Potential Israeli Defense Forces combat mission in Lebanon brings concerns about LOAC implementation
In an opinion for the Lieber Institute at West Point coauthored with Tyler Smotherman, CERL Advisory Board Member Geoff Corn discusses the likelihood of an Israeli combat operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and how to ensure compliance with law of armed conflict (LOAC) implementation in Israeli Defense Forces maneuvers. Geoffrey S. Corn is the George […]
Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon intensifies
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel reacts to the latest developments between the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah in this installment of the Middle East Institute’s Defense Rapid Reaction series. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.), is the former Commander of the U.S. Central Command. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow […]
Critical year for advancing women in leadership
In a Q&A with The Regulatory Review, Rangita de Silva de Alwis, member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, discusses the importance of attaining gender parity in systems of decision-making at a global level. In addition to securing “equal access,” women must also hold “equal power,” she explains. Rangita de Silva de Alwis is Senior Adjunct Professor […]
Israel applies military pressure to force Hezbollah’s hand
In a segment on Fox News, General Joseph L. Votel, member of the CERL Executive Board, weighs in on the escalating tension between Israel and Hezbollah. To prevent a war of attrition on its northern border and to assure the safe return of residents who are caught in the crosshairs of the conflict, Israel is […]
Legal experts urge Court to reverse decision in Trump Mar-a-Lago case
A group of legal experts, including CERL Executive Board member Stuart Gerson, filed a brief on Sept. 18 arguing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit should reverse Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision to dismiss Trump’s case involving the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. A different judge should be assigned the case, they contend. […]
Israel’s pager attacks on Hezbollah fighters: A violation of international law?
Hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies exploded last week in an attack on Hezbollah fighters, resulting in over 30 deaths and 3,000 injuries. Mary Ellen O’Connell, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, addresses the legality of these attacks. Adding explosives to everyday items, such as two-way radios, is a crime under international law, she explains in an […]
How the presidential candidates address mental health among service members
In an opinion for The Morning Call, Brig. Gen. Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D., compares efforts by the Trump administration and Biden-Harris administration to address the physical and mental wounds of war sustained by active-duty military and veterans. The Biden-Harris administration has demonstrated a strong commitment to preventing suicide in the veteran community, as well as […]
The withdrawal of U.S. forces in Iraq will leave dangerous vacuum
A U.S.-led military coalition charged with defeating the Islamic State is set to withdraw from Iraq by 2026. In an opinion for The Washington Post, Charles Lister and General Joseph Votel, member of the CERL Executive Board, urge the United States and its allies to consider the grave and ongoing threat posed by the resurgence […]
Critics of Trump brace for ‘targeted approach’ against ‘perceived adversaries’
Mark Zaid, Esq., member of the CERL Executive Board, is quoted in a New Republic article discussing what a second Trump term could mean for critics of the president. Trump will use every tool in the executive branch’s arsenal to silence those who are perceived as acting or speaking against his presidency, Zaid explains. Mark […]
Interrogation methods must be science-, not fear-based
In an episode of I See What You’re Saying Podcast, CERL Advisory Council member Mark Fallon discusses the truth behind interrogation practices, including the dangers of torture and the importance of science-backed techniques that not only yield accurate information but also adhere to human rights standards. Mark Fallon is the co-founder of Project Aletheia at […]
Does Trump show signs of cognitive decline?
If elected, former President Donald Trump would become the oldest person in U.S. history to assume the presidency. In an opinion for The National Interest, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D., warns that Trump already shows the signs of cognitive decline, and his mental acuity is likely to erode even further over the next […]
Why the U.S. should maintain a strong presence in the Middle East
General Joseph Votel, member of CERL’s Executive Board, and co-author Raphael Benaroya present an argument in The Times of Israel for why the United States should sustain a strong presence in the Middle East. Establishing robust economic collaboration and a joint defense architecture with regional partners is essential not only for safeguarding U.S. national security […]
‘No comparison’ between Israeli and Hamas wartime actions
In a co-authored opinion for Newsweek, Professor Geoffrey Corn, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, addresses how Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions applies to the Israel-Hamas conflict, emphasizing the difference between Hamas’ deliberate attacks on and slaughter of civilians and Israel’s military operations that have resulted in civilian harm and death. There is “no […]
Turner elected to NPR Board
NPR has announced the election of Professor Shawn Turner to its board. His three-year term as Member Director will start in November 2024. Shawn Turner is a member of CERL’s Executive Board. He is General Manager of WKAR Public Media, a professor of strategic communication at Michigan State University, and a national security analyst for […]
How to understand the new indictment against Trump in the election case
CERL’s Claire Finkelstein appeared on Al Jazeera to discuss the DOJ’s superseding indictment against Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election case and how this development might be perceived in the political arena. The revisions addressing the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling are not insignificant, she explains. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon Biddle Professor of Law […]
FDA decision to reject psychedelic treatment for PTSD is ‘disappointing, but not surprising’
In an opinion for The Hill, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D., discusses the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) early August rejection of psychedelics to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With the right guidelines and infrastructure in place, midomafetamine (MDMA) treatment could set veterans and other communities suffering from PTSD and related mental health challenges […]
No legal ground for assassination of top Hamas leader
CERL Advisory Council member Mary Ellen O’Connell weighs in on the killing of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, arguing that such assassinations are outside the bounds of what is legal in armed conflict. Yet countries like Israel, Russia, and the United States continue to engage in targeted assassinations as part of their wartime efforts. Mary […]
Horowitz resumes directorship of Penn’s Perry World House
CERL joins the University community in welcoming Dr. Michael C. Horowitz, member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, back to his role as director of Perry World House and Richard Perry professor in the Department of Political Science. Horowitz took a two-year service leave to work for the U.S. Department of Defense in standing up the Emerging […]
CERL affiliates urge Secretary Austin to reconsider his invalidation of the GTMO plea deal
In an opinion for Lawfare, CERL’s Prof. Claire Finkelstein, Alberto Mora, and Brig. Gen. (ret.) Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D., urge Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to reinstate the plea deal he revoked just two days after an agreement was reached between U.S. prosecutors and three Guantánamo defendants—Khalid Shaikh Mohammed (KSM), Walid bin Attash, and Mustafa […]
Public perception of IDF campaign against Hamas inconsistent with on-the-ground reality
In a co-authored piece for The Cipher Brief, CERL Advisory Council member Geoffrey Corn and Lt. Gen. (ret.) David A. Deptula discuss insights from a July mission to Israel facilitated by the High Level Military Group to assess the country’s compliance with international law in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Contrary to the […]
Diplomatic talks underway as Iran threat looms
General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel, member of CERL’s Executive Board, appeared on Fox News to discuss mitigating the threat of an Iranian attack against Israel in response to the killing of a top Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh. Central to the deliberations of Iranian leadership are economic factors, he explains. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army […]
Senior U.S. officials urge diplomatic, not military solutions to Israel-Hamas conflict
The safe return of hostages from Gaza will require diplomatic, not military, efforts, CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel told The New York Times. With Hamas suffering significant blows to its leadership and capabilities, continued Israeli military campaigns would do little to advance wartime objectives but would pose a grave risk to […]
What to expect of an Iranian reprisal
General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel, member of CERL’s Executive Board, appeared on CBC to discuss rising tensions in the Middle East and what might be expected of Iran’s military and Israel’s defense capabilities, as well as how the United States and other actors in the region are likely to respond. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. […]
Gender parity crucial in emerging technologies field
As advancements in artificial intelligence transform the landscape of warfare, having guardrails in place to protect human rights, especially those focused on gender parity in decision-making, becomes all the more critical. The 25th anniversary of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) is an occasion to take stock of progress toward greater participation of women in the […]
What Ukraine’s advance into Russia could mean for battlefield outcomes
Drawing from historical examples, the authors of an opinion piece for TIME—among them Lt. Gen. (ret.) James Clapper, Emeritus member of CERL’s Executive Board—discuss how Ukraine’s assault on Russia could mark a turning point for the two-year war. The campaign by Zelenskyy could serve to advance morale, shake up Russia’s allocation of resources and troops, […]
Judge’s decision to rule Trump special counsel appointment unconstitutional is ‘profoundly wrong’
CERL’s Claire Finkelstein spoke with media about U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling to dismiss Special Counsel Jack Smith from former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case. Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, issues her ruling following Judge Clarence Thomas’s recent assertion that the appointment of Smith was unconstitutional: “This stems from […]
Trump shooting presaged by ‘increase in violent rhetoric’ at US political events
CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein spoke with Australian Broadcasting Corporation about the recent assassination attempt on former President Trump, and the spike in violent rhetoric at U.S. political events: “We have seen an increase in violent rhetoric around political events of all sorts, and the irony is that President Trump himself has fomented some of this […]
‘Chutkan Has Discretion in Trump Immunity Case. She Should Use It’
In an essay for Bloomberg Law, CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein and Professor Richard W. Painter of the University of Minnesota review the Trump immunity case, emphasizing how the immunity ruling has upset checks and balances, but judges retain a role: “Can anything blunt the edge of this decision in Trump v. United States? To address […]
O’Connell weighs in as Chinese student pleads guilty to violating U.S. espionage act
CERL Advisory Council member Mary Ellen O’Connell recently spoke with media about Shi Fengyun, the 26-year-old Chinese student who plead guilty to misdemeanor espionage charges on Monday for taking photographs of U.S. military infrastructure using a drone. Although accidentally capturing photos of military installations while flying a drone isn’t usually persecuted to this degree, O’Connell […]