Maxwell School News

“Defining our mission objectives will be key for any use of force again Iran, that is, one which can credibly lead to meeting a strategic end state,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.

While the strikes on alleged drug boats have raised questions about the use of military force, Trump’s seizure of the tanker and other actions against sanctioned entities are consistent with past American policy, says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.

“There's no question there would be some value to having to have some testing of our weapons, especially some of the new developments we've had recently. But it's how you do that and how extensive the testing is something that's open to question,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.

“It is something that is done in other democracies when it really, really has to be done. It’s never ideal, and it should only be done in the U.S. or in any other democracy when it’s a true emergency, when there’s no other solution, and it should always be temporary,” says Matt Cleary, associate professor of political science.

“They have to respect the constitutional rights of the people so they can’t intimidate, they can’t search and seize without a reasonable suspicion of criminal wrongdoing,” says William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs, about federal takeover of law enforcement in Washington, D.C. 

“So these challenges and headwinds are going to persist,” says Alex Wagner, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs. “And it's actually going to require continuation of the current initiatives, but also new initiatives, new efforts and new insights by an administration that's quick to claim credit but hasn't really put in place any new solutions to date.”

“The president is wagering that sending in the U.S. Air Force will once and for all end Iran’s nuclear threat,” says Nayyera Haq, assistant dean for Maxwell's Washington programs.

The situation is escalating in ways we have not seen before, says Professor of History Osamah Khalil. With Israeli airstrikes, rising tensions in Gaza, and now a strong U.S. military response, the risks are higher than ever. He warns Iran may try to disrupt global oil supply chains, which could have a domino effect. “If that’s the case, we could very rapidly see the global economy collapse.”

“Among the issues Quinnipiac asked about—immigration, trade, the economy, Israel-Gaza and universities—Trump’s numbers are the worst on Russia-Ukraine, and they also are the worst among Republicans,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science.

China and other nations will try to take advantage of such lapses, and national security officials must take steps to prevent them from recurring, says Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs. “They all have access to a variety of secure communications platforms. We just can’t share things willy-nilly.”

William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs, says federally deployed National Guard don’t have the same authority as troops deployed by a state—for example, the troops in LA are officially charged with protecting federal personnel and property, but can’t enforce the law themselves or make arrests. It’s a rarely-used executive authority because it’s not typically within their role or training, he says.natio

“We have a lot of legacy systems that really were designed for the Soviet Union still in our arsenal and I think the Army is finally trying to peel them away,” says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.

“The uniformed military—from junior enlisted to four star generals—see right through these clowns, from their backstabbing and their inexperience to their cavalier treatment of highly classified information and their bungling policy rollouts,” says Alex Wagner, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.

The breach indicates a general need to strengthen safety training measures for government workers who must live and work in a digital age, says Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs. “The danger of this kind of mistake is a challenge across all administrations,” he says.

“Now the Trump administration is claiming this is an attempt to pressure Iran but it's unclear to me, quite frankly, by bombing a port, killing paramedics and port workers, is somehow going to pressure Iran in negotiations,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history. “If the United States wants to neotiate with Iran, it should negotiate with Iran. There's no reason to be bombing Yemen to do that.”

“In my experience from the standpoint of having served as an appointee in the Pentagon and as secretary of the Navy, using such an unsecured channel to coordinate plans is unheard of and would never have occurred in previous administrations,” says University Professor Sean O'Keefe.

“There are people whose lives are literally on the line, whether that's service personnel, whether that's intelligence personnel,” says Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs. “These guys are supposed to be leaders of the free world, the responsible leaders of the military, the greatest country in the world, and they can't perform basic operational security.”

“Military and surveillance tech aren’t bad or unethical as such. Instead, supporting national security and doing so in the right way is incredibly important. And supporting national security is, in fact, arguably the ethical thing to do," says Johannes Himmelreich, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs. 

“Although the Alien Enemies Act does not authorize military participation in law enforcement, if other laws permit their use, Trump could enable the military to implement summary detention and deportation of immigrants lawfully in the United States,” says William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs.