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.
4,594 Articles
President’s Review Board Says: Protect Thy Neighbor’s Privacy
[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…
White House Releases Report by President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies
This afternoon, the White House released the Report and Recommendations of the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies. We also have a copy…
What We Don’t Know About Irek Hamidullan
This Washington Post story reports that “[t]he Obama administration is actively considering the use of a military commission in the United States to try a Russian who was…
Universal Jurisdiction Cases Involving U.S. Defendants
Ruchi Parekh’s recent post on the South African appellate decision on universal jurisdiction suggests that the ruling—which compels the South African authorities to investigate…
The Missing Moral Conscience of U.S. Foreign Policy: Where is the State Department’s Legal Adviser? [Updated]
Later today, the Senate will hold confirmation hearings for Caroline Diane Krass to serve as the CIA’s General Counsel, a position that just recently became vacant. Not letting…
Forced Transfer of Detainees with Diplomatic Assurances Against Ill-Treatment
Two recent developments have brought to the fore the issue of involuntary transfer of detainees to countries where they fear severe mistreatment such as torture or death. The first…
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…
Some Criticisms of Obama’s Drones and Targeting Rules are Baseless
There are many valid criticisms of the Obama administration’s drone policy and related targeting rules. We have made some of those ourselves (here and here). There are also…
Gillibrand Proposal Removed from NDAA, but Some Reforms Remain
We have more news coming out of the Senate-House compromise NDAA legislation relevant to Just Security readers, this time with respect to the reforms regarding military sexual…
NDAA Redux – Provision on Lethal Targeting
In a post last night, I noted the key Guantanamo-related provisions in the latest version of the 2014 NDAA. It’s also worth highlighting the inclusion of another provision…
The Potential Pitfalls of Refusing to Reopen the Article III Door for Guantanamo Detainees
The version of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2014 (2014 NDAA) reported out by the Senate Armed Service Committee (SASC) would have eliminated the existing bar on…
Dissecting Seymour Hersh’s Account of the Sarin Attacks on Ghouta
I greatly admire Seymour Hersh’s investigative journalism, especially his revelations of the My Lai massacre and Abu Ghraib. If he were judged by those works alone, we should…