National Security Law Today

Iran’s Cyber Front: Where Digital and Physical War Converge with Matt Suiche

As the conflict with Iran evolves, cyber capabilities are proving just as consequential as traditional military force. This week, Elisa sits down with Matt Suiche, founder of OnDB and a former hacker, to examine how cyber operations shape intelligence gathering, targeting, and real-time decision-making in modern conflict. Together, they explore the vulnerabilities of AI systems, the physical risks to critical infrastructure like data centers and undersea cables, and what these emerging threats reveal about the limits of technology in high-stakes warfare.Matt Suiche is a cybersecurity researcher and founder of OnDB Inc., a data infrastructure startup for the agentic economy.References:NSLT Episode: Elemental Power: Mining, Markets, and the Critical Minerals Challenge with Tommy Beaudreau (Part 1). Feb 18 2025NSLT Episode: Seabed Mining as a National Security Threat: The Laws of the Sea with Matt Dianni (Part 1). Jan. 13 2022NSLT Episode: Profiting from Polarization: The Economics of America’s Culture War. Nov. 26 2025The New York Times. "Meta and YouTube Found Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial." 25 Mar. 2026

The Hormuz Chokepoint: Iran’s Broader Strategy at Work with Alamdar Hamdani

As tensions in the Strait of Hormuz disrupt global markets, they reflect a broader set of unconventional strategies Iran has deployed for decades. This week, Elisa sits down with Alamdar Hamdani, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas and current partner at Bracewell, to examine how Iran leverages asymmetric tactics—from cyber operations and proxy forces to sanctions evasion and maritime disruption. Together, they explore how these strategies intersect with U.S. national security law, energy markets, and the evolving role of lawyers navigating global instability.Alamdar Hamdani is a partner at Bracewell LLP and previously served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of TexasReferences:The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)The Material Support StatuteThe Export Administration Regulations (EAR) OverviewThe International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) Overview"Justice Department Files Action to Protect National Security by Enforcing President’s Order of Chinese Company’s Divestment from U.S. Company." Office of Public Affairs, 10 Feb. 2026NSLT Episode, "Held as Leverage: Iran, Hostage Diplomacy, and the Fight for Release with Kieran Ramsey" March 18 2026.NSLT Episode, "From Pipelines to Prisoners: Security in the Energy Sector with Kieran Ramsey (Part 1)" June 4 2025NSLT Episode, "The Lawless Secrecy of International Shipping with Matthew Campbell (Part 1)" June 23 2022Campbell, Matthew, and Kit Chellel. Dead in the Water: A True Story of Hijacking, Murder, and a Global Maritime Conspiracy. Penguin Random House, 2022

Held as Leverage: Iran, Hostage Diplomacy, and the Fight for Release with Kieran Ramsey

As tensions with Iran persist, the issue of wrongful detention remains a critical but often overlooked national security concern. This week, Elisa sits down with Kieran Ramsey, former Director of the FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and current Chief Investigative Officer at Global Reach, to examine how countries like Iran use arbitrary detention—and how these cases are tracked and challenged on the global stage. The episode also includes audio from our recent luncheon with journalist Jason Rezaian, who recounts his 544 days of detention in Tehran’s Evin Prison and reflects on how his experience intersects with law, diplomacy, and the human cost of these high-stakes cases. Kieran Ramsey is Chief Investigative Officer at Global Reach, a private company that deals with individuals wrongfully held or taken hostage around the world. References: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) The UN Working Group on Arbitrary DetentionE.O. 14248, Strengthening Efforts to Protect U.S. Nationals from Wrongful Detention AbroadRezaian, Jason. Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison. HarperCollins, 2019

Russia’s War of Attrition: Massive Losses and Tiny Gains with Seth Jones

Four years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war has become a slow-moving conflict defined by massive losses and limited gains on the battlefield. This week, Elisa sits down with Seth Jones, President of the Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss findings from his latest report, Russia’s Grinding War: Massive Losses and Tiny Gains for a Declining Power. Together they examine Russia’s staggering casualty numbers, the slow pace of its advance, and what these trends reveal about Russia’s long-term economic and geopolitical trajectory.Seth Jones is President of the Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)References:Report: Jones, Seth G., and Riley McCabe. Russia’s Grinding War in Ukraine: Massive Losses and Tiny Gains for a Declining Power. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 27 Jan. 2026.VideoCast: Are Russia and Ukraine Headed to 2 Million Casualties? CSIS. Jan. 30 2026Stanford University's Global AI Vibrancy ToolThe Warsaw Pact, 1955

The Anthropic Dispute: Government Authority in the Age of AI with Alan Rozenshtein

A standoff between the Pentagon and one of the world’s leading AI companies is raising new questions about the limits of government authority. This week, Elisa sits down with Alan Rozenshtein, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota and Research Director at Lawfare, to unpack the dispute between the Department of War and Anthropic over the use of advanced AI tools. Together, they explore whether existing law can compel technology companies to cooperate with national security demands and what the Defense Production Act might mean in the age of artificial intelligence.Alan Rozenshteinis an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota and Research Director at LawfareReferences:Endrias, Michael, and Alan Z. Rozenshtein. “Pentagon’s Anthropic Designation Won’t Survive First Contact with Legal System.” Lawfare, 2 Mar. 2026.The Defense Production ActDoD Directive 3000.09, “Autonomy in Weapon Systems,” November 21, 2012E.O. 14365, "Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence"10 US Code 3252IEEPANSLT, Ep. 392, "Empire AI: OpenAI’s Rise and the Race for Global Power with Karen Hao"NSLT, Ep. 399, "Crash, Bailout, or Breakthrough? The Future of America’s AI Bet"