Today's Headlines and Commentary

Shane Harris at Washingtonian writes on the government's leak investigations, arguing that the government "is pursuing leaks, and leakers, because it can." Meanwhile, CNN reports on Senator John McCain's anger after he pushed for a special counsel to investigate the leaks, but was blocked by Democrats. The Washington Post reports on America's intelligence missions in Africa--including the news that contractors are going to be handling the bulk of the dirty work. Michael Krepon of the Stimson Center argues in the Post that Afghanistan's future is much more salient to Pakistan than it is to the United States, and that the United States should use this point as leverage in its own negotiations with Pakistan. The Blog of Legal Times reports that the D.C. Circuit has named September 20 as the auspicious date on which it will hear the ACLU's case against the CIA's drone program. Just in case you were worried, SecDef Leon Panetta tells us that no classified information was provided to Hollywood in the making of the movie about the Bin Laden raid, says the Los Angeles Times. We will probably need a special prosecutor just to make sure. JURIST reports on the brief filed by the Obama administration in the Kiobel case; John Bellinger also weighed in on the subject yesterday. Reuters, citing John, tells us that State Department legal advisor Harold Koh did not sign the brief. The Associated Press says that a gentleman by the name of Anes Subasic has been found guilty for conspiring to attack Quantico and targets overseas. Wired reports that Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is alone in blocking the renewal of the FISA Amendment Act because he wants numbers on "how many Americans’ communications have been intercepted under the law." Wired's Danger Room blog tells us about all of the bombers and drones that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants. Be very afraid. According to the Blog of Legal Times, the D.C. Circuit has said that an American defense contractor who claimed to be tortured in U.S. military custody cannot pursue a Bivens action. Read the ruling here. And, from a Lawfare reader, comes this propaganda video of the North Korean People's Army—and more--today's Moment of Zen: