Contributor
Book from Lawrence J. Korb, Sean Duggan, Peter Juul, and Max Bergmann analyzes the full range of veterans' needs and offers solutions for addressing pressing challenges.
Regarding the article “U.S. seeks gauge for Afghan effort” (Aug. 7): The recent American-led operation into Afghanistan’s Helmand Province is long overdue. But the conspicuous shortage of Afghan security forces bodes ill for the current operation and the larger American-led mission in the country. While over 4,000 American marines are part of the operation, only a little over 600 Afghan defense personnel have accompanied them.
It is disappointing that the panels responsible for reviewing the Obama administration's detention policy at Guantánamo Bay and its interrogation policy overall announced on Tuesday that they would need more time to complete their evaluations. Thankfully, though, the pending review of the Afghan prison and judicial system is on track to be completed swiftly and thoroughly by the US military at this critical juncture in the nearly eight-year-long conflict.
Even before the US secretary of defence, Robert Gates, announced that he wanted to make the law dealing with gays in the military "more humane", supporters of "don't ask, don't tell", or DADT, the regulation that bans gay men and lesbians from openly serving in the US military, began overlooking the facts in order to maintain the policy.
Last year, as a presidential candidate, Barack Obama pledged he would work with military leaders and Congress to repeal the law that bans openly gay men and women from serving in the military. Last week, as the nation's commander in chief, he renewed his stance, declaring that "preventing patriotic Americans from serving our country weakens our national security." Yet the law commonly known as "don't ask, don't tell," or DADT, still remains in effect.
Practical steps to repeal the ban on openly gay men and women in the U.S. military from Lawrence J. Korb, Sean Duggan, and Laura Conley.
Including programs not directly related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in the supplemental funding bill perpetuates the broken defense acquisitions process, write Laura Conley and Sean Duggan.
Outmoded and overpriced weapons programs have no place in the supplemental funding bills for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, writes Sean Duggan.
Report from Lawrence Korb, Caroline Wadhams, Colin Cookman, and Sean Duggan provides recommendations for a lasting security in Afghanistan.
Six years after the start of the Iraq war, Lawrence Korb, Sean Duggan, and Laura Conley reflect on its consequences at home and abroad.
Report from Lawrence J. Korb and others analyzes the state of the military and outlines a plan for rebuilding the military and saving money by reshaping the budget.
This week, president-elect Barack Obama announced his national security team. The selection of former General James Jones of the United States Marine Corps to be his national security adviser - a prominent post that runs the interagency process on all matters related to national security - is a sound choice. Jones' role as national security adviser, however, will not be a traditional one.