The chaos in Yemen threatens to push a very dark reality on the Obama administration--the emergence of a terrorist safe haven host to an al Qaeda franchise keen on attacking the US, writes Katherine Zimmerman. Follow Critical Threats for updates.

Frederick and Kimberly Kagan write that any troop withdrawal this summer would make problems in Afghanistan worse, and Danielle Pletka writes that core truths are being obscured in order to design an endgame that satisfies political rather than military exigencies.

Over ten years, paying federal employees at market rates could save the budget almost $1 trillion. Andrew Biggs and Jason Richwine update their working paper that explains how federal employees receive greater salaries, job security, and benefits than private sector workers.

As sex-selective abortion is growing in a number of countries, the natural balance of boys and girls has been severely altered. Is the worst yet ahead? Join AEI on June 14 for what promises to be an enlightening—and sobering—discussion.

The Defending Defense Project--a collaboration between AEI, the Heritage Foundation, and the Foreign Policy Initiative--asks secretary of defense nominee Leon Panetta about his position on defense spending in light of Obama’s call for cuts.