The Week that Was: All of Lawfare in One Post

Benjamin Wittes shared seven questions on national security and executive powers that he would have liked to ask Donald Trump in this week’s presidential debate. He also reflected on the debate by asking why there is such a profound gap between elites’ bipartisan consensus on national security and Trump’s vision of national security that millions of voters will endorse this November. He also posted the latest episode of the Rational Security Podcast, which covers the first presidential debate.

Zachary Burdette reviewed the national security highlights from the presidential debate.

Ingrid Wuerth scrutinized the content and implications of JASTA following the congressional override of President Obama’s veto.

Quinta Jurecic posted a letter from Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) explaining his opposition to JASTA.

Michael Stephens and Thomas Juneau argued that the United States still needs its partnership with Saudi Arabia.

J. Dana Stuster updated the Middle East Ticker with information about the Islamic State, Jordanian elections, Iraqi politics, and France’s recognition of past misdeeds.

Dan Byman outlined the challenges that the United States will face following the collapse of the Islamic State.

Rachel Bessette examined what Jordan’s recent parliamentary elections can tell us about the future of the kingdom.

Chris Mirasola updated the Water Wars weekly roundup on the South and East China Seas, highlighting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot away from the United States and toward China.

Stephanie Leutert shared an interview with Enrique Roig, the former Central America Regional Security Initiative coordinator at USAID, on how U.S. funding to prevent violence in Central America is actually allocated.

Quinta posted a report from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Justice on the FBI’s use of Section 215 from 2012-2104.

Susan Landau advanced the debate on exceptional access, responding to a proposal Matt Tait made on Lawfare last month.

Adam Klein assessed the international implications of a U.S. decryption mandate.

Nora Ellingsen analyzed a new federal criminal case that deals with the intersection of material support and cyber attacks.

Paul Rosenzweig flagged a suit filed to stop the ICANN and IANA transition.

Paul also highlighted the risks of prosecutors working on cases related to technologies that they do not understand, recommended a new report on robotics and autonomy in weapons systems, and noted calls to reform congressional jurisdiction and oversight over the Department of Homeland Security.

Elena Chachko reviewed the status of Hamas and the Tamil Tigers on the EU terrorism sanctions list.

Natan Sachs commented on the accomplishments of the late Shimon Peres.

Quinta Jurecic uploaded this week’s Lawfare Podcast, featuring an interview with Judge Laurence Silberman on the birth of the National Security Division of the Justice Department.

And Stewart Baker provided a link to the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast, as well as a summary of the episode’s content.

And that was the week that was.