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
The Upcoming Release of Obama’s Targeted Killing Policy and Casualty Numbers
The Obama administration says it plans to release a redacted version of the policy standards and procedures that govern its “use of force in counterterrorism operations outside…
Seven Myths Busted: FBI Surveillance and the NSL Expansion Vote in the Senate
Yesterday, the Senate failed to pass a motion to end debate and move to a final vote on a highly controversial amendment related to Internet records, which New America’s Open…
Disappointing DOD Inspector General Report on Pre-Publication Review
Editor’s note: This post also appears on Lawfare. Earlier this year, we wrote about the US Government’s broken pre-publication review process (see here, here, here, here, and…
The Law of War Manual’s Threat to the Principle of Proportionality
On Saturday, I had the honor of speaking to the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) USA General Assembly. In preparing for my talk last week, I came across a section of the US Defense…
The Obama Legal Team and the Lawfulness of Attacking Assad
Editor’s note: This post also appears on Charlie Savage’s blog Power Wars and Lawfare. Several prominent law professors who were formerly members of the Obama national security…
“Effective” Policy in Syria: Ambassador Robert Ford’s View
I wrote here yesterday in response to a post by Marty Lederman and Ashley Deeks about the recent, much-publicized dissent channel cable signed by 51 US diplomats. While my discussion…
Pain Versus Gain
This post is the latest installment of our “Monday Reflections” feature, in which a different Just Security editor examines the big stories from the previous week or looks…
Another Legal View of the Dissent Channel Cable on Syria
Since Vietnam, East Pakistan, and the Balkans, it has been a time-honored tradition that State Department officials who disagree with official policy may challenge it through the…
“Material Support” and Targeting
Ken Watkin’s thoughtful piece last week — Reflections on Targeting: Looking in the Mirror — addressed the debate on the targeting of war-sustaining economic enterprises as…
Would airstrikes against Assad be lawful and effective?: Reactions to the State “dissent cable”
Editor’s note: This post also appears on Lawfare. As you have probably read, 51 career foreign service officers in the State Department have written an internal memorandum recommending…
Recap of Recent Posts on Just Security (June 11–17)
I. The Brexit Vote Shaheed Fatima QC, Brexit and National Security (Monday, June 13) II. Cybersecurity Ido Kilovaty, Guest Post: Will “Cyber Bonds” Mitigate Transnational…
The Early Edition: June 17 2016
Before the start of business, Just Security provides a curated summary of up-to-the-minute developments at home and abroad. Here’s today’s news. IRAQ, SYRIA, and THE ISLAMIC…