Updates | The Week of March 27, 2017
Derek Reinbold // 4/2/17 //
Democrats have been stepping up claims that Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election was an act of war, reports Morgan Chalfant at The Hill.
- Discussing potential U.S. collaboration with Russian interference, Steve Vladeck cautions at Just Security against using the word “treason.”
- Additionally, former Vice President Dick Cheney has stated that Russian interference in the presidential election could be considered an “act of war” (The Hill).
President Trump's proposed cuts to the State Department budget would be irresponsible, short-sighted, and harmful to U.S. foreign policy, writes Rep. Joaquin Castro at The Hill.
- At Just Security, Alexandra Bell describes the proposed State Department cuts as “national security malpractice.”
As many as 200 civilians may have been killed by recent American airstrikes in Mosul (NYT, WaPo).
- At The Intercept, Glenn Greenwald argues that these civilian casualties indicate that President Trump is keeping his campaign promise to liberate the U.S. military from Obama-era legal constraints.
Leaks pose a host of legal and ethical issues, which Ryan E. Long addresses for the Center for Internet and Society.
San Francisco is setting an example of how cities can resist federal surveillance of targeted groups, note Michael German and Emily Hockett at Just Security.
The Trump administration has ceased disclosing information regarding the number of U.S. troops deployed in Iraq and Syria (LA Times).
At Just Security, Oona Hathaway gives possible explanations for the recent rise in civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria (Just Security).
The United States has spoken out against a United Nations effort to ban nuclear weapons, joining other major powers in their protest (WaPo).
- The U.S. should use this opportunity to evaluate its position on the use of nuclear weapons, argue Lt. Col. Ted Richard and Sean Watts at Just Security.
The Trump Administration must take steps to protect critical infrastructure, argue Joel Brenner and David Clark at Lawfare.
Two journalists are suing the Trump administration for erroneously being placed on a “kill list” of people targeted by US for deadly drone strikes (Politico).
In a rare en banc session, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court will consider the ACLU's claim that it has standing to assert a First Amendment right to see FISC decisions upholding the government's bulk data collection program (Lawfare).