Today's Headlines and Commentary

Let’s begin with more news about Wade Michael Page, the U.S. army veteran apparently responsible for the rampage at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin over the weekend. The Washington Post reports that he killed himself after being shot by police on the scene and that the police have arrested his former girlfriend “as a ‘felon in possession of a firearm.’” CNN reports on Page’s white supremacist roots, including his application to the KKK. This guy was a real gem. The Post discusses the difficulty in tracking “lone wolf” terrorists. And Conor Friedersdorf at the Atlantic talks about the lack of attention the atrocity will get because, among other reasons, a white guy was responsible. He says:

Hold the victims constant and give the perpetrator the last name Mohammed. Does anyone think for a moment that such an attack wouldn't still be the most discussed story at Fox News and National Review? And at various network news shows and unaffiliated newspapers for that matter? Instead Wade Michael Page was the gunman.

As Wells mentioned here, President Obama’s counterterrorism advisor John Brennan gave a speech at CFR yesterday on Yemen and drones. Spencer Ackerman of Wired’s Danger Room dissects the talk. The Miami Herald tells us that the U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon has asked the Security Council to “sanction extremists who have taken over northern Mali.” CNN”s Security Clearance blog reports on new developments in peace negotiations with the Taliban. Bruce Riedel and I briefly discuss the state of the talks here. The Taliban have threatened to kill Pakistani politician and ex-cricket star Imran Khan “if he holds a planned march to their tribal stronghold along the Afghan border to protest U.S. drone attacks.” Although the Taliban obviously oppose the strikes, their beef with Khan is greater because they believe he is an “infidel.” The Associated Press has the story. The Wall Street Journal has an editorial on Dr. Shakil Afridi’s fate in a solitary confinement cell in Peshawar, Pakistan. CNN’s Security Clearance blog says that Mansur al-Harbi has been designation as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” by the State Department. Mr. al-Harbi “is responsible for training militants and for the coordination of foreign fighters who travel to Afghanistan to fight against coalition forces.” Buzz continues over whether President Obama will take executive action to address cybersecurity. The Hill reports. And if you enjoy The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Guantanamo Bay’s 168 detainees are with you—it's today’s Moment of Zen. For more interesting law and security-related articles, follow us on Twitter, visit the Georgetown Center on National Security and the Law’s Security Law Brief, Fordham Law’s Center on National Security’s Morning Brief, and Fordham Law’s Cyber Brief. Email us noteworthy articles we may have missed at wakeman.lawfare@gmail.com and  singh.lawfare@gmail.com.