Counterterrorism

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Fighters of the Hashed Al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization units) advance through a street in the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, after the Iraqi government announced the launch of the operation to retake it from Islamic State (IS) group control, on August 26, 2017.

Iraqi Militias Split Over New Iran-Backed Head, Reflecting Wider Divisions

Understanding the differences among the Hashd al-Sha’abi factions is vital as the organization gains increasing influence in government, including the official Iraqi security…
A hand holds a blue highlighter as they highlight words and phrases of a blurry document.

What to Watch For in White House’s Annual Report on Use of Military Force

The report is due Sunday, March 1, and here are the key legal and policy issues to keep a sharp eye on.
Iraqi anti-government protesters rest beneath graffiti at Tahrir Square as nationwide protests entered a third month on December 5, 2019, in Baghdad, Iraq. The graffiti art reads, “An idea cannot be destroyed,” and shows a police officer beating a dandelion. On the other side of the wall, there is an image of an injured person lying on a cloud while their blood rains down on people below.

After Soleimani Killing, Iran and Its Proxies Recalibrate in Iraq

Understanding the motivations and capabilities of leading Iranian-backed militia units is vital for an effective US and Iraqi response to likely violence in the coming months.
A person takes a photo of the official seal of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on their iPhone. J. Edgar Hoover headquarters February 23, 2016 in Washington, DC

The FBI and Apple Redux

It remains to be seen how this new clash will resolve itself, but the stakes have only increased for both sides.
U.S. Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during a news conference following the bipartisan Senate vote on the War Powers Resolution on Iran with Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tom Udall (D-NM) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) at the U.S. Capitol on February 13, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Congress Speaks: Trump Currently Has No Authority to Launch War with Iran

The House and Senate have passed resolutions that say President Trump has no authority to take the country to war against Iran.
Flags of USA and Iran

White House ‘1264 Notice’ and Novel Legal Claims for Military Action Against Iran

"The administration’s positions amount to a fundamental revision of existing legal foundations for military action against Iran that can be undertaken by this and future presidents."
Two girls sit in a north Tehran coffee shop using Facebook on a laptop and looking at a mobile phone on October 13, 2013.

Instagram Content Removals in Iran Highlight Questions Over Facebook’s New Oversight Board

Facebook’s recent release of the bylaws for its new Oversight Board, which will be charged with reviewing takedown decisions by Facebook and Instagram, came on the heels of reports…
Two refugees, a Honduran child and her mother, sit on the ground of the border bridge after being denied entry from Mexico into the U.S. on June 25, 2018 in Brownsville, Texas. The mother covers her face and the child with her sweater, and two border agents lean against a wall in the background.

Never Mind “America First” — Trump’s Newly Expanded Immigration Ban Puts Americans Last

Nationality-based restrictions will separate families and are the wrong tool to promote public safety and national security.
Some US soldiers sit with guns in a trench while additional soldiers walk around their damaged vehicle at the site of a Taliban suicide attack in Kandahar on August 2, 2017.

Afghanistan Papers, the Miniseries, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bombshell

The Washington Post describes the story as uncovering a widespread effort by U.S. officials to “conceal the truth” about the war. A close reading shows that's not the case.
A group of school boys recruited as Ashbal-Saddam, or young militia commandos, train 12 July 2001 at a military camp in Baghdad.

Counterterrorism Laws Punish Legitimate Asylum Seekers

Exclusions to refugee status in U.S. law -- originally developed to prevent Nazi war criminals from attaining asylum -- have dramatically expanded in scope, preventing many innocent…
Flooding at a camp for internally displaced persons in Madinatu, Old Maiduguri. Women walk along the edges of the tents in attempt to avoid the flooded areas.

U.S. Counterterrorism Rule Hampers Vital Humanitarian Aid in Nigeria

The requirement significantly complicates the situation for aid workers in northeastern Nigeria, one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises.
Pins on a Map of Europe and North Africa

Compilation of States’ Reactions to U.S. and Iranian Uses of Force in Iraq in January 2020

A comprehensive guide to every state in the world's reaction to the U.S. operation killing of Qassem Soleimani and to the Iranian military response.
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