Defense

Waging peace

It's time to create a new cadre of executives who are trained in managing the transition from war to peace.

Defense

War and peace

The British army's experience as peacekeepers in Ireland offers lessons for the U.S. military in Iraq.

Defense

Attack always

Army Lt. Gen. William Wallace pursued a strategy of relentless assault during the war in Iraq.

Defense

Bottom up

The Marine Corps got good press during the war in Iraq because lower-ranking men and women—not the top brass—were so impressive.

Defense

Failure to fight

Why did Saddam Hussein do almost nothing to try to stop the invasion of his country?

Defense

Iraq is not Vietnam

The equipment, terrain and tactics of war have changed dramatically in 35 years.

Defense

Iraq and beyond

Pundits should spend less time second-guessing the Bush administration's military strategy in Iraq and more time pushing for the president to make the right decisions in the weeks and months ahead.

Defense

The human factor

Sailors in Umm Qasr have a bird's-eye view of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Iraq.

Defense

Opening night

The USS Bunker Hill had an unexpected role in the opening act of the war against Iraq.

Defense

Five fights

The commander of the Army's V Corps says the impending war in Iraq will involve fighting five kinds of battles at once.

Defense

Supplies at sea

Replenishing an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf requires some tricky but critical maneuvers.

Defense

Foot soldiers

An Army platoon leader prepares his men for combat.

Defense

Officials fear war abroad will breed terror at home

State and local homeland security officials see war with Iraq as intensifying the terror threat at home, and say they lack the resources to be fully prepared.

Defense

Changing pace

The secret to victory in war is not any one perfect plan, but the ability to adapt.

Defense

Guarded reservists

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's ideas for moving some skills out of Reserve components and back into active-duty forces has raised some caution flags among reservists.

Defense

Guns and butter

Even with a budget boost, the cost of supporting service members and their families may make money for new weapons scarce.

Defense

Mixed message

Is the president spurring the development of weapons of mass destruction?

Defense

Point man

The Defense secretary's abrasive management style may not be popular, but his leadership in the war on terrorism is on the mark.

Defense

New budget gamble

The Bush administration's defense budget is based on the premise that it is better to risk having too few aircraft and ships today in order to free up money to buy new ones for tomorrow.

Defense

Feeling a draft

Congress should at least think about a lawmaker's proposal to reinstate the military draft.