104 weeks ago today, we launched Just Security with the hope that it would “become a ready resource for decision-makers, analysts, and practitioners who address difficult U.S. national security law issues, and an invaluable reference for those simply trying to stay abreast of the daily developments in this ever-moving field.” As we celebrate our second birthday both on the blog and in person (with today’s “Going Dark” event at Georgetown University Law Center), I hope our readers share my own view, which is that we’ve more than succeeded in meeting both of those goals–and then some. From our social media presence to our special events, from the contributions of our truly world-class editorial board to our wide array of guest posts and letters to the editor, I like to think that Just Security has become far more than another blog–indeed, that we’ve not only been an invaluable forum for the most important conversations in contemporary U.S. national security law and policy, but that we’ve helped to shape those conversations, as well.
But none of this would have been possible without two groups of individuals: The first is you, our readers, who continue not only to consume our content at a remarkably high rate but also to interact with us, to respond, and to push us to broaden and diversify our horizons. I cannot thank you enough for your continuing interest in Just Security, and I cannot encourage you enough to continue to push us to do more, and do better, whether through offline e-mails, letters to the editor, or Facebook or Twitter engagement.
The second is our staff. That begins, of course, with our editorial board, which is responsible for the lion’s share of our content, and every member of which contributes to Just Security on their own time and their own nickel. But the unsung heroes of our enterprise are the Just Security staffers behind the curtain–Lauren Doney, Megan Graham, Nadia O’Mara, John Reed, and Audrey Watne–who (at times literally) keep the blog running, the best efforts of the editorial board to the contrary notwithstanding.
And so as much as I hope folks will take the opportunity today to join with us in celebrating our second birthday, I hope you’ll also join me in being thankful for and grateful to the people who make Just Security possible. We’ve come further in two years than I had ever thought possible–and with folks like this on our team, I’m tremendously excited for what the next two years (and beyond) have to offer.