Today's Headlines and Commentary
Another slow news day.
Continuing coverage on the Taliban's plan to open an office in Qatar, the New York Times' Matthew Rosenberg and Graham Bowley report that Hamid Karzai welcomes negotiations between the U.S. and the group.
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Another slow news day.
Continuing coverage on the Taliban's plan to open an office in Qatar, the New York Times' Matthew Rosenberg and Graham Bowley report that Hamid Karzai welcomes negotiations between the U.S. and the group. The Washington Post is also covering the story. Today's Times editorial voices a warning to the U.S. over opening up diplomatic talks. The Economist's Banyan blog examines the potential for peace from all sides. The White House denied allegations that it was planning on trading the release of Al Qaeda leaders held at Guantanamo in exchange for peace negotiations. Read John Hudson's post at the Atlantic Wire.
President Obama will be unveiling a new strategic review for the U.S. military today at the Pentagon. Craig Whitlock and Peter Whorisky at the Post report on details of the downsizing plan.
Meanwhile, in response to the U.S.'s disregard for its warning about the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is preparing legislation to ban foreign warships from the Persian Gulf unless it receives permission from the Iranian navy. Thomas Erdbrink has the story at the Post.
Five of the 14 individuals arrested last June in the House of Representatives gallery while protesting funding for Guantanamo began their trial this week. Read about it at the Blog of Legal Times.
Incoming U.N. Security Council President Baso Sangqu of South Africa is requesting an investigation into NATO's air strikes in Libya for potential human rights abuses, reports Michael Astor of the AP (courtesy of the Boston Globe).
Every day it seems as though we learn of a new use for drones. What's today's? Saving the whales. Kashmir Hill at Forbes interviewed Paul Watson, the head of the anti-whaling organization Sea Shepherd to learn about how the group uses drones in its campaign.
Walter Pincus' Post column explores technological advances in warfare.
Andy Worthington over at the Eurasia Review reminds us that in 9 days Guantanamo will celebrate its 10th anniversary. For those of you wondering, the traditional gift given to celebrate a decade of existence is tin/aluminum, but these days it's usually diamonds that are given.
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Raffaela Wakeman is a Senior Director at In-Q-Tel. She started her career at the Brookings Institution, where she spent five years conducting research on national security, election reform, and Congress. During this time she was also the Associate Editor of Lawfare. From there, Raffaela practiced law at the U.S. Department of Defense for four years, advising her clients on privacy and surveillance law, cybersecurity, and foreign liaison relationships. She departed DoD in 2019 to join the Majority Staff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where she oversaw the Intelligence Community’s science and technology portfolios, cybersecurity, and surveillance activities. She left HPSCI in May 2021 to join IQT.
Raffaela received her BS and MS in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2009 and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 2015, where she was recognized for her commitment to public service with the Joyce Chiang Memorial Award. While at the Department of Defense, she was the inaugural recipient of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s General Counsel Award for exhibiting the highest standards of leadership, professional conduct, and integrity.
