Use of Force

A small Yemeni child walks barefoot on rubble of a building destroyed in an airstrike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition, at the Old City of Sana'a, on July 07, 2019 in Sana'a, Yemen.

Preventing and Responding to Civilian Casualties: An Upcoming Discussion on Law, Policy, and Progress

Civilian casualties are inevitable in armed conflict. Nonetheless, international law requires armed forces to distinguish between civilians and lawful military objectives, and…

Mar. 9, 2020 Keith Petty

U.S. Air Force Space Command Gen. John "Jay" Raymond stands next to the flag of the newly established U.S. Space Command, the sixth national armed service, in the Rose Garden at the White House August 29, 2019 in Washington, DC.

NATO Recognizes Space as an “Operational Domain”: One Small Step Toward a Rules-Based International Order in Outer Space

(Editor’s Note: The absence of a comprehensive analysis of the legal framework for military operations in outer space represents a troubling deficiency in the understanding of…

Mar. 4, 2020 Hitoshi Nasu

Fighters of the Hashed Al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization units) advance through a street in the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, after the Iraqi government announced the launch of the operation to retake it from Islamic State (IS) group control, on August 26, 2017.

Iraqi Militias Split Over New Iran-Backed Head, Reflecting Wider Divisions

Understanding the differences among the Hashd al-Sha’abi factions is vital as the organization gains increasing influence in government, including the official Iraqi security…

Mar. 4, 2020 Crispin Smith

Delegates taking part in the U.N. Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space visit the USSR exhibit organized in connection with the Conference, Aug. 14, 1968.

Military Space Operations and International Law

(Editor’s Note: The absence of a comprehensive analysis of the legal framework for military operations in outer space represents a troubling deficiency in the understanding of…

Mar. 2, 2020 Dale Stephens

A hand holds a blue highlighter as they highlight words and phrases of a blurry document.

What to Watch For in White House’s Annual Report on Use of Military Force

The report is due Sunday, March 1, and here are the key legal and policy issues to keep a sharp eye on.

Feb. 29, 2020 Rita Siemion and Benjamin Haas

Iraqi anti-government protesters rest beneath graffiti at Tahrir Square as nationwide protests entered a third month on December 5, 2019, in Baghdad, Iraq. The graffiti art reads, “An idea cannot be destroyed,” and shows a police officer beating a dandelion. On the other side of the wall, there is an image of an injured person lying on a cloud while their blood rains down on people below.

After Soleimani Killing, Iran and Its Proxies Recalibrate in Iraq

Understanding the motivations and capabilities of leading Iranian-backed militia units is vital for an effective US and Iraqi response to likely violence in the coming months.

Feb. 27, 2020 Crispin Smith

U.S. Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during a news conference following the bipartisan Senate vote on the War Powers Resolution on Iran with Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tom Udall (D-NM) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) at the U.S. Capitol on February 13, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Congress Speaks: Trump Currently Has No Authority to Launch War with Iran

The House and Senate have passed resolutions that say President Trump has no authority to take the country to war against Iran.

Feb. 25, 2020 Kate Martin

Graphics depicting war powers reporting. The first graphic shows a map with certain regions highlighted in different shades of purple. Most are in Africa and the Middle East. The second graph is a circle with green lines extending to other areas of the circle.

New Online Resource: War Powers and Presidential Practice

"Intended for use by policymakers, legislators, scholars, journalists and the general public, the Project is an expansive new resource that analyzes the war powers reporting practice…

Feb. 24, 2020 Tess Bridgeman and Rachel Goldbrenner

White House ‘1264 Notice’ and Novel Legal Claims for Military Action Against Iran

"The administration’s positions amount to a fundamental revision of existing legal foundations for military action against Iran that can be undertaken by this and future presidents."

Feb. 14, 2020 Ryan Goodman

Two girls sit in a north Tehran coffee shop using Facebook on a laptop and looking at a mobile phone on October 13, 2013.

Instagram Content Removals in Iran Highlight Questions Over Facebook’s New Oversight Board

Facebook’s recent release of the bylaws for its new Oversight Board, which will be charged with reviewing takedown decisions by Facebook and Instagram, came on the heels of reports…

Feb. 12, 2020 Faiza Patel

A Turkish military convoy passes through the town of Binnish in Syrias northwestern province of Idlib, near the Syria-Turkey border on February 10, 2020.

American Policy Paralysis in the Middle East Strikes Idlib

While observers of the Middle East focus on the spiraling escalation of US-Iran tensions, a humanitarian crisis with potentially far greater consequences is rapidly unfolding in…

Feb. 11, 2020 Sana Sekkarie

Members of the 7th Armoured Brigade, who have recently returned from service on operations in Iraq, march through Parliament Square towards the Houses of Parliament on February 23, 2009 in London.

U.K. Proposes to Limit Accountability for Violations by Armed Forces

The British government is considering an unprecedented and comprehensive package of measures designed to shield both individual members of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of…

Jan. 30, 2020 Nadia O'Mara