Today's Headlines and Commentary

Joint war games in Siberia between China and Russia reflect increased military and economic partnership amongst the two historic rivals as they confront increased U.S. pressure in the region, according to the Washington Post.

Under pressure from members of Congress and human-rights watchdogs, the Trump administration is considering sanctions against Chinese companies and officials in response to mass detention of ethnic Uighurs and other Muslim groups, reports the New York Times.

Following an impasse in denuclearization talks, South Korean President Moon Jae-in encouraged President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un to make “bold decisions” at any future summit, says the Times.

According to the Times, the Syrian Democratic Forces have attacked Hajin, the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Syria, but warn that even if defeated in the region, Islamic State will likely remain a powerful terrorist organization.

Sen. Tim Kaine is blocking the confirmation of David Schenker to the State Department’s top Middle East position due to the Trump administration’s unwillingness to release a secret memo that formed the legal basis of the April 2017 strikes on Syria, reports Foreign Policy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had promised to release the document to lawmakers.

According to Foreign Policy, Washington has threatened the Assad regime with military force should it use chemical weapons in the province of Idlib—a the latest reflection of a recent shift in strategy from President Trump’s indication that the U.S. was seeking to pull out of Syria after the defeat of Islamic State.

In Foreign Affairs, Peter Harrell analyzed the rapid growth of the scope, complexity and volume of U.S. sanctions over the past decade—including a 30 percent annual increase in the first year of the Trump administration—and considered the long-term consequences of aggressive sanctions.

Yesterday on Lawfare

Quinta Jurecic posted an update on the status of Lawfare’s database on travel ban litigation, and on the progression of Alharbi v. Miller and Emami v. Trump—two recent cases concerning the process of travel-ban waivers.

Robert Chesney assessed the implications of the U.S. government bringing criminal charges against a North Korean hacker—and why treating intelligence activities as criminal activities is sometimes necessary for deterrence.

Matthew Kahn posted the text of national security adviser John Bolton’s speech to the Federalist Society concerning the legitimacy of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its relationship with the U.S.

John Bellinger analyzed the controversy that Bolton raised and recommended how the ICC should respond to Bolton’s threats.

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