#legitimacy

#legitimacy

OPINION - The global terrorism landscape in 2026 - the 25 th anniversary year of the 9/11 terrorism attacks - is more uncertain, hybridized, and combustible than at any point since 9/11. Framing a sound U.S. counterterrorism strategy - especially in the second year of a Trump administration - will require more than isolated strikes against ISIS in Nigeria, punitive counterterrorism operations in Syria, or a tougher rhetorical posture.

Force doesn't equal legitimacy By declaring its intent to govern Venezuela, the United States is creating a governance trap of its own making - one in which external force is mistakenly treated as a substitute for domestic legitimacy. I write as a scholar of international security, civil wars and U.S. foreign policy, and as author of " Dying by the Sword," which examines why states repeatedly reach for military solutions, and why such interventions rarely produce durable peace.

The justices of the US supreme court even its conservatives have traditionally valued their institution's own standing. John Roberts, the current US chief justice, has always been praised even by liberals as a staunch advocate of the court's image as a neutral arbiter. For decades, Americans believed the court soared above the fray of partisan contestation. No more. In Donald Trump's second term, the supreme court's conservative supermajority has seized the opportunity to empower the nation's chief executive.

While many types of professionals facilitate willing compliance through attention, respectful communication, and active listening, judges are unique examples of how positive communication influences perceived fairness as they analyze the behavior of parties appearing in court, as well as the use of power by others, including a wide variety of actors, delivering court rulings and resolving disputes to ensure that justice is done.