Thomas E. Ricks

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
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Stories by Thomas E. Ricks
German soldiers beside a tank during World War II (German Federal Archives via Wikimedia Commons).

WWII query: Why did France surrender so quickly while Russia held out for years?
Best Defense |
Deputy National Security Ben Rhodes edits President Barack Obama's speech aboard Air Force One (Pete Souza/White House/Flickr)

A stunning profile of Ben Rhodes, the asshole who is the president’s foreign policy guru
Best Defense |
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly speaks during a White House briefing Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

An Old Colonel Looks at General Kelly
Best Defense |
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks alongside Secretary of Defense James Mattis at a cabinet meeting in the White House on Dec. 6, 2017. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Mattis as defense secretary: What it means for us, for the military, and for Trump
Best Defense |
U.S. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan arrives at Combat Outpost Sharp in the Garmsir District. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Mark O’Donald/Released via Wikimedia Commons)

2 big warnings from Gen. McChrystal: War in Europe is possible & we’re going to have to give up rights for our security
Best Defense |
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The Latest

Trump’s First Year in Review: Views From the Republican Bench

Foreign policy veterans from previous Republican administrations look back on 2017 — the year of Trump.

Elephants in the Room |

How Donald Trump Learned to Love War in 2017

The president promised to deliver peace. But in his first year, he expanded every war he inherited.

Voice |

WWII query: Why did France surrender so quickly while Russia held out for years?

After eight years at Foreign Policy, here are the ten most popular Best Defense posts.

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