Syria has always been among the Middle East's most repressive regimes. Any hope that Bashar al-Assad would usher in reform were naïve to begin with, the stuff of diplomats' fantasies. The question of what might come after Assad is a difficult one for American diplomats who have spent far more time trying to engage Assad and his functionaries than in reaching out to the Syrian opposition.

The Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan is now an officially designated terrorist organization, a status that will make it easier to prosecute individuals involved with the organization.

Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-Va.) has long been on almost everyone's short list for the Republican vice presidential nomination. But now McDonnell's national security credentials have come into question, thanks to his mishandling of a bill passed by the Virginia General Assembly.

Excerpts from digital video conference withAEI's Danielle Pletka speaking with journalists in Madrid on Iraq.

Under current law, the U.S. Department of Defense automatically faces significant spending cuts over the next 10 years—cuts that america's civilian and military leaders have cadidly described as "devastating" and "very high risk."

The real question hanging over all this is whether there was a quid pro quo for Mr. Chen’s release.

Without bold dramatic change at the State Department, the United States will soon find itself on the defensive everywhere except militarily.

Amb. Bolton’s interview last night on Fox News “On the Record” with Greta Van Susteren discussing the latest on Chinese dissident, Chen Guangchen