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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.

Civilian HarmIsrael-Hamas WarLaw of Armed Conflict/IHLRussia-UkraineSudanUse of Force
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3,314 Articles
Some US soldiers sit with guns in a trench while additional soldiers walk around their damaged vehicle at the site of a Taliban suicide attack in Kandahar on August 2, 2017.

Afghanistan Papers, the Miniseries, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bombshell

The Washington Post describes the story as uncovering a widespread effort by U.S. officials to “conceal the truth” about the war. A close reading shows that's not the case.
Feb. 5, 2020
An unarmed Trident II D5 missile launches from the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) off the coast of San Diego, California, Sept. 4, 2019.

Pentagon Deployment of New, “More Usable” Nuclear Weapon Is a Grave Mistake

DoD now acknowledges it has deployed a new, sea-based nuclear warhead capability. But the administration’s stated rationale for the new weapon is deeply flawed, and the decision…
Feb. 5, 2020
A female de-miner works to clear mines in Muhamalai, one of the biggest minefields in the world, on March 3, 2019 in Muhamalai, Sri Lanka. A sign with a skull and cross bones reads, “Danger Mines!” in three different languages.

US Should Think Again About Reversing Landmine Policy

The Trump administration announced Friday that the United States will re-start using and producing antipersonnel landmines. The new policy follows the U.S. retreat from multilateralism…
Feb. 4, 2020
Rescue teams work amidst debris after a Ukrainian plane carrying 176 passengers crashed near Imam Khomeini airport in the Iranian capital Tehran early in the morning on January 8, 2020, killing everyone on board.

Human Shielding (by Omission) in Iran

Iran violated its legal obligations to take passive precautions to protect civilians under its control, with the intent that those civilians shield military targets from attack.…
Jan. 31, 2020
Members of the 7th Armoured Brigade, who have recently returned from service on operations in Iraq, march through Parliament Square towards the Houses of Parliament on February 23, 2009 in London.

U.K. Proposes to Limit Accountability for Violations by Armed Forces

The British government is considering an unprecedented and comprehensive package of measures designed to shield both individual members of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of…
Jan. 30, 2020
$100 US Bill

Sudan’s Push for Removal from U.S. Terror List: Not a Panacea

There are ways to achieve the goals Sudan’s pro-democracy forces have set for their country, but it will require multiple, methodical steps by both Sudan and the United States.
Jan. 29, 2020 and
Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi military network set a door ablaze as they try to break into the US embassy building in the capital Baghdad, on December 31, 2019.

After Soleimani Strike, Iran-Backed Militias Threaten Iraq’s Stability: An Explainer

There is a real risk that Iran-backed militias are driving Iraq back towards conflict. And their power is greatly enhanced by their legal status as organs of the Iraqi state.
Jan. 28, 2020
Pins on a Map of Europe and North Africa

Compilation of States’ Reactions to U.S. and Iranian Uses of Force in Iraq in January 2020

A comprehensive guide to every state in the world's reaction to the U.S. operation killing of Qassem Soleimani and to the Iranian military response.
Jan. 22, 2020 and
Trump

How to Think About the Soleimani Strike in Four Questions

Four fundamental questions come to mind in the aftermath of the strike that can and should be debated.
Jan. 17, 2020
Iranians march across a bridge on January 5, 2020 in the northwestern city of Ahvaz to pay homage to top general Qasem Soleimani, after he was killed in a US strike in Baghdad.

Iran’s Leaders Preserve the Republic With a Hybrid of International and Islamic Law

The rhetorical strategy allows them to address the world and Iranians at the same time, while passing on different messages.
Jan. 16, 2020
Trump speaks from the White House on January 08, 2020 in Washington, DC. Pence, Esper and others stand around him.

The President, His Relationship with Intelligence, and the Soleimani Strike

When it comes to intelligence, like with so much else, President Donald Trump likes big names. It’s this focus on celebrity, headlines, and immediate gratification -- versus …
Jan. 15, 2020
Marik String on July 24 2019 at a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing.

What the State Department Legal Adviser Promised Congress on Iran

Will Mr. Marik String keep his word?
Jan. 14, 2020
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