International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
648 Articles
Human Rights Law is the Legal Basis for Use of Force Against Non-State Armed Groups—But What Follows?
In recent weeks there have been two significant and related debates on Just Security about the justification for the use of force against non-state armed groups and the place of…
Human Shields in International Humanitarian Law: A Guide to the Legal Framework
To assist our readers interested in the phenomenon of human shields, I’ve produced a compilation of the relevant legal framework (additions/suggestions welcome!) These rules…
Congress on Track to Extend Condolence Payments to Syrians
The Pentagon will soon have permission from Congress to make condolence payments to the families of civilians killed or injured by American airstrikes in Syria, as well as Iraq…
New ICRC Survey: Large Global Divide in Public Respect for Humanitarian Norms
A massive global survey on the laws of war includes some striking findings on public attitudes, including large differences of opinion that vary according to where people live.…
A Word to a Newfound Ally
As a longtime (and long-exasperated) reader of Lawfare, I’ve been heartened to see the site’s recent editorial turn, in response to current events, toward newly appreciating…
“Applying the Law of Targeting to the Modern Battlefield” – Full Speech Given by DOD General Counsel Jennifer O’Connor
Below is the speech, “Applying the Law of Targeting to the Modern Battlefield,” given by Jennifer O’Connor, general counsel of the Department of Defense, tonight…
Letter to the Editor: Response to Human Rights in Armed Conflict, Part I
In a previous post, I raised numerous concerns with Prof. Adil Haque’s novel proposal that lowers the threshold for determining what constitutes a non-international armed conflict…
Letter to the Editor: Chatham House Report and Individual Criminal Liability of Gov’t Officials
To the Editor: The Chatham House paper on “Aiding and Assisting: Challenges in Armed Conflict and Counterterrorism,” (see, State Complicity in Other States’ Bad Acts—and…
Aiding and Assisting: The Relationship with International Criminal Law?
Just Security and Chatham House are hosting a “mini forum” to debate and discuss Chatham House’s new research paper on “Aiding and Assisting: Challenges in Armed Conflict…
US Transparency Regarding International Law in Cyberspace
Last Thursday, State Department Legal Adviser Brian Egan, delivered an important speech at Berkeley Law School on the relationship between international law and cyber activities. …
What are the Legal Issues Surrounding the Use of Depleted Uranium in Syria and Iraq?
Although it received little attention at the time, journalist Samuel Oakford broke the story last month that the Pentagon has confirmed using weapons containing depleted uranium…
Laws of War: Humanitarian Stallion or Trojan Horse?
Reuters recently reported that “armed militia groups are preparing for the possibility of a stolen election on Nov. 8 and civil unrest in the days following a victory by Democrat…