Terrorism & Violent Extremism
Counterterrorism
819 Articles

We Can’t “Look Forward” on the Trump Administration’s Abuses
When President-elect Joe Biden takes office in January, he will confront a national economic crisis and a still out-of-control pandemic. He will also face questions about how to…

Addressing Our Whole-of-Government Deficit in National Security
From Russ Travers who retired in July 2020 after a 42-year career in the Intelligence Community, having served in senior positions across multiple intelligence organizations --…

COVID-19 and International Law Series: States’ Obligations to Refugees and Migrants in Detention
Whether informally quarantined in camps or formally confined in overcrowded detention centers, refugees and migrants in detention are extraordinarily vulnerable in a pandemic.…

Defending Human Rights Is Not Terrorism: The Egypt Arrests as a Case in Point
The UN's global counterterrorism system creates a permissive and enabling environment that sustains and facilitates abuse of rights defenders,

Could America’s Electoral Process Foment Political Violence?
Scholars of political violence and regime transition caution that there is potential for further escalation of non-state violence in America because, while Election Day passed…

On Accountability and the Next Presidency, Starting With the Cabinet
To truly “Build Back Better,” as Biden promised, he must not nominate, appoint, or otherwise hire anyone for his administration who has seriously abused power.

A Path for Renewing Guantanamo Closure
Although closing the 20-year-old detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) may not be a marquee issue among the many significant challenges Joe Biden will face as president…

COVID-19 and International Law Series: International Humanitarian Law – Treatment of Detainees
Prisoners are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19 – especially in a war zone. What obligations do combatants have to prisoners of war and other detainees during a pandemic?…

An Analytic Framework for Assessing Risks of U.S. Post-Election Violence
"When I served as a senior analyst for the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, I developed frameworks to evaluate the risk of election-related instability overseas. As a National…

Loyalty Above All: The “Shallow State” of the Trump Administration
A compilation of executive branch positions deprived of competence and expertise, and filled instead with political loyalists.

Militarized Counterterrorism in Africa: Moving Beyond a Failed Approach
Leading with a heavy military response, particularly when government partners are repressive, ultimately makes things worse. The need for a new approach is clear. It should focus…

Geneva Convention III Commentary: Unpacking the Potential of “Ensure Respect” in Common Article 1
[Just Security is publishing a series on the ICRC’s updated Commentaries to the Third Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War (2020). This GCIII Commentary series is published…