Hamas' coordinated attacks on Israel on the morning of October 7th mark a terrorizing and significant turning point in the Israeli-Palestinian war. This week, host Elisa is joined by Matthew Levitt, a decades long Hamas and terrorism expert, to unpack the foundations of Hamas, how they came to be, how they operate, and what the regional and global response might tell us about the road ahead.  

Matthew Levitt is the Fromer-Wexler Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of its Jeanette and Eli Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence:
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/matthew-levitt

References:

Levitt, Matthew. “The War Hamas Always Wanted.” Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2023:
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/war-hamas-always-wanted

The 1993 Oslo Accords and the Arab-Israeli Peace Process:
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1993-2000/oslo

Join us for the 33rd Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law CLE Conference this November 16-17, held at the Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel:
https://web.cvent.com/event/7eb6b360-9f77-4555-844f-4fa28099f64a/summary

The War Hamas Always Wanted with Matthew Levitt

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This week, we continue our series on the intersection of sci-fi and national security, diving into the popular novel and now Netflix series, The Three Body Problem. Host Elisa is joined again by Tracy Reynolds as well as Harvey Rishikof to discuss the book's themes, lessons and cautionary connections to today's national security issues. In addition, Elisa concludes the episode by running through the latest national security news headlines.  Harvey Rishikof is Senior Counselor of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security Tracy Reynolds is a Commander in the U.S. Navy, and Co-Chair of the Space Law Interest Group with the American Society of International Law  References: The ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security is now hiring a Program Specialist! Check out the job description here Check out the open internships with the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security Book: The Three Body Problem, written by Cixin Liu Inkster, Nigel. “The XI Files: How China Spies.” The Spectator, 25 Apr. 2024

Security Lessons from Sci-Fi Worlds: The Three Body Problem with Tracy Reynolds and Harvey Rishikof

As reality begins to echo the cautionary tales of science fiction, one question looms: are we listening to their warnings? Kicking off our series on the intersection of sci-fi and national security, host Elisa is joined by Tracy Reynolds, U.S. Navy Commander and Co-Chair of the Space Law Interest Group with the American Society of International Law. Together, they embark on a journey through the realms of Dune, Parable of the Sower, and the Lathe of Heaven, unraveling the parallels between fictional narratives and real-world national security challenges.  Tracy Reynolds is a Commander in the U.S. Navy, and Co-Chair of the Space Law Interest Group with the American Society of International Law References: Book: The Dune Series, written by Frank Herbert Book: Parable of the Sower, written by Octavia Butler Book: The Lathe of Heaven, written by Ursula Le Guin The Outer Space Treaty The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea NSLT Episode: "Seabed Mining as a National Security Threat: The Laws of the Sea with Matt Gianni (Part 1)"

Security Lessons from Sci-Fi Worlds: Dune, Parable of the Sower, and the Lathe of Heaven with Tracy Reynolds

As today's national security threats evolve, they must be met with agile and effective intelligence capabilities. On April 9th, FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke before the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security on the bureau’s priorities, including foreign threats to American elections, cyber-attacks on the US infrastructure and threats posed by foreign adversaries.  He also discussed the importance of FISA Section 702 – a tool used to combat threats posed by foreign adversaries. This week, we bring you his remarks to the Committee, which came just three days prior to the House vote reauthorizing 702.  Christopher Wray is Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Introductions by Jason Klitenic, Member, ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security  References: Transcript: Director Wray's Remarks to the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 Resource Page "Warrant Requirement for FBI’s Section 702 Queries Would Impede Investigations, Endanger National Security, Director Says." FBI.gov. Apr. 9, 2024 Barr, Luke. “Foreign Terrorists Targeting US ‘Increasingly Concerning’: FBI Director.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 9 Apr. 2024

FBI Director Christopher Wray Discusses the Bureau’s Priorities for 2024

As law students across the country prepare to graduate this spring, what might a career in national security law have in store for them? This week, we're recasting an episode from last September, featuring arms control expert and Professor of Law at Georgetown University, David Koplow. Together with Elisa, David guides us through the history of WMDs, the laws and treaties that govern them, and how AI innovation will shape our future understanding (and careers) in national security. David Koplow is a Professor of Law at Georgetown University  References: UN Security Council Resolution of 1977 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, ICRC 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons 2023 Cluster Munition Monitor Report Koplow, David A. Non-Lethal Weapons the Law and Policy of Revolutionary Technologies for the Military and Law Enforcement. Cambridge University Press, 2006 Koplow, David A. Death by Moderation: The U.S. Military’s Quest for Useable Weapons. Cambridge University Press, 2010 Koplow, David A. Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge. University of California Press, 2003  

AI Revolution: Weapons of Mass Destruction with David Koplow (Recast)

This week, host Elisa dives into the latest national security headlines, from happiness surveys and foreign influence on social media, to AI guidance across the U.S. financial services sector. References: Israel Has Killed a Top Hamas Commander in Gaza. It Took Five Months. WSJ. March 20, 2024 Managing Artificial Intelligence-Specific Cybersecurity Risks in the Financial Services Sector. The U.S. Department of the Treasury. March 2024

The War Hamas Always Wanted with Matthew Levitt

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