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US Department of State building with sign in front

The US State Department Should Prioritize the Human Rights Reporting Gateway

The Human Rights Reporting Gateway can help the State Department enforce the Leahy law by providing key information from NGOs and victims.
A group of protestors by the gates of the Sde Teman military base in Israel.

A Model Leahy Law Legal Memo on Assistance to Israeli Security Forces

A model Department of Defense action memo illustrates what a faithful application of the Leahy law to an alleged gross human rights violation in Israel would look like.
A crowd holds yellow placards showing President Joe Biden's face and the message "Biden sanction Moge."

Do Sanctions Work? It Depends. Burma and the West Bank Might Be Models.

The question shifts the focus from the far more critical issues of whether policy goals are clear and realistic and if sanctions can help.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-TX) (C) presides over a hearing

US Should Learn from Afghanistan and Vietnam Withdrawals to Better Protect Vulnerable Allies

Congress should learn from Afghanistan and look to historical precedents when pursuing reform for noncombatant evacuation operations.
US Department of State building with sign in front

The State Department Reform Commission: A Once in A Generation Opportunity to Reform American Diplomacy

The Commission to Reform and Modernize the State Department has a historical opportunity to build something better. Here are four questions it needs to consider.
Non-Disclosure Agreement on paper close up

The New Intelligence Community Directive on Prepublication Review: Important Reforms and Critical Omissions

The ODNI's prepublication review directive improves several important aspects of the system, but fails to make certain critical changes.
The blue flag of the International Criminal Court flies outside of the organization's headquarters.

Expert Explainer: The US for the first time submits a formal brief to the International Criminal Court on the ‘Situation in Palestine’

A Q&A with Todd Buchwald, former U.S. Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice at the U.S. Department of State.

The State Department’s Wrong Decision to Exempt IDF Unit from Leahy Law Ineligibility

Former State Department official critically analyzes State Department's decision to drop Netzah Yehuda unit from Leahy Law sanctions.
The episode title appears with sound waves behind it.

The Just Security Podcast: The Evolution of U.S. Hostage Policy

Joining this episode are Jim Foley’s mother, Diane Foley, and Luke Hartig, a former senior director at the National Security Council.
US Department of State building with sign in front

The State Department’s Civilian Harm Incident Response Guidance: How to Make a Good Thing Better

The State Department's Civilian Harm Incident Response Guidance process is a good start but changes can improve function and transparency.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken sits in a dark suit and tie to testify before a Congressional committee.

Israel and the Leahy Law

"For seven and a half years, I served as director of the State Department office that leads Leahy vetting of foreign security units. ... U.S. State Department spokespersons assert…

Sec. Blinken’s View on Sanctions Against the ICC: A More Complete Picture

Analysis of the Secretary of State's exact statements on the prospect of congressional efforts to sanction the International Criminal Court.
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