Rule of Law and Diplomacy

Saudi Arabia Vs. Iran… Here’s Why January 4, 2016 | The Big Picture RT Multiple Middle Eastern states have ended diplomatic ties with Iran after tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran rapidly escalated this weekend. John Bradshaw, NSN’s Executive Director, joins Thom Hartman to dicucss what it means for the on-going conflicts in the Middle East – and what it means for the future of diplomacy in the region.   To watch the original interview posting, click here. Read More ›

From Russian escalation to a negotiated solution in Syria By J. Dana Stuster November 16, 2015 | THE HILL Secretary of State John Kerry’s meetings with counterparts from the Gulf states, Iran, and Russia in Vienna represent the best chance the United States has for resolving Syria’s civil war. While Russia’s recent escalation clearly risks prolonging the violence needlessly, it could turn out to be the catalyst for a resolution to the crisis. Russia’s strikes so far and the fact that the meetings are happening at all are a reason to pursue this diplomatic opening, especially when the United States has few options in Syria short of risking a direct military conflict with Russia. When Russia began conducting airstrikes in defense of the Assad regime a… Read More ›

Tobias Gibson on Sec. Johnson’s remarks at Westminister College October 20, 2015 | THE HILL Last month, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson spoke to students at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., regarding issues such as border control and cyber surveillance and how these issues are affected by guaranteed liberties and American ideology. Johnson gave the 56th Green Lecture (the most famous lecture in this series is the “Iron Curtain” speech delivered by then-former-and-future British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1946). Johnson’s speech channeled previous Green Lectures, including Churchill’s and former President Harry Truman’s “What Hysteria Does to Us,” which was given in the early years of the Cold War…While the Obama administration has had its critics, it has largely striven to strike a balance between… Read More ›

NSN Cosign Letter on NDAA Cited in Hill Article October 1, 2015 | THE HILL A group of 14 human rights, civil liberties, national security and religious nonprofits is urging lawmakers to vote against the defense policy bill before them Thursday because it would keep the Guantanamo Bay military facility open for another year. “The harmful and unwarranted transfer restrictions in the bill could block the closing off the Guantanamo detention facility and continue the practice of indefinite detention without charge or trial,” the groups wrote in a letter to representatives. “We ask you to vote again final passage of the bill.” The House is scheduled to vote on the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday…The bill would also make it slightly more difficult to… Read More ›

Board Member Lee Wolosky to be Special Envoy for Guantanamo Closure For Immediate Release – June 30, 2015 The National Security Network welcomes the appointment of Lee Wolosky as Special Envoy for Guantanamo Closure. A decade ago, Lee was a founding member of the National Security Network, and he has served as a board member since that time. Lee’s extensive experience in government, law, and diplomacy will allow him to make progress toward the critical national security goal of closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, which has damaged relationships with U.S. allies and served as a propaganda tool for terrorists.In addition to his background in counterterrorism, transnational threats, and the rule of law, Lee brings to the position a demonstrated ability to work in a… Read More ›

Obama Faces Political Setback Over Jason Rezaian Trial May 26, 2015 | Fox News David Mercer, NSN Board of Directors member, and Amos Snead react to new calls to stop nuclear talks. To watch the original interview posting, click here. Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com Read More ›

Congress Puts NSA Surveillance Program in Jeopardy May 26, 2015 | Fox News David Mercer, a member of NSN Board of Directors, and Amos Snead debate whether Capitol Hill is playing politics with security. Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com To watch the original interview posting, click here. Read More ›

The Patriot Act in Policy and the Presidential Campaign By Tobias Gibson, NSN Non-Resident Fellow May 28, 2015 | The Hill Recent developments have all but guaranteed the demise of significant programs of the USA Patriot Act. The history of the act is well-documented, and the sprint to the June 1 deadline has been the subject of front-page news, commentary and presidential election hopes. Many politicians have expressed why they support the renewal of Section 215, the controversial section that the executive branch has interpreted to allow unlimited storage of “metadata.” Other politicians have opined about supposed civil liberties violations due to the government’s storage of this data. Pundits, too, have expressed, concern, support or even indifference about the National Security Agency’s (NSA) metadata collection… Read More ›

Defense Bill Creates Needless New Obstacles for Guantanamo Transfers April 29, 2015 The House Armed Services Committee is reviewing the proposed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today. The legislation, which covers a range of subjects, would authorize new restrictions on the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, including the 57 individuals who have been cleared for release by all relevant government agencies. The NDAA would also impose new reporting requirements on released detainees and recidivism rates based on concerns that have been inflated by misleading statistics. These new, unwarranted restrictions are a step away from President Obama’s stated goal of closing the detention facility, which remains a threat to U.S. national security. The Guantanamo provisions in the NDAA would hinder or prevent the transfer of… Read More ›

The U.S.-Japan Alliance Gets an Upgrade April 27, 2015 This week, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in Washington to address a joint session of Congress. This is the first time any Japanese prime minister has addressed both chambers of Congress. The historic event stands as a stiff rebuke to conservatives who charge that the United States has allowed its system of global alliances to decay. On the contrary, the U.S.-Japan alliance – the cornerstone of America’s network of friends in the Asia-Pacific – is becoming stronger and more central to Tokyo and Washington’s mutual interest in a peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacific region. During Abe’s trip, the United States and Japan are poised to finalize a long-negotiated upgrade to the military alliance between the two… Read More ›