Fred Kaplan
War Stories
Money for NothingTrump’s staggeringly pointless increase of the defense budget is a sure way to undermine American security.
War Stories
Trump Just Hired the Army’s Smartest OfficerBut will Lt. Gen. McMaster be permitted to do his job?
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Netanyahu Came to Washington to Hear One ThingAnd Trump, in his profound ignorance of Middle East politics, gave it to him.
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Trump’s China Cave-in Sends a Terrible Message The president learns that global politics are harder than a business deal.
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What Happened Behind the Scenes Before the Yemen Raid?We can’t be sure, but it was not a normal vetting process.
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The Commander StumblesTrump’s first executive orders will make it harder to vanquish ISIS.
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Trump Ramps Up the Narcissism in an Appalling SpeechHis visit to the CIA was supposed to reassure the intelligence community. Boy did that backfire.
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Obama Was Right to Commute Chelsea Manning’s SentenceEdward Snowden should not expect similar treatment.
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The Right Man for This Particular MomentGen. James Mattis is our last defense against a crazy, dangerous Trumpian foreign policy.
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John Kelly Is a Trump Appointee Who Sounds Very Little Like Donald TrumpThe Department of Homeland Security nominee speaks out against torture and a border wall and in support of working with allies.
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Is Mike Flynn Behind Trump’s Scornful Treatment of the Intelligence Community?Quite possibly. Or maybe they are egging on each other.
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What, Exactly, Is Trump Getting at With His Comments About Nukes and an Arms Race?And is there a reason—or at least half a reason—to be hopeful?
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Trump Is the GovernmentHis flap with the FBI—and his disregard for agencies in his own administration—reveals a presidency of dangerous self-centeredness and isolation.
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Trump’s Public HumiliationBy rejecting the national security adviser job, Robert Harward gave cover to every professional who wants to turn the president down.
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Michael Flynn’s MessThe disgraced national security adviser has left Trump’s White House in turmoil.
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It’s Bad Enough Trump Has No Foreign PolicyIt’s worse that he has appointed no one to help his Cabinet secretaries clean up after him.
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Steve Bannon’s Presence on the National Security Council Is Not Just Terrible. It’s Illegal.The good news is that Congress can stop him.
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Mass Confusion at the State DepartmentEven before Rex Tillerson is confirmed, veteran management officials have resigned.
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Donald Trump Really Believes All Those Things He Said During the CampaignWe must hope that his Cabinet and Congress stand up to his terrible ideas.
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Question Time for Rex TillersonSenators on the Foreign Relations Committee are wondering whether they can trust Trump’s secretary of state nominee.
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Is Rex Tillerson—Friend of Putin, Uninformed on the Issues—the Best We’ve Got?Alas, quite possibly.
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Surprise! It Was Putin.The unclassified report on Russia’s meddling blames the man himself, not just “Russian officials.”
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Mr. Unpredictable and FriendsTrump’s lack of policy experience makes it unlikely he’ll be able to settle policy disputes with his Cabinet secretaries.
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What’s Good for Exxon Is Bad for the CountryDoes Rex Tillerson know the difference between corporate imperatives and national interests?