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.
4,622 Articles
What are the Legal Issues Surrounding the Use of Depleted Uranium in Syria and Iraq?
Although it received little attention at the time, journalist Samuel Oakford broke the story last month that the Pentagon has confirmed using weapons containing depleted uranium…
National Security and the Trump Transition: An Agenda for Legal Analysts
This year’s election was always going to provoke a flurry of questions about the future of U.S. national security law and policy—from discussions about changes to substantive…
Why I’m a Federal Courts Nerd (and You Should Be, Too)
In addition to the election, yesterday was also the first anniversary of the terribly untimely passing of my college mentor, Professor Nasser Hussain. And this past weekend, the…
Atrocities Prevention Experts Report Released with Concrete Recommendations for the Next Administration
I have been honored to serve on a bipartisan Experts Committee on Preventing Mass Violence—convened by a coalition of human rights, religious, humanitarian, and peace organizations—for…
Recommended Reading: Brian Finucane’s “Partners and Legal Pitfalls”
Just Security editors occasionally select a noteworthy law review article, essay, or book on topics that may be relevant to our readers—especially if it intersects with national…
Surveillance and Anti-Press Sentiment Heightens Concerns for Journalists Closer to Home
In 1999, Amartya Sen argued that the health of a country could be determined by examining the health of its press. One metric of the fitness of a country’s press is the safety…
The New Western Counter-Terror Wars: Toward US-European Convergence?
As Iraqi and other forces move forward with their long-awaited offensive to recapture Mosul from ISIS, Western airpower is playing an essential supporting role. The United States,…
Letter to the Editor: Syria and the “Implicit Consent” Myth–A short reaction to Ford (and Goodman)
In a recent post on Just Security (available here), Chris Ford raises the issue whether the Syrian government may or may not have ‘implicitly’ or ‘tacitly’ consented to…
10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Reading Jameel Jaffer’s “The Drone Memos”
Jameel Jaffer’s new book, The Drone Memos: Targeted Killing, Secrecy, and the Law, will be published on November 15, and hard copies will also be available at Just Security’s…
State Dep’t Legal Adviser’s Answer to “Acute Question” on US Mil. Action against Al-Shabaab
On Friday, the Legal Adviser of the State Department, Brian Egan answered questions posed to him by New York Times journalist Charlie Savage on the current reach of Congress’s…
The Drone Memos—The Book
My new book, The Drone Memos, will be published on November 15. It’s a collection of the most important legal and policy documents relating to the U.S. drone campaign, preceded…
From Brexit to African ICC Exit: A Dangerous Trend
Burundi, South Africa, and the Gambia are not violating international law merely by announcing their withdrawal from the Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court.…