One of the consistent themes of military history has been the reduction of decision latency. Engineers use this term to describe the interval between observation and action. From runners and mounted messengers to semaphore, telegraph, radio, radar, satellite communications, artificial intelligence, and autonomous weapons, successive generations of military technology have sought to compress this interval….
Part the First: They Really Are Serious About Destroying American Science (but that has been clear from the beginning). The Wall Street Journal writes: White House to Direct Billions in Research Funds Toward AI, Away from Colleges (no archive). In a new report and memo released Tuesday, the White House Office of Science and Technology…
A proposal to charge vessels for services in the Strait of Hormuz, which previously drew little interest from Iran, may yet offer a way to break the deadlock and revive peace negotiations. Despite an impasse in negotiations between Iran and the United States, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said Iran is engaged in “constructive”…
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 19: Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina controls the ball against Lamine Yamal #19 of Spain during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) Spain…
Part the First: Profit in Medicine. In a report that will tug at the heartstrings of everyone, STAT tells us that HCA warns of lower profits in its future as more patients go uninsured because ObamaCare subsidies have gone by the wayside: The country’s biggest hospital chain lowered its 2026 profit outlook on Tuesday after…
For more than half a century, arms control has been one of civilization’s principal safeguards against catastrophic war. Yet today that framework is visibly weakening. Major treaties have expired or been abandoned. Verification disputes have become increasingly contentious. New military technologies routinely outpace existing agreements, while strategic rivalry is extending into emerging domains such as…
Part the First: Jessica Wildfire on Apathetic Americans. As a paid-up member of the Professional Managerial Class who came from a thoroughly working-class background, I tend to hear and see things differently from most of my colleagues. An enduring theme among them is “They just don’t seem to care…” Not exactly. From Heads Above Water:…
In the previous Armed Madhouse article, I argued that War Power has evolved into a self-reinforcing institutional ecosystem whose incentives increasingly favor preparations and actions carrying unacceptable risks of catastrophic armed conflict escalation. That assessment naturally raises a more important question. If War Power is becoming progressively less capable of performing the historical function for…
