DEFENSE DOWNLOAD: Week of 12/6

Welcome to the Defense Download! This new round-up is intended to highlight what we at the Cato Institute are keeping tabs on in the world of defense politics every week. The three-to-five trending stories will vary depending on the news cycle, what policymakers are talking about, and will pull from all sides of the political spectrum. If you would like to recieve more frequent updates on what I’m reading, writing, and listening to—you can follow me on Twitter via @CDDorminey.  

1. This first suggestion actually comes in two parts: The Texas National Security Review hosted two policy roundtables. “The Future of Conservative Foreign Policy” includes essays from Elliott Abrams, my colleague Emma Ashford, John Fonte, Henry R. Nau, Nadia Schadlow, Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, and Dov S. Zakheim. “The Future of Progressive Foreign Policy” includes essays from Heather Hurlburt, Adam Mount, Loren DeJonge Schulman, and Thomas Wright. If you’re looking to hit the highlights, I really recommend Emma Ashford’s contribution (of course), as well as Adam Mount’s and Heather Hurlburt’s. 
2. If you’re interested in the conflict and Yemen, check out this interactive website, “Visualizing Yemen’s Invisible War,” that provides both narrative and data on the war. 
3. “Trump’s Push to Boost Lethal Drone Exports Reaps Few Rewards,” Lara Seligman. It turns out the Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force aren’t completely sold on President Trump’s idea to sell advanced drone technology worldwide. Fascinating.