IHL Syllabus Supplement
61 Articles
Expert Q&A on IHL Compliance in Russia’s War in Ukraine
IHL needs to be respected in the heat of battle. How to achieve that goal - and reduce civilian suffering during hostilities - should become an urgent focus of international attention.
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.
The UN Has Options Beyond the Security Council for Cross-Border Aid to Syria
Security Council approval for cross-border aid expires July 10. Can the UN continue aid operations without Council authorization?
Dispatch from Israel on Human Shields: What I Should’ve Said to a Dad on the Playground
Who's responsible for the deaths of those civilians in Gaza who were near areas where Hamas operates?
Avoiding Collateral Damage on the Battlefield
What are the rules on avoiding harm to civilians in armed conflict and how are they applied in an operational context? A detailed explainer on the processes, technologies, and…
Human Rights, Deprivation of Life and National Security: Q&A with Christof Heyns and Yuval Shany on General Comment 36
In a Q&A with Ryan Goodman, Christof Heyns and Yuval Shany, members of the UN Human Rights Committee, examine the national security implications of General Comment 36 -- the Committee’s…
Precautions to Minimize Civilian Harm are a Fundamental Principle of the Law of War
Editor’s Note: Just Security is holding a “mini forum” on the new Defense Department Law of War Manual. This series includes posts from Sean Watts, Eric Jensen, Adil Ahmad…
The State of Humanitarian Law in Cyber Conflict
During the recent Sony incident, politicians and pundits debated whether the cyber operations allegedly launched by North Korea were an “act of war.” Presumably, they were…
The United States and the Torture Convention, Part II: Armed Conflict
Last week in its appearance before the Committee Against Torture, the United States “change[d] and clarifi[ed]” two important legal positions regarding the scope of the Convention…
The Problematic “Belonging To” Analogy: A Response to Goodman
[Editor’s note: Ryan Goodman replies to Professor Heller in a subsequent post.] In a recent post here at Just Security, Ryan Goodman offered a novel – and characteristically…
Al-Qaeda, the Law on Associated Forces and “Belonging to” a Party (did the new UN drones reports get it right?)
[Editor’s note: Kevin Jon Heller responds to Ryan in a Guest Post, and Ryan replies in a subsequent post. A Guest Post by UN Special Rapporteur Christof Heyns also addresses…
United States Report to the UN Human Rights Committee: Lex Specialis and Extraterritoriality
The United States was poised to present its views tomorrow to the Human Rights Committee, which monitors state parties’ compliance with the International Covenant on Civil…