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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 5d

More on how every president since 9/11 has made the current lawless war on cartels easier both politically and legally:

responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-911/

The roots of Trump's wars on terror trace back to 9/11

After the attacks on New York and Washington, the US built a legal framework for permanent conflict that all presidents since have systematically abused

responsiblestatecraft.org

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 5d

My pre-Khalil et al prediction:

responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-protes...

How a post-9/11 law could enable a crackdown on speech

If Trump Justice Department lawyers want to avoid First Amendment arguments, this is likely where they'll go

responsiblestatecraft.org

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 5d

A podcast episode discussing the problems inherent in "terrorism" frameworks:

responsiblestatecraft.org/us-terrorism...

Are you a terrorist?

New episode of 'Always at War' with Elizabeth Beavers explores how U.S. laws have been used to quash dissent

responsiblestatecraft.org

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 5d

A condensed op-ed-size argument for why terrorism designations should be ditched:

inkstickmedia.com/its-time-for...

It’s Time for the US to Ditch 'Terrorism' Designations Altogether

Ultimately, the United States' terrorist designations are political tools that serve Washington's geopolitical goals.

inkstickmedia.com

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 5d

My law journal article on the terrorism "designation" regime and its many dangers (focused on its application to the Gaza genocide but broadly applicable outside the context):

digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/nslb/vol15/i...

The Danger in Designations: U.S. Terrorism Designation Lists in Gaza and Beyond

What is “terrorism”? The term has surged in U.S. political discourse following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel’s subsequent onslaught of Gaza, and escalating violence in the region...

digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 5d

As we watch counterterrorism infrastructure be used to silence dissent and terrorize marginalized people, I want to re-up some of my analysis on how the law makes this possible and must be changed 👇

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 5d

Essential reading from @jakeromm.bsky.social 👇

Jake Romm @jakeromm.bsky.social · 6d

The liberal international order is dying, the culmination of a trend that was put into overdrive by the so-called global war on terror.

What’s coming is something worse, unless we stop it

My latest for @thenation.com

www.thenation.com/article/worl...

Why Trump’s Venezuela Attacks Matter So Much

They signal a US empire increasingly willing to dispense with even the perfunctory legal legitimation that past presidents leaned on.

www.thenation.com

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 6d

This is an EXTRAORDINARILY dangerous development. Immediately, we need all forces of government and civil society to shut this down.

From there, it is IMPERATIVE to fully excavate the precedent and infrastructure of the War on Terror that will keep haunting us until it's gone.

President Trump has decided that the United States is engaged in a formal “armed conflict” with drug cartels his team has labeled terrorist organizations and that suspected smugglers for such groups are “unlawful combatants,” the administration said in a confidential notice to Congress this week.

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Reposted by Elizabeth Beavers

Naomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · 7d

Israel has just arrested Greta Thunberg and many others.

Statement from the Global Sumud Flotilla:

“People of conscience have been abducted. The flotilla broke no laws. What is illegal is Israel’s genocide, Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza, and Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon.”
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Naomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · 7d

Close to 65k watching the livefeed from the Global Sumud Flotilla off the coast of Gaza.

Israel seems to be intercepting right now.

All eyes needed.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEN2...

24/7 LIVESTREAM OF GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA

YouTube video by Global Sumud Flotilla

www.youtube.com

80 3K 5.2K

Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 8d

way bigger news than Jimmy Kimmel 👇

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/u...

Judge Rules Trump Unlawfully Targeted Noncitizens Over Pro-Palestinian Speech

In a blistering opinion, a federal judge in Boston said the Trump administration used the threat of deportations to systematically intimidate certain campus demonstrators into silence.

www.nytimes.com

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 10d

Democratic leadership will do actual gymnastics to avoid talking about what they see as "wedge issues" - immigration, militarism, etc. They push the caucus not to get "distracted" from "kitchen table issues." They call it message discipline. It's cowardice.

Anil Kalhan @akalhan.bsky.social · 11d

Meanwhile, in Hakeemland, the only thing happening this week is health care

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 11d

The intentional conflation of civilian law enforcement, counterterrorism, mass deportation, and warfare continues, complete with a made-up enemy. Many possible ways this can get ugly fast.

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Reposted by Elizabeth Beavers

Sara Haghdoosti @shaghdoosti.bsky.social · 12d

Though nice to see Jon Finer and Philip Gordon catch up to bare minimum of where activists and the public have been for nearly two years on restricting US arms to the Israeli government, their article erases their own role in abetting the Netanyahu government’s genocide.

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 12d

the war on terror comes home to haunt the imperial core

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence

NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM/NSPM-7 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

www.whitehouse.gov

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 14d

we do not under any circumstances have to hand it to John Yoo

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 15d

John Yoo op-ed:

"As an official in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel ... I advised that the U.S. could wage war against al-Qaeda without blurring the distinction between crime and war. ... The drug cartels alone do NOT present a similar challenge that rises to the level of war."

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Opinion | What’s wrong with a military campaign against the drug trade

Trump’s boat strikes against the cartels risk crossing the line between law enforcement and war.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 14d

🙏 Many thanks to Brett Heinz of @afsc-org.bsky.social for featuring my commentary in his analysis of new proposed war authority:

Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 15d

something I'm keeping an eye on: for them to start by citing this to invoke an obscure provision in 501(p) of the IRS code to revoke tax exempt status of dissenting nonprofits

Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 15d

There continues to be no such thing as domestic terrorism designations legally.

That said, this is still chilling, as it's an announcement of the next targets for their expansive claims of "counterterrorism" authority, as a hapless Congress and deferential judiciary stand by.

Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 15d

There continues to be no such thing as domestic terrorism designations legally.

That said, this is still chilling, as it's an announcement of the next targets for their expansive claims of "counterterrorism" authority, as a hapless Congress and deferential judiciary stand by.

Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 17d

does he just DM his cabinet lol

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 17d

Trump criticizes Pam Bondi for not charging his adversaries quickly enough, in a Truth Social post that looks a lot like a DM. truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 17d

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 18d

To be clear: the fact that this is not a real legal mechanism doesn't matter and isn't the point. It's a signal of where they're about to re-direct every remotely discretionary authority that exists in the name of "counterterrorism" (and there are a lot of them).

Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 19d

PSA: "major terrorist organization" designation continues to not be A Thing

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 18d

Sens Schiff/Kaine have a privileged war powers resolution they're using to force a vote, Members should get on board. Also - we're up against a government funding deadline, there's leverage to make demands!

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 18d

It is true but not particularly helpful to point out the many ways this is illegal. The only worthwhile responses from anyone in power right now are the ones announcing what they are going to do about it.

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Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 19d

A new draft War on Cartels authorization, modeled after the War on Terror's (still active) authorization.

People keep asking me what they can do about all this. One clear task before us: make sure this doesn't pass.

Elizabeth Beavers @elizabethrb.bsky.social · 19d

PSA: "major terrorist organization" designation continues to not be A Thing

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