Armed Conflicts
118 Articles

Make Democracy and Governance a Keystone of the US Global Fragility Strategy
The US too often views its work on fragile or failed states as "fixing" various sectors, without enough focus on the political dynamics underneath.

COVID-19 and Violent Conflict: Responding to Predictable Unpredictability
Eleven baseline understandings are likely to be key in designing the most effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in impoverished, conflict-affected regions.

Dispatch: What a U.S.-Iran War Would Mean for Iraqis
In Iraq, fears are mounting over the potential for open military conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Without U.S. economic support and continued military backing, Iraq would be…

Responding to Goodman’s Memo to the Human Rights Community: Context is Critical
I write to respond to Ryan Goodman’s recent post, “Why the Laws of War Apply to Drone Strikes Outside ‘Areas of Active Hostilities,’” and to remind readers where…

Aggression, Armed Conflict, and the Right to Life: Does UN Human Rights Committee Get it Right?
Is it possible to respect the human right to life in the context of war? Or does war, by its very nature, involve the arbitrary deprivation of life? Last month, the United Nations…

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…

Humanitarian Access from an Armed Non-State Actor’s Perspective
[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…

International & US Support for Transitional Justice Initiatives
My prior post discussed new policy papers on transitional justice issued by the US State Department and US AID. These policy papers reflect the fact that the United States’…

US Foreign Assistance Fails to Support the Reproductive Health Needs of Genocide Victims
In a groundbreaking move on March 17, Secretary of State Kerry accused Daesh — another name for the Islamic State — of committing acts of genocide against ethnic and religious…

Security Agreement With Afghanistan Raises Key Questions About How and When War Ends
Today, the United States and Afghanistan signed a long-awaited bilateral security agreement. The U.S. government promised to withdraw combat troops by December, and to leave nearly…