July 26, 2010
“They already know who it is.” That’s how one former U.S. official responded the Justice Department’s years-long investigation of a suspected leaker of classified intelligence. So, why are prosecutors trying to force a well-known journalist to identify this suspect before a federal grand jury? And what does it mean for the future of a free [...]
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July 14, 2010
The Russian spies arrested last month and traded back to Moscow have mostly been introduced to the American public as a hot girl and a bunch of bumbling Borises and Natashas. But people who crossed paths with one of the recently deported spies, a Bostonian calling himself Donald Heathfield, suggest that [...]
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June 8, 2010
The relationship between a national security reporter and a confidential source is one of the most guarded and prized in Washington. Now, an audacious Web site is upending the way sensitive leaks find their way to daylight, and with it, the media’s influence over information. Is the Obama administration taking notice? Read my new piece [...]
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May 24, 2010
Nick Clegg is taking on the U.K.’s police state. Here’s my analysis for The Daily Beast on what it means for U.S. politicians.
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May 24, 2010
Here’s my take on why President Obama fired Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, and why the president should consider getting rid of the spy post altogether.
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May 11, 2010
Or do they just help investigators find someone after he’s blown something up? In light of the failed attack on Times Square, I joined “Word of Mouth” on New Hampshire Public Radio to talk about the pros and cons of surveillance cameras. Do we need more? Or are they giving us a false sense of security?
March 26, 2010
Harold Koh made big news last night, laying out for the first time the administration’s position that drone strikes against terrorists and militants are legal. Here’s my first take for the Atlantic on the news and what it means for the administration.
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March 23, 2010
On April 12, I’ll join the staff of Washingtonian magazine as a senior writer. I’m very excited about this opportunity. I’ll be writing big, compelling stories about Washington, including those on my long-time national security beat. And I’ll be joining forces with some good friends and former colleagues, which makes this even more exciting.
You can [...]
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March 17, 2010
Here’s a departure from all the talk of surveillance and book tours. I was at a breakfast yesterday morning with Harold Koh, the State Department’s legal adviser, and had a chance to ask him where he stands on the use of unmmanned drones to kill suspected terrorists. I wrote a lenghty piece about this issue [...]
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March 11, 2010
Here’s a video of my talk at Book Passage last week.