Department of State
267 Articles
Are all “members” of ISIL targetable?
Rita Siemion and Heather Brandon of Human Rights First have published a comprehensive post on some of the more important aspects of Brian Egan’s speech to ASIL. (My own…
The State Department’s Records and Response Problems Are Not New, They’re Systemic
The State Department’s records management, FOIA compliance, and oversight responsiveness have endured withering scrutiny in court and on Capitol Hill since disclosure of Hillary…
“Ideating” on ISIS and Silicon Valley
In a lot of Silicon Valley meetings, participants “iterate,” “ideate,” and “sync,” and do other buzzwordy things. Every once in a while something innovative and impactful…
The Arab Awakening, Civil Society, and the Choice Between Two Ways of Governing
Several weeks ago, I met with Prime Minister Essid and other members of Tunisia’s government and parliament to discuss reforms and the serious economic and security challenges…
“International Cyber Stability” and the UN Group of Governmental Experts
In recent months, the United States has been pushing a new policy of “international cyber stability.” In a speech in Seoul in May, Secretary of State John Kerry explained that…
Confirm the Legal Adviser
The Harry S. Truman Building, the State Department’s headquarters. Image credit: Ctac via Wikimedia Commons. This post is the latest installment of our “Monday Reflections”…
Collateral Effects of Secretary Clinton’s Nonofficial Email
On March 2, the New York Times reported that Hillary Clinton exclusively used a nongovernment email account during her tenure as Secretary of State. Last December, following a…
ICC Fugitive In US Custody?
[An update to this post is available here, confirming Ongwen’s transfer to The Hague to stand trial]. Media and the US State Department spokeswoman are reporting that a man…
A Big Week in Afghanistan War Oversight
It has been a busy week for John Sopko, the US-appointed Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). He and his team just published a number of reports indicating…
Samantar v. Yousuf: What Happens Next?
As Beth Van Schaack reported last week, the Supreme Court has called for the views of the Solicitor General in Samantar v. Yousuf, a case raising questions about the immunity of…
Key Government Legal Offices Need Permanent Leadership
The Obama administration is confronting a range of foreign crises. Options for responding will continue to present difficult questions of both domestic and international law. And…
Verdict in Cambodia: Too Little Too Late, but Still Important
Amidst all the developments in the Middle East, we could not allow the verdict rendered by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Case 002 to go unacknowledged.…