James Kitfield
Stories by James Kitfield
Pelosi’s visit is happening at a sensitive time for Xi. The party leadership is meeting this week at a resort in advance of the party congress due to be held this fall. Xi has made “reunification” with the island state a keystone of his rule.
By Colin Clark and James Kitfield
A former chairman of the joint chiefs and two former supreme allied commanders of NATO, among others, lay out how it has come to the point Russia felt it could invade Ukraine.
By James Kitfield
“I think the countries to the north of Afghanistan such as Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are also going to be worried about the flows of refugees and perhaps fighters to the north. All of them will see what happens after we leave, how the United States postures itself, and then they’ll decide what to do,” Gen. McKenzie said this week.
By James Kitfield
Speaking publicly and in alarming terms about a partisan political issue does not come naturally to retired generals and former senior national security leaders. These public servants, many of them wartime commanders and leaders, are not given to histrionics or hyperbole. So when hundreds (it’s now up to 780) of national security leaders – including 22 retired…
By James Kitfield
“Every man on the mission that night was engaged in their own unique problem set. My teammates were also looking for some way to liberate those hostages,” said Payne.
By James Kitfield
The COVID-19 pandemic is driving the tectonic plates of great power competition, weakening the already wobbly international system. For a brief moment it seemed that the worst global pandemic in a century might lead to increased comity between the United States, China and Russia after years of geopolitical eye-gouging. As the virus spread there were…
By James Kitfield
The Trump administration has watered down U.S. global leadership to coercive deal-making. The dangerous contours of a world in crisis are now coming into stark relief.
By James Kitfield
The most profound change resulting from China’s military modernization has been in its space capabilities. Back in 2000 China only had 10 satellites in orbit, and this year it will launch more satellites than any other nation on the planet.
By James Kitfield
The 29-year-old sergeant fought with gun, grenades, and knife in a dark house with sewage flooding the floor and broken mirrors glinting on the bullet-marked walls.
By James Kitfield
How are Air Force pilots training for a war with Russia or China?
By James Kitfield
NATO is dusting off Cold War concepts such as deterrence, rapid reinforcement and battle readiness as it faces a Russian destabilization campaign. Our contributor James Kitfield is traveling with Gen. James Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, as the Marine general attends the NATO summit in Warsaw. Kitfield spoke with Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, about the Russian threat…
By James Kitfield
This week the White House will issue its second Medal of Honor in recent months for extreme valor in the Battle for Robert’s Ridge, recognizing one of the most intense and influential firefights of the post-9/11 era. It will be awarded posthumously to Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman. Sometimes at night they huddled over a…
By James Kitfield
Pelosi’s visit is happening at a sensitive time for Xi. The party leadership is meeting this week at a resort in advance of the party congress due to be held this fall. Xi has made “reunification” with the island state a keystone of his rule.
By Colin Clark and James KitfieldA former chairman of the joint chiefs and two former supreme allied commanders of NATO, among others, lay out how it has come to the point Russia felt it could invade Ukraine.
By James Kitfield“I think the countries to the north of Afghanistan such as Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are also going to be worried about the flows of refugees and perhaps fighters to the north. All of them will see what happens after we leave, how the United States postures itself, and then they’ll decide what to do,” Gen. McKenzie said this week.
By James KitfieldSpeaking publicly and in alarming terms about a partisan political issue does not come naturally to retired generals and former senior national security leaders. These public servants, many of them wartime commanders and leaders, are not given to histrionics or hyperbole. So when hundreds (it’s now up to 780) of national security leaders – including 22 retired…
By James Kitfield“Every man on the mission that night was engaged in their own unique problem set. My teammates were also looking for some way to liberate those hostages,” said Payne.
By James KitfieldThe COVID-19 pandemic is driving the tectonic plates of great power competition, weakening the already wobbly international system. For a brief moment it seemed that the worst global pandemic in a century might lead to increased comity between the United States, China and Russia after years of geopolitical eye-gouging. As the virus spread there were…
By James KitfieldThe Trump administration has watered down U.S. global leadership to coercive deal-making. The dangerous contours of a world in crisis are now coming into stark relief.
By James KitfieldThe most profound change resulting from China’s military modernization has been in its space capabilities. Back in 2000 China only had 10 satellites in orbit, and this year it will launch more satellites than any other nation on the planet.
By James KitfieldThe 29-year-old sergeant fought with gun, grenades, and knife in a dark house with sewage flooding the floor and broken mirrors glinting on the bullet-marked walls.
By James KitfieldHow are Air Force pilots training for a war with Russia or China?
By James KitfieldNATO is dusting off Cold War concepts such as deterrence, rapid reinforcement and battle readiness as it faces a Russian destabilization campaign. Our contributor James Kitfield is traveling with Gen. James Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, as the Marine general attends the NATO summit in Warsaw. Kitfield spoke with Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, about the Russian threat…
By James KitfieldThis week the White House will issue its second Medal of Honor in recent months for extreme valor in the Battle for Robert’s Ridge, recognizing one of the most intense and influential firefights of the post-9/11 era. It will be awarded posthumously to Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman. Sometimes at night they huddled over a…
By James Kitfield