National Security


NY Times – Court Rejects a Murder Conviction and Voids 3 Sentences in Blackwater Case – 4 August 2017

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/08/04/world/middleeast/blackwater-contractors-iraq-sentences.html?emc=edit_na_20170804&nl=breaking-news&nlid=44923803&ref=cta&referer= And for background, see: Govern, Kevin H. and Bales, Eric C., Taking Shots at Private Military Firms: International Law Misses its Mark (Again) (May 29, 2008). Fordham International Law Journal, Vol. 32, No. 1, 2008. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2070437  


Lawfare – Federal Prosecution is a Viable Option for Enemy Combatants – 24 July 2017

https://www.lawfareblog.com/federal-prosecution-viable-option-enemy-combatants By Mary B. McCord Monday, July 24, 2017, 2:19 PM “It is true, of course, that the United States will not have an Article III option in every case in which it has the opportunity to take custody of an enemy combatant. Law enforcement officials may lack the quantum…



CERL – Journalistic Ethics and the National Security State: Transparency and the Rule of Law in Democratic Societies – 9-11 November 2017

https://www.law.upenn.edu/newsevents/calendar.php#!event_id/54742/view/event Democratic governance depends on an engaged and educated public, to which transparency and access to accurate information are essential. At the same time, effective national security has always relied on secrecy and the ability control sensitive information. Journalists and the public at large all understand that there is a…


WSJ – Pentagon Ramps Up Space Warfare Effort – 26 April 2017

https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-ramps-up-space-warfare-effort-1493199003 Gen. John Hyten told the Senate Armed Services Committee that ‘we must prepare for a conflict that extends into space’ through defensive measures, but also by building ‘an offensive capability to challenge’ adversaries. PHOTO: YURI GRIPAS/REUTERS . By Andy Pasztor The Wall Street Journal April 26, 2017 5:30 a.m….


Just Security – What Do Top Legal Experts Say About the Syria Strikes? – 7 April 2017

https://www.justsecurity.org/39712/top-legal-experts-syria-strikes/ “[Just Security] asked several of the very top legal minds about their views concerning Thursday night’s airstrikes by the United States in response to the Syrian government’s reported use of chemical weapons.  [They] have provided their verbatim responses … and will be adding more.” and for a brief video (albeit…


MWI – “WHAT AN ARMY MEGACITIES UNIT WOULD LOOK LIKE” – 7 March 2017

http://mwi.usma.edu/army-megacities-unit-look-like/ “MWI’s Maj. John Spencer writes another thought provoking piece on the Army preparing for military operations in a megacity.” See also: IT’S TIME TO CREATE A MEGACITIES COMBAT UNIT By John Spencer http://mwi.usma.edu/time-create-megacities-combat-unit/ And also: Urban Warfare: Army, Marine Corps Prepare to Fight in Megacities November 2016 By Yasmin Tadjdeh…


New York Times – Trump Chooses H.R. McMaster as National Security Adviser – 20 February 2017

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/02/20/us/politics/mcmaster-national-security-adviser-trump.html?emc=edit_na_20170220&nl=breaking-news&nlid=44923803&ref=headline&_r=0&referer= See also a partial webliography: http://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/documents/cact/LtGenMcMasterBio.pdf https://www.iiss.org/en/persons/hr-s-mcmaster http://www.hoover.org/profiles/h-r-mcmaster http://mwi.usma.edu/2014111studying-war-and-warfare-by-major-general-hr-mcmaster/ https://www.army.mil/article/130026 http://freebeacon.com/national-security/iconoclast-army-general-to-get-third-star/ http://www.westpointcoh.org/interviews/practical-lessons-of-the-vietnam-war http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/article/human-element-when-gadgetry-becomes-strategy http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/time100walkup/article/0,28804,1611030_1610841_1610336,00.html http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/07/20/reviews/970720.20spectot.html


GRIZZLY STEPPE – Russian Malicious Cyber Activity (and assessments and responses)

I https://www.us-cert.gov/sites/default/files/publications/JAR_16-20296.pdf “Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election. These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate…