Congress
Just Security’s expert authors offer analysis of U.S. Congress’ role in national security, foreign affairs, the rule of law, and rights. Coverage includes analysis and informational resources related to the legislative process, oversight and investigations of the executive branch, and major debates on the separation of powers and Congress’ constitutional role.
2,544 Articles
General Martins on the Shrinking Military Commissions
Marty’s important post from last night includes a link to yesterday’s statement by General Mark Martins, Chief Prosecutor of the Guantánamo military commissions, in…
Al-Nashiri can now speak about his treatment … plus news about full SSCI Report
[Editor’s note: This post was originally published at 9:00 PM E.S.T. on February 22, 2015] Two weeks ago, I reported here that the prosecution had submitted motions to the…
On Rereading the Torture Report – SSCI Focus Gave Too Many Perpetrators a Pass
I have an opinion piece in today’s New York Times Sunday Review provocatively titled (by the NYT editors), “Did the Torture Report Give the CIA a Bum Rap?” Why now, and why…
Six Questions Congress Should Ask the Administration about its ISIL AUMF
[Cross-posted at Lawfare] With congressional hearings on the Obama Administration’s proposed Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) for the Islamic State on the horizon,…
Think Again: The Limitations in the President’s Draft AUMF Do Have Meaning
Several prominent commentators have argued that the limitations in President Obama’s draft AUMF against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) would be meaningless if…
The Shrinking Military Commissions, Redux
Back in January, I wrote a post about the Convening Authority’s decision to “disapprove” the findings and sentence in the Guantánamo military commission trial…
AUMF, “Associated Forces,” and Slippery Slopes: Two More Data Points
I recently examined, in an essay at Foreign Policy, the unusually expansive definition of associated forces and successor entities in the President’s proposed authorization to…
Sens. Cardin and Murphy Offer Up Bill to Sunset 2001 AUMF
Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) introduced legislation today to sunset the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against al-Qaeda. This comes…
Guest Post: US Intelligence Reforms Still Allow Plenty of Suspicionless Spying on Americans
Last week, the Obama Administration released a report and documents cataloging progress toward signals intelligence (SIGINT) reform goals set a year ago by the President in a document…
What do Public Opinion Polls on President’s AUMF Proposal Really Say?
It is important to read beneath the headlines and initial interpretations of a new NBC News/Marist poll that surveys public opinion on President Obama’s proposal for a congressional…
Obama’s Forever War Starts Now
Ed Note. This piece also appears in Foreign Policy. When President Barack Obama announced the start of a U.S.-led bombing campaign in Iraq against the Islamic State on Aug. 7,…
Key Questions for Today’s Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing With Nicholas Rasmussen
Sen Richard Burr (R-NC), the new chair of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, has announced that he plans to hold a public committee hearing this afternoon. This is welcome…