Armed Conflict
Use of Force
823 Articles
Body Counts Are Terrible Way for the Public to Assess US Counter-Terrorism Operations
Retired General Charlie Dunlap writes that partial transparency on civilian casualty reports may be worse than none.
Reflecting on the Civilian Casualty Executive Order: What Was Lost and What Can Now Be Gained
What information did the public just lose with Trump's decision, and what can Congress do beyond just restoring it? Civilian casualties in wartime reporting and minimization.
The US-Philippines Defense Treaty and the Pompeo Doctrine on South China Sea
A major statement by Sec. Mike Pompeo on U.S. coming to the military defense of the Philippines against China. A legal expert explains the implications.
I Helped Write the Exec Order on Public Reporting of Lethal Operations. Here’s What Trump Has Undone.
"Multiple press accounts have cited some of the key problems with the rescission, the backlash from transparency advocates, and why, unsurprisingly, the Trump administration has…
Trump’s Revocation of Reporting on Lethal Strikes: All Eyes on Congress, Now
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order revoking a section of President Barack Obama’s Executive Order on civilian casualties that required annual reporting…
Report of the Independent UN Commission of Inquiry on Gaza Strip – An Initial Evaluation of a Problematic Report
Bottom line up front: "The Commission chose to infer far reaching conclusions from the limited evidence before it, thus discrediting much that should be appreciated in the report."
What’s the Mission in Syria? The Answer May be Illegal and Without U.S. Allies’ Support
Statements about a US "peacekeeping" force and a mission to counter-Iran raise serious legal questions and threaten to unravel U.S. allies' support for future U.S. operations inside…
Human Rights Law and U.S. Military Operations in Foreign Countries: The Prohibition on Arbitrary Deprivation of Life
The view that the U.S. government does not accept that international human rights law applies to US activities in foreign countries is mistaken., writes Goodman. The Department…
General Comment 36: A Missed Opportunity?
General Comment 36 on the human right to life under article 6 of the ICCPR adopts the view that both international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights law (IHRL) apply during…
Targeted Killing and the Right to Life: A Structural Framework
Shaheed Fatima Q.C., analyzes the recently issued "General Comment 36" of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which sets forth a legal framework under human rights law for…
Bringing ISIS to Justice: Running Out of Time?
The international community and key actors in Syria and Iraq need to develop a coherent plan to bring ISIS members to account for war crimes, not just counterterrorism crimes,…
What to Make of the Pentagon’s Internal Civilian Casualties Review, and What Comes Next
Breaking analysis of a new Department of Defense report on civilian casualties in the CENTCOM and AFRICOM areas of operation from 2015-2017: the key takeaways, major gaps, and…