Latest Briefings
6 Key Takeaways on Confronting the Islamic State
February 18, 2015
Today, the Obama Administration is convening a summit on countering violent extremism. Representatives from more than 60 countries are meeting to discuss ways to prevent radicalization and terrorism. The summit illustrates that fighting terrorist groups like the Islamic State is about more than military strategy in Iraq and Syria. As Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton (Ret.) […]
REPORT: Confronting the Islamic State
February 17, 2015
An Assessment of U.S. Strategic Options Policy Report by J. Dana Stuster and Bill French Foreword by Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, USA (Ret.) February 2015 The National Security Network (NSN) is pleased to release a new policy report, Confronting the Islamic State: An Assessment of U.S. Strategic Options. The report, which features a foreword by […]
Iran Hawks’ Rush to Pass Legislation Imperils Nuclear Deal
February 13, 2015
As P5+1 and Iranian diplomats continue to work toward an agreement to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is pushing forward with legislation that could scuttle the talks. Sen. Corker’s bill, which would subject any final deal to an up-or-down vote in Congress, could be considered as soon as the […]
Obama’s ISIL AUMF: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
February 11, 2015
This morning, the White House sent Congress the text of its proposed Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against the Islamic State. The proposed legislation includes strengths and weaknesses that deserve careful analysis and debate. Overall, the proposal would set important, if imperfect, limits on the war against the Islamic State, including: a three-year […]
Connecting the Dots: Linking Principles to Priorities in the New National Security Strategy
February 9, 2015
The Obama Administration has just released its 2015 National Security Strategy. The updated strategy concentrates on broad lines of effort that are crucial to American interests, ranging across the categories of security, prosperity, values, and international order. However, to have full effect, leadership is needed to transform the document’s intent into concrete priorities. Indeed, the […]
Lethal Aid for Ukraine: Assessing Costs and Benefits
February 6, 2015
As Russia’s support for separatist forces in Eastern Ukraine and direct involvement in the conflict there continues to escalate, French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are in Moscow in an effort to negotiate a ceasefire and diplomatic solution with their Russian counterparts. Meanwhile, with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State […]
Pentagon Budget: Failure to Adapt to 21st-Century Threats
February 4, 2015
This week, the Pentagon submitted its annual budget to Congress, requesting $585.3 billion total, including a base budget of $534.3 billion and $50.9 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). The request blew past the spending caps imposed by the Budget Control Act (BCA), which limits base spending to $499 billion – nearly $100 billion more […]
Top 5 Questions for Ashton Carter’s Confirmation Hearing
February 2, 2015
Later this week, the Senate is scheduled to consider Ashton Carter’s nomination for Secretary of Defense. New leadership at the Pentagon provides an opportunity for policy changes that require careful thought and effective dialogue with Congress. The nomination hearing can begin this process by digging into some of the critical questions facing the Department of […]
Tackling Compensation and Personnel Challenges at the Pentagon
January 30, 2015
Ahead of the Pentagon’s budget request next week that is expected to ask for a sizable increase, a host of recent studies have highlighted ways to reduce top-line spending while addressing pressing challenges within the Department of Defense. The Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission – headed by retired officials from the Pentagon, military and former […]
More Legislative Threats to Iran Negotiations Loom
January 28, 2015
Sen. Robert Menendez’s (D-NJ) decision yesterday to postpone voting on a new sanctions bill that would have disrupted U.S. negotiations with Iran was a strong step to preserve the diplomatic process to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The bill, which is still scheduled to go through mark-up tomorrow, is opposed by U.S. negotiating […]
