Rule of Law
784 Articles
After Elections in a Country at War, Another Battle for Ukraine’s Future Still Needs Support
As Ukrainians prepare to head to the polls on March 31, much of the international community remains focused on Russia’s territorial aggression in the Donbas and Crimea and its…
A Back Door to Controlling Judges: Poland’s Ruling Party Tries Another Ploy
Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party has undertaken a systematic campaign for the past three years to control the Polish judiciary, culminating in recent, failed attempts to…
The U.S. Must Forcefully Oppose Blanket Amnesty for Civil War Atrocities in Guatemala
“All the people have disappeared.” So reads a declassified cable from the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, dated Dec. 28, 1982. The subject was an incident that occurred just…
Now Mueller’s Probe is Over, Should and Will His Findings Be Made Public? Law and Past Practice
The first waiting game is over. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has completed his role as Special Counsel and delivered his findings to Attorney General William Barr.
Now, the…
Trump and the Demise of the Presidential Records Honor System
News broke yesterday that Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior policy advisor, has been using the private messaging application WhatsApp for official…
Less Transparency Won’t Fix a Lack of Transparency: A Response to Gen. Dunlap on Civilian Casualty Reporting Requirements
"Dunlap’s perspective is a valuable one, and a robust debate on the parameters of transparency around U.S. counterterrorism operations is warranted. But mischaracterizing the…
Body Counts Are Terrible Way for the Public to Assess US Counter-Terrorism Operations
Retired General Charlie Dunlap writes that partial transparency on civilian casualty reports may be worse than none.
Reflecting on the Civilian Casualty Executive Order: What Was Lost and What Can Now Be Gained
What information did the public just lose with Trump's decision, and what can Congress do beyond just restoring it? Civilian casualties in wartime reporting and minimization.
Why Violent Extremism Still Spreads
Since 2001, the international community has spent enormous intellectual and political capital debating and negotiating the definition of violent extremism to design effective strategies…
I Helped Write the Exec Order on Public Reporting of Lethal Operations. Here’s What Trump Has Undone.
"Multiple press accounts have cited some of the key problems with the rescission, the backlash from transparency advocates, and why, unsurprisingly, the Trump administration has…
Trump’s Revocation of Reporting on Lethal Strikes: All Eyes on Congress, Now
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order revoking a section of President Barack Obama’s Executive Order on civilian casualties that required annual reporting…
Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in February 2019
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 those norms in reactions…