IN THE TRENCHESTrump Picks Mattis as Defense ChiefThe respected retired four-star general would need a special waiver from Congress to assume the post, and would be only the second general in U.S. history to lead the department.Tim Mak
Capital PunishmentAssad’s Also Winning in DamascusAs rebel-held East Aleppo looks set to fall, the regime is simultaneously making headway in its own backyard.Nancy A. Youssef
Ctrl-Alt-DelDid NSA Chief Go Soft on Hacking ISIS?Adm. Michael Rogers’s bosses wanted him to go harder on ISIS. His employees wanted him to take it easier. And that was before the meeting with Trump.Nancy A. Youssef
‘Anticipatory Freakout’Muslims in Government Brace for TrumpFor Muslims inside the national-security apparatus whom the Obama administration welcomed with open arms, fear of Trump is already pervasive.Nancy A. Youssef
Going RoguePutin Knows More Than We Do About TrumpFrom calling Putin to meeting with Japan’s prime minister, Trump is talking to a host of foreign leaders—without consulting the Obama administration.Nancy A. Youssef
Turn AwayIs Trump Playing Into Terrorists’ Hands?Washington spent years working with American Muslim communities to counter terrorist recruiting. Now officials worry all that work is about to be undone.Nancy A. Youssef
THE DISAPPEAREDU.S. Can’t Find ISIS PrisonersCaptured ISIS fighters should be an invaluable source of intelligence in the fight for Mosul. But U.S. forces have only questioned ‘a handful’ of them.Nancy A. Youssef
DEATH AND VIOLENCEBomber Kills 4 at Bagram Airfield2 U.S. servicemembers and 2 U.S. contractors killed. Nancy A. Youssef
Anyone There?Pentagon Waits for Team Trump to Show Up‘Hundreds of people’ may be starting to apply for security jobs in a Trump administration. But so far, the Pentagon transition team to vet those résumés is nowhere to be found.Kimberly Dozier
Salute and ServePentagon Ready to Check President TrumpEvery troop swears to follow the orders of the president. But what if those orders constitute a war crime? Some at the Pentagon say they could stonewall or refuse—but will they?Nancy A. Youssef
