Monthly Archives: August 2013

A Few Points on Syria

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Ryan Scoville

So many people have written about the looming Syria intervention that it’s hard to add much to the conversion, but I’d like to make a few quick points. First, regardless of what happens, international law has been a (surprisingly?) big … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreign Affairs Constitution, International Law | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Litigation Over the U.S. Role in the Iranian Coup

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Ryan Scoville

Yesterday Iran’s parliament approved a bill requiring the Iranian government to sue the United States in international court for orchestrating the 1953 coup against Mohammad Mosaddegh. Given the timing, I’m guessing that the National Security Archive prompted this move by … Continue reading →

Posted in International Law, Treaty Law | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Sexual Minorities Uganda v. Lively

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Ryan Scoville

Last week a federal district court in Massachusetts issued a somewhat surprising opinion on the Alien Tort Statute. The plaintiff alleged that a U.S. citizen named Scott Lively committed crimes against humanity by engaging in anti-gay advocacy in Uganda, including … Continue reading →

Posted in Alien Tort Statute | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Egypt & the Take Care Clause

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Ryan Scoville

In the course of recent debates over how to respond to the events in Egypt, many have pointed out that the central legal question is whether Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act obligates the President to cancel hundreds of … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreign Affairs Constitution | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Response to the Bolton & Yoo Op-ed on the Arms Trade Treaty

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Ryan Scoville

A few months ago John Bolton and John Yoo published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal criticizing the Obama Administration for promoting U.S. ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty, which the UN General Assembly adopted in April. The op-ed argues that … Continue reading →

Posted in Arms Trade Treaty, Foreign Affairs Constitution | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Comment on the Future of the Senkaku / Diaoyu Dispute

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Ryan Scoville

James Holmes from the Naval War College posted a good article at Foreign Policy on the growing strength of the Chinese navy. He acknowledges limits to the force’s current capabilities and a number of unknowns about the potency of its armaments and … Continue reading →

Posted in Senkaku / Diaoyu Islands, 尖閣諸島 | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Japan’s Vulnerability Under the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty

Posted on August 11, 2013 by Ryan Scoville

Many have noted that the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security could pull the United States into the dispute between Japan and China over the Senkaku / Diaoyu Islands by obligating the United States to come to Japan’s defense … Continue reading →

Posted in Senkaku / Diaoyu Islands, Treaty Law, 尖閣諸島 | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment