There are important differences between the current situation in Afghanistan and that in Somalia in 1993, but Somalia remains a cautionary tale.

The Quadrennial Defense Review process, from 1993 until now, has utterly failed to do what it was intended to do: provide a link among strategy, force-planning and defense budgeting.

By serving as props for presidential candidates, retired generals put at risk the confidence that citizens and officials alike place in the political neutrality of the armed forces.

By serving as props for presidential candidates, retired generals put at risk the confidence that citizens and officials alike place in the political neutrality of the armed forces.

Assuming that American armed forces will make perfect decisions and that the enemy will never surprise us has led to the elimination of reserves from all echelons of the miltiary structure.

Two recent books on American foreign affairs suggest that a dramatic shift in U.S. national security policy come January 2009 is both imprudent and unlikely.

The Clinton administration's foreign policy appears to be a jumble of improvised responses to crises, political pressures, and calculations of electoral advantage.