National Security Law Today

<p>As the conflict with Iran evolves, cyber capabilities are proving just as consequential as traditional military force. This week, Elisa sits down with Matt Suiche, founder of OnDB and a former hacker, to examine how cyber operations shape intelligence gathering, targeting, and real-time decision-making in modern conflict. Together, they explore the vulnerabilities of AI systems, the physical risks to critical infrastructure like data centers and undersea cables, and what these emerging threats reveal about the limits of technology in high-stakes warfare.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.msuiche.com/">Matt Suiche</a> is a cybersecurity researcher and founder of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ondb.ai/">OnDB Inc.</a>, a data infrastructure startup for the agentic economy.</p><p><em>References</em>:</p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000693712465">NSLT Episode: <em>Elemental Power: Mining, Markets, and the Critical Minerals Challenge with Tommy Beaudreau (Part 1)</em>. Feb 18 2025</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000547797464">NSLT Episode: <em>Seabed Mining as a National Security Threat: The Laws of the Sea with Matt Dianni (Part 1)</em>. Jan. 13 2022</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000738537515">NSLT Episode: <em>Profiting from Polarization: The Economics of America’s Culture War.</em> Nov. 26 2025</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/technology/social-media-trial-verdict.html">The New York Times. "Meta and YouTube Found Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial." 25 Mar. 2026</a></li></ul>

<p>As tensions in the Strait of Hormuz disrupt global markets, they reflect a broader set of unconventional strategies Iran has deployed for decades. This week, Elisa sits down with Alamdar Hamdani, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas and current partner at Bracewell, to examine how Iran leverages asymmetric tactics—from cyber operations and proxy forces to sanctions evasion and maritime disruption. Together, they explore how these strategies intersect with U.S. national security law, energy markets, and the evolving role of lawyers navigating global instability.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bracewell.com/people/alamdar-s-hamdani/">Alamdar Hamdani</a> is a partner at Bracewell LLP and previously served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas</p><p><em>References:</em></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-35">The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2339B">The Material Support Statute</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bis.gov/regulations/ear">The Export Administration Regulations (EAR) Overview</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/ddtc_public?id=ddtc_kb_article_page&amp;sys_id=24d528fddbfc930044f9ff621f961987">The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) Overview</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-action-protect-national-security-enforcing-presidents-order-chinese">"Justice Department Files Action to Protect National Security by Enforcing President’s Order of Chinese Company’s Divestment from U.S. Company." Office of Public Affairs, 10 Feb. 2026</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000755992911">NSLT Episode, "Held as Leverage: Iran, Hostage Diplomacy, and the Fight for Release with Kieran Ramsey" March 18 2026.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000711202469">NSLT Episode, "From Pipelines to Prisoners: Security in the Energy Sector with Kieran Ramsey (Part 1)" June 4 2025</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000567515272">NSLT Episode, "The Lawless Secrecy of International Shipping with Matthew Campbell (Part 1)" June 23 2022</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.matthew-campbell.com/dead-in-the-water">Campbell, Matthew, and Kit Chellel. <em>Dead in the Water: A True Story of Hijacking, Murder, and a Global Maritime Conspiracy</em>. Penguin Random House, 2022</a></li></ul>

<p>As tensions with Iran persist, the issue of wrongful detention remains a critical but often overlooked national security concern. This week, Elisa sits down with Kieran Ramsey, former Director of the FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and current Chief Investigative Officer at Global Reach, to examine how countries like Iran use arbitrary detention—and how these cases are tracked and challenged on the global stage. The episode also includes audio from our recent luncheon with journalist Jason Rezaian, who recounts his 544 days of detention in Tehran’s Evin Prison and reflects on how his experience intersects with law, diplomacy, and the human cost of these high-stakes cases. </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reach.global/leaders/kieran-ramsey">Kieran Ramsey</a> is Chief Investigative Officer at Global Reach, a private company that deals with individuals wrongfully held or taken hostage around the world. </p><p><em>References:</em> </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/245317.pdf">The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)</a> </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/wg-arbitrary-detention">The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/strengthening-efforts-to-protect-u-s-nationals-from-wrongful-detention-abroad/">E.O. 14248, Strengthening Efforts to Protect U.S. Nationals from Wrongful Detention Abroad</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Prisoner-Prison-Solitary-Confinement-High-Stakes-Extraordinary/dp/0062691570">Rezaian, Jason. <em>Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison</em>. HarperCollins, 2019</a></p>

<p>Four years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war has become a slow-moving conflict defined by massive losses and limited gains on the battlefield. This week, Elisa sits down with Seth Jones, President of the Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss findings from his latest report, <em>Russia’s Grinding War: Massive Losses and Tiny Gains for a Declining Power.</em> Together they examine Russia’s staggering casualty numbers, the slow pace of its advance, and what these trends reveal about Russia’s long-term economic and geopolitical trajectory.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.csis.org/people/seth-g-jones">Seth Jones</a> is President of the Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)</p><p><em>References:</em></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukraine#h2-appendix"><strong>Report</strong>: Jones, Seth G., and Riley McCabe. <em>Russia’s Grinding War in Ukraine: Massive Losses and Tiny Gains for a Declining Power</em>. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 27 Jan. 2026.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.csis.org/events/are-russia-and-ukraine-headed-2-million-casualties"><strong>VideoCast:</strong> <em>Are Russia and Ukraine Headed to 2 Million Casualties? CSIS. Jan. 30 2026</em></a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/global-vibrancy-tool">Stanford University's Global AI Vibrancy Tool</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://loveman.sdsu.edu/docs/1955Warsaw_Pact.pdf">The Warsaw Pact, 1955</a></li></ul><p></p>

<p>A standoff between the Pentagon and one of the world’s leading AI companies is raising new questions about the limits of government authority. This week, Elisa sits down with Alan Rozenshtein, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota and Research Director at Lawfare, to unpack the dispute between the Department of War and Anthropic over the use of advanced AI tools. Together, they explore whether existing law can compel technology companies to cooperate with national security demands and what the Defense Production Act might mean in the age of artificial intelligence.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://law.umn.edu/profiles/alan-rozenshtein">Alan Rozenshtein</a>is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota and Research Director at Lawfare</p><p>References:</p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/pentagon's-anthropic-designation-won't-survive-first-contact-with-legal-system">Endrias, Michael, and Alan Z. Rozenshtein. “<em>Pentagon’s Anthropic Designation Won’t Survive First Contact with Legal System.</em>” Lawfare, 2 Mar. 2026.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-8323/pdf/COMPS-8323.pdf">The Defense Production Act</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.esd.whs.mil/portals/54/documents/dd/issuances/dodd/300009p.pdf">DoD Directive 3000.09, “Autonomy in Weapon Systems,” November 21, 2012</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy/">E.O. 14365, "Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence"</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/3252">10 US Code 3252</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/chapter-35">IEEPA</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000732031645">NSLT, Ep. 392, "Empire AI: OpenAI’s Rise and the Race for Global Power with Karen Hao"</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/national-security-law-today/id1276946676?i=1000739570767">NSLT, Ep. 399, "Crash, Bailout, or Breakthrough? The Future of America’s AI Bet"</a></li></ul>