Rational Security 2.0: The ‘Party at Nakatomi Plaza’ Edition

Jen Patja
Wednesday, December 22, 2021, 12:01 PM

Published by The Lawfare Institute
in Cooperation With
Brookings

This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined by military law expert and Lawfare contributor Michel Paradis! They sat down to discuss the week's national security news, including:

“You Want the Boost? You Can’t HANDLE the Boost!” Several states’ governors are refusing to direct their national guards to comply with the Defense Department’s vaccination mandate. Can the federal government make them comply?

“If Optimus Prime is Wrong, I Don’t Want to Be Right.” Last week, a U.N. body debated whether to pursue a treaty banning the development and use of automated war machines. Is there merit to this proposal or good reason to be skeptical?

“I’m Rubber, You’re Sued.” Donald Trump and his associates are using the courts to strike back against both the January 6 committee and New York state officials seeking to investigate them. Are there merits to their arguments or is something else afoot?

For object lessons, Alan endorsed his local distillery, Studio Distilling, and urged everyone to seek out their local distilleries everywhere. Scott passed along his new favorite eggnog recipe. Michel recommended two new documentaries on Leonardo DaVinci's lost painting, Salvator Mundi. And Quinta remarked upon finding the worst baby attire ever.


Jen Patja is the editor of the Lawfare Podcast and Rational Security, and serves as Lawfare’s Director of Audience Engagement. Previously, she was Co-Executive Director of Virginia Civics and Deputy Director of the Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier, where she worked to deepen public understanding of constitutional democracy and inspire meaningful civic participation.
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