Military

Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers assist the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) in setting up the Oregon Medical Station (OMS) at the Oregon State Fairgrounds, March 19, 2020. The soldiers do not wear face masks and set up cots in a large room.

Military’s Response to the Coronavirus Crisis: Top 10 Principles

Ten key principles to follow as policymakers seek to utilize the military in a manner that is innovative, responsive to the crisis, and consistent with the rule of law.

Mar. 25, 2020 Mark Nevitt

National Guard troops stand by as people wait to be tested for COVID-19 at New York state’s first drive through COVID-19 mobile testing center at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, New York on March 13, 2020. The ground is wet and the sky is overcast. Reflections of the troops and testing tents can be seen in the water on the ground.

The Coronavirus, Emergency Powers, and the Military: What You Need to Know

The global coronavirus crisis continues to unfold at lightning speed, disrupting travel, the economy, and everyday life. In response to the pandemic, President Donald Trump declared…

Mar. 16, 2020 Mark Nevitt

Japan's H-IIA rocket carrying the Kirameki-2 satellite is launched from Tanegashima Space Centre in southern Tanegashima island, Kagoshima prefecture, on January 24, 2017.

War in Space: How International Humanitarian Law Might Apply

(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. 9, 2020 Michael Schmitt and Sqn. Ldr. Kieran Tinkler

Int’l Criminal Court’s Afghanistan Decision Expands Prosecutor’s Power: What to Expect Next

The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) authorized a formal investigation into alleged crimes committed during the war in Afghanistan on Thursday, overturning…

Mar. 6, 2020 Randle DeFalco

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

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar shake hands after signing a peace agreement during a ceremony in the Qatari capital Doha on February 29, 2020.

The U.S.-Taliban Accord: Can the Afghan Government Rise to the Occasion?

Intra-Afghan talks are set to start March 10, leaving little time for the Afghan government to organize a negotiation team, even though they've had months to prepare.

Mar. 2, 2020 Scott Smith

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

Afghan civil society activists attend a candlelight vigil for the nine civilians killed in Afghan army shelling, in Kabul on December 6, 2015.

Reduction of Civilian Harm in Afghanistan: A Way Forward

As all sides have jockeyed for leverage in Afghanistan, civilians have paid the price with over 10,000 civilian casualties in 2019.

Feb. 25, 2020 Sahr Muhammedally and Marc Garlasco

Military Justice Reform, the 2020 Pledge, and the President’s Power

A pledge by presidential candidates is necessary but more could be done. The next Congress should prioritize the independent military prosecutor measure. Failing that, a president…

Feb. 14, 2020 Eugene R. Fidell

The damaged interior of the hospital in which the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) medical charity operated is seen on October 13, 2015 following an air strike in the northern city of Kunduz.

Why the US Military Needs to Rethink How It Investigates Civilian Harm

A new report analyzed a total of 228 investigations into reported civilian harm in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria between 2002 and 2015.

Feb. 13, 2020 Priyanka Motaparthy