Drones pose major problems for US in Iran war
Speaking to CNN on March 15, CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Michael Horowitz discussed the dangers posed by Iranian drone technology and capabilities to the United States, Israel, and the Gulf States. Professor Horowitz points out that because drones are so cheap to manufacture, and pretty much every nation has access to accurate guidance technology, drone strikes have become quite […]
War in Iran puts pressure on Congress and Constitution, experts say
At Lawfare, CERL Faculty Director Claire Finkelstein and CERL Advisory Council member Geoffrey Corn argue that Operation Epic Fury is fundamentally distinct from Operations Midnight Hammer and Absolute Resolve, as well as from the previous attack on Iran and the operation in Venezuela. The current campaign clearly and definitively rises to the level of armed conflict that triggers the War Powers Resolution (WPR), they write. Even when the WPR […]
US bases in Kuwait and Iraq under threat from Iranian strikes
In a set of appearances on CBS and Fox News, CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph Votel discusses how United States bases in Kuwait have been targeted and struck by Iranian drones and missiles, and how bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East could also come under threat. General Votel also gives his […]
General Joseph Votel discusses what comes next in Iran
In a podcast episode discussing recent research on the logic behind why militant groups create alliances, released by the Irregular Warfare Initiative, former CENTCOM commander and current CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph Votel leverages his many years of experience in the Middle East to analyze the strategic alliances that groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic […]
Consequences of Iran strikes could be dire according to legal experts
In an article at the National Catholic Reporter discussing the possibility of the strikes against Iran by the United States and Israel on February 28 triggering a vote in Congress about the Trump administration’s war powers, CERL Advisory Council Member Mary Ellen O’Connell expressed her concerns about the decision to attack Iran without sufficient justification or legal grounding. She also speculated about the effect these […]
AI on the battlefield is outpacing international regulations
AI technology is prominently involved in the U.S. strikes against Iran. The United States has historically used AI for logistical support, intelligence gathering, and even to assist in making battlefield decisions, such as target prioritization. An article at Nature reports that experts including CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Michael Horowitz are concerned that AI advancements are outpacing the slow-moving international legal bodies’ efforts to regulate it. Of particular concern […]
Continuing coverage of Iran strikes
CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Michael Horowitz made an appearance on NBC10 Philadelphia and was interviewed in a piece by Penn Today discussing the economic and security situation of the current conflict with Iran. In particular, Professor Horowitz focused on the short-term future of the conflict, specifically regarding Iran’s strategic use of drones and missiles to probe U.S. and Israeli missile defense systems. Michael C. […]
Primary targets of strikes against Iran are missile facilities says former CENTCOM commander
Analyzing the recent strikes against Iran by the Trump administration, General Joseph Votel, a member of CERL’s Executive Board, appeared on both Fox News and NewsNation discussing the implications of the strikes, what the primary targets are, and the consequences of Iran’s response. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.), is the former Commander of […]
“Neurotech” research capable of creating an edge on the battlefield
With significant discussion around the future automation of warfare, CERL Fellow and Fulbright Visiting Scholar Łukasz Kamieński argues at War on the Rocks that democratic states must begin to practically apply some of the research being done on neurostimulation, or the altering of brain and body systems through the introduction of energy to the nervous system in order to […]
Pentagon bars Anthropic from doing business with Department of War
In a recent escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and the AI Lab Anthropic, President Trump issued a directive ordering all federal agencies to refrain from using Anthropic’s products, and the Pentagon went a step further by labeling the company a “supply chain risk to national security” which could have serious implications for the company’s ability to do […]
CERL Executive Board member signs onto amicus brief in Fulton County election results case
The FBI recently conducted a raid on the Fulton County election facility in Union City, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. CERL Executive Board Member Stuart Gerson joined other DOJ officials from previous Democratic and Republican administrations as a signatory on an amicus brief arguing that the DOJ had “failed to fulfill its essential role in our justice system when it submitted the Search Warrant […]
Experts warn new strikes against Iran could spark regional conflict
As the Trump administration considers whether to pursue another round of strikes against Iran following the attack on the Iranian nuclear program in June of 2025, experts warn that renewed strikes could lead to far different consequences this time around. General Joseph Votel, a member of CERL’s Executive Board, cautioned on NBC News that rather than strictly targeting U.S. and […]
Judicial review is essential for rule of law at home and national security abroad
In an article at Lawfare, CERL Executive Board Member Stuart Gerson, along with more than 10 other former officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations as well as the judiciary, argue the courts must exercise their power of judicial review on executive actions that are justified on national security grounds. The authors write that the use of judicial review […]
Established bioethics norms at risk of erosion amidst backlash against “rules-based order”
In a conversation regarding his new book, CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Jonathan Moreno discusses how the wars of the 20th century changed the field of bioethics and how norms in that field are being eroded today. Jonathan D. Moreno retired as the David and Lyn Silfen University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty. Read […]
Legality of ICE agents in masks is difficult to pin down
In an interview on NBC10 Philadelphia, CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Kermit Roosevelt discusses how, in the absence of federal law directly stating whether ICE agents should wear masks when carrying out their duties, state law becomes a deciding factor. Professor Roosevelt comments on the possibility of masks becoming commonplace among other law enforcement organizations as a result of their usage by ICE. Kermit Roosevelt is the […]
Hegemonic power is destabilizing bioethics norms
Change has come fast to established bioethics norms in 2026, writes Professor Jonathan Moreno, a member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty. He points to a CDC funded study in Guinea-Bissau, which involves withholding the hepatitis B vaccine from infants, something that Professor Moreno argues would have drawn more criticism in years past. A retreat of previous standards could also spread to other areas of […]
Many options available to congress in wake of Trump administration’s pursuit of Greenland
According to CERL Executive Board Member Alberto Mora in an article for Just Security, the Trump administration’s repeated attempts to acquire Greenland, even on occasion threating to use force against fellow NATO allies, violates longstanding international legal norms. In addition to creating problems for NATO itself, the Trump administration’s actions threaten America’s treaties with the individual members of the NATO alliance. Congress must re-assert its […]
Trump administration and Minnesota government discuss how to approach reduction in ICE presence
In the aftermath of the killing of two United States citizens protesting ICE in Minnesota, the Trump administration appears to be negotiating with the Minnesota state government about potentially reducing federal policy presence in the state in exchange for increased cooperation between state and federal law enforcement regarding immigration policy, among other concessions. At The Guardian, CERL Faculty Director […]
Automation in nuclear launch systems may increase coercive power of nuclear weapons, but also increases risk of nuclear war
In an article published in the journal International Organization, Joshua Schwartz and CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Michael Horowitz discuss how threats with automated nuclear launch systems are more credible than their human-controlled equivalents. The article also details the risks of such systems and how they might be deployed in coercive situations. Michael C. Horowitz is Director of Perry World House […]
President Maduro is a POW, experts say
In an article published by Just Security, CERL Advisory Council Member Benjamin R. Farley makes the argument that because operation Absolute Resolve met the criteria of an International Armed Conflict, then Nicolas Maduro, who was both president and commander in chief of the armed forces in Venezuela, does indeed qualify as a prisoner of war and should be treated as such. The […]
Investigation into comments made by Senator Mark Kelly is “unprecedented”
Following comments made by Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and five democratic colleagues telling United States military personnel that they can lawfully disobey illegal orders, the Pentagon announced that it was launching an investigation into Senator Kelly. CERL Advisory Council member Professor Geoffrey Corn is quoted in an article for the Washington Post expressing his thoughts on the Pentagon’s […]
Trump administration push to use Alien Enemies Act faces more pushback
CERL Executive Board member Stuart Gerson was one of a number of people to sign onto an amicus brief in W.M.M. v. Trump, an Alien Enemies Act (AEA) case. The brief argues that the Trump administration’s use of the 1798 law to detain people in the absence of a declared war exceeds the president’s authority as laid out […]
International human rights law may lead to stricter non-proliferation rules
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has made important strides in limiting the spread of nuclear weapons. However, as currently constructed, the treaty has a loophole that enables states to create many parts of a useable weapon so long as they are not assembling the final product. In a blog for Council for a Livable World, Julia Zacher and CERL […]
US absence from COP 30 “unmistakable” says expert
When the United Nations Climate Change Conference met for COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, on November 10, 2025, the official American delegation count was zero. CERL Affiliated Faculty member William Burke-White writes at TIME that this absence leaves open a significant vacuum for illiberal powers and petro-states to take control of climate leadership and dealmaking, which will have profound […]
Second Circuit Court of Appeals hears important case regarding Argentine 16-billion-dollar payout
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recently heard arguments in Argentine Republic v. Petersen Energia Inversora, S.A.U. CERL Affiliated Faculty member William Burke-White argues at Bloomberg Law that a reversal by the Second Circuit of the lower court’s decision would be the best outcome for protecting the equality of sovereign states. Professor Burke-White maintains that the lower court’s original decision […]
Experts question legality of strikes inside Venezuela
In an apparent escalation of tensions with Venezuela, the United States said that it would label the Cartel de los Soles, believed by the Trump administration to be headed by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Some believe that this designation helps the legal case for strikes by the United States inside Venezuela. Others, however, such as CERL Advisory […]
Reactions to UN Security Council authorizing international stabilization force for Gaza
In November 2025, the United Nations Security Council endorsed the United States-backed peace plan for Gaza. Hamas has rejected the peace plan, pointing to the demilitarization and disarmament provisions as reasons for their rejection. In the wake of these developments, CERL Advisory Council member Orde F. Kittrie was quoted as part of a panel organized by the Foundation […]
New film renews interest in “Golden Dome” system
On Oct 24., 2025, Netflix released “A House of Dynamite,” the new film by Kathryn Bigelow. In the film, an intercontinental ballistic missile is headed towards Chicago, and various U.S. government and military officials try to find a way to respond to this news. At the Washington Times, CERL Advisory Council member David S. Jonas argues that the film’s message supports the Golden […]
Gyeonggi Women’s International Forum held in Suwon
The opening ceremony of the December 2, 2025, Gyeonggi Women’s International Forum in Suwon, South Korea featured a speech from Professor Rangita de Silva de Alwis, a member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty. Rangita de Silva de Alwis is Senior Adjunct Professor of Global Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and Member-Elect to the UN Convention on […]