Today's Headlines and Commentary

American troops are evacuating Yemen. The AP reports that the evacuation came as Al Qaeda militants seized the southern city of al-Houta, near the American al-Annad air base, where around 100 American soldiers were stationed. The New York Times describes the evacuation as the “latest blow in the Obama administration's counterterrorism campaign.” The Wall Street Journal also covers the developments in Yemen. Meanwhile, the Washington Post reports, the winding down of American involvement in Afghanistan may move slower than originally anticipated by the Obama administration. The final end date---January 2017, President Obama’s last month in office---is not up for discussion, but the president is expected to announce that he plans to keep up to 5,000 more troops in Afghanistan for the next year than what he had previously planned. A group associated with ISIS, the Islamic State Hacking Division, published a list that allegedly contains personal and contact information of American military members; the group also called for their beheadings. The group says it obtained the information by hacking U.S. military servers---a claim that the Pentagon has not yet confirmed. The Washington Times has the details. CIA Director John Brennan has attributed some of the chaos and destabilization in Iraq to General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s most elite military wing, the Quds Force. The AP explains that Brennan said on “Fox News Sunday” that the Iranian forces had interfered with the U.S. counterterrorism mission in Iraq, and that the U.S. did not build as close ties with the Shiite-led Iraqi government as a result. Salon has an in-depth review of a book Jack featured least week, ISIS: The State of Terror. The article outlines the basic proposition of the book: that the U.S. offensive in Iraq directly led to the resurgence of extremism in the country and to the growth of ISIS.  Look for excerpts from the book---which was authored by Jessica Stern and J.M. Berger---this week on Lawfare.  Though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has attempted to walk back his apparent denunciation of the idea of an independent Palestinian state, President Obama has publicly and strongly condemned Netanyahu’s campaign message. The Times explains that President Obama said in a statement that he had spoken with Netanyahu after the election and told him that his tactics would actively hurt the peace process between Israel and Palestine. The Times calls the public critique the beginning of a “public feud with the Israeli prime minister.” Mohammed Umer Daudzai has penned an opinion piece for the Times, in which he argues that a true reconciliation between Afghanistan and Pakistan is unlikely, and that their “fundamental” difference will prove too much to overcome in any reconciliation process. The Military Times reports that the U.S. Marines could lead the effort in defeating Boko Haram in Nigeria. According to a study commissioned by the U.S. military, the U.S. Marines are apparently well positioned to push back and potentially ultimately destroy Boko Haram, working alongside Nigeria’s neighboring countries. The fraught relationship between the U.S. and Nigerian governments, however, may present a roadblock to American involvement. The Huffington Post features an edited excerpt Bruce’s new book, Data and Goliath, in which readers can learn how to protect themselves from digital surveillance. Bruce’s tips are not an isolated phenomenon. According to a new Pew study, more than one third of Americans have changed their online habits in an attempt to protect themselves against government surveillance, and just under one fourth described those changes as significant. Digital Trends covers that story.

ICYMI: This Weekend, on Lawfare

Ingrid asked and answered an important question: does the Supreme Court follow the recommendation of the Solicitor General in foreign relations cases in which the Court has issued a call for the view of the Solicitor General (CVSG)? In this week’s Foreign Policy Essay, Jennifer Williams and Daniel compare ISIS and Al Qaeda and ask which of the two groups is winning “the soul” of the jihadist movement. Herb followed up on a post from earlier in the week, commenting on the “Nobody-But-Us” (NOBUS) view of the world. In our most recent podcast episode, Cody interviews Major General Micahel Lehnert (Ret.), the first commander of the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Email the Roundup Team noteworthy law and security-related articles to include, and follow us onTwitter 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.