The Pentagon’s New Mission: Buy More Weapons To Buy More Time

Just before Thanksgiving, Admiral Samuel Paparo unveiled a massive turkey: America’s defense posture in Asia. Paparo became the head of America’s Indo-Pacific Command in May after commanding the Pacific Fleet for three years, and he came to Washington to deliver some bad news. The United States is not keeping pace with the threats facing his forces.

In the nearly three years since Russia attacked Ukraine, Washington has failed to arm U.S. forces or their allies sufficiently. The Replicator Initiative is scrambling to make up for lost time, and peace in Asia will depend on the Pentagon using that time wisely.

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Resist the Global Intifada

As Israel defeats its enemies on the battlefields in Gaza and Lebanon, the intifada has gone global. The new fronts of the war against the Jewish state include America's cities, the United Nations, the U.S. Senate, and the International Criminal Court. Marches, resolutions, embargoes, arrest warrants—these are the tools by which Hamas sympathizers worldwide intend to isolate Israel diplomatically, undermine Israel's war against terrorism, and intimidate the Jewish people.

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Meet the New Boss

Donald Trump's visit to Washington on Wednesday had all the hallmarks of his first term. There was the cable-news pageantry of Trump Force One's arrival at and departure from D.C. There was a cordial and reassuring meeting in the Oval Office between Trump and President Biden. There was the reelection of Speaker Mike Johnson within the House GOP and an orderly transfer of leadership to a new generation of Senate Republicans. And there was mounting shock, disbelief, and alarm within the bipartisan political class at Trump's selections for secretary of defense, director of national intelligence, and attorney general.

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The Biden Error

"Don't forget all that we accomplished," President Biden said during his Thursday address on the election. "It's been a historic presidency. Not because I'm president, [but] because of what we've done. What you've done. A presidency for all Americans." The electorate that voted Tuesday held a different opinion. According to the Fox News Voter Analysis, only 40 percent of voters expressed a favorable view of Biden. His unfavorable rating was a whopping 58 percent. The economy and immigration were the two most important issues. Voters preferred Trump over Vice President Harris on the economy by 24 points. They preferred Trump over Harris on immigration by a jaw-dropping 77 points. The country shifted right on Election Day. Trump made inroads everywhere, in all corners and among critical voting blocs. He is on track to win all seven swing states. He is the first Republican to win the popular vote in a generation. He is the only Republican since Ronald Reagan to win the "blue wall" states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania twice. He is expected to enter office with a Republican trifecta of the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. The electorate identified as Republican for the first time since Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. Biden's presidency is "historic," therefore, not for its accomplishments but for its ultimate outcome: Donald Trump's reelection, the first nonconsecutive presidential terms since the 19th century, and a working-class realignment toward the GOP.

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The Foreign Policy Stakes of 2024

Foreign policy is not usually the priority for American voters on Election Day. But as the situation darkens from Topeka to Tel Aviv, Americans and their overseas friends are looking to Washington for reassurance. Both major candidates present themselves as a source of certainty, but they are asking the American people to take enormous gambles. And the stakes are growing higher every day.

Kamala Harris portrays herself as a steady hand at the wheel. In her first major address as a candidate, at the Democratic convention, she claimed, “after decades in law enforcement, I know the importance of safety and security.” From her perch in the Naval Observatory, she had “confronted threats to our security, negotiated with foreign leaders, strengthened our alliances, and engaged with our brave troops overseas.” She promised to “be steadfast in advancing our security and values abroad” and to “ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world.”

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The Trump Flex

The images are indelible: Donald Trump's mugshot. His visit to a New York City bodega. His bloody ear and face and raised fist after being shot. Appearing before his name in lights at the RNC. Joining forces with RFK Jr. beneath sparkling fireworks. Praying at the grave of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Serving French fries at McDonald's. Selling out Madison Square Garden. And then, this week, donning a safety vest and riding in a garbage truck.

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It Takes Guts To Predict the 2024 Election

Whose gut do you trust—James Carville's or Nate Silver's? Democratic strategist Carville says his gut tells him that Kamala Harris will win the presidency. Data analyst Silver says that his gut tells him Donald Trump will be victorious. Both guts can't be right.

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Bidding Farewell to Biden’s Foreign Policy

With the election just around the corner, President Joe Biden and his administration have nearly faded from the news. This week, though, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin returned to the headlines with their latest threat to cut off weapons sales to Israel unless the Jewish state accedes to their vague demands about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Although the timing is convenient for the Democratic Party—their deadline falls after the election—it undermines Israel’s campaign to restore deterrence against Iran.

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America is Moving Right. But for How Long?

Finally, some good news: "No Matter Who Wins, the US Is Moving to the Right," reads the headline of David Weigel's recent piece in Semafor. Nor is Weigel the only one who's noticed. Listen to Kamala Harris abandon her past positions, watch Democratic ads on television, or read the latest polling, and the trend line is clear. Why? Because Harris has no other choice. The polling doesn't look good. All depends on Harris's ability to sweep Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Pennsylvania depends on fracking, and Philadelphia has experienced a rise in social disorder. Michigan voters (like voters elsewhere) are leery of electric vehicles. Wisconsin is Harris's best Rust Belt state—but there too she must confront an electorate unhappy with the economy, worried about crime, and angry at incumbent Democratic senator Tammy Baldwin.

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How Harris Bombed Her Media Blitz

Michael Dukakis shows up in a tank. George H.W. Bush checks his watch during a debate. John Kerry says he was for the $87 billion for Iraq before he was against it. Mitt Romney writes off the 47 percent of voters who receive government benefits. Hillary Clinton lambastes the deplorables. Such moments brought clarity. They defined the candidates. They laid out the stakes. They changed the story. Let's add another to the list. On Tuesday, Kamala Harris appeared on The View. A friendly host asked if there's anything she would do differently than President Biden. Harris hesitated, as if she hadn't anticipated or understood the question. That was typical. Her answer was not. "There is not a thing that comes to mind," she said.

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