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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.

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3,544 Articles
Iranians gather around a vehicle carrying the coffins of slain major general Qassem Soleimani and others, as they pay homage in the northeastern city of Mashhad on January 5, 2020.

The Targeted Killing of General Soleimani: Its Lawfulness and Why It Matters

Analyzing the killing of Soleimani from an international law standpoint matters a great deal. Reasserting the primacy of international law in such times of crisis is a solemn and…
Jan. 8, 2020
Side by side images of the remnants of the U.S. airstrike still on fire that killed Soleimani and al-Muhandis on Jan. 3, 2020 outside the Baghdad International Airport and the strike in the dark sky.

Iran’s Unlawful Reprisal (and Ours)

"By Iran’s own standard, last night’s operation was unlawful." So was the US strike on Soleimani. Time to stop this cycle of unilateral illegal acts.
Jan. 8, 2020
silhouette and target

Soleimani Strike Marks a Novel Shift in Targeted Killing, Dangerous to the Global Order

"President Donald Trump’s decision to target Soleimani ... brings the signature technique of the so-called 'war on terror' – the targeted killing of individuals outside any…
Jan. 7, 2020
Two soldiers work together on a radio-in-a-box training between U.S. Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Soldiers with Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force and an Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) PSYOP team on Feb. 10, 2019, in Baghdad.

Trump’s Fatal Mistake: Killing Soleimani vs. Countering ISIS

The fight against ISIS is on hold. It’s unclear how exactly it will ever resume. An article by Luke Hartig, former Senior Director for Counterterrorism at National Security Council,…
Jan. 6, 2020
Heavy smoke billows following an airstrike on the western frontline of Raqa on July 17, 2017, during an offensive by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a majority Kurdish and Arab alliance, to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters.

Civilian Casualties: A Case for U.S. Condolence Payments in Syria

The U.S. military acknowledges it unintentionally killed 40 civilians in a 2017 air strike, but rejects appeals to help those who survived.
Jan. 6, 2020
Side by side photos of a Congressional document labeled, “H.J. Res. 542” and the remnants of the U.S. airstrike still on fire that killed Soleimani and al-Muhandis on Jan. 3, 2020 outside the Baghdad International Airport.

The Soleimani Strike and War Powers

Key Legal Questions, With Preview of a New Research Database
Jan. 6, 2020
Side by side photos of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and remnants of the U.S. airstrike still on fire that killed Soleimani and al-Muhandis on Jan. 3, 2020 outside the Baghdad International Airport.

United States Killed Iraqi Military Official and Iraqi Military Personnel in the Two Recent Attacks

"If these dimensions of the unfolding events are not properly understood by U.S. decision makers and the media, the currently highly volatile situation—between the United States,…
Jan. 5, 2020
The Pentagon logo and an American flag are lit up in the briefing room of Pentagon in Arlington, VA.

The Missing Assistant Secretary of Defense and the Soleimani Strike

Government officials will be working around the clock in the coming days to keep Americans safe and manage the fallout. It’s highly unfortunate that one critical voice will be…
Jan. 3, 2020
A Syrian Kurdish woman flashes the v-sign during a demonstration against Turkish threats in Ras al-Ain town in Syria's Hasakeh province near the Turkish border on October 9, 2019.

Men as Partners for Women, Peace and Security: Vital Lessons

Looking at the failure of male-dominated conflict resolution processes from Afghanistan and South Sudan to Venezuela and Burma, the meaningful engagement of women in international…
Jan. 3, 2020
President Trump, Vice President Pence, and National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster have lunch with Service Members on July 18, 2017.

The Generals Aren’t the Problem; An Ill-Informed Commander-in-Chief Is

Peter Bergen's new book shows how Trump sows divisions in the armed forces and undercuts the military ethos for inclusive decision-making.
Jan. 2, 2020
Turkish soldiers drive American-made M60 tanks in the town of Tukhar, north of Syria's northern city of Manbij, on October 14, 2019, as Turkey and its allies continue their assault on Kurdish-held border towns in northeastern Syria.

The Inevitable Day of Reckoning in Syria

President Trump's decision to disengage with the YPG and ultimately side with Turkey was rash and immoral, yet fundamentally inevitable.
Dec. 23, 2019
A banner calling for the release of Austin Tice, an American journalist held captive in Syria, is displayed at the Newseum in Washington, DC on November 2, 2016. The sign reads, “Held captive for being a journalist since August 2012.” And “#FreeAustinTice”

Taking Stock at 40: The UN Convention Against the Taking of Hostages

A product of its time, the Convention emphasized preventing future terrorist attacks by punishing perpetrators. But now, several decades later, it’s clear that stopping hostage…
Dec. 20, 2019
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