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.
3,544 Articles
A Drop in the Ocean: A Preliminary Assessment of the Koblenz Trial on Syrian Torture
April 23 marks one year since the start of the Syrian torture trial in Koblenz, Germany. It has already offered some preliminary lessons for future “universal jurisdiction”…
Biden Team’s Litigation Tactics on Guantanamo Undercut Biden Policy to Close the Prison
The administration's new moves before Supreme Court raise questions about whether it will more broadly decline to use straightforward tools to close Guantanamo and end indefinite…
SolarWinds: Accountability, Attribution, and Advancing the Ball
Assessing the United States' actions on SolarWinds and what it means for global responses to malicious cyber activities in future.
Team of Legal Gladiators? Iraqi Militias’ Tortured Relationship with Law
The country's Iran-backed militias are not law-abiding, but they know Iraqis care about rule of law and have adopted the law as a battlespace.
National Security Last Week at the United Nations (April 2-9)
United States Lifts Sanctions Against ICC Officials On April 2, President Joe Biden reversed one of former President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which imposed sanctions…
Overlooking the Policy Connections: Fragility, Democracy, and Geopolitical Competition
To reinforce global democracy and compete with rivals, the US must prevent conflict and stabilize fragile states. The issues are intertwined.
National Security Last Week at the United Nations (March 26 – April 2)
EU, UN Conduct Brussels V Pledging Conference on Syria Crisis; Secretary of State Blinken Urges Security Council to Increase Humanitarian Access in Syria On March 29-30, the European…
Renouncing Reprisals: An Opportunity for the Biden Administration
The United States claims the legal right to attack civilians and objects indispensable to their survival in certain situations. Biden can reverse that, and an opportunity to do…
Amid Palestinian Election Plans, Time to Challenge Hamas?
A new approach to longstanding Quartet conditions for recognizing any Palestinian government might incentivize Hamas to move away from violence.
Opportunity Missed: New Zealand Defense Force’s Order on Civilian Harm in Wartime
On Feb. 11, 2021, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced new rules on responding to civilian harm. Defence Force Order 35 (DFO 35) introduces NZDF-wide procedures for responding…
On Functional Immunity of Foreign Officials and Crimes under International Law
Landmark judgment by Germany’s top criminal court on foreign officials' lack of immunity in war crimes trials. Analysis by renowned scholar, Professor Claus Kress.
UN Human Rights Council Outlines Sri Lanka Abuses, But Demurs on Action
It’s not the robust independent mechanism victims campaigned for, or the referral to the ICC that they deserve, but it is a potential path to justice.