Armed Conflict

Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on the legal, policy, and strategic dimensions of armed conflict, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, counterterrorism operations, conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, and other armed conflicts across the globe, with a focus on international humanitarian law, war crimes and accountability, mitigating and remedying civilian harm, and the humanitarian impacts of warfare.

× Clear Filters
3,526 Articles
Former chief prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz addresses guests during the inauguration of the new information and documentation center "Memorial Nuremberg Trials", in Nuremberg, southern Germany, on November 21, 2010.

Nuremberg Prosecutor says Guantanamo Military Commissions Don’t Measure Up

In an upcoming filing, the last living Nuremberg prosecutor, Benjamin B. Ferencz, says there is "very limited comparison" between the Guantanamo military commissions and the Nuremberg…
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets US President Joe Biden with a handshake during the US - Russia Summit 2021 at the La Grange Villa near the Geneva Lake, on June, 16, 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland.

International Law’s Role in Combating Ransomware?

International law has an important role to play in cyberspace, but with regard to the ostensible rules of sovereignty and cyber due diligence, the United States should continue…
Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants crowd into the Herat Kabul Internet cafe to apply for the SIV program on August 8, 2021 in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The United States Is the Only Place for Afghan Allies, Not Foreign Bases

As the US scrambles to evacuate its allies, sending them to third countries risks leaving them in limbo without needed resources.
Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants crowd into the Herat Kabul Internet cafe applying for the SIV program on August 8, 2021 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Someone holds a small sign to the camera reading, “To the attention of Janus/Sterling Former employees! For SIV and HR letter your queries please email to below emails address: [redacted emails] Avoid coming to our office! We cannot help you! Do not waste your time.”

Abandoning Afghan Allies: The Latest Chapter in Shameful History of US in Afghanistan

Existing US refugee and SIV programs are insufficient for Afghan refugee crisis. The US must massively expand programs to bring Afghans to safety.
US Army soldiers from 4th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade, 2 - 12 Infantry Regiment, Dagger Company question a family in the predawn hours during Operation Lethal Storm September 8, 2009 in Kharowa, Afghanistan.

What Went Wrong: Two New Books Get It Right on Afghanistan

The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan’s Pech Valley by Wesley Morgan and Zero-Sum Victory: What We’re Getting Wrong About War by Christopher Kolenda…
A "Camp Justice" sign at Guantanamo Bay. Four poles waive flags behind the sign.

Course Correction Still Needed on Anti-Torture Obligations

The prohibition on torture is absolute. The government’s commitment to upholding it must be too.
An Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier stands next to a damaged helicopter which was shot down by the Taliban near the hydroelectric Kajaki Dam in Kajaki, northeast of Helmand Province.

Running Out of Time – Do Not Leave Afghan Allies Behind

An Afghan interpreter shares the terror of being targeted by the Taliban, and urges swift evacuations.
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-NJ) speaks during at a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing on US Policy in the Middle East on Capitol Hill on September 24, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Questions for Senators to Ask the Biden Administration at AUMF Hearing

Former State Department lawyer who knows all the ins and outs of authorizations for use of military force offers up questions for Congress to ask witnesses on Tuesday.
A member of the US Air Force looks on near a Patriot missile battery at the Prince Sultan air base in Al-Kharj, in central Saudi Arabia on February 20, 2020.

The Top US Diplomat on Arms Control Commits to `Values-Based Security Partnerships’ — Here’s How to Do That

For too long, America’s security cooperation has prioritized short-term, tactical goals over longer-term diplomatic and human rights aims.
Bosnian Muslim women, family members of victims of Srebrenica 1995 massacre, gather prior to the burial ceremony of caskets with body remains of their relatives at the memorial cemetery in village of Potocari, near Eastern-Bosnian town of Srebrenica, on July 11, 2021.

Deceptive Report Escalates Srebrenica Genocide Denial Campaign

It now becomes a permanent part of the brazen refusal by Bosnia's Serb authorities to own up to the atrocities committed in their name.
Members of the Amhara militia, that combat alongside federal and regional forces against northern region of Tigray, ride on the back of a pick up truck in the city of Gondar, on 08 November 2020.

Famine in Tigray, Humanitarian Access, and the War Crime of Starvation

The siege of Tigray has deprived civilians of critical aid - is it a war crime?
Afghan Taliban militants with large guns and villagers attend a gathering as they celebrate the peace deal and their victory in the Afghan conflict on US in Afghanistan, in Alingar district of Laghman Province on March 2, 2020.

Taliban Ascendance in Afghanistan Risks Return of Global Terrorist Hub

Walking in the Trump administration’s footsteps, the Biden team is making several miscalculations about the Taliban, which will undermine the U.S. ability to protect its counterterrorism…
1-12 of 3,526 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: