Articles & Multimedia

Showing 1-4 of 4 Publications

• • Commentary
  • The New York Times
  • November 11, 2012
  Questioning the Brass

  OVER the last 11 years, as we fought an unnecessary war in Iraq and an unnecessarily long one in Afghanistan, the civilian American leadership has been thoroughly — and justly...

  By Thomas E. Ricks

• • Commentary
  • The Atlantic
  • November 1, 2012
  General Failure

  On June 13, 1944, a few days after the 90th Infantry Division went into action against the Germans in Normandy under the command of Brigadier General Jay MacKelvie, MacKelvie’...

  By Thomas E. Ricks

• • Commentary
  • The New York Times
  • July 10, 2012
  Let’s Draft Our Kids

  In late June, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the former commander of international forces in Afghanistan, called for reinstating the draft. “I think if a nation goes to war, ever...

  By Thomas E. Ricks

• • Commentary
  • The Washington Post
  • April 19, 2012
  Toss Out the All-Volunteer Military

  Since the end of the military draft in 1973, every person joining the U.S. armed forces has done so because he or she asked to be there. Over the past decade, this all-volunte...

  By Thomas E. Ricks