Armed Conflict • International Law
Law of Armed Conflict/IHL
1,649 Articles
We Treat America’s Wartime Detainees Better Than Migrant Children
Migrant children held in temporary government custody should be detained in conditions superior to those of enemy fighters detained during wartime. Today, it appears they are not.…
Self-Defense in International Law: What Level of Evidence?
With the question of whether Iran's actions justify the use of force, the issue of evidence is once again at the forefront of international debate. So, how much evidence does a…
U.K. Court Nixes Saudi Arms Sales–What it Means for the US and Other EU Countries
The court ruled, in essence, that in making decisions on arms sales, the U.K. government could no longer ignore uncomfortable facts. The result also could provide guidance to other…
Tom Lantos Commission: Enhancing U.S. Ability to Pursue Accountability for Atrocities
I had the honor of testifying last week before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at a hearing devoted to “Pursuing Accountability for Atrocities.” My written testimony…
Defense Policy Bill Should Require Reporting of Ex Gratia Payments
Without mandatory reporting on condolence payments in the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress—and the public—may remain in the dark about whether and how the Defense…
What’s In the New Draft National Defense Authorization Act
"The baseline draft bill, which is also called the chairman’s mark, touches on key issues ranging from the militarization of the southern border to deterring Russia and reemphasizing…
Focusing on Armed Non-State Actors: Protecting Education in Armed Conflict
While States have formal opportunities to commit themselves to the protection of schools, ANSAs do not, even though it is crucial to acknowledge the role they play in education…
Cooking the WMD Books: Politicizing the 2019 State Department Compliance Report
"I know. I used to work in State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance and then in the Office of the Under Secretary responsible for this report.…
The Malvinas as a Post-Bellum Case Study: From Decolonization to the Memory of the Departed
After the International Court of Justice's Chagos opinion, the right to self-determination remains contested. But Malvinas is also a model for post-bellum diplomacy. What does…
A Critique of Defense Dept General Counsel Ney’s Remarks on the Law of War
"The law of war applies equally to U.S. forces and to ISIS, to Syria and to Russia. We should keep that in mind when we hear Ney recite Lieber’s dictum, 'The more vigorously…
When War Comes to School
Editor’s Note: Displayed throughout this piece, photos by UNICEF-commissioned photographer Marko Kokic tell the personal stories of children whose schools have been attacked…
A Step in the Right Direction: Militaries Changing Policies to Stop Using Schools
A fragile piece of papyrus dug up in Egypt in the 1970s shows that people have been struggling with the question of where soldiers should be quartered for thousands of years. The…