Welcome to Talking Feds, a roundtable that brings together prominent former federal officials

for a dynamic discussion of the most important legal topics of the day.

The tumult of the Trump impeachment has distracted from what in more normal times would be huge

stories framing burning questions, and we turn to one such question today.

It's deeply important in itself raising grave issues of war and peace, and it's also deeply

important for what it means in constitutional law terms for the separation of powers between

the President and the Congress, and the President and Congress's shared war powers.

Namely, the United States killing of Kassim Soleimani, considered at the time of his death,

the second most powerful person, state official in Iran, behind only Ayatollah Hamani, whom

he served as basically his right-hand man.

So as we delve into these questions, it's not crazy to have in mind a missile strike

from, say, Russia that targets and kills Vice President Pence.

How would the country consider it and react to it?

And to unpack and analyze this surpassingly important issue.

We have a fantastic panel of experts about both this episode and the war powers in general.

They are all first-time visitors to talking feds.

We are very grateful for each of them.

Starting with Jack Goldsmith.

Jack's the Henry L. Shaddock Professor of Law at Harvard University Law School.

He's the author of many essential books, casebooks, and articles on terrorism, national security,

internet law, and more.

I highly recommend in particular his seminal, the terror presidency law and judgment inside

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