Situation Report Newsletter

Panetta: al Qaeda in Mali has to be stopped

The Army’s green movement, Dakota Meyer on being told “no,” and more.

OCTOBER 25, 2012

A final debate: did foreign policy win?

How to explain Iran sanctions to Iranians. No, cyber-warriors, there is no meeting on “the Hatch Act,” and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 23, 2012

The race tightens as Obama, Romney prepare for foreign policy debate tonight

AUSA begins, What Ishmael Jones’ experience tells us about “No Easy Day,” Thanks for the cowbells, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 22, 2012

Has the Libya story been milked?

Radio silence at the Pentagon, Two four-stars get the nod for AFRICOM and the Marines and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 19, 2012

Dunford in Afghanistan

JIEDDO positions itself for the long haul, another departure for another Pentagon personnel chief, Romney has 300 friends, and they’re all retired brass, Mattis for president and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 18, 2012

Libyan militant at site of attack

A peek into Gen. Odierno’s thinking before AUSA, How a Pakistani cab driver sees things, Are the U.S. and Russian militaries buds? And more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 17, 2012

HRC takes one for the team

Mark Bowden on vetting books (his comes out today), Could defense spending crunch mean a harder Afghan withdrawal? Best Defense: Six questions for Obama and Romney, and more.

OCTOBER 16, 2012

The pivot to Asia and the urgent fight against waterborne IEDs

What Bob Schieffer will ask, Is the Pentagon taking over cyber-security, Inside Dempsey’s CAG, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 15, 2012

Panetta says foreign actors attempting to slip into U.S

Veep debate, a contrast in foreign policy, Moving past Big Bird: the Early Bird to see big changes, and more.

OCTOBER 12, 2012

Panetta divulges secrets to make cyber-security come alive

Who will be the next Marine “Ack-Mack?” The scariest moment in history just got scarier, Good-bye to Old Iron Jaw, and more.

OCTOBER 11, 2012

The refugee problem in Jordan is worse than you think

Panetta announcing: Dunford to Kabul, Dempsey to talk relationships, Larry Korb on suicides and accountability, It wasn’t a “consulate,” and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 10, 2012

Romney to talk foreign policy

Afghanistan enters its 12th year, Do DHS and the Pentagon know how to share? Panetta delivers pumpkin pie and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 8, 2012

Panetta leaves for South America

DoD gets the FBI to Benghazi, where is Dempsey’s outrage, no Big Bird talk at the Pentagon, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 5, 2012

Ash says the pivot is real

Just how little do Americans care about foreign policy (poll), How plant DNA helps the Pentagon, The return of al Qaeda and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 4, 2012

AI report: Human rights violations in Egypt

The Iranian foreign minister and Syrian regime change, the trip Petraeus never took, What Americans really think about foreign policy and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 2, 2012

What George Flynn will tell you about cuts at NDU

Insider attacks are the new signature attack in Afghanistan, what Yemen’s Hadi fears, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 1, 2012

Pentagon planners: Israel’s three options for an Iranian strike

FP gets sneak peek at Dempsey’s “Joint Force 2020” plan, Joint operations return to Afghanistan, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

What 371 metric tons of uranium hexafluoride could mean to Iranians

Why it might matter that Shirley Tilghman is leaving Princeton, Pete Mansoor’s vexing book vetting problem, and more.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

Army, SOCOM Create New Landpower Group

A report card on the surge, Poll: Americans support nuking terrorists, Obama’s Pentagon peeps defend his record, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

Whither JIEDDO?

Why they call the pivot “rebalancing,” Panetta Back to Asia, Moving Beyond Sun Tzu and More.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 25, 2012

The Impact of the Pause in Afghanistan

The Trouble in Iraq, History Repeats Itself in Syria and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 24, 2012

Unrest Arrives in Pakistan

How the Army Must Hedge its Bets, the Cyber-security Broken Record and more.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Policy Chief Jim Miller Explains the Pivot, Defends the Reset

Beers in China; Afghanistan Headed Toward Civil War, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Will suspending joint ops make the Afghans step up?

Interviewing the radicals blamed for killing Chris Stevens, the seven deadly sins of John Brennan, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

ISAF Reduces Op-Tempo with Afghans

The red phone with China, Gates goes off, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Panetta to FP: He'll be a Mediator in Asia

DoD responds to Middle East unrest, a secret nuclear war plan, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

The Surge in Afghanistan Ends

The Monday Morning Quarterbacking on Libya, You Just Can’t Bomb Syria, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 14, 2012

Protests Spread to Yemen

Fear of Friday prayers, McCain on engaging Libya, the cost of bombing Iran, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | SEPTEMBER 13, 2012