Week 1 : The Basics of International Law
What was the core concept of "A Breif History of International Law"
The historical evolution, origins and foundational treaties that established the modern international rule based system.
What 2021 film is assigned in Week 2 to examine the human and legal dimensions of post-9/11 detentions?
The Mauritanian
What government agency did Edward Snowden leak classified documents from?
The National Security Agency (NSA).
Who is the subject of the film "The Mauritanian," and where is it set?
Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was detained without charge for years at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay
Who directed the documentary Citizenfour?
It was directed by Laura Poitras
What is the main theses of Ted Piccone's Brooking Institution reading.
He argues that international law directly serves U.S national security and foreign policy interests rather than restricting them.
Front: What specific military tactic is scrutinized in the video "US Drone Strikes Under Scrutiny"?
Targeted killings via unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and the legal, ethical, and civilian costs associated with them.
What massive domestic surveillance program did Snowden's leaks expose regarding American citizens?
The bulk collection of domestic telephone metadata and internet communications (such as the PRISM program).
What is the name of the defense attorney who takes on Slahi’s case, and what is the name of her associate?
Nancy Hollander is the lead defense attorney, and she is assisted by Teri Duncan.
Who is "Citizenfour" and why did they use this specific codename?
Edward Snowden; he used the pseudonym to anonymously contact filmmaker Laura Poitras, implying he was a fourth citizen whistleblower following others like Thomas Drake and William Binney.
what dose Paul Poast argue regarding international law in his 2024 artical
He emphasized that despite its clear flaws, structural limitations and enforcement challenges, international law still matters in global politics.
What organization published the report "Overkill: Reforming the Legal Basis for the U.S. War on Terror"?
The International Crisis Group.
What major piece of legislation passed shortly after 9/11 expanded law enforcement's surveillance capabilities?
The USA PATRIOT Act.
Why did the U.S. government initially suspect Slahi of being a high-ranking Al-Qaeda recruiter?
He had received a phone call on his satellite phone from his cousin, who was using Osama bin Laden's phone, and he had briefly trained in an Al-Qaeda camp in Afghanistan in the early 1990s.
In what city and specific location do Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald meet Edward Snowden in person for the first time?
The Mira Hotel in Hong Kong.
According to John B. Bellinger’s article, what is the legal status of Russia's invasion of Ukraine?
It constitutes a clear violation of international law, specifically breaching the UN Charter's prohibition on the threat or use of force.
What legal framework governs warfare and the treatment of prisoners, often central to War on Terror debates?
International Humanitarian Law (IHL), primarily codified in the Geneva Conventions.
What legal dilemma is highlighted by the contrasting arguments of Cassidy and Toobin?
The tension between national security requirements (protecting classified operational secrets) and democratic transparency (the public's right to know about government overreach).
What physical issue makes it incredibly difficult for Nancy Hollander to read the government documents provided to her about Slahi's case?
The documents are almost entirely redacted, meaning large paragraphs of text are completely blacked out by government censors.
What specific domestic surveillance power does the film show the NSA using against ordinary citizens who are not suspected of any crime?
The bulk metadata collection of millions of Americans' phone records, including who they called, when, and for how long.
In the context of martial operations and international law, what constitutes an "aggression" under the Rome Statute, as referenced in discussions surrounding Russia's invasion of Ukraine?
The crime of aggression is defined as the planning, preparation, initiation, or execution of an act of armed force by a state against the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of another state.
What is habeas corpus, and why did it become a major legal battleground during the War on Terror?
The legal right to challenge unlawful detention; detainees at Guantanamo fought in landmark Supreme Court cases (like Boumediene v. Bush) to secure this right.
What did the Obama administration charge Edward Snowden with following the leaks?
Theft of government property and violations of the Espionage Act of 1917.
What personal connection motivated prosecutor Lt. Col. Stuart Couch to take Slahi's case so seriously at first?
His close friend was a co-pilot on one of the hijacked planes that flew into the South Tower on September 11 (9/11).
What happens to the fire alarms in Snowden's Hong Kong hotel room that causes him intense anxiety and paranoia?
They go off repeatedly for testing, which he worries is a tactic being used by intelligence agencies to trigger an evacuation and capture him.