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Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City as Israeli warplanes target a governmental building, early on May 18, 2021 in Gaza City, Gaza.

Dispatch from Israel on Human Shields: What I Should’ve Said to a Dad on the Playground

Who's responsible for the deaths of those civilians in Gaza who were near areas where Hamas operates?

Trump’s Secret Rules for Drone Strikes and Presidents’ Unchecked License to Kill

FOIA lawsuit obtains Trump administration's playbook. Hina Shamsi writes about the broader lessons for secret presidential powers.
U.S. President Joe Biden stands at a podium and announces new economic sanctions against the Russia government from the East Room of the White House on April 15, 2021 in Washington, DC. A chandelier-type lamp and multiple flags stand behind him.

SolarWinds: Accountability, Attribution, and Advancing the Ball

Assessing the United States' actions on SolarWinds and what it means for global responses to malicious cyber activities in future.
Iraqi fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi units stand guard during a campaign gathering for the Fateh Alliance, a coalition of Iranian-supported militia groups, in Baghdad on May 7, 2018, ahead of Iraq's parliamentary elections to be held on May 12. Some hold weapons, and a few sit on the ground.

Team of Legal Gladiators? Iraqi Militias’ Tortured Relationship with Law

The country's Iran-backed militias are not law-abiding, but they know Iraqis care about rule of law and have adopted the law as a battlespace.
A screen shot from the UN Security Council’s Arria-Formula meeting on February 24, 2021 held via Zoom.

Self-Defense Against Non-State Actors: All Over the Map

Insights from UN Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg leaves a joint press conference with Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern at Parliament in Wellington on August 6, 2019.

Flexible Partnerships Can Help Make NATO Fit for Purpose

As the US focuses more on domestic issues and challenges in the Asia-Pacific, other members and European partners will need to step up..
Flag of Iraq and Iran on textured cracked earth.

Iraq’s Legal Responsibility for Militia Attacks on U.S. Forces: Paths Forward

"While Iran has significant control over the militias, Iraq also bears legal responsibility for illegal militia attacks against the coalition. This is because the militias, despite…
Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby stands behind a podium as he briefs the press at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Feb. 8, 2021.

Knowns and Unknowns of US Syria Strike: Looming Int’l and Domestic Law Issues

Key legal questions that remain unanswered about the legality of the Syria strike under domestic and international law.
Graffiti showing a US drone is depicted on a wall to protest against US drone strikes on September 19, 2018 in Sana'a, Yemen.

Biden’s Drone Policy Review: Recommendations for a Reset

"The administration should see this review as an opportunity take some first critical steps toward ending the forever wars."
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.
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