NJ Topics National Security

Edward Snowden

Government Privatization Paves the Way for Crony Corruption

It's dangerous business when private contractors recruit top government employees and then effectively lease them back to the government.
The cockpit of TWA Flight 800 was recovered on Aug. 7, 1996.

New Probe Sought for 1996 Airline Disaster Off the Coast of Long Island, N.Y.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday it is being petitioned to reactivate its investigation into the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, which disintegrated shortly after takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, killing all 230 on board.
Barack Obama and Angela Merkel

Obama Offers Few Nuclear Policy Surprises in Berlin

The president's scaled-back expectations seemed to symbolize more broadly trimmed political sails.
Obama in Berlin

Obama's Turbulent European Vacation

With vague pledges and backtalk from Merkel and Putin, the president shows how far America's standing with Europe has fallen.
Obama in Berlin

Obama Sounds Peace, Justice Themes in Major Nuclear Address

The president called for both Russia and the U.S. to eliminate hundreds of warheads from their fielded long-range nuclear arsenals.
Bureaucrat

U.S. Bureaucracy Stymies Commercial Innovation, Report Says

U.S. national labs remain in the vanguard of critical research but are mired in a Cold War-era bureaucracy, a new report finds.   
Newt Gingrich

Are We Seriously Considering the Threat of an Internet Apocalypse?

This was a prophecy, one that former Speaker Newt Gingrich has been warning us all about for years.
John Kerry

Kerry Wanted to Bomb Syria

According to reporting from Bloomberg View's Jeffrey Goldberg, Kerry's insistence on an airstrike was not well received by the military brass.
Google

Google's Fight for NSA Transparency, Explained in 2 Paragraphs

From the company's just-filed motion (PDF) to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court:
Drone Journalism

When Journalists Have Drones

Communications researchers explore the scope and consequences of using unmanned aircraft as news-gathering tools.
Keith Alexander

NSA Says Surveillance Disrupted 50 Terrorist Plots. Is That a Fair Trade for Your Privacy?

The agency director's testimony still doesn't answer critics' charges about the potential for abuse.
Hamid Karzai

The Taliban Is Ready for Peace Talks

Direct negotiations among the Taliban, the Karzai government, and the United States will take place in Qatar. 
Hassan Rouhani

Iran: the Danger of Rouhani

By appeasing the West, Iran's new president may well divide it. And that would secure Tehran's nuclear program from dismantlement or attack.
Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin

United States, Russia Enter Into New Arms-Security Agreement

WASHINGTON -- The United States is entering into a new agreement with Russia that would continue in some form the Cooperative Threat Reduction program that aims to lock down vulnerable nuclear materials in the former Soviet Union, Global Security Newswire has learned.
Vladimir Putin

How Much Does Vladimir Putin Love Annoying the West? This Much

From calling Syrian rebels organ-eaters to reportedly stealing a Super Bowl ring, Russia's president knows how to get under the West's skin.
John Boehner

House Faces Off on Farm Bill, Late-Term Abortions

The Senate continues its floor focus on amendments to its immigration-reform bill.
G-8 protests

How NSA Surveillance Jeopardizes Obama's G-8 Trip to Europe

Obama's task in Europe this week has been made even more challenging by the recent disclosures of American surveillance in allied countries.
Guantanamo detention facility at dawn

Rep. Dennis Ross Wants to Stop Suspected Terrorists From Playing Soccer

The conservative Republican is trying to shut down the Guantanamo Bay ... soccer field.
Turkey protests

Could Protests in Turkey Hurt U.S. Effort to Arm Syrian Rebels?

Now that the U.S. is moving toward arming the Syrian rebels, American allies in the region will play an increasingly important role in the coming months. But some of those countries have their own security issues that could hamper that effort.
Mechanical Cockroaches

Did Bloomberg News Just Uncover PRISM 2.0?

Curiouser and curiouser.

National Journal Names Elaine Grossman Executive Editor, Senior Correspondent Global Security Newswire

National Journal is expanding the role of Global Security Newswire's Elaine Grossman, creating a new, more senior position for her at GSN -- executive editor and senior correspondent -- and also naming her special correspondent for National Journal.  An Atlantic Media publication, GSN features groundbreaking news coverage related to weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and international security, as well as daily round-ups and analysis of some of the most important news of the day.  
Syria

Slip-Sliding Toward Obama’s Third War

The president "owns Syria now," but does he realize it?
Ronald Machen, Jr.

Meet Obama's Leak Plumber

As U.S. Attorney, Ronald Machen has labeled a Fox News reporter a co-conspirator. He may even get a crack at Edward Snowden. 
Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden Is Completely Wrong

Whether he's a hero or traitor, Americans are already so acclimated to the loss of privacy that his revelations won't unnerve them much. 
Jon Liebowitz

Why We Lack Good Privacy Guidelines

Technology innovations have served to strip away privacy. They could also be the key to restoring it.
two bombs exploded, at Qazaz neighborhood in Damascus, Syria

White House: Syria Has Used Chemical Weapons

Reports circulate the U.S. will train and arm rebels within Jordan.
Bubbles in water

When Ordinary Americans Accomplish What the Government Can’t

Washington may be paralyzed by partisanship, but across the country, grassroots innovators are crafting solutions to our problems.
Purpose Built Communities

Disrupting Government

The Mission Continues; Year Up; Purpose Built Communities; New Leaders.
Traffic Cameras

If You Don't Allow Government Cameras in Your Home, Will Terrorists Win?

Reader's analogy raises question of how far we can bend Constitution before it breaks.
Rogers, Amash

Collision Averted for GOP Rivals Rogers and Amash (But Their Animosity Lives On)

Justin Amash has been spoiling for a showdown with his fellow Michigander Mike Rogers since the day he arrived in Washington.
RANKING PROFILE

Rep. Adam Smith Takes a Realistic View on Funding

House Armed Services' ranking member acknowledges some defense cuts are inevitable in tight fiscal times, and he says he is committed to helping the Pentagon make reductions. 
SERVICE

Legislative Comrades-in-Arms Tend to Put Politics Aside

A long line of former active-duty military personnel have sought an Armed Services Committee post after winning election to Congress. Each brings something that can’t be taught to nonveterans: first-person knowledge.
INDUSTRY

Defense Industry Focused on Sequestration

No one has been able to successfully wrangle Congress into reaching a grand bargain to reduce the deficit. But it’s not for lack of trying.
MILITARY

A Hollow Military Again?

The looming postwar drawdown of the U.S. armed forces will prove the most challenging of modern times.
MAINBAR

Major Battles in the House Armed Services Committee

On Aug. 1, 2011, hours before the government was set to default on its debt, House Speaker John Boehner convened Republican members of the House Armed Services Committee in his office to discuss a legislative solution.
CHAIR

A Committee Chairman’s Job Is Never Easy

It’s tough to chair a 62-member panel responsible for authorizing roughly half a trillion dollars that funds America’s defenses. Just ask Rep. Buck McKeon.
Doug Roach

Remembering Doug Roach, Veteran Staffer

It's somewhat rare for a congressional staffer to gain praise from both Republicans and Democrats. Such was the case for Roach, a committee veteran for more than two decades who died in January at the age of 70.
Jenness Simler

Jenness Simler, Majority Policy Director

As majority policy director on the House Armed Services Committee, Jenness Simler has a wide range of responsibilities, from managing strategy and committee organization to advising the chairman.
Roger Zakheim

Roger Zakheim, Majority Deputy Chief of Staff/Counsel

Roger Zakheim, deputy chief of staff and counsel for the majority on the House Armed Services Committee, got his first taste of Hill life at age 14.
Debra Wada

Debra Wada, Democratic Staffer, Military Personnel

Debra Wada, who previously served as deputy staff director on the House Armed Services Committee when Democrats held the majority, now specializes in military-personnel issues.
Bob Simmons

Bob Simmons, Majority Staff Director

Majority Staff Director Bob Simmons retired after spending 26 years in the defense industry, ultimately serving as the CEO of Senior Aerospace in California, when former Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., the House Armed Services chairman at the time, called him up.
Leonor Tomero

Leonor Tomero, Counsel

Leonor Tomero, counsel for the House Armed Services Committee, has a portfolio that includes strategic forces, missile defense, military space, nuclear weapons, and nuclear cleanup.
Paul Arcangeli

Paul Arcangeli, Minority Staff Director

Paul Arcangeli announced the beginning of a "reign of terror" after taking the helm of the committee staff when Democrats were in the majority. "You can call me Mr. Arcangeli or O Dark Lord," Arcangeli joked.
Steve King

GOP Members of Homeland Security Subcommittee Fail Key Test

By swallowing a poison-pill amendment, they proved they are intimidated by the extreme forces in their party. 
Reggie Walton

In Which a Secret Intelligence Court Fights Back Against More Secrecy

{"2052869":"42430"}...
Edward Snowden, NSA Leaker

Why I Don't Care About Edward Snowden

Hero or traitor? The White House would love to distract us from its actions.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper

Storage Wars: Government’s Vast Lockers of Data Threaten Basic Individual Freedoms

Freedom is merely a word, and its definition a putrid joke in a world where a life's history resides forever in a vast database.
AP996720973166

What Is Going On in Istanbul?

Images of the erupting protests on the streets of Turkey's largest city

Insiders: Congress Ineffective in Oversight of National Security

Three-quarters of Insiders said Congress ineffectively oversees the executive branch's national security programs.
Roy Blunt

Why the GOP Isn't Attacking Obama Over Data Collection

Recent reports that showed the breadth of the government’s secret information-gathering have divided congressional Republicans.
A board on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Booz Allen Hamilton's Stock Falls After NSA Leak

After markets opened on Monday, the  company's stock fell nearly 5 percent. 
Barack Obama

The Dirty Secrets of Washington Elites

The White House, Congress, and the media need to bring national security out of the dark.
Silicon Valley

Our Privatized National Security State

Today's Silicon Valley is a lot more involved in the NSA's data ops than you might think.
Barbara Boxer

Government’s Data Grabs Are Unlikely to Prompt Legislative Action

Despite the political and media furor surrounding the NSA, the appetite among some top lawmakers for undoing the legislation is meager.
Geraldo Rivera

Geraldo Rivera Is Not the King of Rohan

Fox News host Geraldo Rivera and his mustache have decided not to run for Senate in New Jersey, Rivera reported on Friday, citing The Lord of the Rings.
13th amendment

New Hampshire Governor Frees 14 Slaves

In a move some might call "too little, too late," New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan signed a bill Friday freeing 14 slaves.
James Clapper

Play of the Day: Yes, The NSA Can Hear You Now

With news coming out that the National Security Agency has been collecting telephone data on millions of American Verizon customers, late-night comedians focused on Barack Obama's role in the program. Jay Leno made a play on the "big brother" term for surveillance government and made a joke about the amount of telephone time Americans use calling for pizza. Late Night's Jimmy Fallon also used some wordplay in referencing a formerly famous Verizon slogan.
Star Trek Section 31

How Star Trek Explains the NSA

Star Trek has a pretty good track record of forecasting the future. Who would have thought that the franchise's darkest vision would be the next to come true?
NSA

The Surveillance State: How We Got Here and What Congress Knew

The National Security Agency's tracking programs were pushed by the Senate, House and executive branch after 9/11.
Eric Holder

What Happened to Eric Holder?

He was a Reagan-appointed judge and a Clinton-appointed prosecutor respected by both sides. Then it all fell apart.
Syria Civil War

How America Lost Its Nerve

Policymakers used to believe in a forceful projection of American authority. But after Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, they are turning inward. 
Verizon

Wow: Verizon Stock Jumped 3.5% Yesterday

Verizon's PR team was working overtime Thursday. Meanwhile, the finance department just had its best day in weeks.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper

James Clapper Clarifies Remarks Over NSA Snooping

Director of national intelligence clarifies remarks over NSA snooping, says Benghazi culprits were a "mixed bag."
Twitter on Phone

NSA Spying Scandal: 2006 or 2013?

This isn't the first time that the National Security Agency has come under scrutiny for securing the phone records of millions of Americans.
Barack Obama, George W Bush

Welcome to the Bush-Obama White House: They're Spying on Us

The "Bush-Obama era" will be long remembered for curbing the Constitution.
al gore beard

Al Gore's Pissed About the NSA Spying, And Other Tweets You Might Have Missed

Members of Congress weigh in as others retweet old messages from the official NSA account.
Cell phone

The NSA Doesn't Need Much Phone Data to Know You're You

Big data sets—even supposedly anonymized ones—can often be used to uniquely identify individuals.  
Lincoln, FDR, Bush and Obama

Obama Won't Be the Last Wartime President to Break the Rules

Obama is just the latest commander-in-chief to step over the line in the name of national security.  
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.

Susan Rice and Samantha Power: Less Change Than Meets the Eye

Obama's new national security adviser, U.N. ambassador aren't as controversial as you think.
walnut way home

Changing an Urban Neighborhood, One Peach Orchard at a Time

A Milwaukee couple's nonprofit combats poverty with block parties and community gardens.
David Plouffe

Mild-Mannered David Plouffe Is a Terror on Twitter

As doubts about Obama's credibility rise, former White House adviser goes on the attack.
John Dingell

The Truly Historic Career of John Dingell, the Soon-to-Be Longest Serving Member of Congress Ever

When Rep. John Dingell wakes up on Friday, he will have set a record as the longest-serving member of Congress in U.S. history. It was a career that almost never happened at all.
Kirsten Gillibrand

Senators Spar Over Bill on Sexual Assault in the Military

Stark battle lines are emerging in the Senate over efforts to stamp out the military’s reputation for providing inadequate protections for victims of sexual assault.
Carl Levin and John McCain

Sandra Fluke Redux? Senate Stacks the Deck Against Reformers in Sexual Assaults Crisis

​House Republicans set off a firestorm last year when they held a hearing on contraception without inviting any women. ​Get ready for round two. 
President Barack Obama chats with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during the start of a dinner at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 28, 2010.

Obama Hesitant to Commit Troops in Afghanistan Beyond 2014

Top aide: President wants to see how Afghan security forces and politicians perform before deciding.
Howard

House Armed Services Chairman Demands Pentagon's Military Options for Syria

Legislation rolled out on Monday would require the U.S. Defense Department to inform lawmakers regarding "a variety of options" for potential military involvement in the Syrian civil war and what resources would be needed to carry them out.
Al-Qaida

Al-Qaida Sets Up a Complaints Department

Every governmental body needs to be held accountable by its people. Apparently, so does al-Qaida.
Darrell Issa

Issa Stirs Echoes of McCarthy as Obama's 'Best Friend' in IRS Probe

Chief GOP investigator doesn't know when to let damning facts speak for themselves.
Park Geun-hye

Two-Decade-Old Pledge Complicates South Korean Nuclear Goals

South Korea's designs on producing atomic fuel could shatter a promise Seoul made to never process sensitive nuclear materials.
comey

James Comey, Obama's Pick to Lead the FBI, Stood Up Against the Bush Legal Opinion on 'Enhanced Interrogations'

Comey wrote of the opinion: "I could not agree to this because it was wrong."
Eric Holder

7 Reasons Why the Media Shouldn't Keep Eric Holder's Secrets

What "off the record" means and why it matters to you.
Moktar Belmoktar

The Banality of Al-Qaida's Scathing Letter to One of Its Operatives

It Didn't Have to Be Like This. The letter starts off with leadership stressing that they just had no choice but to write it in response to one he had sent them earlier.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial

How We Could Do More For Our Vets

We need to go into debt to pay our debt to U.S. veterans to make sure they get the care and services we owe them.
Bush Clinton Obama

What If the Next President Is Even Worse?

Partisanship shouldn't blind Americans to Bush-Obama civil-liberty threats.
Submarine

Nuclear Arsenal Subject to Pentagon Cuts, But New Subs May Escape Ax

"Every part of the program, including nuclear weapons, is being addressed," said a senior Defense official.
Obama

Scandals? What Scandals? This Week Is Historical for Another Reason

Years from now, this past week may be remembered less for developments in a spate of White House scandals than as a turning point in the "war on terror."
Syria Body Bags

Washington’s Other Scandal: Syria

The obsession over the IRS, hacked reporters, and Benghazi has overshadowed a very real, and increasingly urgent, problem. 
Lisa Murkowski

Why Lisa Murkowski Wants to Overhaul the Military-Justice System

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has a long record of working to stop sexual assault both in Alaska and in the armed services. This year she readily signed on to three different bills to combat sexual assault in the military. But when it came to a sweeping bill that would take the decision-making power of which cases to prosecute out of the hands of commanders, she paused.
Obama

Obama Distances Himself From Bush Foreign Policy Legacy

Even though he followed many of his predecessor's counterterrorism policies, Obama wants to move on.
Medea Benjamin

Who Is Medea Benjamin, and Why Is She So Good at Heckling Public Officials?

The cofounder of CODEPINK also has interrupted NRA speeches. 
Guantanamo detention facility at dawn

Obama’s 20 Steps to Counterterrorism

Unpacking the president's hour-long (with heckling) speech on drones, Gitmo, and everything in between. 
John McCain

Republican Trio Wants More Questions Answered on Benghazi

Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and Kelly Ayotte won’t drop it. Despite the White House’s release of Benghazi e-mails, the Republican trio has a long list of additional questions, all carrying serious political implications.
John Kerry

John Kerry in the Middle East: Eclipse of a Superpower?

Doha, Qatar – Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in the Middle East on Thursday
Iraq

Can Obama End the 'Forever War'?

Ahead of Thursday's speech, the president is trying to narrow the use of drones.
Off to the Races_Barack Obama

Play of the Day: Obama’s Face and Race

Fast forward to 2:50 to see why Rush Limbaugh thinks Barack Obama's race has really benefitted him.
Obama School

President Obama: Mourner-in-Chief

The president's most memorable speeches have come in the wake of tragedy.
Obama talks about Oklahoma tornado

Don't Hold Your Breath Waiting for Public Opinion to Turn Against Obama

The president has a base of loyalists that won't quit and, at least for now, there's no evidence he was involved in any scandals.
President Barack Obama chats with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during the start of a dinner at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 28, 2010.

Which Is More Corrupt: Afghanistan or America?

Karzai cash payments highlight a growing friction as Afghans blame NATO for their poor reputation.

Insiders Split on Edits of Benghazi Talking Points

National Journal's National Security Insiders were split on whether the Obama administration's edits to remove any mention of terrorism from the original public statements on the Benghazi, Libya, attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens showed it deliberately tried to mislead the American public.
Mac Collins

Congress: The Next Generation

Former lawmakers are helping their children in so many races this year that we might as well dub next Election Day “Take Your Kid to Congress Day.”
Ed Markey Ad

Watch the First Campaign Ad to Invoke the Newtown Shootings

Locked in a close Massachusetts Senate race, Ed Markey goes negative against Gabriel Gomez.
Eric Holder

You Know What Really Risks National Security? Leak Investigations.

What happens if national security journalists stop trusting government warnings?
irs

How Republicans Will Try to Pin the IRS Scandal on Obama

They plan to connect the dots between the agency's chief counsel and the White House.
Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, I-64

Why You Won’t Own Your Road

Cash-strapped states such as Virginia are turning to the private sector to help finance large infrastructure projects.
John Hamre

Former U.S. National Security Leaders Object to ‘More Restrictive’ Nuclear Trade Policies

A half-dozen former U.S. national security leaders last month implored President Obama to avoid tightening restrictions on foreign nuclear cooperation in the interest of nonproliferation.
U.S. Marine in Afghanistan

How the Afghan Conflict Will Be Decided

A horrific week for U.S. casualties reaffirms President Obama’s rush to rely on the Afghan army. But can they handle it?
Obama Holder

Scandals Tailor-Made For GOP Base

George W. Bush lost control of Congress when voters lost trust of his ability to manage government. Obama faces the same threat in 2014.
U.S. Consulate in Benghazi

Under Pressure, the White House Releases More Than 100 Pages of Benghazi E-Mails

The White House, in an effort to calm the swirl of controversy about the reaction to last year’s attacks on U.S. diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, late Wednesday released more than 100 pages of e-mails leading to the development of talking points that attempted to explain the violence that left four Americans dead. The e-mails had earlier been shown to members of Congress but the White House had resisted releasing them, citing the precedent of protecting internal discussions within an administration.
Mike Rogers

Feinstein: Rogers a 'Respected' Contender for FBI

The Obama administration is considering House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., for the top job at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Eric Holder on Trayvon Martin

Eric Holder in the Hot Seat as Congress Probes Scandals

The Attorney General is on Capitol Hill on today for a show of fireworks that could be unlike any seen in this Congress so far.
Russia

What Moscow's Arrest Says About U.S.-Russia Relationship

As the U.S. and Russia go through the motions of expelling each other’s “diplomats” in the coming days, it’s likely they will only be pawns in a much bigger game.
COP Foreclosure Hearing

How Many House Committees Are Currently Probing the Obama Administration?

A look at which House committees have inquiries into Obama Administration issues
GREG HICKS

Insiders Split on Whether White House Covered Up Benghazi Response

National Security Insiders say the U.S. has made missions more secure in the wake of the attack.
obama cameron

Obama's Outrage Focused on Republicans More Than IRS

At press briefing with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama slams Benghazi investigation as partisan.
afghan

NATO’s Plan for Afghanistan Post-2014: A ‘Stable Instability’

U.S., allies are talking about commitments through 2018 and beyond, says top commander.
 Michele Bachmann

'Obamacare' Repeal: Will the 37th Time Be the Charm?

With tensions over fiscal issues building, and the three-month suspension of the nation’s debt limit set to expire Sunday, lawmakers this week will be rehashing on the House floor their messaging war over repealing President Obama’s three-year-old health care law.
Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton's Allies Come to Her Rescue Over Benghazi

Paul Begala says Republican critics are wearing 'tin foil hats'. Ann Lewis blames the right-wing.  Welcome to the 1990s.
US Mexico Border

The Border Hawks Have Already Won

The Senate immigration bill already addresses hard-liner concerns, which means they’ll have less reason to oppose the final product. 
Barack Obama,  Laura Chinchilla

Why Mexico Will Always Play Second Fiddle

Like all presidents, Barack Obama says he wants a better relationship with his neighbors to the south. Then events get in the way. 
Joe Lieberman

GOP Leans on Lieberman in Boston Probe

Putting the former independent senator in an attack-dog role gives Republicans political cover to keep pressing for answers on intelligence and law enforcement failures ahead of the Boston bombings.  
dollar bill

Heading Off the Coming Retirement Disaster

Half of Californians are on track to retire in or near poverty. The state's new retirement plan model could change that.
Joe Lieberman

Lieberman Backs GOP Line on Security Failures in Boston Marathon Attack

Joe Lieberman gave a boost to a Republican line of attack against the Obama administration for failing to fully investigate and share information that might have prevented the Boston bombings.
Obama and Clinton

Why Benghazi is a Blow to Obama and Clinton

Both parties are wrong about the scandal: It’s not Watergate and it’s not nothing.
Benghazi

Benghazi: Incompetence, But No Cover-up

The hearings deepen the tragedy, but not the scandal.
Gregory Hicks

Deputy Mission Chief Says He Was 'Stunned' by Rice's Early Depiction of Benghazi Attacks

The top deputy to the U.S. ambassador killed during the attacks last September in Benghazi, Libya, said Wednesday he was “stunned” when U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice said on talk shows days later that the incident stemmed from “demonstrations” sparked by protests over an anti-Islamic video.
President Barack Obama waves to U.S. troops at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, March 28, 2010.

Why It's So Hard to Trust the Chain of Command in Military Sexual-Assault Cases

A day after a high-profile arrest, a new Pentagon report shows sexual assaults have jumped by a third since 2010.
John Kerry in Russia

Mitt Romney Was Right: Russia Is Our Biggest Geopolitical Foe

Obama meets with South Korea’s president, but it’s Kerry’s sit-down with Putin that matters.   
Hillary Clinton

Play of the Day: A Look at 2016

Fast forward to 3:10 to see Fallon compare the two on important issues.
Drone

How One Jihadist Magazine Is Trying to Fight U.S. Drone Strikes

Help wanted: U.S. drone strikes have crippled our war effort—in need of expertise on how to disable or manipulate unmanned aircraft.
Barack Obama

Insiders: Syrian Chemical Weapons Use Does Not Yet Justify U.S. Military Intervention

Even though President Obama acknowledged chemical weapons use in Syria, nearly two-thirds of National Journal's National Security Insiders believe the American military should not yet intervene in the bloody fight against Bashar al-Assad.
Benghazi

What to Expect at Wednesday’s Benghazi Hearing

The White House's accounting of what transpired in Libya is expected to be contradicted by three self-described whistle-blowers.
Syria civil war

5 Charts Showing Why Americans Aren't Eager for Intervention in Syria

President Obama is acting cautiously on Syria -- and Americans aren't feeling so hawkish, either.

Inside the Cover: Stopping Terrorism at the Source

In this week's National Journal cover story, Michael Hirsh looks at why the Obama administration's plan to use American Muslims as an early-detection system to spot radicals hasn't worked. In this video, go inside the story with the author himself.
Islamic Center of Murfreesboro

Stopping Terrorism at the Source

Two years ago, the Obama administration launched a plan to use American Muslims as an early-detection system to spot radicals. So why hasn’t it worked?
Barack Obama

What Is a ‘Red Line’ Worth?

Syria is testing the idea that nations can’t cross the United States. What happens if other countries copy it?
Oklahoma City Bombing

Should Prosecutors Insist on Death for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev?

Cutting a deal with the alleged Boston bomber might prevent future attacks and ensure a conviction. But it could enrage victims and disappoint the public. 

Poll: What Impact Will the Boston Bombings Have on Immigration Reform?

Neither party’s Insiders expect much of an effect.
Syria

Iraq and Libya Haunt Obama's Syria Policy

Weighed down by memories of Iraq and Libya, the president stands his ground.
Tim Holden, Vice President Biden

Play of the Day: Joe Biden's Plane

Fast forward to 4:25 to see the reaction after Vice President Joe Biden got home after Air Force Two broke down in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Accompanied by health care professionals, President Obama speaks about health care

Obama's Legacy: A Health Care Law That Hurts His Party

Like the Iraq war tarnished the Republican brand, ObamaCare could be a long-term political millstone for Democrats.
Obama

Obama Appears at a Loss to Define the Way Forward in Syria

The fuzzy red lines and rhetoric blur what comes next.
Boston Inquiry

House Homeland Security Committee Plans Hearing on Boston Attack for Next Week

The House Homeland Security Committee plans to hold the first congressional hearing next week examining the Boston Marathon terrorist attack and what it says about the state of the nation’s post-Sept. 11 security infrastructure.
Tense Obama

Obama Channels Clinton’s Worst Day in Office, Raises Doubts About Relevancy

Like Clinton in April 1995, Obama struggles against forces out of his control.
President Barack Obama

Obama Is Still Fighting Bush's National Security Legacy

The president's hesitance to intervene in Syria and eagerness to close Guantanamo Bay underscore how different he is from his predecessor.
Obama WHCA

Obama's Amazing Speech (and Why You Probably Missed It)

Lost amid the laughter, Obama's closing remarks at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner indict failed elites.
Senate Immigration

Asylum and Entry/Exit Systems Get Another Look in Congress After Boston

The impact of the bombings on the immigration debate has narrowed in on just two isolated policy arenas.
Syria

Obama's Chemical Weapons ‘Red Line’ for Syria Keeps Shifting: Former WMD Hunter

President Obama’s "red line" for U.S. intervention in Syria is actually more of a fuzzy zone whose goalposts keep shifting, said the former top WMD hunter in Iraq.
Oregon execution room

Will Prosecutors in the Boston Marathon Bombing Case Seek the Death Penalty?

Former prosecutors weigh in on the legal strategy for taking on bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Bomb in Damascus

Doing Nothing in Syria Is Riskier Than Getting Involved

One allied ambassador: "If you continue to hesitate, the costs will be much higher when you finally act."
American dream

The American Dream, Downsized

The middle class now worries more about holding on for dear life than about climbing the ladder to riches. 
Syria

Obama Is Looking for Reasons to Delay Response to Syria's Chemical-Weapons Use

The White House is not eager to engage militarily in the Middle East again.
Dianne Feinstein

Senators Say Chemical Weapons in Syria Cross Obama's 'Red Line'

Senior senators -- now including Senate Intelligence Chairman Dianne Feinstein -- say Syria has used chemical weapons on its citizens, crossing the 'red line' President Obama put down as trigger for U.S. intervention.  
Shoes

America's Next National Security Risk: Footwear?

The keys to a strong military are coordinated intelligence efforts, high-tech weaponry, and good shoes – American-made shoes, that is, according to certain members of the sneaker lobby.

What Congress Learned Thursday About the Accused Boston Bombers

The FBI was not just concerned with Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2011 but other family members too, according to information that U.S. security officials gave some senators during a closed-door briefing on Thursday. Here is what the senators learned, according to one lawmaker, who would not speak on the record.
Boston bombing memorial

5 Ways the Boston Bombings Altered the Political Debate

From immigration to drones, the attacks had an impact on the presidential agenda.
McCain and Graham

Senators Focus on Information Breakdown in Boston Attack

In the wake of the Boston Marathon attack, lawmakers are focusing on whether federal law enforcement botched information it had about the deceased suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2011 and whether post-Sept. 11 information-sharing security measures broke down.
Evidence

Is There Such Thing as Too Much Evidence?

Assembling the case against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev won't be as simple as it appears from the news.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev

Was the Ball Dropped in the Tsarnaev Questioning?

To paraphrase Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz: This is our @#$&%! Constitution.
West, Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion

How Will Texas Explosion Impact Chemical Security Laws?

Industry officials 'appalled' by those who say the incident suggests a need for tougher chemical security laws.
Pressure cooker used in Boston bombings

How Pressure Cookers Get Classified as a WMD

WASHINGTON -- Accusing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev of carrying out a WMD strike at the Boston Marathon could offer prosecutors a clear route to a conviction, even though the two pressure-cooker devices used in last week's attack do not fit the accepted definition of a "weapon of mass destruction," academics and former federal prosecutors said on Tuesday.
Boston bombing memorial

The White House Is Right: Tsarnaev Should Be Tried As a Civilian

The only surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bomb case will be represented by counsel and arraigned, just like any other criminal defendant.
stuxnet flame

Governments' Favorite Cyberweapons Don't Look Anything Like Stuxnet

Think more along the lines of "criminal enterprise."
Boston aftermath

Insiders: Boston Bombings Should Not Change Terror Policies for Soft Targets

Two-thirds of National Journal's National Security Insiders said the U.S. government does not need to reassess its policies to prevent attacks at high-profile events in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings. But Insiders' opinions are more evenly divided on U.S. intervention in Syria.
bush

Go Ahead, Admit It: George W. Bush Is a Good Man

In the rush to mythologize and demonize our presidents, we forget they're human.
Sen. Bob Corker

Bob Corker Charts Leadership Course

Sen. Bob Corker's independent voice on high-profile issues and scholarly devotion to studying policies he is interested in have made GOP leaders take notice of him and want to keep the Tennessee Republican close at hand — both to capitalize on his expertise and to watch his moves.
Somalian immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen

How Immigration Opponents Are Trying to Use the Boston Bombings to Delay Reform

Democrats, Gang of Eight members, are playing offense to prevent delays.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev

How Tamerlan Tsarnaev Might Have Been Stopped

Did the Obama administration fail to follow up on Muslim community outreach programs?
George W. Bush at National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast

George W. Bush's Reluctant Re-Emergence on the Political Scene

The ex-president is preparing to dedicate his library this week, but these days he's more interested in painting, golfing, and enjoying a life away from politics.
Boston Bombing Sustpects

Boston Suspect's Legal Status A Test Case

Nearly 12 years after 9/11, authorities still have not figured out how to try terrorists.
Statue of Liberty

How Refugees Come Into the United States

The United States has a fairly generous policy in admitting foreigners to the country as refugees, harkening back to the 1950s when several laws were passed to provide for people who escaped communist regimes.
Mall of America

'Soft Targets' Remain Vulnerable to Terrorist Attacks

While authorities continue to focus on finding one of the suspects sought in the deadly Boston bombings, attention will soon turn to how to prevent another terrorist attack on an event with limited security.
Boston suspect

The Psychology of a Boston Marathon Terrorist: 10 Questions for a Retired Marine

“Terrorists are not psychotics or mentally disordered,” retired Marine Corps Reserve officer and criminal behavior expert G.I. Wilson said.
Boston marathon explosion

There Aren't Easy Policy Prescriptions After Boston Bombing

How do you prevent self-styled terrorists who appear to be acting alone? 
Boston bomber search

Boston Lockdown Reflected WMD Response Plans

The Friday lockdown of Boston and surrounding communities was a highly rare response in the United States to a terrorism threat, reminiscent of security plans typically contemplated in response to attacks involving weapons of mass destruction.
Obama

Pray for Our President

Terrible moments like this past week tested Obama and his predecessor. 
Boston house crime scene

Were Boston Bombers Lone Wolves or Long Arm of al-Qaida?

What pushed two seemingly normal young immigrants past the tipping point of youthful anger and into wanton terrorism?
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in ambulance

Why Law Enforcement Worked So Hard to Take Boston Bombings Suspect No. 2 Alive

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev can help authorities clear up many mysteries -- now that he's in custody and alive.
Boston suspect search

Boston Suspects Demonstrate the Thin Line Between Amateurism and Terrorism

U.S. Muslims fear a backlash. ‘It can’t get worse than this,’ says one community organizer.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

After Boston Marathon Bombings, What Next For Immigration Reform?

“We screwed up. We can’t afford to screw up again,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said on Friday. 
Grozny

What You Need to Know About Chechnya

With the troubled Russian region in the news, here's a primer on a violent region that has long struggled against Russian hegemony.
Steve Israel

DCCC Outraises NRCC in March

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee outraised its Republican counterpart for a third straight month to start 2013, according to reports. Roll Call reported Thursday that the National Republican Congressional Committee raised $8.1 million in March, trailing the $10.2 million the DCCC gath...
Boston suspect search

1 Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Is Dead, 1 On the Loose in Watertown

Following a chaotic night of mayhem and a police shootout, one of the two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings was shot and killed by police. The second suspect is on the loose and police are actively searching the area of Watertown, Mass.
Boston Marathon bomings

The Boston Bombs Remind Us That We’re Not Safe

Just because law enforcement officials learned how to track terrorists doesn’t mean we’re not at risk. 
Amy Smith

Saved From Boston's Bombs by a Text Message

Veteran Capitol Hill staffer Amy Smith starts a new job on Friday, feeling lucky to be alive after narrowly escaping Monday's devastation near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
Lizzie Lee

The Way to Combat Terrorism

America can persevere by embracing diversity.
Gregory Jaczko

Reid Appoints Besieged Regulator to Nuclear-Weapons Panel

Late in the evening on Wednesday, one of the busiest and most unnerving times Washington has seen in a long while, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid quietly appointed Gregory Jaczko, a controversial former nuclear-energy regulator to a key but obscure panel.
Harry Potter

What Books Do Gitmo Detainees Read?

What do a suspected terrorist and a 10-year-old child have in common? They might be reading the Harry Potter books.
Barack Obama

In Boston, Obama Finds His Voice and the Nation's: 'We Will Run Again'

Standing ovations greet Obama at interfaith service where he vows: "We will run again."
Boston aftermath

In Boston as in Baghdad, Tragedy Cannot Be Ignored

Friends and colleagues ask why, and how, this was possible. Perhaps this is the way the world already is, and has been for some time.
Person uses computer screen

How the Government Searches for the Boston Marathon Bomber

The post-9/11 record strongly suggests that the U.S. authorities will indeed get their man.
Dirty Bomb Drill, Seattle

Despite WMD Fears, Terrorists Are Focused on Conventional Attacks

WASHINGTON – The United States has spent billions of dollars to prevent terrorists from obtaining a weapon of mass destruction even as this week’s bombings in Boston further show that a nuclear weapon or lethal bioagent is not necessary for causing significant harm.
Boston marathon explosion

6 Tragedies That Sparked Legislation

When tragedy strikes this country, Americans react with grief, anger, hope, and sometimes legislation.
Capitol Police

Ricin Letter Adds To Anxiety on the Hill

Amid an already edgy state of alert in Washington following Monday’s bombings at the Boston Marathon, law enforcement officials confirmed on Tuesday that they were also investigating whether an envelope containing the poison ricin was intended to harm Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Boston aftermath

Plenty of Clues, Few Leads on Motive of Boston Marathon Bomber

The bombings could be the work of al-Qaida affiliates, domestic right-wing extremists, or lone-wolf terrorists inspired by an indeterminate ideology.
Boston aftermath

Experts Skeptical Homegrown Terrorists Were Behind Boston Bombings

While officials are still investigating who was behind the deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon, President Obama made it clear on Tuesday that authorities are still unclear whether domestic or foreign actors are responsible for the attack.
Boston marathon

Defense Department Saves National Guard WMD Unit That Helped in Boston

The U.S. Defense Department was poised as recently as last month to dismantle a National Guard crisis team that assisted in the emergency response to the bombings at Monday's Boston Marathon. 
Obama Boston Marathon Bombing Briefing Photo

Who Is Lisa Monaco, the White House's Counterterrorism Adviser?

President Obama's homeland-security point person deals with the Boston Marathon bombings in her first weeks on the job.
Obama

Obama: Boston Marathon Bombings Are Acts of Terrorism

President adds little is known about the perpetrators of the attack.
Follow National Journal