Recent Articles

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,…

Preventing an Aerial Panopticon Over American Cities
A Defense Department slide showing the development of aerial surveillance systems. The following is an abbreviated version of “Preventing an Air Panopticon: A Proposal for Reasonable…

NYPD Muslim Surveillance Settlement a Victory for New Yorkers, but Vigilance Still Needed
Just a day before courts blocked President Donald Trump’s second “Muslim ban,” a judge in New York City formally approved a joint settlement in two lawsuits challenging…