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Thunder without Lightning: The High Costs and Limited Benefits of the F-35 Program Policy Report by Bill French August 2015 The National Security Network (NSN) is pleased to release a new policy report, Thunder without Lightning: The High Costs and Limited Benefits of the F-35. According to our analysis, the F-35 lacks the capabilities to execute its primary mission, and costs too much relative to its predecessors. The Department of Defense should examine ways to reduce its commitment to this albatross of an acquisition program. To read the full report, click here. From the report: “To perform against near-peer adversaries, the F-35 will have to be capable of executing a range of missions, from defeating enemy aircraft to penetrating enemy air defenses to strike surface… Read More ›

A “No” to Iran Means No Forever By Samuel Berger August 2015 | POLITICO There is a notion cultivated by opponents of the Iran nuclear agreement, attractive to members of Congress under intense pressure to vote no, that congressional rejection of the agreement will enable U.S. negotiators to reach a better deal. The expectation is, that with a further turn of the screws, we can pressure the Iranians to give more and/or we give less. But it can’t happen. The agreement needs to be judged on its merits and the consequences of rejecting it need to be confronted without the illusion that there will be another, easier chance. Opponents cannot escape through a trapped door marked “later.” There is no later, this is the end of… Read More ›

Sen. Schumer’s partial endorsement of the Iran deal By John Bradshaw, Executive Director of NSN August 7, 2015 Chuck Schumer’s announcement that he will vote to disapprove the Iran deal was not unexpected, but his detailed explanation of his decision contains some surprisingly positive analysis of the agreement.  After citing a number of weaknesses he sees in the first ten years of the deal, Schumer admits that: “Those who argue for the agreement say it is better to have an imperfect deal than to have nothing; that without the agreement, there would be no inspections, no snapback. When you consider only this portion of the deal — nuclear restrictions for the first ten years — that line of thinking is plausible”. Not a ringing endorsement, to be sure, but… Read More ›

Without A Bomb, What Is Iran’s Military Capable Of Doing? By Michael Lane Smith July 31, 2015 | Task & Purpose Keeping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon has been an international priority. Without a nuke, how does the Iranian military shape up?… J. Dana Stuster, a policy analyst at the National Security Network think tank, recently went so far to say the rhetoric supports “an alarmist mischaracterization of Iran’s role in the geopolitics of the Middle East.” The conflicting arguments illustrate the schism in perspective regarding Iran’s ability to cause the United States and its allies harm. Stuster cites political motives for some of the postering from American congressional leaders hoping to discredit the recent nuclear deal with Iran, and Ilan Goldenberg, senior fellow and director… Read More ›

Statement by National Security Initiative Board Members on the Passing of Samuel Pisar July 29, 2015 The Board of the National Security Initiative, NSN’s sister educational organization, made the following statement regarding the passing of Samuel Pisar: The Board of the National Security Initiative was saddened to hear of the passing of Samuel Pisar – a holocaust survivor, senior advisor to President John F. Kennedy, and the loving father of fellow Board member Leah Pisar. Samuel was born in Poland, survived Auschwitz, Dachau, Sachsenhausen and other concentration camps before escaping a Nazi death march. He was eventually rescued by his French aunt and went on to study at Harvard and the Sorbonne. He established a successful career as an international lawyer always keeping his dedication… Read More ›

Living with the Consequences: The Effects of Voting Down the Iran Nuclear Agreement Policy Brief by J. Dana Stuster July 28, 2015 Should Congress vote down the nuclear agreement with Iran, it will inhibit the ability of the United States to implement an effective foreign policy for the foreseeable future. Rejecting the deal will alienate U.S. allies and diminish U.S. standing in future negotiations. It will isolate the United States both diplomatically and economically, as the sanctions regime collapses and rivals set up a new financial infrastructure that will undermine the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions. It will empower the hardliners in Iran that drive the worst elements of Iran’s regional policies, escalating conflict in Iraq and Syria, and encourage them to rush for the nuclear weapon… Read More ›

Imagine, a Good News Story on Pakistan By Tara Sonenshine, Member of the NSN Advisory Board July 27, 2015 | The Hill We are so used to stories about Pakistan that include terrorism, violence, bombs and bullets. Similarly, we are used to stories about failed foreign aid, fraud, waste, abuse, charities that don’t do what they promise and a growing sense that we have so many problems at home, so why bother doing anything abroad? Into that cynical vortex comes a Washington Post story with a very different and welcome message about a part of Pakistan that is using outside money and inside determination to prove the critics wrong and remind us why we should care and why we should support cross-cultural engagement. In a remote… Read More ›

How India Could Benefit From the Iran Nuclear Deal By Brian Katulis, Chairman of the NSN Board of Directors July 24, 2015 | WSJ The Obama administration took an important step to advance America’s security in completing the comprehensive joint plan of action, or CJPoA. The deal negotiated in Vienna represents the best of the available options for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program. It avoids both the hazards and uncertainties of military action, and provides a strong international framework for stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. If the Iran nuclear deal moves forward without major hitches, India could be one of the few countries to have deepening relations with countries strongly at odds with one another. The evolving geopolitics of the broader Middle East… Read More ›

A framework for stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons By Brian Katulis, Chairman of the NSN Board of Directors July 19, 2015 | Providence Journal The Obama administration took an important step to advance America’s security in completing the comprehensive joint plan of action, or CJPoA. The deal negotiated in Vienna represents the best of the available options for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program. It avoids both the hazards and uncertainties of military action, and provides a strong international framework for stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. One interesting aspect of the debate sparked last week by the Iran deal is that most critics are unclear about what they would propose as an alternative to the current deal – it is not clear that… Read More ›

Iran Is Hardly On The March By John Bradshaw and J. Dana Stuster July 15, 2015 | Defense One The reality is that Iran is fighting to maintain a diminishing sphere of influence. And Washington mischaracterizes Iran’s actual position in the Middle East. Yes, Tehran covets a role as regional hegemon with power reaching beyond Shiite-controlled areas to become the hub of an anti-Israel axis that includes Sunni territories. But Iran is unable to move this strategy forward. What some of President Barack Obama’s critics portray as a newly aggressive Iranian policy instead reflects Iranian efforts to counter challenges it has not faced in decades. Facts on the ground simply do not support fears in Congress that a nuclear agreement will somehow empower an Iranian… Read More ›