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“Battlefield realities rather than great power politics will determine the ultimate terms of a settlement to end the Syrian Civil War.”

“Some US officials are heralding new intelligence on the number of IS fighters as a sign the tide is starting to turn in the battle against the group but there are concerns.”

“Though IS has lost about 25 percent of the territory it held at its peak, it has meanwhile established an international presence, on the ground and in cyberspace.”

This Sunday the Nation will be transfixed with Super Sunday Super Bowl #50.

“President Obama is being pressed by some of his top national security aides to approve the use of American military power in Libya to open up another front against the Islamic State.”

“China announced a series of major comprehensive reforms for the People's Liberation Army that will likely shape China's military modernisation trajectory for the next decade.”

“If Russian tanks and troops rolled into the Baltics tomorrow, outgunned and outnumbered NATO forces would be overrun in under three days.”

“Now, more than ever, the United States should not waiver on Afghanistan,” General Campbell, the outgoing commander of Operation Resolute Support told lawmakers.”

“One thing is clear: The playbook we’ve been using since the 1940s isn’t going to cut it anymore.”

"The Army now faces a 'crisis of relevance' for its future enemies."

Seventeen coalition member countries have sent more than 6,500 soldiers to Iraq to help in the fight against IS – and the U.S. is calling for more.

Secretary of Defense Carter has laid out his military spending priorities for the 2017 budget, reflecting efforts to counter Russia's assertiveness and fight Islamic State militants.

China’s armed forces are undergoing a sweeping five-year reorganization aimed at creating central control over the military’s nearly autonomous branches.

Improving the Sustainment of SOF Distributed Operations in Access-Denied Environments by former SWJ Editor Robert Haddick.

“In the wake of Russia's warplane being shot down by Turkey two months ago, the Turkish foreign ministry is claiming another incursion. What lies behind Russian aggression?”

“The age of the commando, though, is more than pop cultural fantasy emanating from Hollywood. It’s now a significant part of our military strategy.”

The borders of IS’s self-declared caliphate are steadily eroding, but it will likely be months before U.S. and coalition-backed forces are ready to take on the strongholds in Mosul or Raqqa.

“The measures announced by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, including paid maternity leave, are intended to support service members and their families.”

Results from an intensive planning exercise to frame, design, and evaluate potential courses of action that the US could pursue to defeat the IS in Iraq and al Sham and al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria.

“Evidence is now mounting that the DoD Task Force for Business and Stability Operations may have been the most catalytic agent for economic growth since the Marshall Plan.”

“Pentagon officials have concluded that hundreds more trainers, advisers and commandos from the United States and its allies will need to be sent to Iraq and Syria.”

The U.S. Army general picked to lead U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan warns the security situation there is deteriorating.

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“Afghanistan’s national unity government has ‘squandered important opportunities’ to end torture, protect women’s rights and reduce civilian casualties.”

"The general overseeing U.S. special operations forces has written a memo to Defense Secretary Ash Carter demanding the Pentagon stop talking about what his elite troops are up to."