Today’s Headlines and Commentary

Moscow announced plans to supply Syria with an air-defense system, a move that follows the downing of a Russian plane last week, which the Kremlin blamed on Israel and escalated tensions in the region, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will meet with President Trump on Thursday to discuss recent news stories, including Friday's New York Times report that Rosenstein had proposed wearing a wire in the White House and invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. (See Jack Goldsmith’s analysis of the Times story on Lawfare). The White House's announcement of the Thursday meeting followed a series of conflicting reports that left journalists uncertain about Rosenstein’s status within the administration, writes the Times.

A UK detective who investigated Russian money laundering in Britain has stated that he was ordered to drop the investigation by a more senior official linked to the Foreign Office, reports the Sunday Telegraph.

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani accused the U.S. of allying with an unspecified Persian Gulf country to carry out an attack on an Iranian military parade on Saturday, which left dozens dead or injured, says the Times. The attack was claimed by both the Islamic State and an Arab separatist group.

A U.S.Navy surveillance flight over the South China Sea showed that seven shoals have been turned into Chinese military bases in the last five years—a change that points to Beijing’s growing dominance in the region, reports the Times.

A recent presidential election in the Maldives yielded surprising results, with the opposition leader announcing victory over the authoritarian incumbent. This change in administration could result in better relations between the Maldives and the West, reports the Washington Post.

Amidst a wave of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, a few items key to U.S. manufacturers have been provided exemptions, such as ibuprofen (90 percent of which comes from China). These exemptions point to potential economic vulnerabilities for U.S. corporations, reports the Wall Street Journal.

ICYMI: Last Weekend on Lawfare

Brenna Gautam and Julia Solomon-Strauss provided a comprehensive summary of last week’s military commission proceedings in United States v. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed et al. concerning Col. Keith Parrella’s replacement of Col. James Pohl as the presiding military judge, discovery motions, witness Lieutenant Doug Newman’s examination.

Jen Patja Howell posted the latest edition of the Lawfare podcast, in which Elsa Kania, an adjunct fellow at the Center for New American Security, discussed a recent report on China’s effort to dominate the field of quantum mechanics.

Matthew Kahn analyzed the hurdles to removing a president under the 25th amendment, and discussed why the strategy is not viable for all but the most extreme cases.

Gregory D. Johnsen assessed the ongoing conflict in Yemen and described the three wars it is the country is facing: the struggle against terrorism; the civil war; and the regional struggle encompassing Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran.

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