Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)

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Top shot of Pamela Bondi before the Senate Judiciary Committee

What the Senate Judiciary Committee Should Ask A.G. Bondi on Drug Cartel Strikes

Annotated questions Congress should be asking about U.S. military strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City

Legal Flaws in the Trump Administration’s Notice to Congress on “Armed Conflict” with Drug Cartels

The Trump administration’s “armed conflict” justification, however, is groundless.
Military justice image

US Servicemembers’ Exposure to Criminal Liability for Lethal Strikes on Narcoterrorists

Analysis by former career judge advocate officer and former court-martial prosecutor.

Striking Hamas in Qatar: “Unwilling or Unable”?

Leading legal expert analyzes the Israeli airstrike on Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Asserting a License to Kill: Why the Caribbean Strike is a Dangerous Departure from the “War on Terror”

An absence of credible legal basis for the Caribbean strike suggests the Trump admin is asserting a prerogative to kill outside the law.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City

The Many Ways in Which the September 2 Caribbean Strike was Unlawful … and the Grave Line the Military Has Crossed

A deep dive into US domestic authority and law most relevant to the US strike on alleged Venezuelan drug boat.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City

Striking Drug Cartels Under the Jus ad Bellum and Law of Armed Conflict

Analysis of laws of war and law on the resort to armed force in U.S. military action against Tren de Aragua.
The Just Security Podcast

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas? What You Need to Know about the U.S. Strike on the Caribbean Vessel

Rebecca Ingber and Brian Finucane join Tess Bridgeman to unpack what you need to know about the U.S. strike on a purported drug trafficking vessel in the Caribbean.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Legal Issues Raised by a Lethal U.S. Military Attack in the Caribbean

The Trump administration’s extraordinary lethal attack on a purported drug smuggling vessel – and its vow that it is the start of a campaign – raise significant legal issues.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference at the Prime minister's office in Jerusalem on August 10, 2025. (Photo by ABIR SULTAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

עוד מאותו הדבר – אבל גרוע יותר: התכנית “החדשה” של נתניהו בעזה

התכנית נשענת על היגיון עקבי: להעמיק את השליטה הטריטוריאלית תוך הכחשת ההשלכות המשפטיות שהמשפט הבינלאומי…
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference at the Prime minister's office in Jerusalem on August 10, 2025. (Photo by ABIR SULTAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

More of the Same, But Worse: Netanyahu’s “New” Plan in Gaza

The plan follows a consistent logic: it seeks to deepen territorial control of Gaza while denying the legal consequences that international law attaches to occupation.
Left Side: Rescuers from the Emergency Services of Ukraine extinguish a blaze in the aftermath of a Russian drone strike on a warehouse storing food products on August 9, 2025 in Sloviansk, Ukraine. (Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images) Right Side: An Israeli army infantry-fighting vehicle (IFV) leaves a cloud of dust as it moves at a position along Israel's southern border with the Gaza Strip on August 5, 2025. (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

From Ukraine to Gaza: IHL Compliance as a Tool for Preventing Moral Injury

Ukraine's voluntary IHL compliance report provides an opportunity to examine the concept of moral injury in armed conflict - Israel should follow Ukraine's lead.
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