: Official U.S. Navy Imagery (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy

Beef jerky and the nation’s defense

Danielle Pletka | November 15, 2012, 11:42 am

So, Senator Coburn, if only the Pentagon stopped funding beef jerky, we’d have enough to pay for the deficit or something? We could save $67 billion? And what about those who say we ought to cut a trillion? Because that’s … read more >