The Pentagon is introducing a new history course for students in the Department of Defense Education Activity school system. On its face, there is nothing especially remarkable about that. The course is called Western Civilization to 1500, and Western civilization is obviously a legitimate subject for students to study. The controversy begins when you look at the textbook the Pentagon has chosen, the way that textbook frames Christianity and Islam, and the worldview of the ma

History has an unsettling habit of reminding us that the greatest catastrophes rarely begin with catastrophic intentions. They begin with assumptions. One more threat. One more mobilization. One more strike that everyone believes will remain limited. World War I wasn't launched because Europe's leaders collectively decided to engulf the globe in war. It happened because each believed the next move was manageable, the next escalation controllable, and the other side would even

Two words carry enormous weight in American politics: national security . Say them in Washington and the entire tone of a conversation changes. The questions slow down. The details get vague. And more often than not, the discussion simply… stops. To be clear, national security is obviously a real and serious concern. Governments need to protect their citizens. Intelligence agencies track threats. Militaries prepare for conflict. No one is suggesting the United States should i

War has a tone. If you listen to the speeches and press conferences of American presidents during serious conflicts, you’ll notice something consistent: gravity. When lives are at stake, the language usually reflects that reality. But recently, some of the comments coming from Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about the war with Iran have struck many observers as surprisingly casual. Not strategic. Not cautious. Casual. And that has raised an uncomfortable que