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John B. Bellinger III

Adjunct Senior Fellow for International and National Security Law

Expertise

International law and international criminal justice; international humanitarian law and human rights law; international tribunals, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court; treaty law and treaties, including the U.N. Law of the Sea Convention; foreign sovereign immunity and official immunities; international and domestic law applicable to use of force and counterterrorism operations, including detention and prosecution policies; intelligence law and covert action; espionage statutes; U.S. national security organization and process; U.S. national security statutes; foreign investment in the United States, Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Programs

National Security and Defense Program

Featured Publications

All Publications

Op-Ed

Obama’s Weakness on Treaties

Author: John B. Bellinger III
New York Times

John B. Bellinger III says, "Over the last 230 years, the Senate has approved more than 1,500 treaties. In 2013, Mr. Obama must demonstrate leadership by putting greater effort in securing Senate approval of essential treaties that advance American interests, including the Law of the Sea Convention."

See more in United States, Treaties, Presidency

Op-Ed

Providing a Legal Basis to Attack Iran

Authors: Jeffrey H. Smith and John B. Bellinger III
Washington Post

Jeffrey H. Smith and John B. Bellinger III say that because a nuclear-armed Iran is a real threat to the United States, the president does have reason to argue for his constitutional authority to use force against Iran, but legislative approval would give him stronger legal and political ground to do so.

See more in United States, Iran, International Law, Presidency

Testimony

The Law of the Sea Convention

Author: John B. Bellinger III

In his testimony before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, John Bellinger agues that the Law of the Sea Convention is beneficial to the United States military, especially during a time of armed conflict, because it provides clear treaty-based navigational rights for our Navy, Coast Guard, and aircraft.

See more in United States, Treaties