Armed Conflict
Use of Force
822 Articles

What Was the International Legal Basis for the Strike on al-Zawahiri?
Serious questions need to be addressed in order to establish that both the killing of Zawahiri, and the use of force against Afghanistan, were not violations of international law.

Top Experts Raise Questions Regarding Legal Basis of Zawahiri Strike
A note from co-editors-in-chief Tess Bridgeman and Ryan Goodman: Although Just Security is on hiatus this week, we wanted to be sure to examine and reflect on the U.S. airstrike…

In Support of Sunsets: Easy Yes Votes on AUMF Reform
Congress and the Biden administration should support inclusion of a reauthorization requirement in any new authorization for use of military force.

Russia Should Not be Designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism
An analysis of why designating Russia a state sponsor of terrorism could harm the interests of the Ukrainian government and the people of Ukraine.

Визначення геноциду та Україна: запитання та відповіді з колишнім послом Тоддом Бухвальдом
Як уряди повинні визначати, коли має місце геноцид, і які правові та політичні наслідки?

Genocide Determinations and Ukraine: A Q&A with Fmr. Ambassador Todd Buchwald
Former U.S. Amb. for Global Criminal Justice explains the legal and policy considerations for determining a genocide has occurred (or is underway) and examines the potential consequences.

A Memory of Solferino
Reviewing Hugo Slim, Solferino 21: Warfare, Civilians and Humanitarians in the Twenty-First Century (London: Hurst & Company, 2022). Amid the brutal siege, costing the lives…

Toward a Better Accounting of the Human Toll in Putin’s War of Aggression
With the war entering its fourth month, the United Nations and others should address the killing of Ukrainian soldiers as well as Russian conscripts who Putin has effectively sent…

Using the 1933 Soviet Definition of Aggression to Condemn Russia Today
Putin has tried to reinterpret or delegitimize "aggression" to permit his attack on Ukraine – but the very definition of aggression, and its prohibition, can be traced to a pre-WWII…

Використання радянського визначення агресії 1933 року для засудження Росії сьогодні
"Що саме кваліфікується як злочин агресії, поки не зовсім зрозуміло, але ніхто, хто є свідком російського…

Still at War: The United States in Iraq
There are both benefits and risks to maintaining a U.S. military presence in Iraq.

Biden’s New Counterterrorism Policy in Somalia: Cautions and Unknowns
More information is needed to assess the strategic and legal basis for redeploying U.S. troops to Somalia.