Charles Blanchard
@fmrairforcegc.bsky.social
Former Air Force General Counsel and The Aerospace Corporation Trustee. Now Senior Counsel in Arnold & Porter's national security practice. Read my Substack https://notesfortheperplexed.substack.com/
The Attack on ISIS in Nigeria open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Attack on ISIS in Nigeria
On Christmas, the U.S.
open.substack.com
December 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
The Attack on ISIS in Nigeria open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Don't Underestimate the JAGs open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Don't Underestimate the JAGs
When the Trump Administration announced that it would use uniformed military lawyers—Judge Advocates (JAs or JAGs)— many of my progressive friends expressed horror.
open.substack.com
December 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Don't Underestimate the JAGs open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Trump Plays the National Security Card In His Attack on Renewable Energy open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Trump Plays the National Security Card In His Attack on Renewable Energy
In a previous post, I noted that while I was not happy that the Big Beautiful Bill eliminated various tax incentives for renewable energy such as solar and wind, I was confident that the economics of ...
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Trump Plays the National Security Card In His Attack on Renewable Energy open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The "Warrior Dividend: A Deceptive Rebranding of Money Already Going to Military Members open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The "Warrior Dividend: A Deceptive Rebranding of Money Already Going to Military Members
When Trump announced last night a $1776 bonus called “Warrior Dividend”, I had two reactions.
open.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The "Warrior Dividend: A Deceptive Rebranding of Money Already Going to Military Members open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Reposted by Charles Blanchard
Trump has been speaking for a couple of minutes now and he hasn't yet said a single true thing.
December 18, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Trump has been speaking for a couple of minutes now and he hasn't yet said a single true thing.
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: How the U.S. Organizes the Command of Military Forces open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: How the U.S. Organizes the Command of Military Forces
There are news reports about a major reorganization of the Department of Defense’s Combatant Commands.
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: How the U.S. Organizes the Command of Military Forces open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Was the Seizure of the Oil Tanker Lawful? open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Was the Seizure of the Oil Tanker Lawful?
It must be a joy teaching national security and international law this year.
open.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Was the Seizure of the Oil Tanker Lawful? open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: The NDAA open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: The NDAA
I started my “Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington” series as a tongue-in-cheek way to explain the often strange ins and outs of how the federal government operates.
open.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Explaining the Folkways of Political Washington: The NDAA open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Supreme Court May Soon Eliminate the Independence of "Independent Agencies": A Primer of the last Days of Humphrey's Executor open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Supreme Court May Soon Eliminate the Independence of "Independent Agencies": A Primer of the last Days of Humphrey's Executor
The Supreme Court today is hearing a case this afternoon that could upend a basic premise of the administrative state that has been in place for over 100 years.
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
The Supreme Court May Soon Eliminate the Independence of "Independent Agencies": A Primer of the last Days of Humphrey's Executor open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
A must read deep dive on the lethal strikes on alleged drug boats by three highly respected Law of Armed Conflict experts who cut their teeth on these issues by advising the military and senior national security leaders.
www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...
www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...
Operation Southern Spear: Why the Crews, Drugs, and Boats are Not Targetable
A deep dive on the international law applicable to the U.S. military's lethal operations against suspected drug boats
www.justsecurity.org
December 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM
A must read deep dive on the lethal strikes on alleged drug boats by three highly respected Law of Armed Conflict experts who cut their teeth on these issues by advising the military and senior national security leaders.
www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...
www.justsecurity.org/126553/opera...
Don't Get Distracted by the Bright Shiny Object: All Four Strikes on the First Drug Boat Were Unlawful open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Don't Get Distracted by the Bright Shiny Object: All Four Strikes on the First Drug Boat Were Unlawful
The has been an intense focus on whether the second strike on two survivors of an initial attack on an alleged drug boat violate the law of armed conflict.
open.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Don't Get Distracted by the Bright Shiny Object: All Four Strikes on the First Drug Boat Were Unlawful open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Folkways of Political Washington: Limits on Appointment of "Acting" Officials open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Folkways of Political Washington: Limits on Appointment of "Acting" Officials
I was not surprised when law of war issues became a hot topic during the Trump Administration.
open.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Folkways of Political Washington: Limits on Appointment of "Acting" Officials open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Was it Murder?: A Law of War Primer open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Was it Murder?: A Law of War Primer
On Friday, the Washington Post reported that after striking the first alleged drug boat in September, surveillance feed showed that there were two survivors of the attack.
open.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Was it Murder?: A Law of War Primer open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Trump Lawfare Game, Part II: A Deeper Dive on the Investigation of the Video Democrats open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Trump Lawfare Game, Part II: A Deeper Dive on the Investigation of the Video Democrats
Yesterday I posted on the issues arising from the announcement that the Department of Defense was investigating Senator Kelly regarding the video that he and five other Democratic elected leaders rele...
open.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:06 PM
The Trump Lawfare Game, Part II: A Deeper Dive on the Investigation of the Video Democrats open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Department of Defense Joins the Lawfare Game: Three Observations on the Investigation of Senator Mark Kelly open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
The Department of Defense Joins the Lawfare Game: Three Observations on the Investigation of Senator Mark Kelly
Yesterday, the Department of Defense announced that it was investigating Senator Mark Kelly from the great state of Arizona for “serious allegations of misconduct,” apparently for the fact that he par...
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:24 PM
The Department of Defense Joins the Lawfare Game: Three Observations on the Investigation of Senator Mark Kelly open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Thoughts on the Trump Ukraine Peace (Surrender) Plan open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Thoughts on the Trump Ukraine Peace (Surrender) Plan
Last week the Trump Administration presented Ukraine a 28 point peace plan ultimatum that largely tracks Russian demands without requiring any Russian concessions (other than stopping its unlawful war...
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Thoughts on the Trump Ukraine Peace (Surrender) Plan open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
A Primer on the Right of Military Members to Disobey Unlawful Orders open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
A Primer on the Right of Military Members to Disobey Unlawful Orders
The principle that military members should only obey lawful orders is certainly getting a lot of attention today thanks to a video released today by six Members of Congress that served in the military...
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:28 PM
A Primer on the Right of Military Members to Disobey Unlawful Orders open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Giving Content to the Democratic Party "Affordability" Message open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Giving Content to the Democratic Party "Affordability" Message
“Affordability” is the new buzzword in Democratic Party circles.
open.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Giving Content to the Democratic Party "Affordability" Message open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Folkways of Political Washington: DoJ's Office of Legal Counsel and the Golden Shield open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Folkways of Political Washington: DoJ's Office of Legal Counsel and the Golden Shield
I have previously questioned the legality—under the Laws of Armed Conflict—the legality of the lethal attacks on alleged drug boats.
open.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Folkways of Political Washington: DoJ's Office of Legal Counsel and the Golden Shield open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Reposted by Charles Blanchard
Yeah whoever jacked up tariffs on coffee from Brazil earlier this year must be a real bonehead
November 12, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Yeah whoever jacked up tariffs on coffee from Brazil earlier this year must be a real bonehead
Some Thoughts on the Government Shutdown open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Some Thoughts on the Government Shutdown
My view of government shutdowns is the result of my living through one (in 2013) while I was General Counsel of the Air Force, and watching the effects of two shutdowns during the first Trump Administ...
open.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Some Thoughts on the Government Shutdown open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
What Dick Cheney Teaches Us About the Value of Scientific Innovation. open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
What Dick Cheney Teaches Us About the Value of Scientific Innovation.
Charles C.
open.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:39 PM
What Dick Cheney Teaches Us About the Value of Scientific Innovation. open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Some Thoughts on Yesterday's Election Results open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Some Thoughts on Yesterday's Election Results
It was a great night for Democrats and suggests that the voters hostility to Trump can lead to historic victories despite the fact that voters really dislike the Democratic party.
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Some Thoughts on Yesterday's Election Results open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
What's the Deal With Rare Earths? What Are They and Why Is Chinese Dominance a Problem? open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
What's the Deal With Rare Earths? What Are They and Why Is Chinese Dominance a Problem?
An obscure hobby horse of many of us in the national security community—Chinese dominance in the mining and refining of rare earth minerals—suddenly became big news last month when China announced a s...
open.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
What's the Deal With Rare Earths? What Are They and Why Is Chinese Dominance a Problem? open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Why Progressives Should Treat Economic Freedom More Seriously open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...
Why Progressives Should Treat Economic Freedom More Seriously
Liberals and progressives love talking about personal freedoms—such as freedom of speech, the right to choose and the freedom to love and marry whoever we want to—but we are much less enamored with ec...
open.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Why Progressives Should Treat Economic Freedom More Seriously open.substack.com/pub/notesfor...