The "Bloody Valentine" Edition

<p>This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined by their <em>Lawfare</em> colleague Dominic Bustillos! They talked through some of the week's biggest national security news, including:</p><ul><li>“Giving Chicken Kiev New Meaning.” The showdown over Ukraine may be headed to a dangerous climax this week, and it’s not clear who, if anyone, is going to blink. What do we make of the Biden administration’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/02/14/white-house-prepares-russian-invasion/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">strategy thus far</a>, which has ruled out military involvement in favor of economic sanctions and has focused on exposing Russian misinformation?&nbsp;</li><li>“Legitimate Political Discord.” The Republican National Committee’s sanction of Reps. Cheney and Kinzinger for their participation in the Jan. 6 committee has triggered a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/02/08/gop-legitimate-political-discourse/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rare backlash</a> among many Republicans, leading chairperson Ronna McDaniel scrambling to explain the RNC’s assertion that the events of Jan. 6 were “legitimate political discourse.” Is this a sign of the strength of Trumpism’s hold on the Republican party, its limits, or both?&nbsp;</li><li>“I’ve Got 230 Problems and This Fix Is One.” The Senate Judiciary Committee recently advanced <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/10/senators-earn-it-privacy-children-safety/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the revived EARN IT Act</a>, a proposal that would limit Section 230 liability protections for online social media platforms in order to combat child sexual abuse material. But does the Act risk infringing on legitimate speech too much, as many advocates maintain?</li></ul><p>For object lessons, Alan recommended a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rainmaker-Rainstick-Sensory-Auditory-Instrument/dp/B07W9K7YZF/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=36I705WRIOGM7&amp;keywords=rain+stick+toy+baby&amp