Experts urge preparedness for potential of civil unrest surrounding the presidential election
General (ret.) Joseph Votel joined Michel Martin of NPR’s Morning Edition to discuss key takeaways from the two tabletop exercises CERL conducted to assess readiness for scenarios involving allegations of voter fraud that delay certification of election results, in one instance, and the deployment of troops to aid local law enforcement in quelling protests, in […]
What happens with Trump’s indictment trials if he wins the election?
In an unprecedented historical moment, one of the top two presidential candidates is a convicted felon in the midst of criminal trials in federal and state courts. CERL Faculty Director Claire Finkelstein and Professor Richard Painter discuss the legal repercussions if Trump wins the election, and how a win will affect his trials and U.S. […]
Examining grey legal areas ahead of Election Day
Former President Donald Trump has suggested he will deploy the military on Election Day against what he calls “the enemy from within.” In an opinion for The Hill, CERL’s Claire Finkelstein and co-author Brenner Fissell examine the legality of using troops for domestic law enforcement purposes, pointing to findings from the tabletop exercise CERL ran […]
CERL’s tabletop exercise helps prepare for worst-case election-related scenarios
In September and October 2024, CERL hosted two tabletop exercises regarding potential civil unrest around the election and inauguration devolving into violent protests potentially stopping the vote and involving the Army and the National Guard. CERL Faculty Director Claire Finkelstein, Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel, and event participant Congressman Mickey Edwards discuss […]
Former Oath Keeper reflects on CERL’s tabletop exercise about insurrectionists stopping the vote
In an opinion piece for the Estes Park Trail-Gazette, former Oath Keeper Jason Van Tatenhove discusses CERL’s October tabletop exercise about what will happen if the vote count from one pivotal county in Pennsylvania is unable to be certified. Jason Van Tatenhove is a journalist for publications including The Colorado Switchblade and the Estes Park […]
Military and veterans decry Republican lawsuits in swing states against overseas and military voting
CERL Executive Board member General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.) reacts to recent lawsuits brought by Republicans in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina regarding hypothetically fraudulent military and overseas voting through the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, in a Washington Post article co-authored by Amy Gardner, Jacqueline Alemany, and Dan Lamothe. General […]
Implications of Assange conviction on First Amendment and national security
CERL Advisory Council member George W. Croner discussed what the conviction of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for violating the Espionage Act means for the future of national security, freedom of the press, and the rights and responsibilities of the media, in an episode of the Overheard podcast hosted by Philip Wasielewski of the Foreign Policy […]
Trump sells Bibles printed in China despite his own anti-China rhetoric
Tens of thousands of copies of former President Trump’s “God Bless the USA” Bible were printed in Hangzhou, China, despite years of his railing against the country’s trade practices and imposing tariffs on Chinese imports. In an article for PBS by Richard Lardner and Dake Kang, both of the Associated Press, CERL Faculty Director Claire […]
How will Lebanon be affected by an Israel-Hezbollah war?
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel discusses what could happen if Israel retaliates against Iran’s missile strike, along with the potential impact a war between Israel and Hezbollah could have on Lebanon, on an episode of Al Arabiya News’ Global News Today by Tom Burges Watson. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army […]
CERL affiliate published in Routledge International Handbook on Policing Crises and Emergencies
CERL Advisory Council member Mark Fallon’s piece, The System Is Blinking Red: Lessons Learned from Policing in the Aftermath of Terrorist Attacks, co-authored with Maria Hartwig, is featured in the Routledge International Handbook of Policing Crises and Emergencies. Mark Fallon is the co-founder of Project Aletheia at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, director of […]
U.S. helps Israel prepare for impending Iranian missile attack
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel comments on Iran’s impending missile strike and joint Israeli-U.S. preparations to counter the attack, along with Hezbollah’s military capabilities, the strike on Damascus, and the reality of a wider regional war in the Middle East, in an interview by CBC’s Natasha Fatah. General (ret.) Joseph L. […]
Manuscripts containing unclassified information delayed due to overclassification of material in prepublication review
An article in Freedom Press (Freedom of the Press Foundation) revealed that, due to prepublication review standards, CERL Advisory Council member Mark Fallon had to remove content from his book, Unjustifiable Means, in order to “protect the government from embarrassment” despite that information already being publicly available. Mark Fallon is the co-founder of Project Aletheia […]
Potential Israeli Defense Forces combat mission in Lebanon brings concerns about LOAC implementation
In an opinion for the Lieber Institute at West Point coauthored with Tyler Smotherman, CERL Advisory Board Member Geoff Corn discusses the likelihood of an Israeli combat operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and how to ensure compliance with law of armed conflict (LOAC) implementation in Israeli Defense Forces maneuvers. Geoffrey S. Corn is the George […]
Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon intensifies
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel reacts to the latest developments between the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah in this installment of the Middle East Institute’s Defense Rapid Reaction series. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.), is the former Commander of the U.S. Central Command. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow […]
Critical year for advancing women in leadership
In a Q&A with The Regulatory Review, Rangita de Silva de Alwis, member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, discusses the importance of attaining gender parity in systems of decision-making at a global level. In addition to securing “equal access,” women must also hold “equal power,” she explains. Rangita de Silva de Alwis is Senior Adjunct Professor […]
Israel applies military pressure to force Hezbollah’s hand
In a segment on Fox News, General Joseph L. Votel, member of the CERL Executive Board, weighs in on the escalating tension between Israel and Hezbollah. To prevent a war of attrition on its northern border and to assure the safe return of residents who are caught in the crosshairs of the conflict, Israel is […]
Legal experts urge Court to reverse decision in Trump Mar-a-Lago case
A group of legal experts, including CERL Executive Board member Stuart Gerson, filed a brief on Sept. 18 arguing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit should reverse Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision to dismiss Trump’s case involving the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. A different judge should be assigned the case, they contend. […]
Israel’s pager attacks on Hezbollah fighters: A violation of international law?
Hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies exploded last week in an attack on Hezbollah fighters, resulting in over 30 deaths and 3,000 injuries. Mary Ellen O’Connell, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, addresses the legality of these attacks. Adding explosives to everyday items, such as two-way radios, is a crime under international law, she explains in an […]
How the presidential candidates address mental health among service members
In an opinion for The Morning Call, Brig. Gen. Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D., compares efforts by the Trump administration and Biden-Harris administration to address the physical and mental wounds of war sustained by active-duty military and veterans. The Biden-Harris administration has demonstrated a strong commitment to preventing suicide in the veteran community, as well as […]
The withdrawal of U.S. forces in Iraq will leave dangerous vacuum
A U.S.-led military coalition charged with defeating the Islamic State is set to withdraw from Iraq by 2026. In an opinion for The Washington Post, Charles Lister and General Joseph Votel, member of the CERL Executive Board, urge the United States and its allies to consider the grave and ongoing threat posed by the resurgence […]
Critics of Trump brace for ‘targeted approach’ against ‘perceived adversaries’
Mark Zaid, Esq., member of the CERL Executive Board, is quoted in a New Republic article discussing what a second Trump term could mean for critics of the president. Trump will use every tool in the executive branch’s arsenal to silence those who are perceived as acting or speaking against his presidency, Zaid explains. Mark […]
Interrogation methods must be science-, not fear-based
In an episode of I See What You’re Saying Podcast, CERL Advisory Council member Mark Fallon discusses the truth behind interrogation practices, including the dangers of torture and the importance of science-backed techniques that not only yield accurate information but also adhere to human rights standards. Mark Fallon is the co-founder of Project Aletheia at […]
Does Trump show signs of cognitive decline?
If elected, former President Donald Trump would become the oldest person in U.S. history to assume the presidency. In an opinion for The National Interest, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D., warns that Trump already shows the signs of cognitive decline, and his mental acuity is likely to erode even further over the next […]
Why the U.S. should maintain a strong presence in the Middle East
General Joseph Votel, member of CERL’s Executive Board, and co-author Raphael Benaroya present an argument in The Times of Israel for why the United States should sustain a strong presence in the Middle East. Establishing robust economic collaboration and a joint defense architecture with regional partners is essential not only for safeguarding U.S. national security […]
‘No comparison’ between Israeli and Hamas wartime actions
In a co-authored opinion for Newsweek, Professor Geoffrey Corn, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, addresses how Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions applies to the Israel-Hamas conflict, emphasizing the difference between Hamas’ deliberate attacks on and slaughter of civilians and Israel’s military operations that have resulted in civilian harm and death. There is “no […]
Turner elected to NPR Board
NPR has announced the election of Professor Shawn Turner to its board. His three-year term as Member Director will start in November 2024. Shawn Turner is a member of CERL’s Executive Board. He is General Manager of WKAR Public Media, a professor of strategic communication at Michigan State University, and a national security analyst for […]
How to understand the new indictment against Trump in the election case
CERL’s Claire Finkelstein appeared on Al Jazeera to discuss the DOJ’s superseding indictment against Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election case and how this development might be perceived in the political arena. The revisions addressing the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling are not insignificant, she explains. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon Biddle Professor of Law […]
FDA decision to reject psychedelic treatment for PTSD is ‘disappointing, but not surprising’
In an opinion for The Hill, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D., discusses the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) early August rejection of psychedelics to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With the right guidelines and infrastructure in place, midomafetamine (MDMA) treatment could set veterans and other communities suffering from PTSD and related mental health challenges […]
No legal ground for assassination of top Hamas leader
CERL Advisory Council member Mary Ellen O’Connell weighs in on the killing of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, arguing that such assassinations are outside the bounds of what is legal in armed conflict. Yet countries like Israel, Russia, and the United States continue to engage in targeted assassinations as part of their wartime efforts. Mary […]