William Arkin

William Arkin examines why seemingly successful wars never seem to end, and how our impulse to make wars "safer" put everyone in much more danger.

What if you knew that the government had a massive secret master plan outlining its response to a series of improbable disasters? William Arkin is a former U.S. Army intelligence offi...

"Operation Odyssey Dawn" is the name given to our current military mission in Libya. But the choice of words is giving some the uncomfortable feeling that the U.S. may be embarking in an epically long battle, akin to the story of Homer's "Odyssey." But when it comes to military operations, what's in a name? It's not significant in the ways one might think. We talk with William Arkin, a former Army intelligence analyst and consultant. He's also the author of "Code Names: Deciphering U.S. Military Programs, Plans, and Operations in the 9/11 World."

After the September 11^th attacks, the government began rapidly expanding our national security and intelligence operations. Washington Post national security reporter William Arkin, co-author of the three-part series Top Secret America, explains how the system has become so large and so complex that no one really knows if it’s working.

William Arkin, national security reporter for the Washington Post, discusses his new series Top Secret America, which describes America's national security buildup since the September 11th, 2001 attacks.

General David Petraeus, the top American commander in Baghdad, testifies before the Senate today, and will likely face tough questioning from all three Presidential candidates. The Washington Post's William Arkin offers his analysis.

Programming Note: WNYC and NPR are offering live coverage of the hearings available here.