Harry Blain

Although President Biden has held fast on his commitment to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, he has thrown a few bones to advocates of U.S. power projection. One, in particular, stands out, and that is Biden’s promise to use our “counterterrorism over-the-horizon capability” in Afghanistan and the wider region if necessary. What does this mean? … Continue reading “The War in Afghanistan Is Dead. Long Live the War on Terror?”

Practically speaking, the Trump administration’s extrajudicial assassination of a top Iranian general was probably legal. The rationale is straightforward: Congress has steadily settled on a constitutionally dubious theory of handing the president near-limitless authority over how, when, and why the country goes to war. The 1973 War Powers Resolution, the often-cited check on this extraordinary … Continue reading “The Useless War Powers Act”

In times of war, the law often does fall silent. The U.S. Supreme Court, in all its independence and courage, has endorsed concentration camps, censorship, sham military tribunals, and guilt by association at various points in its history. Textbooks and television sell us the caricature of heroic judges and inspiring courtroom debates, but in truth, … Continue reading “How the Judiciary Is Chipping Away at the War on Terror”

The U.S. Congress has power over two very important things: money and information. It can, in theory and practice, end a war by refusing to fund it. It can (and has!) compelled the leading architects of American foreign policy – CIA directors, national security advisors, secretaries of defense – to answer for their uses and … Continue reading “The New Congress Can End Wars and Constrain the ‘Deep State.’ Will It?”

It wasn’t the good war. But, in our popular imagination, it wasn’t the bad one either. Instead, it’s identified by a vague mixture of concepts, names, and events: the Lusitania, “Wilsonian Idealism,” Versailles, Theodore Roosevelt. The First World War – known as the “Great War” in Europe – has largely faded from memory on this … Continue reading “Everything About 2018 Shows Why Americans Should Remember World War I”

The U.S. Congress has power over two very important things: money and information. It can, in theory and practice, end a war by refusing to fund it. It can – and has – compelled the leading architects of American foreign policy – CIA directors, national security advisors, secretaries of defense – to answer for their … Continue reading “Why We Need a Congress That Cares About Foreign Policy”

“That should’ve happened so fast that Congress couldn’t step in.” These were the words of Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen at February’s prestigious Munich Security Conference, in a panel discussion on whether President Obama should have used military force against the Syrian government in 2013. The senator’s comments succinctly capture the “don’t ask us” mantra that … Continue reading “Once Upon a Time, Congress Actually Fought Saudi Arms Deals. It Can Again.”

Arms companies have had a good year. The top 100 learned in July that their annual revenues amounted to a healthy $364.8 billion, with American companies – as usual – dominating. While the military itself has suffered several calamities – the apparent murder of a Green Beret by two Navy SEALs in Mali in June, … Continue reading “2017 Was a Banner Year for the Arms Industry”

Overwhelmed with stories of high-level indictments, intrigues, investigations, and scandals, the American public can be forgiven for missing revelations about an issue of some importance: our nuclear weapons. Thanks to an October 31 report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), we now have a 30-year outline of both the kinds of destructive weaponry we are … Continue reading “The US Is Stockpiling Nuclear Arms, and the Cost Is Astonishing”