Armed Conflict
Civilian Harm
313 Articles

The Year(s) of Magical Thinking on Sudan
Three fallacies have dominated -- and damaged-- US diplomacy in the current war and the lead-up to it.

The State Department’s Wrong Decision to Exempt IDF Unit from Leahy Law Ineligibility
Former State Department official critically analyzes State Department's decision to drop Netzah Yehuda unit from Leahy Law sanctions.

Israel’s ‘War on Terror’ and the Legal and Security Imperative to Comply with International Law
Israel should embrace a more targeted counterterrorism strategy that complies with international law and facilitates greater security.

The Just Security Podcast: Assessing the Laws of War
Cordula Droege, chief legal officer and head of the legal division of the International Committee of the Red Cross, assesses the laws of war.

Lithuania Leaving Cluster Munition Ban Undermines Agreement, Threatens Crucial Norms
All Parties to the Convention need to publicly and vocally reaffirm the value and importance of this instrument.

Toward an International Register of Damage for the Occupation of Palestinian Territory
The International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences of the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, finding Israel’s…

Making Russia Pay to Strengthen Ukraine
Collective countermeasures are the effective legal mechanism for Ukraine to restore some balance vis-à-vis Russia.

US Arrests Former Syrian Prison Chief – But Will the Charges Prove Equal to His Crimes?
Prosecutors can do more to hold al-Sheikh fully to account under the Torture Act and the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act.

Since James Foley’s Death, a `Moral Awakening’ in America on Hostages Held Abroad
August 19 will mark 10 years since our son, James W. Foley, an American freelance journalist, was publicly beheaded by ISIS to fuel the violent extremist group’s hate-filled…

Assessing the Civilian and Political Institutions of Armed Non-State Actors under International Law
International law must better understand and account for the realities of civilian life in territory under armed group control.

The State Department’s Civilian Harm Incident Response Guidance: How to Make a Good Thing Better
The State Department's Civilian Harm Incident Response Guidance process is a good start but changes can improve function and transparency.

We Charge Genocide: Redux
What we can name and render cognizable and what we must un-remember and forcefully forget is deeply connected to the numerous atrocities embedded in the international order.