Hagel Confirmation Fight Signals Obama Defense Priorities -- Terry Atlas
Former Nebraska Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, who earned two Purple Hearts as a young enlisted soldier in Vietnam in 1968, shows no sign that he’s cowed by the political battle over his confirmation as defense secretary.
To the contrary, with Hagel’s nomination, President Barack Obama is seizing an opportunity to cement a shift in national security strategy away from military interventionism as the administration faces a tepid economy, a second-term effort to reduce defense spending and a public weary after more than a decade of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
In Syria, war is the new normal -- Rajan Menon, L.A. Times
Cry for food in Syria may be opening for peace -- Christian Science Monitor editorial
Using Cold War tactics to confront Iran -- Daniel Pipes, Washington Times
Afghan Troops Numbers: How Low Can the U.S. Go? -- Mark Thompson, Time
Afghanistan-Pakistan: Decoding Hakimullah Mehsud’s Talks Offer – Analysis -- D Suba Chandran, Eurasia Review
Morsi, Egypt Face Economic Meltdown -- Felix Imonti, Al-Monitor
Cairo’s New Normal: Protests Spawn a World of Walls and Barricades -- Jared Malsin, Time
Venezuelan Roulette: With Hugo Chávez's health uncertain, narcogenerals and Cuban-backed ideologues are vying for influence in Venezuela. -- Roger F. Noriega, Foreign Policy
Afghan Troops Numbers: How Low Can the U.S. Go? -- Mark Thompson, Time
Afghanistan-Pakistan: Decoding Hakimullah Mehsud’s Talks Offer – Analysis -- D Suba Chandran, Eurasia Review
Morsi, Egypt Face Economic Meltdown -- Felix Imonti, Al-Monitor
Cairo’s New Normal: Protests Spawn a World of Walls and Barricades -- Jared Malsin, Time
Venezuelan Roulette: With Hugo Chávez's health uncertain, narcogenerals and Cuban-backed ideologues are vying for influence in Venezuela. -- Roger F. Noriega, Foreign Policy
The CIA: Secret Double Standard -- Ted Gup, New York Times
128 million Americans are now on government programmes. Can America survive as the
world’s superpower? -- Niles Gardiner, The Telegraph
Afghanistan-Pakistan: Decoding Hakimullah Mehsud’s Talks Offer – Analysis -- D Suba Chandran, Eurasia Review
Morsi, Egypt Face Economic Meltdown -- Felix Imonti, Al-Monitor
Cairo’s New Normal: Protests Spawn a World of Walls and Barricades -- Jared Malsin, Time
Venezuelan Roulette: With Hugo Chávez's health uncertain, narcogenerals and Cuban-backed ideologues are vying for influence in Venezuela. -- Roger F. Noriega, Foreign Policy
The CIA: Secret Double Standard -- Ted Gup, New York Times
128 million Americans are now on government programmes. Can America survive as the
world’s superpower? -- Niles Gardiner, The Telegraph