Transparency
387 Articles
How Barr May Interpret What It Means to Withhold “Grand Jury Information”
While federal rules govern grand jury secrecy, they contain room for interpretation. Here's how the Attorney General may interpret them broadly to hide a large swath of Mueller's…
Letter to the Editor: Where Luke Hartig and I Agree on Drones (it’s more than you might think)
Luke Hartig’s critique of my essay, “Body Counts Are Terrible Way for the Public to Assess US Counter-Terrorism Operations” is a thoughtful one, and I urge everyone to read…
Scramble to Erase New Zealand Attack Videos Exposes Pitfalls Too
The white supremacist who attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, created a Facebook livestream of his assault that spread at an alarming rate. At times, YouTube said,…
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…
The Dangers of Democratic Republic of Congo’s Post-Election Dispute
The announced results of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Dec. 30 presidential elections have thrown the country into confusion. Precedents elsewhere on the continent show…