Intelligence & Surveillance
Just Security’s expert authors provide legal and policy analysis of intelligence and surveillance activities, focusing on their impact on national security and on civil liberties and privacy rights, and their oversight by Congress and the courts.
1,846 Articles

Clear Goal of Barr/Durham Probe is to Scare Off Intelligence Community
In order for their counter-narrative to stick, President Trump and his associates need to destroy all trust in the Intelligence Community.

Fiona Hill: A “Domestic Political Errand” Eclipsed the “Regular Channel” on Ukraine Policy
Hill’s testimony clarified that what had appeared to be the secretive “irregular” channel actually had sign-off from the president. And while several career officials charged…

Trump and GOP Call to ID Whistleblower Exposes Glaring Gaps in Protections
There are punishments for disclosing a whistleblower's identity in such a case. But the entire system is a patchwork of laws that needs to be rethought.

Highlights of Taylor-Kent Hearing and Connections to Other Witnesses
Key takeaways from the first day of public hearings in the House impeachment inquiry, with crucial insights from top experts on Ukraine, congressional oversight, and rule of law.

A Who’s Who of Ukraine Witnesses
A guide to all of the witnesses who have either testified or have been requested to testify in the impeachment inquiry.

Event Roundup: From the Executive Branch to Congress – National Security Leaders Who Crossed the Divide
What is it like to go from working in the executive branch – whether it’s in the White House, the Pentagon, or the CIA – to being a lawmaker on Capitol Hill? That was the…

Leaving the DNI Leaderless is Reckless and Dangerous
Despite the critically important role of the director of national intelligence, this week marks the third straight month that the top two positions in the Office of the DNI have…

CIA-Backed Afghan Paramilitaries Behind Unlawful Killing Surge
In incidents across Afghanistan, these strike forces have unlawfully killed civilians, forcibly disappeared detainees, and attacked healthcare facilities for allegedly treating…

A Program on Intelligence Operations in Liberal Democracies: Ethics, Efficacy, and Accountability
Just Security readers in the D.C. area might be interested in a terrific program we’re convening here at the Georgetown University Law Center this Thursday afternoon at 5:30,…

Duty to Warn: Has the Trump Administration Learned from the Khashoggi Failure?
This attitude shift alone, if it has indeed taken place, is commendable, but should not reduce scrutiny of what happened in the Declan Walsh case.

Correcting the Record: Wiretaps, the CLOUD Act, and the US-UK Agreement
Over at Stanford CIS blog, Albert Gidari takes aim at the wiretap-related provisions in the US-UK CLOUD Act Agreement – which Peter Swire and I wrote about separately here. He…

GOP “Storming” of Secure Facility for Impeachment Proceedings: An Explainer
How does a "SCIF" work, and can members of Congress be penalized for their en masse protest of testimony in the House impeachment investigation?