The Week That Was: All of Lawfare in One Post

Benjamin Wittes linked to State Department Legal Adviser Brian Egan’s speech at the annual meeting of the American Society of International Law.

Ashley Deeks responded to his speech, highlighting Egan’s discussion of “imminence.”

Jack Goldsmith, after analyzing the speech by Mr. Egan, told us that President Obama has embraced President Bush’s preemption doctrine.

Daniel Bethlehem responded, saying that Goldsmith had missed a crucial element.

Goldsmith replied to Daniel Bethlehem and flagged the only thing that he had “missed.”

Carrie Cordero explained how the McCaul-Warner digital commission can be a value-add.

Benjamin Wittes shared FBI Director James Comey’s address at Kenyon College, stating that this talk was “one of the best engagements” he’s ever seen on encryption. Ben provided us the link to his address at Kenyon College on privacy, sextorition, and “going dark.” He also gave a shout-out to the college for a great event at a time when debate on college campuses is acrimonious and illiberal.

Nicholas Weaver commented on the FBI’s secret Firefox exploit.

Susan Hennessey flagged the draft of the Feinstein-Burr encryption bill.

Benjamin Wittes issued the latest Rational Security, the “What’s App with That” edition.

Stewart Baker released the latest edition of the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast featuring an interview with Perianne Boring.

Cody Poplin shared the latest Lawfare Podcast featuring Adam Segal discuss his new book, The Hacked World Order. And Ben Wittes linked us to the video of the event.

Paul Rosenzweig flagged the largest personal information hack ever: Someone posted what appears to be the personal information of every single Turkish citizen.

Paul also commented on the “Palestinian idol” that hacked into Israel’s drones.

Benjamin Wittes provided us a link to a killer drone equipped with a chainsaw. Check it out.

Cody Poplin linked to Adm. Michael Rogers’ testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the state of U.S. Cyber Command.

Daniel Severson commented on French President Francois Hollande’s abandonment of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have enshrined state of emergency powers and stripped French citizenship from convicted terrorists.

In Sunday’s Foreign Policy Essay, Daniel Byman compared the terrorist threat in Europe and America.

Robert Chesney and Steve Slick shared the video of Homeland Security Adviser Lisa Monaco’s speech at the University of Texas-Austin. And Ben Wittes provided the text of Monaco’s address.

Elena Chachko commented on the “power of dissent” in regards to the Supreme Court of Israel’s restraints on the government’s use of home demolitions for counterterrorism purposes.

Shane Reeves and David Wallace questioned if U.S. service members could disobey an order to waterboard a terrorist.

Robert Loeb and Helen Klein examined the Al Razak v. Obama case and questioned who decides when the war is over.

Cody Poplin flagged the abrupt cancellation of the military commissions hearings that were set to begin this week.

Cody also highlighted two more detainees who departed Guantanamo Bay for Senegal and alerted us to Senators Kelly Ayotte and Mark Kirk’s new bills to halt GTMO transfers.

Ammar Abdulhamid shared his thoughts on the Syrian Alawites in response to a report indicating that they were distancing themselves from Bashar al Assad.

Soli Ozel and Sezin Oney analyzed the European Union’s deal with Turkey on the refugee crisis and argued that expediency trumps the E.U.’s higher calling.

Tamara Wittes argued that the United States cannot save Egypt from itself.

Chris Mirasola released the newest Water Wars, the “status quo keeps tensions high” edition.

Julian Ku examined whether a U.S.-China “face-saving compromise” would be possible in the South China Sea.

Ellen Scholl released the latest edition of Hot Commodities, flagging some “spring (house) cleaning” in the energy world.

Benjamin Wittes shared a video of the Heritage Foundation’s conference on “The Role of Intelligence.”

And that was the week that was.