International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
723 Articles
The Malvinas as a Post-Bellum Case Study: From Decolonization to the Memory of the Departed
After the International Court of Justice's Chagos opinion, the right to self-determination remains contested. But Malvinas is also a model for post-bellum diplomacy. What does…
A Critique of Defense Dept General Counsel Ney’s Remarks on the Law of War
"The law of war applies equally to U.S. forces and to ISIS, to Syria and to Russia. We should keep that in mind when we hear Ney recite Lieber’s dictum, 'The more vigorously…
When War Comes to School
Editor’s Note: Displayed throughout this piece, photos by UNICEF-commissioned photographer Marko Kokic tell the personal stories of children whose schools have been attacked…
A Step in the Right Direction: Militaries Changing Policies to Stop Using Schools
A fragile piece of papyrus dug up in Egypt in the 1970s shows that people have been struggling with the question of where soldiers should be quartered for thousands of years. The…
‘Flying Ginsu’ Missile Won’t Resolve U.S. Targeted Killing Controversy
Proponents of a new, modified Hellfire missile called the R9X tout it as a game-changer that can spare more civilian lives than traditional Hellfires. But the new technology can…
UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: An Unequivocal Call for Respect for the Law
The United Nations (UN) yesterday released the Secretary-General’s annual report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. It is an unequivocal…
The Pentagon’s 2018 Civilian Casualties Report: What’s In It and What’s Next
The Pentagon’s latest annual report, released this morning, lists shockingly low numbers of "credible" civilian casualties. It also illustrated the need for better processes…
New Pentagon Report Significantly Undercounts Civilian Casualties
The latest annual report was on time and included more details than it had in the past, thanks to additional congressional requirements. But it still significantly undercounts…
New DoD Policy on Amends Needs to Address Transparency Gap
New information from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) reveals a previously unrecognized transparency gap in the U.S. military’s efforts to acknowledge and address civilian…
What is a War Crime?
A substantive approach to defining "war crimes" as serious violations of international humanitarian law could help bring a measure of justice in Syria and beyond.
Accountability for War Crimes in Syria: The “Criminalization” Confusion
A new approach to defining what constitutes a "war crime" is needed to ensure domestic courts can provide accountability for war crimes committed in Syria.
Transparency on Civilian Harm in Somalia Matters – Not Just to Americans
"Under the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations, much of the commentary on the use of lethal force in counterterrorism operations has focused on the importance of transparency…