Covert Action

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Aerial Top View Red Oil Ship Tanker Full Speed

Key Questions in U.S. Cyber Attack on “Iranian Spy Ship”

What was the nature of the operation? How is Iran likely to respond? What are the implications for conflict escalation, or de-escalation?
People stand on the seal of the Central Intelligence Agency at the lobby of the Original Headquarters Building at the CIA headquarters.

Expanding the Covert Agent Secrecy Law Threatens to Chill Reporting

Covert intelligence operatives on overseas postings face unique dangers: arrest, torture and possible execution. These dangers were embodied in the name of James Bond’s nemesis,…
Russian President Vladimir Putin looks at U.S. President Donald Trump during the welcoming ceremony prior to the G20 Summit's Plenary Meeting on November 30, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Countering Russia’s Malign Influence Operations

Putin’s successes with covert action show that such operations are not only more effective and cheaper than conventional military operations, but they have also resulted in far…
Putin and Trump

Western Covert Action and Russian Active Measures: Hypocrisy or Divergent Values?

Most Americans now realize the Kremlin has attempted to influence, interfere, and subvert our democratic system. Recent reports even suggest the Russian intelligence services may…

Why the Cartwright Pardon is More Important Than the Manning Commutation

Today’s news of President Obama’s decision to commute most of the rest of Chelsea Manning’s 35-year prison sentence has received (and will receive) significant…
Just Security

Should (and can) the CIA use non-covert force against ISIL in Iraq and Syria?

Ken Delanian of NBC has an important new story (written and video) about an apparent interbranch dispute concerning whether the CIA should be authorized to use force against ISIL…
Just Security

Did USAID engage in “covert action” in Cuba without proper domestic legal authority?

Lost in last week’s wave of news coverage on Cuba was an important Associated Press story on reportedly clandestine practices conducted by the U.S. Agency for International Development…
Just Security

The importance (and difficulty) of the Stimson Task Force transparency recommendations . . . and a couple of legal corrections

Like Steve, I strongly recommend to Just Security readers the report on drone policy that the Stimson Task Force published yesterday.  The report is very thoughtful and balanced,…
Just Security

The reorganization of Title 50 (and a note about Congress having exempted “intelligence activities” from statutes implementing treaties)

Perhaps I was the last to know, but I just discovered that the House Office of Law Revision has recently reorganized, into four new chapters, what had long been known as chapter…
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