[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Occupation, Intervention, and Law and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the O.I.L. Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each biweekly roundup to OIL@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every other week]
News
"CIA Seeks to Expand Drone Fleet, Officials Say," Greg Miller
CIA director David Petraeus has proposed an expansion of the agency`s armed drone program, arguing that it would allow the agency to sustain its current targeted killing programs in Pakistan and Yemen and respond to "emerging al-Qaeda threats" in North Africa. An unnamed official is quoted as describing the proposal as largely motivated by the 11 September attack on a U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya.
"Suspect in Libya Attack, in Plain Sight, Scoffs at U.S.," David D. Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick, writing for The New York Times, interviews Ahmed Abu Khattala, one of the alleged "ringleaders" of the 11 September attacks on American diplomatic facilities in Libya. Sitting on the patio of a hotel in Benghazi, Khattala is dismisses American and Libyan efforts to bring justice to the attackers, calling the Libyan government a "chicken army" and accusing the Obama Administration of "using the consulate attack just to gather votes…"
"It`s daylight in America - US and Iran reportedly agree to one-on-one talks post-election," Annie Robbins
Robbins, of Mondoweiss, rounds up several pieces relating to the recent leak that the US and Iran have agreed to negotiations over Iran`s nuclear program, albeit after the elections due to a desire on the Iranian side to know "with whom they will be negotiating." Robbins notes that Tehran has hinted at being open to a deal where uranium enrichment is limited in exchange for sanctions being eased, and that Michael Oren, Israel`s ambassador to the United States, has expressed disappointment in the idea of the US in direct talks with Iran.
"PM Praises EU for Bolstering Sanctions Against Iran," Herb Keinon
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has praised the European Union`s recent expansion of sanctions and asset freezes on Iran (in particular, the Iranian oil industry), arguing that they while they will do much to hit the Iranian economy, they must also be backed by a "credible military option."
"West Bank Elections Show Mixed Results for Fatah," Khaled Abu Aker, Jodi Rudoren
The New York Times reports on recent municipal elections across the West Bank, noting that while the dominant Fatah party suffered losses in several key cities, the election was largely set apart by a low turnout compared to past elections in the Palestinian Authority.
"Israeli Forces Used `Excessive Force`, Say Gaza Boat Activists," Natasha Lennard
Israeli activists aboard the ship Estelle, blocked and rerouted by the Israeli Defense Forces on 21 October from attempting to deliver humanitarian goods to Palestinians, have reported disproportionate force on the part of the IDF, including the aggressive use of tasters against activists.
"Killing of Security Chief Raises Fears for Lebanon," Samia Nakhoul
In what Nakhoul reports may "prove to be the most destabilizing attack in Lebanon since the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri," a car bomb in Beirut killed Lebanese security official Wissam al-Hassan, along with seven others 19 October 2012.
"Airstrikes on North Gaza Kill At Least 2," Ma`an News
Ma`an News reports a series Israeli air strikes on the northern Gaza Strip, allegedly in response to a "rocket launching squad," injuring four and killing two people, claimed as fighters by Hamas` military wing and Islamic Jihad, respectively.
Blogs
"Comments on Maqaleh and Hamidullah," Benjamine Wittes
Wittes, writing for Lawfare, writes of two recent opinions from Judge John D. Bates of the D.C. Circuit Court in the cases of Al Maqelah v. Gates and Hamidullah v. Obama. In these cases, the petitioners asked the court to assume jurisdiction over non-Afghani detainees held at Bagram Air Base, a request Bates declined, holding that the government has, in Wittes` words, "a plausible argument that it is handling Bagram by other, non-judicial, means."
"What Congress Should Take From Hamdan," Deborah Pearlstein
Pearlstein advises Congress on Opinio Juris to reconsider opposition to trying Guantanamo detainees in criminal courts in the United States in light of the DC Circuit Court`s decision to overturn Salim Hamdan`s conviction, writing that the opinion is a "shot across the bow" of military commissions used to try Hamdan and other Guantanamo detainees in the past.
Commentary
"Syrian and Turkish Military Activities and International Law," Başak Çali
Writing for the European Journal of International Law`s Talk! blog, Çali alleges that the Turkish government`s assertion that its recent retaliatory shelling of Syrian targets was "in accordance with international law" may rest on an inaccurate reading of the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and the definition of "armed conflict" under Common Article 2 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
"Rewarding Impunity," David Cole
David Cole, in an op-ed for Foreign Policy Magazine, criticizes the Department of Justice`s decision to award Attorney John Durham, who recently led an investigation into the legality of CIA interrogation techniques, for failing to hold anyone responsible for torture at the CIA`s "black sites."
"Arm, Train, Fail (Repeat as Necessary)," Stephen M. Walt
Walt, writing for Foreign Policy, surveys two recent New York Times pieces--one on the pitfalls largely preventing the United States from adequately training Afghan security forces, the other on upcoming U.S. efforts to train an "elite Libyan force" to combat extremism. While noting that the two situations are not analogous, Walt warns that the U.S. will face similar problems in training a Libyan force as those it currently faces in Afghanistan--in addition to warning that the U.S. will "succeed, and end up creating the nucleus of a new authoritarian regime."
"Conservative pro-Israel groups` relevance at risk in 2012," Alexander Burns, Maggie Haberman
For Politico, Burns and Haberman describe efforts by a number of political action groups and wealthy donors to "target President Barack Obama`s policies towards the Jewish state," carrying with it the dire warning that should the President win the election in the face of these efforts, the political influence of such pro-Israel actors may be severely diminished in future elections as well.
Reports
"Opinion: Salim Ahmed Hamdan v. United States of America," Justice Brett Kavanaugh
In a 3-0 ruling, Justice Kavanaugh of the US Court of Appeals for the DC circuit throws out the conviction of Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a former driver for Osama bin Laden, holding that material support for terrorism, for which Hamdan served time in Guantanamo Bay`s detention facility, was not a war crime at the time of Hamdan engaged in it.
Conferences
"Women After the Arab Awakening: Making Change," 25 October 2012; Saul/Zilkha Rooms, 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC; Register here.
“The Boundaries of the Battlefield: A Critical Look at the Legal Paradigms and Rules in Countering Terrorism,” 10-11 January 2013; T.M.C. Asser Instituut, The Hague; Register here.