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A AFP journalist views a video on January 25, 2019, manipulated with artificial intelligence to potentially deceive viewers, or "deepfake" at his newsdesk in Washington, DC.

Protecting the Information Space in Times of Armed Conflict

What, if any, limits exist concerning digital information operations in armed conflict? Does the humanitarian legal framework adequately capture the protection needs that arise…
A satellite image of the site of the Feb 2021 US airstrike in Syria.

Legal Questions (and Some Answers) Concerning the U.S. Military Strike in Syria

Unpacking the right of self-defense under international law when it comes to use of force in response to a series of attacks.
The sky is hazy at the Syrian border city of Albu Kamal in the Deir Ezzor region on November 12, 2018.

Biden’s First Strike and the International Law of Self-Defense

The U.S. airstrikes taken on Friday in Syria almost certainly violated international law, for two basic reasons.
Members of the security forces walking at the site of a NATO airstrike which destroyed two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in northern Kunduz on September 4, 2009.

Kunduz Airstrike Before European Court of Human Rights: Future of Jurisdiction and Duty to Investigate

The future of European Human Rights Court's jurisdiction and the future of States' duty to investigate civilian casualties in wartime.
Side-by-side photos of Biden and Trump

Trump’s War Powers Legacy and Questions for Biden

Will Biden rein in near-limitless claims of presidential authority to use force without congressional authorization and commit to restoring the balance of war powers between the…
A U.S. Air Force MQ-1B Predator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), awaits a mission at an air base in the Persian Gulf region on January 7, 2016.

To End the Forever Wars, Rein in the Drones

In drawing down the U.S. conventional military footprint, policymakers should resist relying reflexively on drone strikes in its place. Biden has a unique opportunity to chart…
: An F-16CJ from the 78th Fighter Squadron, at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina flies over the Eglin Land Range as the pilot releases a GBU-31 2,000 pound Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) during a test mission February 25, 2003.

Avoiding Collateral Damage on the Battlefield

What are the rules on avoiding harm to civilians in armed conflict and how are they applied in an operational context? A detailed explainer on the processes, technologies, and…
Prosthetic legs are stacked against a wall with a mirror in the therapy room at the ICRC Orthopedic Center on October 1 2019 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Some of the prosthetics wear sandals or sneakers and others are barefoot.

The Progress Not Made on Protecting Civilians  

I was recently asked to reflect on the progress the United States has made on civilian protection after two decades of war and counterterrorism operations since 9/11. I got down…
Family members and relatives take part in the funeral procession of Afghan journalist Rahmatullah Nekzad at Khoja Omari district of Ghazni province, on December 22, 2020. The group appears to walk uphill and fills the span of the block.

Unprecedented Threats to Journalists & Civil Society Activists Are Threatening Afghanistan

Who benefits from the killing of journalists, human rights activists, and civil society members in Afghanistan? What purposes could it serve and for whom?
Anti-nuclear activists of ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) and other peace initiatives stage a protest with 51 flags of countries that ratified the UN Treaty to Ban Nuclear Weapons and a banner reading "Nuclear weapons are forbidden ! More than 50 states joined. Germany didn't", in front of the Chancellery in Berlin, on January 22, 2021.

NATO and the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty: Options for the Biden Administration

Whether the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons becomes a problem for NATO is entirely up to the allies.
U.S. Army SSG. Tyler Laliberte embraces his family after returning from a 9-month deployment to Afghanistan on December 10, 2020 at Fort Drum, New York.

Military Families are Gunning for Peace this Holiday Season

I share my family’s story to underline the urgency behind avoiding war with Iran. We’ve become a nation that engages in wars of choice. We cannot continue down this current…
Trump and Putin’s silhouettes as they walk side-by-side.

“Strategic Silence” and State-Sponsored Hacking: The US Gov’t and SolarWinds

The absence to date of executive branch attribution and condemnation of the SolarWinds intrusions may be strategic silence—a tactic employed in the immediate aftermath of past…
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