On April 24, 2011, WikiLeaks released a trove of sensitive documents about the United States-led War on Terror, the first such group of documents to be made public since the diplomatic cables leak.  The New York Times, the National Public Radio, and The Guardian were the first news organizations to obtain the dossiers.  The more than 700 classified documents, written between 2002 and 2009, were internal Department of Defense reports regarding Guantanamo Bay prisoners.  The leaked archive reveals not just [...]

In his March 28th speech on Libya, President Obama laid out his goals for Libya as well as his general theory of humanitarian intervention. In doing so, he implicitly recognized the weakness of the West’s ability to actually change the regime. By calling for Gaddafi’s ouster through “non-military means,” Obama recognized the limited utility of an air campaign in Libya and the political impossibility of ground intervention. The non-military means Obama advocated – including instituting an arms embargo, freezing the [...]

On March 16, 2011, Professor Scott Sagan of Stanford University, a leading expert on nuclear weapons issues, visited the Mortara Center, where he gave a presentation on expanding nuclear energy without nuclear proliferation. Sagan noted that the number of countries pursuing nuclear energy has been increasing steadily, especially in the developing world. The problem is distinguishing between the countries harnessing nuclear technology for non-military purposes, versus nuclear armament. According to Sagan, compared to countries already using nuclear technology, countries pursuing [...]

“Georgetown University’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) works in partnership with students, faculty, staff and members of the community to provide a safe and secure environment where the quality of education may be enhanced through the delivery of fair and impartial police services.” The mission statement of DPS clearly delineates their intent and purpose on campus. Or does it? Most students would like to rest assured that their property and wellbeing is continually under watch. Many would also appreciate a [...]

Every so often, when the planets align and equinox is upon us, and it just so happens that one party controls the House and the other the Senate (or one party controls Congress and another the Presidency), the inability of political leaders to come to an agreement on the federal budget for the fiscal year will trigger the infamous government shutdown. This entire issue centers on the question of who stands to gain and lose from a government shutdown, and [...]