The Fog of Intervention
Samantha Power did not set out to justify war.
American military
Playing Soldiers
An Afghanistan veteran reckons with growing up on G.I. Joe and growing tired of American war drums.
Most Veterans Say America’s Wars Are a Waste. No One’s Listening to Them.
There's a widening gap between Washington's bipartisan militarism and veterans' bipartisan war-skepticism.
Tanks, But No Tanks
Trump's self-aggrandizing July 4th parade is neither in good taste nor the spirit of the holiday—and Congress should ensure it never happens again.
Beto O’Rourke’s “War Tax” Is Classic Democratic Militarism
There's nothing progressive about distilling war's ravages down to a half-baked, Adam Smith–style exercise in taxpayer burden-sharing.
Fire John Bolton
To avoid war with Iran, the president needs to haul out his Apprentice-era catchphrase.
The Sum of All Beards
How did facial hair win American men’s hearts and minds? Thank the war on terror.
Trump’s Military Threats Aren’t Going to Keep “America First”
High defense costs are one of the surest ways to hasten a great power's decline.
Who Actually Wants War Criminals Pardoned?
Trump's plan to free white service members accused of overseas atrocities both typifies and strengthens his Fox News feedback loop.
Off the Map
How the United States reinvented empire
How Sexism Threatens Peace in Afghanistan
The U.S. and the Taliban are approaching a peace deal. But a new survey suggests a key component of national security is getting worse.
A War Without Civilian Deaths?
What arguments for a more humane approach to war conceal
A Commander-in-Chief Who Cares Only About Himself
The president's latest defense of his cozy relationship with Russia underscores his warped view of war.
The Rising Risk of Nuclear War Under Trump
The president and the Pentagon have different national-security doctrines, but they've found a dangerous common ground.
Trump’s Military Family Scandal Reveals the Profound Ugliness of His Character
Michelle Obama said the presidency "reveals who you are." Trump's handling of the deaths of four U.S. soldiers proves her right.
The Generals Have Won Their War With Trump
The missile attack on Syria shows how the president has caved to the Pentagon—with deadly consequences for U.S. foreign policy.
The Things They Burned
A private contractor tossed U.S. military waste in Iraq and Afghanistan into giant pits and burned it. Now soldiers forced to breathe the toxic fumes are sick or dying—and the government is using faulty science to evade responsibility.
Afghanistan Is an Infinite Quagmire
It began as the “good” war. Fifteen years on, it’s a disaster we can’t escape.
Is the U.S. Military Strategy Doing More Harm or Good in the Middle East?
Why the Obama administration's "light footprint" strategy might be counterproductive.
Combat Cameras
Photographers Joel Chapman and Hector Rene are former soldiers who use art history to explore military and institutional power.
