Rational Security 2.0: The ‘Edgelord Putin’ Edition

Jen Patja, Alan Z. Rozenshtein, Quinta Jurecic, Scott R. Anderson, Natalie K. Orpett
Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 12:00 PM
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This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined once again by Lawfare executive editor Natalie Orpett! They talked through some of the week's biggest national security news, including:

  • “Maybe He Has Border Recognition Disorder.” Despite reported reservations among his advisors, Putin is moving forward with an at least partial invasion of Ukraine, having recognized the breakaway Ukrainian territories of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent countries and deployed troops to “aid in their defense.” Is Putin acting rationally? Or are there reasons to be concerned about his mental state?
  • “Your Presidential Immunity…Has Just Been REVOKED.” The district court overseeing civil lawsuits against former President Trump and associates for the Jan. 6 insurrection has dismissed claims against several of Trump’s associates, but allowed some suits against Trump to continue, despite his claims of immunity. Does this mean Trump is likely to be held accountable for his actions?
  • “Laws Don’t Kill Guns. Lawsuits Kill Guns.” The families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims have secured a settlement from Remington Arms, the company that made and marketed the gun used in the shooting. Meanwhile, California is considering a law that would allow individuals to use private lawsuits to enforce gun restrictions, modeled on Texas’s S.B. 8 anti-abortion law. Are private lawsuits the route to reducing gun violence?

For object lessons, Alan recommended the new Shonda Rhimes show "Inventing Anna," over some dissents from his co-hosts. Quinta passed along Adam Kotsko's recent piece on the fallout surrounding influential philosopher Giorgio Agamben's open criticism of pandemic-related lockdowns. Scott urged D.C. locals to eat out at two of his new favorite restaurants, Etabli and Daru, and also recommended folks check out Etabli's very fun wine club. And Natalie endorsed her new Ember mug for keeping your coffee at that perfect temperature (and exposing yourself to internet of things shenanigans).

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Jen Patja

Jen Patja

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Jen Patja is the editor and producer of The Lawfare Podcast and Rational Security. She currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of Virginia Civics, a nonprofit organization that empowers the next generation of leaders in Virginia by promoting constitutional literacy, critical thinking, and civic engagement. She is the former Deputy Director of the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier and has been a freelance editor for over 20 years.
Alan Z. Rozenshtein

Alan Z. Rozenshtein

@ARozenshtein
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Alan Z. Rozenshtein is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School, a senior editor at Lawfare, and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Previously, he served as an Attorney Advisor with the Office of Law and Policy in the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.
Quinta Jurecic

Quinta Jurecic

@qjurecic
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Quinta Jurecic is a fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and a senior editor at Lawfare. She previously served as Lawfare's managing editor and as an editorial writer for the Washington Post.
Scott R. Anderson

Scott R. Anderson

S_R_Anders
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Scott R. Anderson is a fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and a Senior Fellow in the National Security Law Program at Columbia Law School. He previously served as an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State and as the legal advisor for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.
Natalie K. Orpett

Natalie K. Orpett

@nkorpett
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Natalie Orpett is the executive editor of Lawfare and deputy general counsel of the Lawfare Institute. She was previously an attorney at the law firm Jenner & Block, where she focused on investigations and government controversies, and also maintained an active pro bono practice. She served as civilian counsel to a defendant in the Guantanamo Military Commissions for more than eight years. She also served as counsel to the National Security and Foreign Policy Legal Team of the Biden-Harris Transition Team.

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