What We're Reading

Hello Material Supporters,

Here is what we’re reading this week:

Editor in Chief Benjamin Wittes has been reading three books on modern counterintelligence history: "A Spy Among Friends" by Ben MacIntyre, "Nightmover" by David Vise and "The Bureau and the Mole" by David Vise.

Executive Editor Natalie Orpett read this disturbing New York Times report by David Philipps and Eric Schmitt, which revealed a previously undisclosed 2019 U.S. airstrike in Syria that killed dozens of civilians. The Biden administration announced an investigation into the incident shortly after the article came out.

She also read about and reviewed the Knight Institute's petition for a writ of certiorari in the case of Edgar v. Haines. The case challenges the prepublication review process, which forbids former government employees who have held security clearances from writing or speaking publicly without first obtaining government approval. Lawfare has discussed this issue on multiple occasions, including a recent episode of Rational Security in which our team discussed this case, an overview of the issue in 2015, a personal account of prepublication review in 2017, recommendations for reform in 2019, and a discussion of the issue in the context of John Bolton's memoir in 2020.

Publisher and Chief Operating Officer David Priess is in the middle of “Disruption” by Aki Peritz. It’s a deeply researched account of both al-Qaeda’s 2006 attempt to down multiple airplanes over the Atlantic Ocean and the multinational intelligence and investigation effort that prevented what would have been a truly horrific attack.

Managing Editor Jacob Schulz is listening to an episode of the Acquired podcast about the history of The New York Times. The episode tells the history of the Times through a business strategy lens—and offers plenty of lessons about journalism and U.S. politics, along the way.

Senior Editor Alan Rozenshtein is reading Politico Magazine’s “The Bonnie and Clyde of MAGA World,” by David Freedlander.

Associate Editor Rohini Kurup is reading an article on disappearing newspaper archives in Kashmir. It describes how articles critical of the Indian government are being erased from local news outlet websites, which some journalists attribute to pressure from the government.

Associate Editor Bryce Klehm is reading Carter Malkasian’s new book, “The American War in Afghanistan.” This deeply researched and engaging history of the war in Afghanistan is informed by Malkasian’s several years in Afghanistan with the U.S. State Department and his experience as an adviser to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2015 to 2019.

Lawfare’s Quote of the Week: From “A White House Inspector General for Accountability” by Yevgeny Vindman: “I have no illusions that a White House watchdog construct would be a panacea or sufficient to hold the chief executive accountable or restrain the criminal impulses of senior White House officials. However, a watchdog could successfully influence senior White House staff—the officials who enable and empower a president—to moderate their behavior. Barring that, at the very least an inspector general might subject staff activities to scrutiny and so-called naming and shaming for posterity. No White House staff is immune from wrongdoing. However, an inspector general would go a long way to building a culture of compliance. The White House should not have blind spots.

From the Lawfare Vault: Aug. 25, 2015, “Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: What does International Law Have to Say?” by Thomas Grant

Thank you!