Armed Conflict
Law of Armed Conflict/IHL
1,636 Articles
Treaty Banning Cluster Munitions Turns 10, but Without the US
This November, Switzerland will convene the milestone Second Review Conference for the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Lausanne, but the U.S. is likely to be absent, as usual.
A Threat or A Warning: Russia’s Weapons Testing in Space
Are there rules governing the use of weapons in space? A well-established framework of international law centered on the Outer Space Treaty (OST), to which all major spacefaring…
Can the International Criminal Court Hold the Trump Administration in Contempt?
On June 11, President Donald Trump issued an executive order authorizing the imposition of sanctions targeting International Criminal Court officials. This article assesses the…
Getting Serious About Protecting Health Care in War
After years of indifference to examining whether its rules of engagement and other operational directives and practices contribute to the scourge of violence against health workers,…
DOD’s New Ex Gratia Policy: What’s Right, What’s Wrong, and What’s Next
On June 22, the Department of Defense (DOD) issued an interim policy regulation for providing ex gratia payments to civilians harmed as a result of U.S. military operations. It…
Toward a Consistent and Coherent Ex Gratia Policy for Civilian Casualties
The summer of 2017 was an extended nightmare for the Badrans. Over the course of several weeks, 39 members of Rasha Badran’s family, most of them women and children, were killed…
National Security at the United Nations This Week (July 3-10)
(Editor’s Note: This is the latest in Just Security’s weekly series keeping readers up to date on developments at the United Nations at the intersection of national security,…
It’s Time to Stop the Use of Tear Gas Against Civilians
It was a clear day on June 1 in Washington, DC when thousands of people protesting racial injustice and police brutality, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, congregated…
Trump’s Rationale for Attacking the ICC—Continuity with Bush and Obama’s War on Terrorism
An article by the first Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
As UN Renews Peacekeeping in Mali, Civilian Protection Requires Ongoing Push for Air Assets
The mission is missing critical military helicopters it needs in several locations to carry out its recently expanded mandate.
The United Nations Charter at 75: Between Force and Self-Defense — Part Two
A more complete view of the UN Charter explains why there are no unwritten exceptions to the prohibition of force.
New Developments in ICRC Commentaries to the POW Convention
On Tuesday, June 16 the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) launched its updated Commentary to the Geneva Convention III Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War…