Security Assistance

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Headshot of U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy

Missed Opportunities in House FY24 NDAA for Human Rights Progress in U.S. Security Assistance

The House of Representatives' FY24 NDAA missed the mark in strengthening arms transfer law, which is currently opaque and outdated.
Marcos (L) and Biden (R) talk in front of the American and Philippine flags

On Eve of Marcos Visit, US Must Center Human Rights in US-Philippines Security Relationship

"The United States should know that it cannot successfully pursue its security interests in the Asia-Pacific region at the expense of the basic rights of its partners’ citizens."
President Jimmy Carter participates in the swearing-in ceremony for Patricia Derian, Virginia McCarty and Eleanor Holmes Norton at the White House on June 17, 1977. (Photo by White House Staff Photographers, courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

The Power of Jimmy Carter’s Vision for Universal Human Rights

There was a time when the US didn't promote human rights or even consider it much of an objective in foreign policy at all.
President Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Salman stand next to each other.

A Long-Forgotten Law Could Force the U.S. to Re-Evaluate its Relationship with Saudi Arabia

Section 502B(c) is a potent tool to accelerate congressional oversight of support to countries with concerning human rights records. 
Russia's navy ships and helicopters take part in a military exercise called Kavkaz (the Caucasus) 2016 at the coast of the Black Sea in Crimea on September 9, 2016.

Are Methods of Naval Warfare at Risk Under “Qualified” Neutrality? Expert Q&A from Stockton Center’s Russia-Ukraine Conference

Absent a clear indication in State practice to the contrary, qualified immunity should not effectively transform what would otherwise be contraband into “free goods” immune…
Ukrainian recruits and their British Armed Forces trainers pose for a photograph on Driver Tank Trainer (DTT) armoured vehicles

Can Aid or Assistance Be a Use of Force?: Expert Q&A from Stockton Center’s Russia-Ukraine Conference

Some States are likely engaging in force by virtue of the quantity and quality of the support they are providing to Ukraine. Those activities are lawful as actions taken in the…

The US Needs a Strategy for (Human) Security Cooperation

The result is a frequent perception of enabling rights abuses and atrocities committed by foreign military partners.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) speaks at a news conference on government spending at the U.S. Capitol Building on December 07, 2022

The FY 2023 NDAA Falls Short on Security Assistance Oversight

The NDAA did little to address the civilian harm, corruption, and weapons diversion linked to U.S. security assistance and cooperation.
TOPSHOT - An art mural of slain US-Palestinian correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh is pictured at a section of Israel's separation fence between Jerusalem and the city of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on December 6, 2022. - The United States said today it opposed Al Jazeera taking the killing of Palestinian-American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh to the International Criminal Court, renewing objections to investigations involving Israel. Al Jazeera submitted the case of slain journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to the International Criminal Court, saying the veteran reporter was deliberately killed by Israeli forces. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Shireen Abu Akleh’s Killing Raises Questions about U.S. Security Assistance to Israel

U.S. officials should ensure the Leahy laws are applied consistently to all countries, including Israel.

As Haiti’s Last 10 Lawmakers’ Terms Expire, Political Transition Must Take Priority Over Military Intervention

A human rights defender urges the US to press the Prime Minister to reach an agreement to proceed with a civil society transition plan.
A protester taunts police officers during Jean-Jacques Dessalines Day in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, October 17, 2022. People were protesting the Prime Minister and Americans as the nation celebrated the 216th anniversary of the assassination of Dessalines, Haitian independence hero and founding father. (Photo by RICHARD PIERRIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Six Ways the US and the International Community Can Help Haiti Without Armed Intervention

History shows that sending a military force isn't likely to improve security in the short- or long-term without other crucial steps.
A child stands near two US army vehicles, which carry American flags. Nearby is a male American military officer.

How the FY23 NDAA Can Strengthen Oversight and Transparency of U.S. Security Assistance and Civilian Harm (Part II)

The draft NDAA contains a number of important provisions for preventing and responding to civilian harm.
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