Israel, Counter-Terrorism, and International Law: The Analytic Challenges of 'System'
“The existence of `system’ in the world is obvious to every observer of nature, no matter whom.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Phenomenon of Man (1959) Whether conspicuous or obscure, terrorism generally presents itself as a systemic challenge. This means, inter alia, that seemingly singular strategic and legal matters may actually be many-sided and interrelated. Regarding legal issues, though [...]
New York legislature introduces 10 bills that would tighten gun laws
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins and House Speaker Carl Heastie Tuesday confirmed that ten bills have been introduced in the State Assembly and Senate to strengthen New York’s gun regulations following the horrific mass shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas. The bills propose to require the exchange of information [...]
Former Canadian Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour Monday released a long-awaited report recommending that all sexual offenses committed by Canadian military personnel should be prosecuted in civilian courts instead of military tribunals. The report also calls on the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to conduct demographic reviews for alleviating the over-representation of white males in leadership positions, [...]
Natural Law and the United States Constitution: Still Vital Connections
Abstract: Ideas of Natural Law were crucial in drafting the US Constitution. These seminal ideas were made known to document “framers” largely by way of William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England. The Commentaries represent the truest philosophic origins of America’s legal system. In these dissembling times of recurrent political manipulation, Blackstone’s work warrants [...]
Law and Strategy after Afghanistan: The United States, Israel and Iran
Abstract: Following US withdrawal from Afghanistan, America’s security focus will turn more expressly to Iran. The core problem with America’s Afghanistan withdrawal was not one of timing or tactics, but of original misconception. In essence, the “Afghanistan Problem” stemmed from an initially underestimated and misunderstood military operation. Looking ahead, Afghanistan’s incoherent conclusion means, inter alia, [...]
The Biden Administration recently came to agreements with Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala to increase their border enforcement. These agreements aim to reduce the number of migrants who are able to make their way to the US-Mexico border by extending American border defense thousands of miles south of that border. And they do so in a [...]
Eighteen US states have abolished the death penalty. Three states - Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin - have completely banned the death penalty since the mid-nineteenth century. Fifteen states abolished the death penalty at various points throughout the twentieth and twenty-first...
On Wednesday, Texas executed a Mexican national who was convicted of murdering a police officer in 1994. Controversy grew after the arrest because Edgar Arias Tamayo was not notified of his rights under Vienna Convention...
Supreme Court adds 6 cases, reverses West Virginia redistricting ruling
The US Supreme Court added six cases to its docket on Monday, including a rare grant of certiorari in two pro se cases. In Levin v. United States , the court will consider whether...
Rwanda high court rules opposition leader's trial will continue despite her refusal to attend
The Rwandan high court ruled Wednesday that the case against opposition leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza will continue despite her announcement this week that she refuses to attend further proceedings. The court's ruling ...
