Today's Headlines and Commentary

Following the beheading of Japanese reporter Kenji Goto by the Islamic State, McClatchy informs us that the fate of captured Jordanian pilot Moaz al Kasasbeh remains unclear---though, per the BBC, ISIS claims in a video to have burned the Jordanian alive. Reuters reports on social media photos, depicting the distribution of United Nations World Food Program (WFP) goods, bearing the pasted-on logo of the Islamic State. The WFP has stated that it is “extremely concerned” by the images and that it “condemns the manipulation of desperately needed food aid inside Syria.” The Director of National Intelligence has released a report on the US Intelligence Community's implementation of President Obama's signals intelligence reforms.  The New York Times' David Sanger has more. The Times also informs us that Saudi Arabia is attempting to use oil to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into backing off his support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Washington Post describes how Qatar has become the “go-to U.S. partner for indirect communications” with militant groups, such as Hamas and Jabhat al-Nusra. The Associated Press has obtained a copy of Defense Secretary nominee Ashton Carter’s written responses to a Senate Armed Services Committee questionnaire. Among other things, Carter affirmed that he would reconsider the timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, should the security situation worsen in that country. Still, according to the AP, Carter “largely toed the administration line.” Tomorrow, the Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing in consideration of his nomination. Yesterday, the Defense Department released its budget proposal for FY 2016. It seeks $585 billion: $534 billion of which comprises the baseline budget, while the remaining $51 billion will go to a separate account for Overseas Contingency Operations. Defense One notes that this proposal ignores congressionally mandated spending caps. Among other things, the Pentagon is looking to purchase more Reaper drones. Per its budget proposal, it hopes to acquire 29 new such machines in 2016. This figure, up from previous requests in 2014 and 2015, reflects the current instability of Iraq and Syria, where such drones are used to target militants. Defense One shares more. Yesterday, the U.S. military command in Afghanistan retreated slightly from an earlier decision to withhold from the public information about the Afghan military and police forces. Previously, U.S. officials had insisted that the classification was necessary to protect Afghan and American personnel from militants. Now, “more basic data” is being released, while information, such as readiness estimates, remain secret. The Times has more. In anticipation of a nuclear deal with the P5+1 group, Iran has begun distributing proposed oil contracts to foreign firms in the hopes of attracting new investment. The contracts offer favorable terms for investors, but Reuters points out that “there is no certainty about the outcome of the nuclear negotiations.” War on the Rocks explains why the U.S. should “stay the course” with regard to Ukraine. Leaked news that the Chinese government is working to build a second aircraft carrier has been removed from local websites, newspapers, and social media. The Post shares the story. William Schabas, the chairman of the UN panel investigating possible war crimes committed during the Israeli-Gaza conflict this summer, resigned yesterday amid accusations of bias. The Times has details. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) has a piece in today’s Daily Beast, regarding morale among the U.S. armed forces.

ICYMI: Yesterday, on Lawfare

Nathan Sales considered the effect of the Visa Waiver Program on U.S. national security. Bruce Schneier commented on President Obama’s recent statements, which affirm that terrorism is not an existential threat to the U.S. Yishai Schwartz shared a historical primer on U.S. sanctions against Iran. Ben asked what it would actually take for President Obama to achieve his stated goal of closing the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay. 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.