Today's Headlines and Commentary

A U.S. drone strike in Yemen killed a top official in al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula on Monday, the terrorist group tweeted yesterday. The New York Times writes that Ibrahim al-Rubeish, a top ideologue and spokesman for the group who was previously held at Guantanamo, was reportedly killed in a strike near Al Mukalla. The strike, the latest of several successful strikes against AQAP leaders in Yemen over the past year, demonstrates that the U.S. can still conduct drone operations in Yemen despite the violent chaos spreading throughout the country, according to a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen. Three weeks into a Saudi-led military campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, that violent chaos continues unabated. According to Egyptian officials, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have discussed conducting a “major military maneuver” in Saudi Arabia with other Gulf states. Per Reuters, that development may signal that the Sunni Arab nations currently participating in the air campaign may soon be followed by a ground campaign. In a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi yesterday, President Obama pledged $200 in humanitarian assistance to the country, the Times writes. The President also used the occasion to praise Prime Minister Abadi’s work in both halting the momentum of ISIS in Iraq and reaching out to Sunni and Kurdish minorities. In the same meeting, the Wall Street Journal adds, President Obama warned Iran to stop its unilateral military operations in Iraq. Prime Minister Abadi echoed the sentiment, saying “We do not accept any intervention in Iraq, or any transgression on Iraqi sovereignty.” The visit, argue Adam Tiffen and Omar Al-Nidawi in DefenseOne, comes at a crucial time in the United States’ efforts to parry Iranian influence in Iraq. After the operation to retake Tikrit showed the limits of Iranian power in the fight against ISIS, the United States now has the opportunity to further insulate Baghdad from Tehran’s influence. In Iraq, ISIS launched an assault in Anbar province and captured three towns near the provincial capital of Ramadi. The Associated Press reports that the advance puts even more pressure on Ramadi, where militants already hold some outlying areas. Reuters adds that ISIS has been gaining ground in the region since the government announced the start of an offensive to retake Anbar last week. But the coalition supporting the Iraqi forces fighting ISIS received a boost yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reveals. Hungary’s parliament voted to send up to 150 soldiers to northern Iraq, where they will serve as a protection force for the Erbil training center. And House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has called for more direct military engagement by U.S. forces in Iraq. The Times reports that, while Boehner shied away from advocating a direct combat role for U.S soldiers, he said that U.S. troops should be engaged in planning and directing military operations. He called the current restrictions on their activities, which limit troops to providing training and advice, “artificial constraints.” After Republicans and Democrats reached a compromise yesterday on a bill giving Congress a say on any Iranian nuclear agreement, the White House has backed down from a veto threat and signaled that it would sign the bill. The Times reports that, according to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, the change of heart came as a result of substantive amendments to the bill. But, as Shane Harris writes, congressional Republicans interpreted the administration’s decision instead as a capitulation by the administration. Said Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), the bill’s chief architect: “This is the same piece of legislation that they’ve always opposed and they are spinning you mightily.” But while some proponents of a deal with Iran expressed concern that the legislation could strengthen Iran’s hand or even torpedo negotiations, Secretary of State John Kerry said today he remains optimistic that the negotiations could produce a final agreement. The Wall Street Journal quotes him telling reporters in Germany “We are confident about our ability for the president to negotiate an agreement and to do so with the ability to make the world safer.” For its part, Iran dismissed the news of the Senate compromise. The Washington Post reports that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the legislation a domestic U.S. matter, saying “We are in talks with the major powers and not with the Congress.”  In the same remarks, he also said that all sanctions imposed against Iran must be lifted in order for it to accept any comprehensive nuclear deal. Reuters also covers the remarks. A Pakistani military offensive is pushing foreign fighters across the Afghan border and into the Afghan Taliban, the Post reveals. According to officials, foreign fighters with suspected ties to al Qaeda and the extremely violent Pakistani Taliban are fleeing those groups for shelter in the mountains of Afghanistan, changing the nature of the battle against the Afghan Taliban. Last weekend, Afghan Taliban fighters overran Army posts and killed 18 Afghan soldiers, 8 of whom were beheaded. The beheadings, a first for the Taliban in that region, were purportedly carried out by foreign fighters. Following a recommendation from the State Department, President Obama has formally recommended that Cuba be removed from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. The Wall Street Journal explains that Congress now has 45 days to review and potentially block the recommendation, though no push to block it appears imminent. While the removal would still leave Cuba facing U.S. sanctions, it makes investment in the country more appealing for banks and businesses. The Times also covers the story. U.S. citizens and residents will now be able to find out if they are on the “no-fly” list and perhaps even learn why, according to court documents filed by the Justice Department. The change in policy comes after a federal judge ruled last June that the government’s previous failure to provide adequate procedures for individuals to challenge their “no-fly” status was unconstitutional. The Post has more. As the June 1 sunset of Section 215 rapidly approaches, the Guardian reports, NSA and FBI representatives are using a series of closed-door briefings on the Hill to push legislators to extend the powers authorized therein. The efforts have thus far been unsuccessful, as lawmakers have yet to introduce a legislative vehicle for reauthorization. But, according to congressional sources, the USA Freedom Act is days away from reintroduction. The House Homeland Security Committee has unanimously approved the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act, the Hill reports. The bill, the last in a series of cyber-info sharing bills that legislators are hoping to bundle and pass on to the President, gives companies liability protection when they share cyber-threat data with the Department of Homeland Security. Parting Shot: Someday, Defense Secretary Ash Carter mused on Monday, U.S. Cyber Command may morph into its own service branch. The Military Times has more.

ICYMI: Yesterday, on Lawfare

Yishai posited that, contrary to popular opinion, the Obama administration may actually be perfectly pleased with the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. Greg Nojeim noted that the Homeland Security Committee’s cybersecurity information sharing bill misses the mark in terms of civil liberties protections. Stewart Baker posted the newest episode of the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast (Episode #62), which features an interview with Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and CTO of CrowdStrike Inc. Paul Rosenzweig notified us of a new paper he wrote with Michael Chertoff entitled “A Primer on Globally Harmonizing Internet Jurisdiction and Regulations.” Cody linked us to a new report from the Open Society Justice Initiative on U.S. drone strikes in Yemen. Ben broke the news that, according to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the President’s proposed AUMF is dead in the House. Ben also reminded us about the upcoming Triple Entente Beer Summit. Get your tickets here! 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.