Iraq
270 Articles
President Authorizes Airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq—But how limited is it?
On Thursday night, President Obama announced that he has authorized airstrikes “if necessary” for “two missions” in Iraq (full text of the President’s statement). Mission…
Former Chief of British Secret Intelligence: Stop Viewing the ISIS Threat Through 9/11 Eyes
On Monday, former chief of British Secret Intelligence Service, Sir Richard Dearlove gave an insightful and provocative lecture entitled, “Terrorism and National Security: Proportion…
Endless War is the Wrong Response to ISIS
“Obama’s Blueprint for Fighting Terrorism Collides with Reality in Iraq,” blared the New York Times headline late last week, in a story that set forth the challenges of the…
Two Major ISIS Developments
On the heels of last week’s White House announcement that the President was sending 275 U.S. troops to Iraq to provide security to U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy, today…
Is al-Qaeda in Iraq?
As an analyst in the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center, I spent four years as one of the agency’s leading experts on al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Iraq. Thus, the debate on Just Security…
The Trial of Ex-Blackwater: An Overview of the Competing Stories
Opening statements in the trial of the four Blackwater members alleged to have carried out the killings in Nisour Square, Baghdad, Iraq ended in Washington D.C. this week. On Tuesday…
The President Has No Congressional Authorization to Use Force against ISIS in Iraq
Earlier this week, Jen Daskal, Steve Vladeck and I wrote a post explaining why the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force against Iraq clearly does not apply to ISIS in Iraq…
The Premature Discussion of ISIS and the 2001/2002 AUMFs
Our friends over at Lawfare have been pondering what the legal authority might be for the President to order air strikes against ISIS in Iraq and/or Syria. Such speculation is…
The President Delivers a Statement on the Situation in Iraq
Video of President Obama’s statement on the situation in Iraq. Complete transcript of remarks below. THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. I wanted to take some time…
Flashback: Comparing Obama’s announcement of Iraq withdrawal to West Point Graduating Class of 2010 (video clip)
Today is not the first time President Obama has addressed the graduating class of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and used the opportunity to speak about his vision for…
Backgrounder: Preliminary Examination into Abuses by United Kingdom Personnel in Iraq
As we reported earlier, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor has reopened the preliminary examination into crimes committed by United Kingdom personnel in Iraq from 2003-2008 during…
Afghanistan Withdrawal & Wartime Contract Oversight
Ukraine notwithstanding, many recent conflicts have been asymmetrical and sub-state, with ramifications for various legal doctrines, including the law of armed conflict, humanitarian…