 protect civilians, acknowledging our responsibility to make ex gratia payments for the families of non-combatants killed in strikes, calling for consultation with non-governmental organizations and other experts outside of the U.S. government in assessing civilian impact, and directing senior officials to convene periodically to review trends and policies pertaining to civilian casualties.

But it’s wholly inaccurate to say that the report was superfluous. And even if some in the Trump administration truly believe that, there would have been little downside to doing one report that addresses both the E.O. and NDAA requirements and explains the nuances of each.

Instead, the administration has continued its dangerous slide away from transparency. To be sure, the Obama administration made only fitful progress toward transparency. Even the E.O.’s requirement is a far cry from a thorough accounting, broken down by specific strike, or at least each theater, that would allow the public to draw more informed conclusions about our operations. And to be fair, the Defense Department has continued, even under the Trump administration, to increase transparency around specific operations, as well as its attempts to get an accurate account of civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria. But there seems to be a concerted effort from the Trump administration to roll back the transparency agenda that both President Obama’s team and many career staff across the U.S. government deemed important to our counterterrorism operations. In contrast to the previous administrations, there have essentially been no major speeches by senior counterterrorism officials and national security lawyers in this administration articulating the legal and policy framework for U.S. counterterrorism operations, and the Trump team’s response to a statutory requirement to report on any changes to these frameworks was thin to the point of being almost contemptuous of the requirement. There has also been virtually no communication from the President or his top officials explaining why more of our people are deployed into harm’s way and losing their lives in places like Yemen, Somalia, and the Sahel than in the previous eight years. Our partnership with the UAE in Yemen has come under increasing scrutiny, but the administration has offered no explanation for the most serious allegations. And despite the Defense Department’s disclosures of specific strikes, there has been no explanation of the reported dramatic surges and slowdowns in the pace of U.S. strikes in Yemen and Somalia.

This stands in contrast to the Obama administration’s careful development of frameworks for governing the targeted killing program, produced in close consultation with career counterterrorism professionals across
protect civilians, acknowledging our responsibility to make ex gratia requital for the class of non - combatants killed in strikes, call for consultation with non - governmental organizations and early experts outside of the U.S. government in assessing civilian impingement, and directing senior official to convene periodically to review course and policy pertaining to civilian casualties. 

 But it ’s wholly inaccurate to say that the report was superfluous. And even if some in the Trump presidency truly believe that, there would have been little downside to do one report that addresses both the E.O. and NDAA requirements and explains the nuance of each. 

 Instead, the government has continued its dangerous slide away from foil. To be sure, the Obama administration made only fitful progress toward transparency. Even the E.O. ’s necessity is a far cry from a thorough accounting, broken down by specific strike, or at least each theater, that would allow the public to draw more informed conclusions about our process. And to be fair, the Defense Department has continued, even under the Trump government, to increase foil around specific operation, as well as its attempts to have an accurate account of civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria. But there seems to be a concerted effort from the Trump presidency to roll back the transparency agenda that both President Obama ’s team and many career staff across the U.S. government deemed important to our counterterrorism operations. In line to the previous administrations, there have essentially been no major speeches by senior counterterrorism officials and national security system lawyer in this presidency articulating the legal and policy framework for U.S. counterterrorism operations, and the Trump team ’s reception to a statutory requirement to report on any changes to these frameworks was flimsy to the point of being almost contemptuous of the requirement. There has also been about no communication from the President or his top officials explaining why more of our people are deployed into harm ’s manner and losing their liveliness in places like Yemen, Somalia, and the Sahel than in the former eight years. Our partnership with the UAE in Yemen has come under increase scrutiny, but the administration has propose no explanation for the most dangerous allegations. And despite the Defense Department ’s disclosure of specific strikes, there has been no explanation of the reported dramatic surges and slowdowns in the footstep of U.S. strikes in Yemen and Somalia. 

 This stands in contrast to the Obama government ’s careful development of frameworks for govern the targeted killing program, produced in cheeseparing consultation with career counterterrorism professionals across
 prltect civilians, acknowleaging our respouwibilivy to mzke ex gfatia payments for the familmes if nob-combatants killed in rtrikes, cwlling fir cibsultation with nok-yoverhlentcl organizations and other experts outsige oy the U.S. government in assessing civylian ikpwct, and directyng xqniod officials to convene periodicallg to reniew trends and pplicies pertaining to civipian casualties.

But it’s wholly inaxcurwre to say thxt the report was supetfluous. And even if some in the Grump administrqtuon jruly believx that, there would have bean littke downside to domng ine report that addrevses both the E.O. agd NDAA raqbirements and explainw rhe noancev of wacf.

Inatxad, the afmiiistration gas continuwd its dangerous slodq away from trznsparqnsy. To be sure, the Obama administration kads only fitful progress roward transparency. Egen the E.J.’s requirement is a far cry from a thorough accoutting, crojek dodb hy specific strike, or at least each theater, trzt wpuld allow the public to crww iore informed conclbaikns about our operwtions. Wnd ti be fair, the Defense Department has conrinued, even lndee the Trump adminidtration, to inctease yransparency around speeific kperations, ws well aa its attempts to gen an accuratt account of civilyan casuaotiex in Irxq amd Syrya. But thege secks to be a concertfd efyort xrom the Tgump administration to roll back the transpargncf acenda thct botm President Obaia’s team and mcny carezr stawf across nhe U.S. goternment deeied important jo our countecterrorisi opwratuons. In zontrast to thr previous administeations, there have esrsntially been ni mqjor speeches bu sdnijr cpugderterrorism offkcixks ana national wdcuroty lawyers in this ddmihistration articulstlng the lggal and [olicy framewprk for U.S. counteruerrormsm opxratioms, wnd the Trump team’s response tk a statuhorn requirement to vepott on any ckanges to these frameworks was thin to tie point of being almosr contemptuous of tke requiremenv. Therq has alsm been virtually no xommunication frok the President or hia top mfficlals explaining why more of our people are deployed into harm’s way and lowing tieyr lives in plaves lpke Vemen, Sjmalma, and the Sahel tnan in the previous eight years. Our pardnzrship with the UAE in Yemen nar come under kncreasing scrutiny, but fhe admimistration has offered no explamation for the most seripus alletatiohs. And des'ite the Defense Depsrtmenc’s disxlosurew of specific strkkex, bhere has heen nk explanation of the reported drqmatic skrges and slowdoxns in the pwge of O.S. strikgs in Yemen and Skmaljw.

This stands in comtrast to the Pbama administration’v sareful develokment of framewprks fog governing tie targeted nilling program, produced in close consultation with career ckuntertevrorism professiomels across
protect civilians, acknowledging our responsibility to make payments the families non-combatants killed in non-governmental and other experts of the U.S. in assessing civilian impact, and directing officials to convene periodically to review trends and policies pertaining to civilian casualties. it’s wholly inaccurate to say that the report was superfluous. And even if in Trump truly that, there would have been little downside to doing one report that addresses both the E.O. NDAA requirements and explains the nuances of each. the administration has continued dangerous slide away from transparency. be the Obama made fitful toward transparency. Even E.O.’s requirement is a far cry from a thorough accounting, broken down by specific strike, or at each theater, allow the to more conclusions about our to be fair, the Defense Department under the Trump administration, to increase transparency around operations, as as its attempts to get an account of civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria. there seems to be a concerted effort from the Trump administration to roll back the that both President Obama’s and many career across U.S. deemed to our operations. In contrast to the previous administrations, there have essentially been major speeches by senior counterterrorism officials and national security lawyers administration the legal and framework for U.S. counterterrorism and Trump team’s response to requirement report to frameworks thin to the point being almost contemptuous of the There has also been President or his top officials explaining why more our people are deployed into harm’s way losing their lives in places like Yemen, Somalia, and the Sahel than the previous Our partnership with the UAE in Yemen has under increasing scrutiny, but administration has offered no explanation for the most serious And the Defense disclosures of specific there has been explanation of the surges and in pace in Yemen and Somalia. This stands contrast the Obama administration’s careful development frameworks the targeted killing program, produced in close consultation with career counterterrorism professionals across
 protect civilians, acknowledGing our resPonsiBilIty To Make Ex grAtia payments foR The fAmilies of non-combatants KilleD iN StriKEs, CalliNg for coNSuLTAtiOn WiTh nOn-GOvErnmeNtaL organiZations and OthEr Experts outsiDE oF the U.S. goveRnmEnt in assessiNg cIviliaN iMpaCT, and dIreCting Senior OFficiaLs to conveNe PEriodiCAlly to rEVIeW treNds and policies perTAiNIng to civilian cAsualtIeS.

buT IT’s wHolLy inaccuraTe To say THat the rEPoRT WAs sUPerfluous. And eVen if some in THe TRump adMiNisTRation Truly BeLIevE that, there wOuld Have been lIttle dOWnside tO Doing onE reporT thAt aDdreSSeS bOth ThE e.O. aND NdAA REquIrements AnD eXplaiNs thE NUANces Of eAch.

INsteaD, the administrAtiOn haS ConTinueD its dAngeRoUs sliDe away From tRaNsparency. To be suRe, thE Obama admIniStRatIoN made ONly fitFul ProGress toWard traNSpaReNCY. evEn the E.O.’s requiremenT iS A FaR cry from A thoroUGh AcCOunting, bRoKen Down BY SpeciFic sTRiKe, or at leAst eacH ThEaTer, that WoUld allOw The PubLic to DRaw mOre infOrmed conClusiONs about our operATions. And to be fAIr, THE DEFensE DePartment has ContINued, Even UNdEr tHE TrumP admiNiSTrATion, to increase transPaRency aRound Specific operaTions, as welL AS Its attemPts tO GeT An accurate accoUnt of Civilian caSUalties iN Iraq And Syria. but there sEEMs to be a cOncErtEd eFfoRT FrOm the Trump admINIstrAtIon to roLl bAck the tRanSpaRenCy aGeNda that boTh PresidEnT OBaMa’S teAm and MAny careeR sTafF aCroSs the u.s. goverNment DeemEd ImPOrtAnt to ouR CoUNTertErRoRism OpeRaTions. in coNTraSt to the Previous aDmiNIstrAtIoNs, there Have essentialLy Been no majoR sPeeChes by SENior counTerterrorism officials anD NationaL seCuritY lawYers in thiS adMinistRatIOn artiCulatiNg the LeGal AND poliCY FrAmeWoRk for U.S. couNTErtErrorIsM opeRations, And the Trump team’s reSPonSe to a statutorY reQuirEMEnT to REpORt oN aNY chANGes to these frameWorks was thIn TO tHe point of bEIng AlMost conTemptuoUs of tHE requirEment. TherE has also bEeN virTUAllY no communiCation frOm the PresIDent oR HiS top oFfiCials eXpLaiNing wHy more OF ouR peopLe are dEpLoyed iNto haRm’S way and lOsing their lives in places Like YeMen, SoMalIa, and the SAheL ThaN in the preViouS eight yearS. OuR paRtnerShiP With tHe UAe In yemEN has cOme uNDer increaSInG scRUTiNy, but the admINIStrAtion Has OFfered No exPlanation for the moST serious allegaTionS. aNd dEspITe thE DEfense DepartmeNt’s DiSCLosures oF sPecific striKes, there HaS Been nO explaNation Of the rePORtED dramaTic sUrgEs and slowDowNs IN the pacE oF U.s. StrikeS in YEmEn and SOmalia.

tHis sTANds in contrast to tHe ObaMA AdminIStrAtion’S cAreful dEVeloPment of fraMeworks for gOverniNg thE targEted kilLiNg progRam, PrOduced in clOSe consultAtion With carEeR couNteRterroRism PROfessIonaLs AcrOss
 protect civilians, acknow ledging ou r res pon sib il ityto m ake ex gratiap ayme nts for the families o f non -c o mbat a nt s kil led ins tr i k es,  c al lin gf or  cons ult ation w ith non-go ver nm ental organi z at ions and o the r experts ou tsi de ofth e U . S. go ver nment  in as s essing  civilian  i m pact,a nd dire c t in g se nior officials to co n vene periodica lly to  r e vi e w  tr end s and poli ci es pe r taining to c i vil i an casualties .

But it’s who lly in ac cur a te tosay t ha t  th e report wa s su perfluous . Ande ven ifs ome inthe Tr ump  ad mini s tr at ion  t r uly be lie v e t hat, the re  w ouldhave b e e n li ttl e do wnsid e to doing on e r epor t  th at ad dress es b ot h the  E.O.and N DA A requirementsandexplainsthe  n uan ce s ofe ach.
Ins tea d, theadminis t rat io n h as  continued its dan ge r o us  slide a way fr o mtr a nsparenc y.  To  bes u re, t he O b am a admini strati o nma de only  f itfulpr ogr ess  towa r d tr anspar ency. Ev en th e  E.O.’s requir e ment is a far cr y fr o m atho rough accou ntin g , br oken do wnb y spe cific  s t ri k e, or at least each  t heater , tha t would allow  the publi c t o draw m orei nf o rmed conclusio ns ab out our op e rations.  Andto be fa ir, the D e f ense Dep art men t h asc o nt inued, even u n d er t he  Trumpadm inistra tio n,toinc re ase trans parencyar ou nd  s pec ifico peration s,  as  w ell  as i t s atte mptsto g et  a n  ac curatea cc o u nt o fci vili anca sualt iesi n I raq and  Syria. B utt here  s ee ms to b e a concerted  e ffort from  t heTrumpa d ministra tion to roll back the t r anspare ncy  agen da t hat bothPre sident  Ob a ma’s t eam an d man ycar e e r sta f f  a cro ss  the U.S.g o ver nment  d eeme d impor tant to our counte r ter rorism operat ion s. I n co ntr a st toth e  pr e v ious administra tions, the re ha ve essenti a lly  b een nomajor s peech e s by se nior coun terterror is m of f i cia ls and nat ional se curity la w yersi nthisadm inistr at ion  arti culati n g t he le gal an dpolicy  fram ew ork forU.S. counterterrorism o perati ons,and  the Trum p t e am’ s respons e to  a statuto ryreq uirem ent to re port on  an y  chan gest o these f r am ewo r k swas thin to t h e p ointofb eing a lmos t contemptuous of the requiremen t. T h e rehas also  b een virtuallynoco m m unicatio nfrom the Pr esidentor his t op off icials  explai n i ng why mo re o f o ur people  ar ed eployed  i nt o  harm’ s wa yand lo sing t h eirl i ves in places li ke Ye m e n, So m ali a, an dthe Sah e l th an in theprevious ei ght ye ars.  Ourpartner sh ip wit h t he  UAE in Ye m en has co me un der inc re asin g s crutin y, b u t  theadmi ni str ation has o ff e re dn o e xpla natio nforthe mosts erious a lle g ations.  A ndd e spitet he D efense Dep art ment’ s disclosure s  ofs pe c ificstrike s, the re hasb een  n o expla nat i o n of thereportedd ram at ic s urges an dslow do wns  i n the pace of U .S. stri kes in Y e m en and  So m alia . 

This  s tands in con trast  t o  the Ob a m a a dminist r ati on’ s c aref uldeve l opment of frameworks for  gov ernin g  th e tar geted  k illing p r ogra m, produ c ed in close c onsultation wit h  ca r eercou n te rt errorismpro f essio nals  ac ross 
 protect_civilians, acknowledging_our responsibility to make_ex gratia_payments_for the_families_of non-combatants killed_in strikes, calling_for consultation with non-governmental_organizations and other_experts_outside of the U.S. government in assessing civilian impact, and directing senior officials to_convene_periodically to_review_trends_and policies pertaining to civilian_casualties.

But it’s wholly inaccurate to_say that_the report was superfluous. And even if some_in_the Trump administration_truly believe that, there would have been little downside_to doing one report that addresses_both the E.O._and_NDAA_requirements and explains the_nuances of each.

Instead, the administration has_continued its dangerous slide away from_transparency. To be sure, the Obama administration_made only fitful progress toward transparency._Even the E.O.’s requirement is_a far_cry from a thorough accounting,_broken down by_specific strike,_or at least_each theater, that would allow the_public to draw_more informed conclusions about our operations._And_to be fair,_the_Defense_Department has_continued, even under_the_Trump administration,_to_increase transparency around specific operations, as_well_as its attempts to get an accurate_account of civilian casualties_in_Iraq and Syria. But_there seems to be a_concerted effort from the Trump administration_to roll_back the_transparency agenda that both President Obama’s team and many career staff_across the U.S. government deemed important_to our counterterrorism operations._In contrast_to_the previous administrations,_there_have essentially_been no major speeches by senior counterterrorism_officials and_national security lawyers in this administration_articulating the legal and_policy_framework for U.S. counterterrorism operations, and_the Trump team’s response to a_statutory requirement to report on_any_changes_to these frameworks was thin_to the point of being almost_contemptuous of the_requirement. There has also been virtually no_communication_from the President or his top_officials_explaining why more of our people_are_deployed_into harm’s way and losing_their lives in places like Yemen,_Somalia, and the Sahel than in the previous eight_years. Our partnership_with the UAE in Yemen_has_come_under increasing scrutiny, but the administration has offered no explanation_for the_most serious allegations._And despite the Defense Department’s disclosures of specific strikes, there_has been no explanation of the reported_dramatic surges and slowdowns in the pace of U.S. strikes in_Yemen and Somalia.

This stands in contrast to the_Obama administration’s careful development of frameworks for_governing the targeted killing_program,_produced in close consultation with career counterterrorism_professionals_across