Department of Defense (DoD)
291 Articles
Russian Threats and Cybersecurity: Q&A with Beth George, former DOD acting General Counsel
A conversation with former acting General Counsel of the Department of Defense.
Defense Dept Law of War Manual and Its Unintended Readings: On Civilians Assuming Risk of Harm
The Manual risks creating a false impression that is not intended by the senior Defense Department leadership who produced the Manual — a problem that could significantly undervalue…
DoD Needs to Rethink its Civilian Casualty Reporting Mechanism
Current reporting mechanisms are opaque and not user-friendly for civilians seeking to use them in conflict-prone areas.
The “Leahy Laws” and U.S. Assistance to Ukraine
For practical and principled reasons, human rights compliance will continue to be paramount for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression.
The Prohibition on Indiscriminate Attacks: The US Position vs. the DoD Law of War Manual
Timely analysis especially given recent U.S. government condemnations of Russia's indiscriminate attacks in Ukraine.
Congressional Action on Civilian Harm Resulting from U.S. Military Operations: Part I
Congress has introduced two landmark bills aimed at addressing systemic problems with civilian harm.
Congressional Action on Civilian Harm Resulting from U.S. Military Operations: Part II
Congress has introduced two landmark bills aimed at addressing systemic problems with civilian harm.
DoD Can’t Move Forward on Civilian Casualties Without Looking Back
"Neglecting past cases would be a grave mistake that could damage the credibility of an otherwise promising process."
Clear Error in the Defense Department’s Law of War Manual: On Presumptions of Civilian Status
This article is the first in a new project at Just Security that assesses the U.S. Department of Defense’s Law of War Manual with a goal of providing constructive opportunities…
A Big Step Forward or Running in Place?: The Pentagon’s New Policy on Civilian Casualties
New Pentagon effort to respond to civilian harm is encouraging, but DOD needs to demonstrate leadership, scope the problem correctly, and address the growing credibility gap to…
The Al-Qurayshi Operation and Minimization of Civilian Casualties
US officials’ emphasis on minimization of civilian casualties in an operation against such a high value target deserves special attention.
Post-January 6th, the Military is Addressing Extremism in Its Ranks. Sort of.
DOD policy review on preventing domestic extremism is a necessary step, but more is needed to meet the threat.