Today's Headlines and Commentary

President Obama has ordered a “full review” of efforts to disrupt the presidential election through the hacking and leaking of Democratic Party information, homeland security advisor Lisa Monaco said on Friday. Reuters writes that the report will be released before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20th and will be distributed to Congress and “a range of stakeholders."

The Syrian government continues to push into the last remaining rebel enclave in Aleppo, though its gains have slowed in recent days. Despite Russian government claims that the regime ceased military operations on Thursday, observers say that rocket attacks have bombarded eastern Aleppo as civilians flee in mass numbers, the New York Times reports. The United Nations and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimate that rebel-held Aleppo now contains between 100,000 and 120,000 civilians, down from over 250,000 residents prior to the most recent government offensive. Reuters and the AP have more.

The Times notes reports of summary executions of Syrian men escaping from rebel-held sections of Aleppo to areas under government control as the United Nations grows concerned over targeted reprisals by the regime of opposition supporters. Reports also indicate that some rebel forces may have killed or kidnapped civilians who attempted to leave the rebel enclaves. “Civilians are caught between warring parties that appear to be operating in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” a spokesman for the U.N. high commissioner for human rights said.

A group of Berlin-based peace activists is planning a march on foot from the German city to Aleppo to protest the humanitarian catastrophe, the Daily Beast reports. Officials have expressed concern that the march, which will likely take over six months to wind across Europe, will place activists in serious danger.

Dutch police have arrested a man suspected of planning an ISIS-inspired attack in Rotterdam, the Telegraph writes. Police discovered loaded AK-47, explosives, cash, and a painting of the ISIS flag when they searched the man’s apartment. He was detained only a day after Belgian police arrested a group of suspected ISIS supporters reportedly working to recruit foreign fighters for the Islamic State.

Libyan forces have driven ISIS out of the Libyan city of Sirte, but the extremist group still poses an important threat to Libya and its neighbors in both northern Africa and Europe, the Times tells us. The Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and officials at the Pentagon’s Africa Command have warned of the Islamic State’s potential to reorganize as an underground insurgent force and make alliances with fellow militant Islamist organizations.

An explosion in Cairo killed six members of the Egyptian security forces and wounded three others this morning. The Wall Street Journal reports that a group known as Hasm, which the Egyptian government claims is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Egypt has recently weathered a string of attacks from the Islamic State’s franchise in the Sinai Province.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter made a surprise visit to Afghanistan today in what will be his last trip to the country under the current administration, the Times writes. Carter plans to speak to American troops and meet with Afghan officials, with whom he will likely discuss Afghanistan’s worsening security situation as the government faces a resurgent Taliban and pockets of ungoverned territory.

Opponents of the Kremlin are increasingly claiming that Russian intelligence services are planting child pornography on their computers to discredit them through cyberattacks. The practice is of a piece with Russia’s broader efforts to use “cybermischief-making” to attack its critics and spread disinformation. The Times has more.

Donald Trump has shown no signs of willingness to moderate his online attacks on perceived critics now that he is President-elect, and his angry tweets may present a serious danger. The Washington Post and the Times profile two cases in which Trump has turned his Twitter account on private citizens—one a college student who asked the candidate a pointed question at a political forum, and one a union leader critical of Trump’s much-publicized deal with the Carrier manufacturing plant in Indiana—leading to a cascade of death threats and other harassment from the President-elect’s most fervent supporters.

Trump is receiving security briefings roughly once a week, a much lower rate than previous Presidents-elect have recently requested. Reuters reports that Trump has requested briefings on a handful of specific subjects, which have so far not included Russia or Iran. Vice-President Mike Pence is reportedly being briefed at least six times a week.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed the NDAA, which will now head to President Obama’s desk with a veto-proof majority, Politico writes. The bill includes provisions calling for an increased military budget and a halt to decreases in the size of the Army and Marine Corps, authorizing more troops than the Pentagon requested.

The Miami Herald reports on the government’s efforts to send a Kenyan Guantanamo detainee to Israel for prosecution. Abdul Malik has reportedly admitted his involvement in two terrorist attacks in Kenya targeting Israelis, but has never been charged with a crime. Yet for reasons that remain unclear, the FBI has failed to provide Israel with information requested to aid in Malik’s prosecution, which has caused the transfer deal to stall.

ICYMI: Yesterday, on Lawfare

Adham Sahloul argued that Secretary of State John Kerry has a responsibility not to whitewash the Obama administration’s legacy on Syria.

Quinta Jurecic covered Monday and Tuesday’s pretrial hearings in the 9/11 case.

Paul Rosenzweig asked what we want in a Secretary of Homeland Security.

Bobby Chesney noted some interesting provisions of the NDAA involving oversight of kill/capture operations conducted outside areas of major hostilities.

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