Today's Headlines and Commentary

Former president George H.W. Bush passed away at his home in Houston on Friday, eight months after the passing of his wife, former first lady Barbara Bush, reports the New York Times. He was 94.

The CIA has evidence that 11 messages were sent from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide in charge of the team believed to have assassinated Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, around the same time that the hit was carried out, according to the Wall Street Journal, .

Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi dissident close to murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi filed a lawsuit in Israel alleging that NSO Group, an Israeli software company, helped Riyadh take control of Abdulaziz’s phone and spy on his communications with Khashoggi, reports the Times.

Former FBI director James Comey has come to an agreement with Republican members of Congress to testify privately about investigations into Hillary Clinton’s email servers and whether or not President Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, reports the Times. Lawmakers have agreed to release a transcript of the testimony 24 hours after the hearing and allow Comey to speak publicly on the matter.

A U.S. airstrike killed the highest ranked Taliban commander in southern Afghanistan, Mullah Abdul Manan, says the Times. Manan had coordinated Taliban efforts to take over Helmand province, and is believed to have developed the Taliban’s special forces, called the Red Unit.

President Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping have reached a temporary truce on the ongoing trade war in order to work towards a pact between the two nations, reports the Times.

Qatar is preparing to leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, known as “OPEC,” after almost six decades in the alliance, and plans to focus on its rapidly growing natural gas production, says the Journal.

President Trump has written to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to ask for the country’s cooperation in peace talks with Afghanistan and the Taliban, reports the Journal. Much of the Taliban’s leadership is believed to be based in Pakistan.

ICYMI: Last Weekend on Lawfare

On the anniversary of the Monroe Doctrine, Matthew Waxman analyzed presidential power with regard to setting U.S. foreign policy and threatening war.

Jason M. Blazakis argued that current laws on domestic terrorism should be strengthened to effectively combat a dangerous reality.

John Bellinger memorialized the late president George H.W. Bush, and analyzed the construction of his national security team and its approach to statecraft.

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