Continuity and Change Between Administrations on Terror
Over the past few months, there has been a great deal of ferment on the question of whether the fundamental posture of the Obama administration in counter-terrorism represents change from or continuity with the posture of the Bush administration. Jack wrote an early and important essay on the subject back in the Spring of 2009. And the general question has produced hand-wringing in both liberal and conservative circles since.
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Over the past few months, there has been a great deal of ferment on the question of whether the fundamental posture of the Obama administration in counter-terrorism represents change from or continuity with the posture of the Bush administration. Jack wrote an early and important essay on the subject back in the Spring of 2009. And the general question has produced hand-wringing in both liberal and conservative circles since. The angst in liberal circles is, of course, over the degree of continuity, while the angst in conservative circles is over the degree of change. Back in April, I gave a speech on the subject at Boston College which analyzes the degree of continuity and change through four distinct lenses. Because the speech remains my most comprehensive discussion of the question, I was pleased to notice today that the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy had posted a video of it. Lawfare readers may find it interesting.
Benjamin Wittes is editor in chief of Lawfare and a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. He is the author of several books.
