ShaneHarris.com » Law

Out of the Loop: The Human-Free Future of Drone Aircraft

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:42:58 +0000

As aircraft and weapons have become more precise, human beings have become less essential to the conduct of war. The rise of unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly known as drones, promises to push human beings further out of the loop.

This essay is part of the Hoover Institution’s Koret-Taube Task Force on National Security and Law.

The Diane Rehm Show: Drones and counterterrorism strategy

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:29:38 +0000

I was a guest today on The Diane Rehm Show, discussing drones and the future of the United States’ strategy to fight terrorism. We also discussed what drones mean for the future of war and when drones will be showing up in U.S. cities. You can listen to the full show here.

Dispatches from the war on leaks

admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:37:16 +0000

A draft indictment against former NSA official Thomas Drake, which was never filed, shows that the government contemplated prosecuting him for a range of crimes, including conspiracy. But many of the most serious charges were dropped. Why? And what does it tell us about the Obama administration’s ongoing campaign to staunch leaks of classified information? Read my exclusive piece in Washingtonian.

A Clueless President

admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:59:06 +0000

I’ve long known that, on many important national security decisions, former president George W. Bush wasn’t in the driver’s seat. But I was shocked to discover that at one of the most critical points of his presidency, Bush wasn’t even in the car. Here’s my review of Bush’s shocking admission, in his new memoir, about the week that imperiled his administration and might have exposed one of his most controversial intelligence programs.

Plugging the Leaks

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:48:30 +0000

“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 press in the Obama administration? Read all about it in “Plugging the Leaks,” my latest feature for Washingtonian magazine. It’s on stands now and available online.

WikiLeaks vs. the Media (and Washington)

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:36:12 +0000

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 in Washingtonian.

Administration says Drone Strikes are Legal, Necessary

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:10:14 +0000

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.

Obama administration has a legal position on drones…finally.

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:53:58 +0000

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 in National Journal in January, but Koh declined my interview request. You can read his response to my question here.

Slate Book Club: Debating The Watchers

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:26:17 +0000

This week, I’ll have an online discussion at Slate with my friend and fellow intelligence author, Patrick Radden Keefe. We’ll be talking about The Watchers, my relationship with John Poindexter, the limits of surveillance, and the future of privacy.

Hacking the Bad Guys

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:43:54 +0000

The United States is fighting a new kind of war, but the first shots were fired a generation ago. Check out my feature story in Washingtonian about the rise of cyber security in the U.S. government, told through the tales of two key actors.