Today’s Headlines and Commentary

Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel announced on Monday that the CIA is rededicating itself to missions focusing on foreign nations that threaten the U.S.— shifting from the focus on counterterrorism, which has consumed the organization since 9/11, reports the Washington Post.

President Trump announced that he does not intend to meet with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani at the U.N. General Assembly amidst rising tensions between the two nations over terrorism, sanctions and U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, reports the Post.

The Iranian rial has lost two-thirds of its value since March, and Djavad Salehi-Isfahani of Foreign Affairs explains how the currency crisis in Tehran is caused by U.S. sanctions, domestic structural weaknesses and ineffective economic policy.

National security adviser John Bolton said on Monday that U.S. forces would remain in Syria until Iranian forces exited the country, a change from previous Pentagon strategy, in which U.S. presence in Syria would not extend beyond defeat of the Islamic State, reports the Post.

A Philippine senator who strongly opposed President Rodrigo Duterte’s violent anti-drug crackdown was arrested on Tuesday. He is the second senator to be jailed after opposing Mr. Duterte’s policies, says the New York Times.

The French government rejected a private migrant rescue ship’s attempts to dock in Marseilles, potentially pointing to a strategy of forestalling a future inflow of migrants, reports the Post.

ICYMI: Yesterday on Lawfare

Tamar Hostovsky Brandes and Idit Shafran Gittleman assessed the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision in Tziam v. the Prime Minister, a case concerning five Palestinian women living in Gaza, who are related to Hamas members and were initially denied permission to enter Jerusalem for medical treatment.

Nathan Swire summed up developments in the South China Sea with this week’s edition of Water Wars, detailing joint explorations for natural resources, Japanese submarines and expert analysis of these issues.

Jeremy Gordon provided a comprehensive summary and analysis of oral arguments in McKeever v. Sessions, a case regarding the court’s power to release material protected under grand jury secrecy.

Email the Roundup Team noteworthy law and security-related articles to include, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for additional commentary on these issues. Sign up to receive Lawfare in your inbox. Visit our Events Calendar to learn about upcoming national security events, and check out relevant job openings on our Job Board.

We rely on contributions from our generous readers, and now, as a thank you, we're offering a Lawfare challenge coin! Get yours by making a donation at lawfarestore.com.