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.
4,713 Articles
Charlie Hebdo, The Interview, and Censoring Torture Photos
In France and the United States, there seems to be near-universal agreement that to self-censor because of threats of violence is unwise and cowardly. The slogan “Je Suis Charlie,”…
How the U.S. Can Help Sri Lanka Turn the Corner—with a targeted war crimes prosecution
The Obama administration helped catalyze the United Nations’ ongoing efforts to bring accountability in Sri Lanka for mass war crimes committed in that country’s civil…
Al-Marri’s End and the Failed Experiment of Domestic Military Detention
In the coming days, Ali al-Marri, former enemy combatant, is scheduled to be released from federal criminal custody, clearing the way for his removal by immigration officials to…
Cybersecurity and a New Era of Asymmetric Economic Warfare
In the last two decades, and in particular after the 9/11 attacks, the United States and its allies have had a near-monopoly on the use of coercive economic measures (sanctions,…
Is it Possible to Ban Autonomous Weapons in Cyberwar?
Political and technological developments have often spurred responses from international humanitarian law (IHL). We already have a good sense of the major questions on the agenda…
White House Cybersecurity Bill: Botnets and “Creative Lawyering”
The White House has released its new legislative proposals on cybersecurity information sharing, federal data breach notification, and amendments to cyber-related law enforcement…
Ongwen Onward to the Hague: Lord’s Resistance Army Commander to Face Justice
Media are reporting that Dominic Ongwen, the Joseph Kony deputy who defected last week from the Lord’s Resistance Army, will be transferred to the International Criminal Court…
ISIS Fighting Against Taliban: The Enemy of My Enemy Is …?
In a surprising twist, reports are emerging this week that the Islamic State (IS) is making inroads into Afghanistan, and has engaged in fighting against the Taliban there. Afghan…
Is it Really Better to be Dead than Blind?
Late last year, the U.S. Navy announced that its $40 million laser weapon is finally ready for combat aboard the special operations staging ship USS Ponce. The laser, which “zaps…
A Turning Point in the Afghan War?
[Editors’ Note: 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…
The Shrinking Military Commissions
Yesterday’s news that the Convening Authority for the Guantánamo military commissions has “disapproved the findings and sentence,” and dismissed the charges…
Text of FBI Director’s Remarks: New Details on Why “Entire Intelligence Community” has “Very High Confidence” North Korea Hacked Sony
At the International Conference on Cyber Security held at Fordham University on Wednesday, FBI Director James Comey revealed new details about why the FBI and “the entire intelligence…