Maxwell School News and Commentary
Filtered by: U.S. National Security
Banks quoted in Vox article on military deployment at US-Mexico border
While military deployment to the border by President Trump is "clearly legal," Professor of Practice William Banks questions "whether the wall construction itself is lawful."
Banks explains role of National Guard in PBS NewsHour article
The National Guard is trained to help domestically in a variety of capacities. "That said, they are members of the military, not law enforcement, so they are largely trained to supplement military jobs," says Professor Emeritus William Banks.
See related: U.S. National Security, United States
Banks discusses the Insurrection Act with Christian Science Monitor, Military.com
"You want to come to the aid of the states when states can’t take care of themselves," says Professor Emeritus William C. Banks, about President Trump's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act.
See related: Federal, State & Local, U.S. National Security, United States
O'Keefe discusses USS Theodore Roosevelt COVID incident in NY Times, Washington Post
"At its core, this is about an aircraft carrier skipper who sees an imminent threat and is forced to make a decision that risks his career in the act of what he believes to be the safety of the near 5,000 members of his crew," says University Professor Sean O’Keefe.
See related: COVID-19, U.S. National Security, United States
Banks cautions against use of military during pandemic in Daily News
Most of the time...America’s military forces have remained in the background, waiting for direction from civilian leaders to respond to crises and then only in limited ways," says William C. Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs. "That’s by design. We train soldiers to fight and win wars and deter threats overseas."
See related: COVID-19, U.S. National Security, United States
Banks explains the Insurrection Act in HowStuffWorks article
"The Insurrection Act may be invoked only following an invasion, insurrection or widespread domestic violence," says William C. Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs. "Only if states attempt to leave the Union would state defiance enable Insurrection Act authority. Otherwise the states control their citizens' health, welfare and safety."
See related: COVID-19, Federal, State & Local, U.S. National Security, United States
Banks writes about martial law and the pandemic in The Atlantic
"If martial law were invoked, the government would be conducted ad hoc by the president or a military commander based entirely on his or her opinion of what was needed to meet the emergency, unbound by any laws and with no transparency or public participation, and probably no accountability afterward," writes William C. Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs.
See related: COVID-19, Federal, U.S. National Security, United States
Banks discusses FISA reforms with Sinclair Broadcast Group
Professor Emeritus William C. Banks says the changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act process in the bill would increase accountability for abuses of the system and require the FBI to disclose more information to the court.
See related: Congress, Law, U.S. National Security, United States
Lovely speaks to Washington Times about FBI, Chinese-American scientists
Professor of Economics Mary Lovely says the rules governing scientists’ ties to Chinese research institutions are murky and sometimes lead prosecutors to charge people who have made innocent mistakes. "People can stumble into things inadvertently. The rules have to be very clear and if someone violates those clear rules, then you throw the book at them," she says.
See related: China, Congress, Political Parties, U.S. National Security, United States
Banks comments on FISA reform in USA Today
Professor Emeritus William C. Banks said congressional action regarding FISA could further insert politics into a process that should be free of it. "All the politics that surrounded the headlines of this story would rear their ugly head again," he says. "It could end up with more amendments to FISA that do more harm than good."
See related: U.S. National Security, United States