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.
3,583 Articles
BREAKING: Sri Lankan Presidential Hopeful Sued in Federal Court for Human Rights Violations
Gotabaya Rajapaksa was sued in federal court in the Central District of California by a Canadian citizen who alleges he was detained and tortured from 2007-2010 by the Terrorism…
The Limited War Powers Precedent of the Korean “Police Action”
In a recent piece in the Washington Post, Professor Mary Dudziak drew attention to the Executive Branch’s continued reliance upon President Truman’s police action on the Korean…
Beyond Sanctioning Elusive War Criminals, Prosecute the Profiteers
Bidibidi is the world’s second-largest refugee camp. A sea of tents and huts spilling into Uganda from its northern border, the settlement now hosts more than a quarter million…
The Golan Heights and the Perils of “Defensive Annexation”
Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights departs from the bedrock legal prohibition of unilateral annexation: transgressing this norm could create dangerous…
Costs of War Can’t Be Assessed Without Official Civilian Casualty Estimates
A response to Maj. General Charles Dunlap and others who argue that tracking civilian casualties is like tallying "body counts" in Vietnam.
An Insider’s View of the Life-Cycle of Self-Defense Reports by U.N. Member States
Important essay by Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Legal Adviser of the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations, written in his personal capacity.
Diverging State views…
The Mattis Transgender Policy Will Go Into Effect Next Friday
Last Tuesday, in response to a government motion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit altered its previous schedule and ordered the Clerk to issue the…
National Security at the United Nations This Week
Editors’ Note: This is the latest in Just Security’s weekly series keeping readers up to date on developments at the United Nations at the intersection of national security,…
The U.S. Must Forcefully Oppose Blanket Amnesty for Civil War Atrocities in Guatemala
“All the people have disappeared.” So reads a declassified cable from the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, dated Dec. 28, 1982. The subject was an incident that occurred just…
Domestic Courts Step Up: Justice for Syria One Case at a Time
Further to Ryan Goodman’s recent post on the United States’ welcome support for the German request for the extradition of a high-level Syrian suspect, I have just finished…
Less Transparency Won’t Fix a Lack of Transparency: A Response to Gen. Dunlap on Civilian Casualty Reporting Requirements
"Dunlap’s perspective is a valuable one, and a robust debate on the parameters of transparency around U.S. counterterrorism operations is warranted. But mischaracterizing the…
Legal Explainer: German Court Reins in Support for U.S. Drone Strikes
Unpacking the legal issues discussed in this major decision by German court.