Michael O'Hanlon

Michael O'Hanlon is the coauthor, with Hassina Sherjan, of Toughing It Out in Afghanistan (Brookings Institution Press, 2010). He is also the Sydney Stein, Jr. chair and director of research for the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution.

Essays

Security

The Democrat Armed

| 06.01.05

Democrats need to learn that jobs and healthcare do not make up a national security strategy.

Security

Gauging the Aftermath

| 06.01.04

SINCE WE last wrote for The National Interest--in the Winter 2003/04 issue ("

Security

Scoring the Iraq Aftermath

| 12.01.03

How to measure real progress--or lack thereof--in Iraq.

Security

Cruise Control: A Case for Missile Defense

| 03.01.02

There are 75,000 cruise missiles in the world, and the chance that some could fall into nefarious hands isn't nearly small enough.

Security

China's Military, Take 3

| 12.01.99

A reply to their critics, claiming that James Lilley and Carl Ford miss the forest for the trees.

Reviews

Security

Beyond Petroleum

| 01.03.07

The U.S.-Saudi relationship is based on more than just oil—it hinges directly on common core interests.

Commentary

Security

Obama Renews Arms-Control Push

| 02.20.13

Pushing the Russians for further bilateral arms reduction serves American interests.

Society

Obama's Iraq Legacy

| 07.13.12

Obama’s record to date on Iraq may not be his proudest achievement, but it is a solid and sober one.

Politics

Assessing the 2011 Defense Cuts

| 12.27.11

How much defense-budget cutting is too much?

Security

The Case for Staying in Iraq

| 09.12.11

The top three reasons for rethinking the withdrawal.

Security

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in Afghanistan

| 07.22.11

A frank assessment is in order as Petraeus relinquishes control. Why we are bound to fail unless we redefine winning.