Robert Bobby Chesney speaks at Chapman University Fowler School of Law
“If you say the war is over does it really make a difference?” Robert ‘Bobby’ Chesney said during the
Chapman University Dialogue series on Monday, January 27, 2014
. Chesney visited Chapman’s Dale E. Fowler School of Law to discuss “The Surprisingly Slim Legal Significance of the Armed-Conflict Model of Counterterrorism.” In this week’s State of the Union Address, President Obama predicted that the war will end in 2014; Chesney asks “what will our lingering presence be?”

Chesney’s presentation was largely focused on the facts and analysis listed in a forthcoming scholarly article and his blog
www.lawfareblog.com
, including military detention, the use of lethal force, civilian criminal prosecution in terrorism-related cases, civil litigation involving the state secrets privilege, and the convergence of functions across the military and the Intelligence Community. His presentation included information on what is likely to happen when the war ends with respect to a drawdown period and the fragmentation of al Qaeda (
read more about these topics in his blog
). He also discussed the impact on detention, what will happen to detainees, and the impact of lethal force. Fowler Law Professor Larry Rosenthal moderated the talk.

The first Chapman Dialogue of the spring semester was well attended by the law school faculty, staff and students. Dean Chesney’s talk was followed by a spirited Q&A session with responses coming from Chesney and Rosenthal. At the end of the event, the audience noted Chesney’s impressive presentation skills and thoughtful analysis. Chapman University Fowler School of Law is delighted that Dean Chesney made the time to come and speak in our esteemed Dialogues series.

q-and-a2-2


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About Robert ‘Bobby’ Chesney


Bobby Chesney is the Charles I. Francis Professor in Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas School of Law. He is the co-founder and contributor to
www.lawfareblog.com
, a blog featuring analysis of law and national security. He graduated magna cum laude with his B.S. in Political Science and Psychology from Texas Christian University. He also graduated magna cum laude with his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Follow Dean Chesney on Twitter
@bobbychesney