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An elderly man pushes a cart in front of destroyed buildings leveled by Russian missile strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Wrecked materials, as well as a car, surround the man.

Justice for the Crime of Aggression Today, Deterrence for the Aggressive Wars of Tomorrow: A Ukrainian Perspective

Accountability for the crime of aggression against Ukraine is necessary for both justice today and deterrence tomorrow.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 01: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks from the Blue Room balcony of the White House on August 1, 2022 in Washington, DC. Biden announced that over the weekend, U.S. forces launched an airstrike in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri. Zawahiri, 71, took over leadership of al-Qaeda in 2011, shortly after American forces killed Osama bin Laden. The president said there were no civilian casualties. (Photo by Jim Watson-Pool/Getty Images)

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…
US soldiers stand to attention at the United States Army military training base in Grafenwoehr, southern Germany, on July 13, 2022.

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.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (L) (R-SC) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (R) (D-CT) arrive for a press conference at the U.S. Capitol May 10, 2022 in Washington, DC.

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.
Just Security

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…
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet (L) delivers a speech during an urgent debate on the Ukraine conflict at the UN Human Right Council in Geneva on March 3, 2022.

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…
A black and white photo of a UN chamber showing delegates convened for the 12 April 1974 Second Session of the Committee on the Question of Defining Aggression, United Nations Headquarters, New York. Photo: United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law.

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…
A black and white photo of a UN chamber showing delegates convened for the 12 April 1974 Second Session of the Committee on the Question of Defining Aggression, United Nations Headquarters, New York. Photo: United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law.

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…
Just Security

Still at War: The United States in Iraq

There are both benefits and risks to maintaining a U.S. military presence in Iraq.
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