Online Edition
Expert Interviews for Drones in the U.S. National Airspace System: A Safety and Security Assessment
I. Introduction In 2012, the U.S. Congress passed the FAA Revitalization and Reform Act which among other provisions called for the integration of drones into the U.S. national airspace. While the statutory provision was an attempt to meet the needs of an emerging...
Meaningful Transparency: The Missing Numbers the NSA and FISC Should Reveal
Many Americans are skeptical or distrustful of U.S. Government intelligence collection methods. Increasing transparency by presenting additional data in an accessible way could help.
Problematic Alternatives: MLAT Reform for the Digital Age
Data travels across the globe instantly, but the current system for sharing information across jurisdictions is inadequate. Here’s why we need reform, and what that reform should look like. By Jonah Force Hill.
Restricted Reporting on California Military Installations: The Unnecessary and Unwise State Law Exception
The military’s restricted reporting policy for sexual assaults–permitting members of the armed services to seek help without initiating a formal investigation–has helped victims and investigators alike. But state law exceptions, like California’s, counteract some of these gains. Here’s why, and how, the exception should be overturned.
The Best Way to Honor Veterans: Decide Carefully About the Next War
Tony Carr* As Congress returns for a lame-duck session that promises to be equal parts theatrical and unproductive, President Obama is making a promise of his own: to pursue a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) legitimizing action against ISIS....
The Case for Export Control Reform, and What it Means for America
By Brandt Pasco* A signature national security priority of President Barack Obama’s Administration, and an area that has generated rare broad-based bipartisan support, is export control reform. At the request of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in August 2009...
Protecting Whistleblowers and Secrets in the Intelligence Community
Daniel D'Isidoro* Introduction Members of the intelligence community receive different whistleblower protections than most federal employees, in large part due to the classified nature of their work. Though recent reforms have sought to shore up whistleblower...
Staying Strong: Enhancing Israel’s Essential Strategic Options
By Louis René Beres* In early 2014, Washington and Moscow competed openly for influence in Egypt: Putin even promised expansive arms packages to now-President Sisi. With this in mind, Sisi is apt to play the U.S. and Russia off against each other, a cold war strategy...
Ukraine’s Crisis Part 3: The Principle of Distinction and LOAC’s Key Goals
By Laurie R. Blank* This is the final article in a three-part series on the Ukrainian crisis's implications and lessons for the international law of armed conflict. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 here. Recent events in eastern Ukraine highlight the challenges of...
Ukraine’s Crisis Part 2: LOAC’s Threshold for International Armed Conflict
Series Introduction Following a new outbreak of violence in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, tensions in Ukraine and between Russia and the United States and NATO countries are high ahead of Ukraine’s presidential elections Sunday. Russian troops remain along...