Armed Conflict
Use of Force
823 Articles
How News Media Can Get Misled by Tough Talk on Killing Terrorists
Image: US airstrike with 2,000lb bombs on ISIS bank in Mosul, Jan. 11, 2016 – CENTCOM Less than a half hour after Donald Trump took the oath of office on Friday, ABC News…
Obama Admin: Only One Civilian Killed by U.S. Outside of War Zones in 2016
On the eve of the inauguration of a new president, the Director of National Intelligence released a report (full text) that summarizes the number of military strikes taken by the…
The United Kingdom’s “Modern Law of Self-Defence”—Part III
On Wednesday, Jeremy Wright QC MP, the Attorney General of the United Kingdom, delivered an important speech laying out his government’s view of the international law governing…
Kreß & Barriga’s The Crime of Aggression: A Commentary
In a singular contribution to the theory and practice of international criminal law, Claus Kreß and Stefan Barriga have edited a massive, two volume, 1488 page, 53 chapter commentary…
The United Kingdom’s “Modern Law of Self-Defence”—Part II
In a previous post, I argued that a recent speech by Jeremy Wright QC MP, the Attorney General of the United Kingdom, left quite unclear whether the lawfulness of anticipatory…
The United Kingdom’s “Modern Law of Self-Defence”—Part I
On Wednesday, Jeremy Wright QC MP, the Attorney General of the United Kingdom, gave a speech intended to clarify his government’s understanding of the international law framework…
A Must Read Speech: UK Attorney General on Use of Force, Imminence, and International Law
In an important speech today (available here), the UK Attorney General, Jeremy Wright, MP, lays out the UK’s views on the use of force against non-state actors, the grounds…
Can Trump Unravel Obama’s Rules of War?
For eight years, the Obama administration has pursued a tough-minded war against al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups that has eliminated their leaders from Somalia to Afghanistan…
How to Read the Department of Defense’s Revised Law of War Manual
Last week, the Department of Defense released a revised version of its Law of War Manual, making significant changes to one section: “Proportionality in Conducting Attacks.”…
The Defense Dept’s Law of War Manual: “Exempt” Military Objects and Investigations’ Positive Feedback Loop
Several revisions in the amended U.S. Department of Defense’s Law of War Manual address what military objects might be excluded from a strike list, and what investigations should…
Thoughts on Distinction and Proportionality in the December 2016 Revision to the Law of War Manual
The new revisions to the DoD Law of War Manual that the Department of Defense released last week are welcome in several respects. Four improvements are especially noteworthy:…
Oxford Guidance on Humanitarian Relief Operations: Comments on Arbitrarily Withholding Consent and the Status of the Guidance
[Just Security and EJIL Talk! are co-hosting an online forum on the Oxford Guidance on the Law Relating to Humanitarian Relief Operations in Situations of Armed Conflict, which…