Civilian Harm

× Clear Filters
242 Articles
Three armed Ethiopian soldiers in camouflage uniforms, pants tucked into black boots, and wearing red berets, walk in front of sand-colored block walls, with the top of an airport terminal in the background and blue skies with puffy clouds overhead.

Ethiopia’s Fragile Peace Has Broken – But This is Not the 2020-2022 Conflict

Unlike in the previous war, Ethiopia's government faces a coalition of armed groups that could receive backing from rivals in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf.
Pope Leo, wearing a white cassock, is seen in profile, lighting candles in what looks like a black wrought iron stand, before an audience including clergy, against a backdrop of a large blue and white outline drawing of a dove of peace.

A Better Path for Peace and Security? Focus on Dignity.

Efforts to end wars and protect civilians could benefit greatly from a renewed commitment to the near-universal value of dignity.

Twenty-Five Years After 9/11, It Is Time to Repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force and End the Forever War

Successive administrations have stretched the AUMF beyond any reasonable interpretation to wage worldwide war, without foreseeable end.
The building of the destroyed Shajareh Tayebeh primary school is pictured surrounded by rubble in Minab in Iran's Hormozgan province on August 10, 2026.

The Limits of the Law of Armed Conflict: Individual Accountability Should Not Obscure State Responsibility for U.S. Strikes on Iran School

The law of armed conflict is not suited to provide the legal clarity the public desires immediately following attacks that kill civilians.

9/11 Then and Now: How It Shapes Us 25 Years On

We asked experts with deep personal and professional ties to the post-9/11 era: how did 9/11 shape your path, and how does it continue to shape us 25 years later?

The Just Security Podcast: 9/11 at 25 Years: The State of U.S. National Security, Intelligence, and Alliances Today

Ryan Goodman and Tess Bridgeman are joined by Daniel Fried and Nicholas Rasmussen to discuss the enduring impact of 9/11 on U.S. counterterrorism and foreign policy.
The USS Gravely, a US Navy warship, departs the Port of Port of Spain on October 30, 2025.

America’s War on Drug Smugglers at Sea Is Unlawful—and It Is Failing

U.S. strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels mark an unlawful expansion of military force into what has long been—and should remain—a law enforcement mission.

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas Part VI

Tess Bridgeman and Rachel Goldbrenner are joined by Brian Finucane and Rebecca Ingber to discuss the latest U.S. strikes against suspected drug traffickers.
The charred remains of two vehicles sit by the side of a road and another in the distance appears to be in the road, as two children look on n the foreground, against a barren brown, hilly landscape.

Domestic and Regional Pressures Strain Ethiopia’s Fragile Peace

Renewed clashes in Tigray and tensions between Ethiopia and other Horn of Africa nations threaten a regional security crisis.

“In Focus” Syllabus Supplements: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers, Operation Southern Spear, and Operation Absolute Resolve (2025–2026)

This syllabus supplement offers curated articles intended to be combined with traditional casebooks in a law school or other higher education classroom.

“In Focus” Syllabus Supplements: Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technology, and National Security (2025–2026)

This syllabus supplement offers curated articles intended to be combined with traditional casebooks in a law or higher ed classroom.
Damaged bridge over a river with a large hole in the middle and people looking on.

When Civilian Infrastructure Becomes a Lawful Target

Civilian infrastructure is not targetable merely because it is economically significant or politically useful to strike, but only when it offers a definite military advantage.
1-12 of 242 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: