Significant gifts for the support of this task force are acknowledged from
- James J. Carroll III
- Jean Perkins Foundation
The National Security and Law Task Force examines the rule of law, the laws of war, and American constitutional law with a view to making proposals that strike an optimal balance between individual freedom and the vigorous defense of the nation against terrorists both abroad and at home. The task force’s focus is the rule of law and its role in Western civilization, as well as the roles of international law and organizations, the laws of war, and U.S. criminal law. Those goals will be accomplished by systematically studying the constellation of issues—social, economic, and political—on which striking a balance depends.
Peter Berkowitz serves as chair of the National Security and Law Task Force.
Law and Ethics for Autonomous Weapon Systems:
Why a Ban Won’t Work and How the Laws of War Can
by Matthew Waxman and Kenneth Anderson
Public debate is heating up over the future development of autonomous weapon systems and the merit and risks associated with their use in war. Grounded in a realistic assessment of technology, this essay outlines a practical alternative with which to evaluate the use of autonomous weaponry that incorporates codes of conduct based on traditional legal and ethical principles governing weapons and warfare.
A Statutory Framework for Next-Generation Terrorist Threats
by Robert Chesney, Jack Goldsmith, Matthew Waxman, and Benjamin Wittes
Since September 18, 2001, a joint resolution of Congress known as the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) has served as the primary legal foundation for the "war on terror." In this essay we explain why the AUMF is increasingly obsolete, why the nation will probably need a new legal foundation for next-generation terrorist threats, what the options are for this new legal foundation, and which option we think is best.