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
On the Precipice: The U.S. and Russia in Syria
A Russian air force Su-30 fighter jet in Syria. The United States and Russia have entered a new and dangerous moment. On Sunday, a U.S. fighter jet shot down a Syrian warplane.…
U.S. Law of War and Israeli Occupation: Why Enforcing International Norms in the Middle East Matters to the U.S.
Donald Trump used his first international trip as president to visit three of the holiest sites of the world’s three major monotheistic religions. He also used the trip to signal…
Exclusive: White House Officials Push For Widening War in Syria Over Pentagon Objections
A pair of top White House officials is pushing to broaden the war in Syria, viewing it as an opportunity to confront Iran and its proxy forces on the ground there, according to…
Regional Leaders Must Prioritize Accountability in South Sudan
East African heads of state and foreign ministers gathered in Ethiopia on June 12 to address the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis in South Sudan. While the discussion centered…
About that “Deconfliction Zone” in Syria: Is the United States on Firm Domestic and International Legal Footing?
The U.S. military has at least three times in recent weeks engaged in hostilities against pro-Syrian regime forces near the At Tanf garrison in southern Syria and shot down a pro-regime…
U.S. Secrecy and Transparency in the Use of Lethal Force
Much of the news in the first few months of the Trump administration has been dominated by the Russia scandal, James Comey, and the President’s Twitter feed. Falling below…
Defense Industry Campaign Contributions Threaten to Influence Senate Vote on Saudi Arms Deal
American democracy is shackled by the influence of money in politics. One of the arenas where the problem manifests itself most acutely is in Congress on questions of defense industry…
Army Chief is Fired in South Sudan: A Turning Point for Peace?
South Sudan President Salva Kiir surprised both South Sudanese citizens and regional analysts by firing Army Chief of Staff Paul Malong — arguably the most divisive public figure…
Yemeni Human Rights Activist Radhya Al-Mutawakel’s Speech to the UN Security Council
Yesterday, leading human rights defender Radhya Almutawakel, the Chairperson of the Yemeni NGO, Mwatana Organization for Human Rights, briefed the UN Security Council on the war…
The UAE’s Military and Naval Reliance on Eritrea Makes the War in Yemen Even Riskier for the U.S.
The Saudi-led coalition’s near three-year conflict in Yemen appears to be converging on the Houthi-controlled city of Hodeidah. Foreign diplomats, international humanitarian…
New Atrocities Prevention & Response Legislation Introduced
I posted earlier about a new bipartisan bill to advance accountability in Syria: the Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017 (current status is here). Two additional pieces…
Imminence and Self-Defense Against Non-State Actors: Australia Weighs In
Australia’s Attorney-General, the Hon. George Brandis QC, recently presented his government’s legal position on the use of force in national self-defense. The text of his speech…