International Law
Just Security offers expert analysis of international law and its role in addressing global challenges. Our coverage includes litigation in international and regional tribunals, the process of international law-making, analysis of compliance and accountability for international law violations–including international criminal justice, and challenges to the international legal order.
3,521 Articles
Bolton’s Stated Predicate for War With Iran Doesn’t Work
"Bolton has repeatedly threatened that Iran’s support for its 'proxies' could bring 'a very strong response'—even military force. By threatening military action against Iran…
Understanding the Decision to Revive the Sudanese Genocide Lawsuit Against BNP Paribas
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that a lawsuit brought by victims of genocide in Sudan against the French mega-bank can proceed.
The Malvinas as a Post-Bellum Case Study: From Decolonization to the Memory of the Departed
After the International Court of Justice's Chagos opinion, the right to self-determination remains contested. But Malvinas is also a model for post-bellum diplomacy. What does…
A Critique of Defense Dept General Counsel Ney’s Remarks on the Law of War
"The law of war applies equally to U.S. forces and to ISIS, to Syria and to Russia. We should keep that in mind when we hear Ney recite Lieber’s dictum, 'The more vigorously…
When War Comes to School
Editor’s Note: Displayed throughout this piece, photos by UNICEF-commissioned photographer Marko Kokic tell the personal stories of children whose schools have been attacked…
A Step in the Right Direction: Militaries Changing Policies to Stop Using Schools
A fragile piece of papyrus dug up in Egypt in the 1970s shows that people have been struggling with the question of where soldiers should be quartered for thousands of years. The…
Remarks by Defense Dept General Counsel Paul C. Ney Jr. on the Law of War
The General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Defense, Hon. Paul C. Ney Jr., delivered the keynote address (full text below) at the Israel Defense Forces 3rd International Conference…
Post-9/11 Veterans Have Mixed Feelings About Trump’s War Crimes Pardons
In order to better understand how to think about this controversial decision, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) conducted a flash poll this week, with over 1,600…
The American Way of War Includes Fidelity to Law: Preemptive Pardons Break that Code
"The news that President Trump is even considering such action is unlike conduct by any President in modern history, and the danger it poses to the rule of law is staggering. Such…
Sticking It To Yourself: Preemptive Pardons for Battlefield Crimes Undercut Military Justice and Military Effectiveness
Chris Jenks served as Special Counsel to the General Counsel of the Department of Defense (2017-2018) where he was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional…
ICC Prosecutor Signals Important Strategy Shift in New Policy Document
"The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, has released for comment a draft of her Strategic Plan for the final years of her mandate, 2019-2021.…
Trump’s Golan Policy and Its Threat to the Post-War International Legal Order
Yale Law professors Oona Hathaway and Scott Shapiro, authors of an award-winning book on the use of force, respond directly to a Wall Street Journal op-ed by Secretary of State…