Democracy & Rule of Law
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on threats and challenges to democracy and the rule of law in the United States and globally. Coverage includes analysis of the separation of powers, good governance, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, judicial independence, freedom of the press and association, and accountability for rule of law violations.
3,333 Articles
Balancing the Public Interest in Disclosures
On Monday, Marc Theissen had an opinion piece in the Washington Post taking The New York Times to task for publishing the details of the NSA’s capabilities of using radio…
Reactions to the New York Times and The Guardian Editorial Boards’ Call for Clemency for Snowden
As Ruchi covered this morning in the news roundup, today the editorial boards of the New York Times and The Guardian called on the Obama Administration to offer Edward Snowden…
Prediction: Fourth Amendment Evolves in 2014
When should courts follow legal precedent and when should the law change? This is a debate that underlies this month’s contrary decisions about the constitutionality of government…
Data-Mining, Section 215, and Regulating the Government’s Use of Stored Data: The Overlooked, but More Important, Question About NSA Surveillance
[Editor’s Note: Just Security is holding a “mini forum” on the Report by the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies. Others in the series…
Highlights of the Report of the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies
[Editor’s Note: Just Security is holding a “mini forum” on the Report by the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies. Others in the series…
So Much for a New Drone Policy – Why Can’t the US Explain Why It Targeted a Wedding Party?
The New York Times has an important front-page story today by Mark Mazzetti and Robert Worth on last week’s drone strike in Yemen, which reportedly targeted a convoy of trucks…
Does Klayman Need to Cross-Appeal Judge Leon’s Ruling?
In yesterday’s post, I explained why, in my view, the far more vulnerable aspect of Judge Leon’s Monday ruling issuing a preliminary injunction against the bulk telephony…
Judge Leon and the Shocking Scope of the NSA’s Surveillance Program
U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon’s decision on Monday finding that the NSA’s telephony metadata program is likely unconstitutional is a welcome and important recognition…
Why the Constitutional Holding in Klayman Wasn’t Necessary
24 hours later, Judge Leon’s 68-page opinion issuing (and then staying) a preliminary injunction against the NSA’s bulk telephony metadata program continues to generate…
Can §215 Be Used for Content Collection?
At this week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the National Security Agency’s surveillance authorities, Sen. Patrick Leahy posed a crucial question to the government’s…
Drones Strikes Kill 18 in Yemen This Week — More Transparency is Needed
The alleged US drone strike that reportedly killed up to 15 people on their way to a wedding in Yemen on Thursday is just one more reason why the Obama administration has to start…
UN Secretary General Calls for More Transparency About Drone Use
The United Nations Secretary-General has released a new report (A/2013/689) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, which devotes significant attention to current drone…