Executive Branch
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis of the U.S. executive branch related to national security, rights, and the rule of law. Analysis and informational resources focus on the executive branch’s powers and their limits, and the actions of the president, administrative agencies, and federal officials.
4,604 Articles
Iraq’s Legal Responsibility for Militia Attacks on U.S. Forces: Paths Forward
"While Iran has significant control over the militias, Iraq also bears legal responsibility for illegal militia attacks against the coalition. This is because the militias, despite…
Taking Gender Into Account to Better Confront New Security Threats
The US needs to move to the next stage in the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and rethink security policy to be more inclusive and equitable.
Knowns and Unknowns of US Syria Strike: Looming Int’l and Domestic Law Issues
Key legal questions that remain unanswered about the legality of the Syria strike under domestic and international law.
China’s Military Tech Ambitions – What’s the U.S.- EU Gameplan?
The US and EU have taken divergent approaches to Chinese tech advances - including military and dual-use tech. To maintain their alliance, they must synchronize their approach.…
Biden’s Drone Policy Review: Recommendations for a Reset
"The administration should see this review as an opportunity take some first critical steps toward ending the forever wars."
Principles for a 2021 Authorization for Use of Military Force
The Biden administration and new Congress have an opportunity to fundamentally rethink the congressional authorization of military force against terrorist groups. Here are seven…
Robust Gender Analysis Will Be Key to Effective US Policy Development
Securing equality in foreign policy and national security means implementing requirements and ensuring they apply to all government decision-making.
Just Security Obtains Overseas Troop Counts That the Pentagon Concealed from the Public
Through FOIA litigation, Just Security obtained records that provide a fuller picture of U.S. troop commitments in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria over the last three years.
Upcoming Cases Provide Opportunities to Reassess the Application of the Due Process Clause at Guantanamo
Recognizing the Due Process Clause’s application at Guantanamo will help refocus litigation on the question of whether the remaining detainees pose such a significant threat…
The “Khashoggi Ban”: What It Does and Doesn’t Mean
The "Khashoggi Ban" is a positive step for accountability for transnational repression, but it is undermined by the Biden administration’s reluctance to act against Saudi Crown…
Letting Diplomacy Lead US Counterterrorism: What Would That Look Like?
The goal should be to establish diplomacy and aid as co-equal tools, to make counterterrorism more comprehensive, sustainable and, eventually, less violent.
Legal Questions (and Some Answers) Concerning the U.S. Military Strike in Syria
Unpacking the right of self-defense under international law when it comes to use of force in response to a series of attacks.