Recent Articles

Emergency Powers in the Time of Coronavirus…and Beyond
There is much we still do not know about COVID-19, but there is also much that we do know. We know we are dealing with a highly transmissible virus that can spread easily from…

Here’s What the New DoD Policy on Civilian Harm Should Include
It should standardize good practice and set the bar where it belongs: safeguarding civilian life from the effects of U.S. military operations.

The Early Edition: May 8, 2020
Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. Before the start of business, Just Security provides a curated summary of up-to-the-minute developments at home and…

Grading DOD’s Annual Civilian Casualties Report: “Incomplete”
The new information demonstrates how much progress the department has made and yet how much of a paradigm shift is still needed for full accountability.

Accommodating Medical Professionals with Pre-Existing Health Conditions in the Coronavirus Pandemic
Although the health care field has not historically been especially open to making accommodations for disabled workers, we can hope that the current pandemic will prompt a change…

Iranian Gunboat Harassment and the Rules of Engagement
What to make of Trump's order to “shoot down and destroy” lranian boats that harass US vessels. International law and Standing Rules of Engagement place significant limits.

Barr Ignores Settled Justice Department Policies in Run-Up to 2020 Elections
Apparently seeking to support false claims about the Russia investigation and the president's reelection bid, the attorney general flouts long-settled DOJ policy.

The Early Edition: May 7, 2020
Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. Before the start of business, Just Security provides a curated summary of up-to-the-minute developments at home and…

The Republic of Facebook
This board, for content moderation, may be part of the answer to problems of online speech and censorship. But U.N. Special Rapporteur David Kaye explains that it is only one part.

The Facebook Oversight Board: An Experiment in Self-Regulation
It's not a "Supreme Court," as Mark Zuckerberg suggested, but it might be the most interesting development in social media self-regulation in a decade.

Accountability in the Time of COVID-19: Syria & Iraq
The coronavirus crisis has dominated the global news coverage, but the war in Syria has not gone away. The ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia in March 2020 remains fragile,…

Let’s Make a Deal: How to Mitigate the Risk of Hypersonic Weapons
Despite the destructive capability of hypersonic weapons, international arms control law currently does little to regulate their development, testing, or production.