Recent Articles

Did U.S. Provide Helicopter Used in Attack of Somali Refugees in Yemen?
Earlier this month, a dramatic event occurred in the war in Yemen that could even shock those numbed by the continued pace of civilian casualties. A military craft and helicopter…

[Calling it] Treason Doth Never Prosper…
This post is going to be brief. There’s still a lot we don’t know about what role, if any, Russia played in the 2016 election, and what role, if any, the Trump campaign…

Norms Watch: Tracking the Erosion of Democratic Traditions (Mar.20-24)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of…

Gutting the State Department is National Security Malpractice
If you think about national security in health terms, the State Department serves as a primary care physician, a vaccine researcher, a psychiatrist, a rehabilitation expert, and…
The Early Edition: March 24, 2017
Before the start of business, Just Security provides a curated summary of up-to-the-minute developments at home and abroad. Here’s today’s news. TRUMP’s WIRETAP CLAIMS…

So What is “Evidence that Is Not Circumstantial”–in the Russia Investigation?
Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that “there is more than circumstantial evidence now…there is evidence that is not…

The UN Goes to War in the Central African Republic: What are the Limits of Peacekeeping?
The UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR), known by its French acronym MINUSCA, reported last month that on February 26 it “had intervened” militarily…

Drawing a Line on Mass Surveillance: How Congress Must Reform Section 702
RAF Menwith Hill in the United Kingdom, host to U.S. National Security Agency facilities. On Monday, members of the House Intelligence Committee held an open hearing into Russian…
The Early Edition: March 23, 2017
Before the start of business, Just Security provides a curated summary of up-to-the-minute developments at home and abroad. Here’s today’s news. TRUMP’s WIRETAP CLAIMS…

Judge Gorsuch and Executive Power
I’ll be testifying tomorrow before the Senate Judiciary Committee about Judge Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court. I intend to focus on Judge Gorsuch’s tenure at the…

Problems with the Focus on Leaks as Trump’s Defense to Russia Investigation
Monday’s public hearing of the House intelligence committee confirmed two facts that were largely already established in the public domain. First, Director James Comey confirmed…

Closing the Loop: Sabrina De Sousa Pardoned for Role in CIA Torture and Rendition
Just a quick note to close the loop on the Sabrina De Sousa case, which I discussed in greater detail here. On the day before she was to be extradited to Italy from Portugal,…