What we owe those who serve

This Veterans Day, let’s recommit to the informed citizenship our troops fight to protect

Courtesy: Arlington National Cemetery

As many of you know, I spent this past year at the Council on Foreign Relations as the Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow. The experience was transformative, particularly my time with the cohort of visiting military fellows: officers nominated by the chiefs of staff from every branch of the U.S. armed forces.

Our group included an Army colonel specializing in conflict and cooperation with extensive Eastern Europe experience, a Navy captain expert in maritime strategy who commanded submarine squadrons, a Coast Guard captain overseeing aviation operations across the Southeast and Caribbean, an Air Force colonel who commanded Joint Base Andrews and was recently selected for promotion to general, and a Marine Corps colonel with global peacekeeping experience.

Being among this group was humbling. Their insights into global security come not just from study but from real-world experience in the most challenging, high-stakes environments imaginable. Getting to know them, becoming their friend and hearing their stories renewed my patriotism and deepened my respect for those who serve, particularly for the weight of the oath they take to defend the Constitution.

Which is why this Veterans Day has me thinking about what’s being done to our military - and, frankly, it’s not good.

On a day when we’re supposed to honor those who served, the current administration is chipping away at what makes our military strong. I’ve been disgusted by the disrespect shown to our armed forces - from the President suggesting American streets could be a training ground to “go after the enemy within,” to the purging of senior officers (disproportionately women and minorities) because they don’t fit Pete Hegseth’s Handmaid’s Tale vision of America. My friend Brianna Keilar, who has a wonderful column about military families called Homefront has documented how qualified women commanders are being pushed out as a result of Hegseth’s “warrior ethos” policies.

If he were removing corrupt or incompetent leaders and explaining why, that would be accountability. Instead, officers are losing their jobs and being passed over for promotion without clear explanation.

Friends, this critique is not about politics! It’s obvious to anyone with a pulse that Hegseth is an ill-equipped, self-aggrandizing figurehead clearly out of his depth. The military is being politicized, and Hegseth is muzzling the Pentagon press corps with police state–like restrictions in a fool’s errand to prevent journalists from asking critical questions about any of it.

This Veterans Day, let’s commit to the kind of informed citizenship our troops fight to protect. That means staying engaged, with clear eyes about what’s really happening to our military and America’s role in the world.

The negativity rabbit hole

This all brings me to why concerned about what I am seeing on this platform.

Substack’s mission was to provide access to independent writers offering a wide range of opinions, and there is no shortage of them. Still, I see us reverting to our corners and rejecting other points of view - seeking only confirmation bias, just as we have done on other social media platforms. I’ve lost subscribers because they disagreed with the politics of some of my guests. This saddens me.

Let me be clear: I’m not suggesting we accept the status quo or stop reporting without fear or favor. Quite the opposite. I have not been shy about my serious concerns with our country’s direction. But we need a more constructive way to examine policies and politics—a solution-based conversation that doesn’t pull us further apart.

That’s why I founded Cosmopolitics. It’s built on the belief that foreign policy coverage deserves better than partisan talking points or reflexive dismissals of ideas. This is the ethos our military brings to work every day and to every mission. They deserve our commitment to understand the issues, the interconnectedness of conflicts, economic pressures, and America’s role in the world.

Why your subscription matters

As someone who’s covered eight administrations, I can tell you: this moment requires journalists who understand the nuances of international affairs, who have sources across the national security community, and who aren’t afraid to call it as they see it. Independent platforms like Cosmopolitics are essential for making sense of what’s really happening. I’m accountable only to you, and you deserve reporting that cuts through the spin to explain what these changes really mean for American security.

Veterans Day special: 25% off premium

In honor of veterans and those who serve, I’m offering 25% off annual premium subscriptions through Wednesday night. Premium members get:

Full archive access including audio and video content

Exclusive commenting and live discussion privileges

“Ask Me Anything” sessions and other exclusive content

For those already subscribed, gift subscriptions are a perfect way to bring like-minded friends into our growing community of readers who value substantive foreign policy analysis.

What’s ahead

Now that my CFR fellowship has come to a close, I have more time to devote to this community. The coming months will bring more frequent posts: interviews, quick updates on breaking developments, deeper analysis of long-term trends, and video content. Later this year: our weekly show launch, discussion events, and a foreign affairs book club.

Most importantly, I’ll continue doing what I’ve always done: reporting without fear or favor, drawing on decades of experience covering foreign policy and national security, and offering the unfiltered perspective you can only get from truly independent journalism.

Thank you for being part of Cosmopolitics. Together, we’re creating something essential: journalism that treats you like an adult and a space for the kind of serious foreign policy discussion our democracy needs.

With gratitude,

Elise

P.S. If cost is a barrier to joining premium, please reach out. I never want finances to prevent anyone from being part of our conversation. And regardless of subscription level, you can support our work by recommending Cosmopolitics and sharing it with others who value independent analysis.