Kaori Sakamoto JPN 2A, 3F, 3Lz2T, 3S, 3F3T, 2A3T2T, 3Lo stepseq 4, flying spin 4, combo spin 3, flying combo spin 4 TES 80.87, PCS 78.10, FS 158.97, TOTAL 238.28 into 1st - FOUR TIME WORLD CHAMPION bit.ly/4m16uxo #WorldFigure

✋ Former USG war crimes lawyer here. Apropos of SecDef's remarks this morning: Denial of quarter—even the declaration of no quarter—is a war crime. And recognized as such by the US Government. From DoD's Manual for Military Commissions.

Declaring that no quarter will be given unequivocally violates international humanitarian law. Indeed, ordering that no quarter will be given, threatening an adversary therewith or conducting hostilities on this basis is prohibited and constitutes a war crime.

Shameless plug. My @warontherocks.bsky.social debut is a rebuttal to Cynical Publius’ war college opinion piece. warontherocks.com/2026/03/mili...

A lot of my academic focuses on public attitudes about foreign policy and the use of force. The just initiated bombing of Iran lacks many of the components that build and sustain domestic support for military action.

"Whatever happens, though, one thing is clear – that this use of force by the US and Israel is manifestly illegal. It is as plain a violation of the prohibition on the use of force in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter as one could possibly have." @ejiltalk.bsky.social www.ejiltalk.org/the-american...

The US mil knows we can’t “win” Iran any more than we could “win” Iraq or AFG. Neither can ISR, which has the airpower to do damage but not the capability/capacity to occupy To the extent KSA and UAE get involved, it’s likely to counter ISR influence and keep a seat at the table on Iran’s future

This goes in both directions. Active duty military fellows at civilian natsec think tanks/unis provide expertise critical to producing research, writing, & educations that are accurate, reasonable, and actionable. My time in think tank land was immeasurably improved by our military fellows

with the Olympics coming up, I cannot recommend enough just picking random sports and getting really into them at a moment's notice did I know anything about women's foil before the last Olympics? I did not did I become the world's biggest Lee Kiefer fan immediately? absolutely I did

As we honor the sacrifices of generations of trans servicemembers, their bravery inspires us to do everything we can to protect trans veterans today. That's why ONS launched the Transgender Veterans Toolkit, a set of proven policy recommendations for state governments. Learn more: lnkd.in/gXFMYeQe

Exciting news! We’re partnering with @americanprogress.bsky.social to launch the Transgender Veterans Toolkit—a practical, state-focused resource for policymakers If you work on state policy, know folks who do, or want to be part of the solution, SHARE this video. Learn more here: lnkd.in/gXFMYeQe

Happening now!

Join @outinnationalsecurity.org on Mon 10 Nov @ 2pm for a virtual panel hosted by @americanprogress.bsky.social on how states can help trans veterans access healthcare, housing, & employment! ONS's new Transgender Veterans Toolkit provides a framework for states to advance these policies! RSVP ⬇️

What the poll doesn’t address is while Americans overwhelmingly desire a ‘politically neutral’ military, many see any action or inaction taken by the military under an opposing presidential administration as inherently partisan. This must be part of any future reckoning abt the role of the military

Really excellent breakdown of the Insurrection Act I would add that previous instances of its invocation against the wishes of a state governor was to *enforce a Supreme Court decision*. Most recently this was, as the article mentions, implementing school integration in AL

president donald trump signed this into law in 2019

And here we go. I never wrote this article, and yet it is cited here. www.liberalbriefs.com/geopolitics/... And of course, it sounds so plausible, I seriously checked whether I had forgotten it, or the footnote was slightly wrong. #AIisnotresearch

This. Moral injury is both individual and collective.

While we're all, justifiably, reeling from today's speeches, let's also note that today is the Day for Truth & Reconciliation across North America. Take a moment to recognize and grapple with America's legacy of oppression against Indigenous people, especially children, and the military's role in it

To reiterate: none of the combat arms standards he's mentioning are new. This has been the standard for A DECADE since combat MOSs were opened* to all service members. *Note: women have always served in combat whether they were "allowed to," recognized, or paid for it. War doesn't discriminate.

Tuesday is Orange Shirt Day, when communities honor the survivors of U.S. Indian boarding schools and their descendants.

About 25% of women in the military & 6% of men experienced sexual harassment in the past year. 7% of women experienced "unwanted sexual contact" Fewer than a third reported it. Of those who did, 60% say they experienced retaliation.* It's tragic that this situation will almost certainly worsen.

Best thing I've ever read about AI and the academy - every line a banger

The wizard works on revising his research paper.

“As a functional matter, the US government is simply out of the business of disaster aid globally...it’s done huge damage.”

The Defense Department is not a “brand,” and treating it as such insults the men and women who serve. In the real world, Trump does not get to name and rename entities established by law. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

Just remember, Trump doesn't have the power to just change the name of the DoD. Except if he does change the name and nobody bothers to actually stop him, he absolutely does have the power to do it.

So, sending troops to Chicago or Baltimore would be much more complicated than either LA or DC. 🧵

Robert E. Lee killed more U.S. troops in battle than Adolph Hitler and Osama bin Laden combined

Only a small percentage of officers will attend a service academy but their graduates will always be among the highest echelon of military leaders. How we train and educate cadets & midshipmen today will impact the professionalism of the force tomorrow. These decisions will be felt for years.

What national guard troops can and can’t do in Washington trib.al/Z7ppyVZ

What's gone unsaid in all this talk about homeless people in DC is that so many in the Capital are veterans who are now having the military aimed back at them for the crime of being poor.

We can't let them normalize utilizing the military for domestic law enforcement. It should not be easy or convenient. It should be a difficult decision a president considers in only rare, emergency situations. And once it becomes routine, it isn't easily undone.

Calling out the (tiny) DC National Guard is one of the *only* things President Trump can do to DC without new legislation. Today’s “One First” goes deep into the history of the federal government’s relationship with the nation’s capital—and the significance of the 1973 Home Rule Act—to explain why:

80 years since the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 60+ cultural leaders are using their voices and their craft to expose the true risks of nuclear weapons and help audiences imagine a world without them. nti.org/no-more-hiroshimas #CultureAgainstNukes

On the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Graham Parsons reflects on the real lesson of the bombing, that the assumption of a conflict between military strategy and morality is an illusion and hinders strategic thinking. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

Due to mass confusion, clarifying again: Tsunami Watch: Tsunami of indeterminate magnitude is possible; stand by. Tsunami Advisory: Tsunami is likely *but will probably be small.* Evacuations unlikely. Tsunami Warning: Tsunami is likely *and may be large.* Evacuations needed.

Out in National Security and New America are pleased to honor the contributions of 30 LGBTQIA+ experts in U.S. national security and foreign policy. www.outinnationalsecurity.org/honor-roll/2...

Honored to be included among this year's @outinnationalsecurity.org Out Leaders List! It is more important than ever to stand up for our community and stand behind the important work LGBTQIA+ people are doing across the national security space

European History 400-1400 seminar with @goingmedieval.bsky.social was the highlight of my time at KCL

As the sun peeks over the horizon, a small parcel of books from the interlibrary loan program appears on the roof of the wizard's tower.

10 years ago today, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. "They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law," then-Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the ruling. "The Constitution grants them that right."

In Germany, cultural resistance to becoming a soldier is high, given the militarism that fueled its calamitous history during World War II. Can German leaders change minds to meet a changing world?

Everything Lindsay said! Happy to share my recent @jpeaceresearch.bsky.social article with anyone who wants to learn more about the relationship between military recruitment practices and conflict initiation. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Not an original point but worth saying again - there is not a single element in this picture that identifies any of these folks as law enforcement agents. No badges, no uniforms, no vests. Out of context it just looks like a bunch of random guys are kidnapping a mayoral candidate.

Jeremy Greenberg was in charge of coordinating federal help after hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes and other emergencies. He has resigned from leading FEMA's National Response Coordination Center.

Trump Is Renaming 7 Army Installations. Here Are the Stories Behind the Names Being Scrubbed. www.military.com/history/trum...

The total amount of public land that Trump wants to make available for sale is equivalent to more than TWICE the size of CALIFORNIA. All to pay for tax cuts to some of the richest people in world history.

Officials who care about national defense must care about gun violence first. An interesting @defenseone.bsky.social piece in which Prof. Jacob Ware argues that "U.S. gun violence may be largely to blame for the lack of interest in joining the military." www.defenseone.com/ideas/2025/0...