AUMF
A Primer on Sen. Merkley’s Proposal to Replace the AUMF
Scott R. Anderson Fri, May 25, 2018, 1:03 PM
A new bill would give Congress a more central role in shaping the scope of U.S. counterterrorism operations.
Scott R. Anderson is a David M. Rubenstein fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. He previously served as an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State and as the legal advisor for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.
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Public Opinion
Law and Public Intuition on the Use of Force, Part 2: The Threat of Nuclear Weapons
Scott R. Anderson, Megan Reiss Wed, May 23, 2018, 1:25 PM
We conducted a public opinion survey that found that Americans are sensitive to considerations of necessity, proportionality, and congressional authorization when evaluating whether the use of force is a justified response to a military threat from a foreign country. But what if the threat in question isn’t a conventional military one?
Secrecy: FOIA
Climate Change at the FBI: Why We Sued the Bureau Last Week
Scott R. Anderson, Benjamin Wittes Mon, May 21, 2018, 5:24 PM
An update on a Freedom of Information Act request.
Appointments, Confirmations & Budgets
20 Questions the Senate Should Ask Gina Haspel
Scott R. Anderson, Susan Hennessey Tue, May 8, 2018, 2:45 PM
How to approach the prospective CIA director’s role in the controversial rendition, detention and interrogation program.
Politics & National Security
Law and Public Intuition on the Use of Force, Part 1: An Introduction
Scott R. Anderson, Megan Reiss Fri, May 4, 2018, 9:54 AM
We set out to design a set of surveys to measure the extent to which public opinion—or, perhaps more accurately, the public’s moral intuition—aligns with legal considerations regarding the use of force. Our results surprised us.
Detention & Guantanamo
First Detainee Transferred From Guantanamo Under Trump
Scott R. Anderson Wed, May 2, 2018, 7:17 PM
Earlier today, the Pentagon announced that Ahmed al-Darbi, a Guantanamo Bay detainee who pleaded guilty and cooperated with prosecutors, has been repatriated to his native Saudi Arabia pursuant to the terms of his settlement agreement
Federal Law Enforcement
Taking the Pulse of the FBI One Year Into Trump’s Tenure
Scott R. Anderson, Benjamin Wittes Tue, Apr 24, 2018, 8:00 AM
The FBI just completed a survey that shows how the last year’s events have affected the rank-and-file’s morale. We’re asking for the results.