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.
4,623 Articles
Gates vs. Gates
A good discussion is emerging about whether former SecDef Robert Gates’ new book Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War involves ethical breaches. The concerns raised involve Gates’…
New Report Questions Value of Section 702 Warrantless Surveillance
Today over at the New America Foundation, researchers have published a paper examining the role of dragnet programs in the United States’ counterterrorism operations. The paper…
A Guide to Revelations in Robert Gates’ Book (Duty): The Obama Years
Robert Gates’ memoir, Duty, which will be released later this week, contains significant insights into US foreign policy and international affairs affecting our country’s national…
Connecting the Dots: Assessing the Effectiveness of Bulk Phone Records Collection
[Editor’s note: This morning we are enthusiastic to have the opportunity to publish on Just Security an extremely insightful and thoughtful paper on the effectiveness of…
After the AUMF: Iraq and Al Qaeda Redux
Over at Lawfare, Jack Goldsmith takes quite a different lesson from the push to repeal of the 2002 Iraq AUMF than Steve and I suggested here. In Jack’s view, the administration…
After the AUMF: Iraq and al Qaeda
On Tuesday, the Obama administration announced its support for repealing the 2002 authorization to use force in Iraq. This should not be surprising: after all, the President…
NPR Interview with Retiring NSA Deputy Director John Inglis
John Inglis is retiring today from his post as the Deputy Director of the NSA. Before stepping down, he sat down with Steve Inskeep, co-host of NPR’s Morning Edition,…
10 Questions for the Review Group Members to Publicly Address at the Senate Hearings
The members of the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies will appear on Tuesday, January 14th for hearings before the Senate Judiciary…
Table of Contents: Mini Forum on President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies [Updated]
Just Security has been holding a “mini forum” on the Report of the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies. The following list contains…
Benghazi Oversight: A Chairman’s Resistance to Inconvenient Facts
In a previous post, I argued that overwrought politicized congressional oversight about the attack of the U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya would have a damaging effect…
Can We Do Without National Security Letters?
One of the more radical recommendations included in the report from President Obama’s Surveillance Review Group is the proposal to require judicial approval for National…
US Announces Investigation into Wedding Convoy Drone Strike: A Step Toward Accountability?
Last night, NBC’s Michael Isikoff reported that (anonymous) US officials said: “The Obama administration has launched an internal investigation into a Dec. 12 drone strike…