Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)

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A pillar of smoke rises among destroyed buildings after a US-led airstrike in Mosul. July 9, 2017

Toward a True Account of Collateral Damage in U.S. Military Operations

The Pentagon reports annually on how many civilians were killed in U.S. operations, but silent on damage to civilian homes, markets and other civilian infrastructure vital to human…
A 3D hologram of the globe with circles and grids laid over to indicate communications and technology.

The Sixth United Nations GGE and International Law in Cyberspace

Top expert analysis of the much-anticipated report that provides consensus views among key States on the application of international law to cyberspace.
Officials inspect the damaged Karbala airport in the Iraqi shrine city, one of the areas targeted by US military air strikes. March 13, 2020

A Legacy of Unrecognized Harm: DoD’s 2020 Civilian Casualties Report 

The Pentagon report appears to defy the congressional requirement to report on civilian casualties “that were confirmed, or reasonably suspected, to have resulted in civilian…
Masked fighters with the National Resistance Brigades (NRB), the military wing of the Democracy Front Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), speak to members of the press in front of the ruins of the al-Jalaa tower which hosted the offices of the news agency Associated Press and the Aljazeera English channel, destroyed by Israeli strikes during the recent confrontations between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City on May 23, 2021. They wear head gear and face masks that cover their entire faces except the eyes. A flag is draped over a podium with microphones. The fighters carry large guns.

The IDF Attack on Al Jalaa Tower: Criticisms Are Correct on the Law, But Mistaken in Applying It

A response to Professor Adil Haque's influential analysis.
The ruins of the Al-Jalaa Tower in Gaza City after it levelled by an Israeli air strike during the recent military conflict between Israel and the Palestinian enclave ruled by Hamas, after a ceasefire brokered by Egypt.

The IDF’s Unlawful Attack on Al Jalaa Tower

The IDF's reported view — that civilian apartments don't have to count in the legal analysis when taking such a strike — is flawed beyond repair, writes professor Adil Haque.…
Tear gas fired by the police covers a street at Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong on August 25, 2019 during a demonstration for democratic rights. A traffic cone and bricks lie in the street.

Clearing the Fog of War Surrounding Battlefield Use of Tear Gas

The United States takes the (minority) view that international law does not prohibit the defensive use of tear gas in war - and that this could protect civilians - but the risks…
Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City as Israeli warplanes target a governmental building, early on May 18, 2021 in Gaza City, Gaza.

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?
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on International Women’s Day as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin listens during an announcement at the East Room of the White House March 8, 2021 in Washington, DC.

The Illegality of Targeting Civilians by Way of Belligerent Reprisal: Implications for U.S. Nuclear Doctrine

It is time for the United States to acknowledge that customary international law today prohibits targeting civilians in reprisal for an adversary’s violations of the law of war.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a primetime address to the nation from the East Room of the White House March 11, 2021 in Washington, DC. He holds a finger up as a “one” gesture or in making a point. Flags line the walls behind him. He does not wear a face mask, but no one stands around him.

At 100 Days, Grading Biden’s Progress Toward a More Responsible US Arms Trade Policy

As we near the 100-day mark of this administration, and with the president delivering a “State of the Union”-like address this evening, now is a good moment to assess its arms…
Iraqi fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi units stand guard during a campaign gathering for the Fateh Alliance, a coalition of Iranian-supported militia groups, in Baghdad on May 7, 2018, ahead of Iraq's parliamentary elections to be held on May 12. Some hold weapons, and a few sit on the ground.

Team of Legal Gladiators? Iraqi Militias’ Tortured Relationship with Law

The country's Iran-backed militias are not law-abiding, but they know Iraqis care about rule of law and have adopted the law as a battlespace.
Security Council members hold a videoconference in connection with Maintenance of international peace and security.

National Security Last Week at the United Nations (April 2-9)

United States Lifts Sanctions Against ICC Officials On April 2, President Joe Biden reversed one of former President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which imposed sanctions…
A displaced Syrian girl looks around at the camp created by Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) in Kafr Lusin village on the border with Turkey in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on March 10, 2020. Tents and laundry hang behind her.

Renouncing Reprisals: An Opportunity for the Biden Administration

The United States claims the legal right to attack civilians and objects indispensable to their survival in certain situations. Biden can reverse that, and an opportunity to do…
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