Today's Headlines and Commentary

Today, the White House hosts a summit to discuss the steps the United States can take towards “Countering Violent Extremism.” The Washington Post writes that “Obama is hoping to concentrate the world’s focus on the need to combat the underlying ideologies” that persuade individuals to engage in violent extremism. Already though, the summit has come under fire from some who say that, even in its name, the event fails to recognize the central problem of “Islamic extremism.” Yesterday, Vice President Joseph Biden said that societies must offer immigrants an “affirmative alternative” to extremism, suggesting that military force alone will not solve the problem. In agreement, President Obama penned an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, that among other things argues that local communities are the front lines in countering extremist ideologies. In the Washington Post, Daniel Byman discredits five myths about violent extremism. Myth one? That we even understand radicalization. In a special edition of the Lawfare Foreign Policy Essay coinciding with the White House’s event on countering extremism, William McCants argued for narrow, targeted initiatives to fight extremist ideology. In Syria, pro-government forces attempted to encircle and cut off supplies to rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo, the Wall Street Journal reports. Reuters adds that the fighting there has killed at least 150 fighters from both sides. However, the U.N. envoy to Syria indicated that the government may be willing to suspend its attacks on Aleppo during a six-week trial ceasefire, according to the BBC. It remains unclear when that ceasefire would take effect and the special envoy said that because of past experiences, he was under “no illusions” it would materializes. The State Department announced on Tuesday that the United States and Turkey had reached a deal “in principle” to allow more than 400 American forces to train Syrian rebels in Turkey. At the same time, just before beginning to train them, the United States has committed to giving Syrian rebels equipment for calling in airstrikes as well as trucks carrying mounted machine guns. The Wall Street Journal has more. Another party to the Syrian civil war, ISIS, is continuing its stream of atrocities across the border in Iraq. The BBC reports that ISIS burned to death 45 people in al-Baghdadi, the town in western Iraq that ISIS captured parts of last week. And, it seems that ISIS may be making money off its victims. The Associated Press reveals the group’s operations may be financed in part by organ harvesting. Iraq’s ambassador to the United Nations claimed recently that bodies in mass graves have been found with surgical incisions and missing body parts. Moreover, the ambassador claimed that the group has executed several doctors in Mosul for refusing to participate. Violence in Libya continues to escalate. The New York Times reports that the Islamist-backed faction, Libya Dawn, carried out its first airstrike in the conflicts. It remains unclear how the militants were able to restore the damaged Qaddafi-era Russian MIGs. Libya Dawn controls Tripoli and has successfully pushed the internationally recognized Libyan government up against the Egyptian border. The Washington Post reveals that Egypt is now pushing back, suggesting the United Nations Security Council consider sending in international troops to support what it calls the “legitimate” government and to combat the rise of ISIS in Libya. This rise, the Wall Street Journal explains, is a product of the group’s efforts to co-opt local militias, rather than fight with them, as it has done in Syria. The number of civilian deaths in Afghanistan last year, 3,699, was the highest on record. The Guardian reports that, as international forces have withdrawn and government forces have taken on a greater security role, fighting with insurgents has intensified and moved closer to populated areas. The withdrawal of international forces has also left some regions of Afghanistan beyond the control of the central government in Kabul. In the western province of Farah, Reuters reveals, Islamist militants and local governments alike prey on locals, many of whom have turned to illicitly growing the opium that funds the armed groups in the area. Under a fierce assault by Russian-backed separatists, Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from Debaltseve, a key town in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reports. Rebel forces continued to attack the town this week despite a ceasefire agreement meant to take effect last Sunday, though they claim the agreement does not apply to the town. According to the BBC, the United States accused Russia of violating the ceasefire at the same time that it was sponsoring a U.N. resolution supporting the agreement. The Guardian adds that, while European leaders further criticized Russian actions undermining the ceasefire, the U.N. Security Council approved Russia’s resolution. Over at Foreign Policy, Stephen Walt argues that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine are modeled after Ronald Reagan’s support for the Contras in Nicaragua. Militants from Boko Haram attacked two towns in northeastern Nigeria Tuesday, killing 37 people, the Wall Street Journal reports. The attacks come as the government tries to beat back advances by Boko Haram ahead of next month’s elections. But on Tuesday, Boko Haram released a video in which the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, promised further attacks to disrupt the upcoming elections. In the face of the growing regional threat presented by the group, the United States is beginning its annual joint military exercises with African militaries. The AP reveals that the training exercises will be centered in Chad but include stations in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Tunisia. All but Tunisia have recently been attacked by Boko Haram. Poland has indicated that it will comply with a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that the country played host to a secret CIA prison, Reuters reports. The decision mandates that Poland hold accountable the officials responsible for allowing the prison to operate and that it compensate two men held there. Yesterday, the U.S. State Department announced a new policy allowing the United States to begin selling armed drones to allied countries. DefenseOne notes that the new policy could mean that the United States will begin exporting armed drones to vetted allies by the end of the year. The Post explains that the policy will give allies in the Middle East and elsewhere a chance to fill a growing desire for the vehicles while also allowing U.S. weapons manufacturers to seize more of the growing global drone market. Sales, however, will be subject to various restrictions on use; the drones are not to be used for illegal government surveillance or for illegal uses of force. The Times describes how veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan now serving in Congress are shaping the debate over a new Authorization for Use of Military Force against ISIS. In a New York courtroom Tuesday, the chief prosecutor described how defendant Abid Naseer plotted to carry out terrorist attacks in New York City, England, and Denmark. Naseer, who is representing himself at the trial, opened by claiming he had no extremist tendencies or “jihadist views.” The Wall Street Journal has more on the trial. Parting Shot: Is the People’s Liberation Army “soft”? That seems to be the conclusion of a new RAND Corp report.

ICYMI: Yesterday, on Lawfare

Paul Rosenzweig offered his assessment of what a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security might look like. Bruce Schneier discussed the fraught state of computer security in light of recent revelations that a mysterious group (likely the NSA) can sneak spyware deep into computers. In a special edition of the Foreign Policy Essay coinciding with the White House’s event on countering extremism, William McCants argued for narrow, targeted initiatives to fight extremist ideology. Wells linked us to an article exploring the balance between legislative and executive power in foreign policy. Email the Roundup Team noteworthy law and security-related articles to include, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for additional commentary on these issues. Sign up to receive Lawfare in your inbox. Visit our Events Calendar to learn about upcoming national security events, and check out relevant job openings on our Job Board.