Armed Conflict
Use of Force
823 Articles

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…

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,…

The Soleimani Strike and War Powers
Key Legal Questions, With Preview of a New Research Database

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,…

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…

Turkey’s Syria Invasion: German Research Report Says Illegal on All Counts
A German parliamentary research report serves as an important reminder that evidence and proportionality matter, and that exceptions to the prohibition of the use of force should…

Trump Repudiates a Century of U.S. Policy
The United States has consistently held that it was in our national security interest to ensure that only peaceful means were used to alter political boundaries in Europe. The…

Germany’s Syria Debate: Four Key Questions on European Military Action
Germany’s Defense Minister triggered a debate there and across the Atlantic when she called recently for greater German involvement in Syria and for the establishment of an international…

National Security at the United Nations This Week
Editor’s 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 Rio Treaty: Paving the Way for Military Intervention in Venezuela?
Renewed focus on the presence of terrorist groups in Venezuela, and the Maduro regime’s involvement with such groups, suggest that the ground is being paved for a potential military…

Trump’s Communications Malpractice Mars His Victory Lap on al-Baghdadi
The president politicized the raid’s aftermath and jeopardized our foreign policy and military operations in the process.

How Trump’s Gilding the Lily on Baghdadi Death Will Return to Haunt Americans
I handled State Dept’s public messaging after we killed bin Laden. I know the risks.