Laws of War

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An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) is prepared for training mission.

The Russian Intercept of the U.S. Reaper and International Law

The Russian operation almost certainly violated the international law obligation of due regard and, perhaps, the prohibition on using force. Nevertheless, the Biden administration…
Russia's navy ships and helicopters take part in a military exercise called Kavkaz (the Caucasus) 2016 at the coast of the Black Sea in Crimea on September 9, 2016.

Are Methods of Naval Warfare at Risk Under “Qualified” Neutrality? Expert Q&A from Stockton Center’s Russia-Ukraine Conference

Absent a clear indication in State practice to the contrary, qualified immunity should not effectively transform what would otherwise be contraband into “free goods” immune…
a guard tower is visible behind a razor-wire fence at the detention camp on July 23, 2008 at Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, in Cuba.

Rehabilitation for Torture at Guantanamo is a Moral and Legal Imperative

To be an effective leader, the United States must honor its commitments under the Convention Against Torture.
U.S. President Joe Biden (R) meets with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (L) in the Oval Office of the White House on December 21, 2022 in Washington, DC. Zelensky is meeting with President Biden on his first known trip outside of Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, and the two leaders are expected to discuss continuing military aid. Zelensky will reportedly address a joint meeting of Congress in the evening.

Almost There: When Will the Biden Administration Support the ICC in Ukraine?

The ICC’s investigation may be the only viable effort to hold accountable certain senior Russian officials responsible for horrific atrocities in Ukraine. The only thing that…
shot of soldiers lining up

Lieber at Sand Creek: A New Critical Reinterpretation of the Laws of War

Lieber’s Code reflected and reproduced a virulent thread in the law of nations that preceded him by centuries and continues today.
Blue futuristic monitor with information data

Poland’s Position on International Law and Cyber Operations: Sovereignty and Third-Party Countermeasures

Poland's positions push the discussion forward on contested areas of law.

Dutch Court, in Life Sentences: Russia Had “Overall Control” of Forces in Eastern Ukraine Downing of Flight MH17

The finding was part of the guilty verdicts against 3 commanders of Russian-backed forces in the 2014 shootdown of the civilian airliner.

Amid the Russia-Ukraine War, a Dutch Court Prepares to Rule on Four Suspects in the 2014 Downing of Flight MH17

All 298 people aboard were killed when the Malaysian airliner, flying from Amsterdam, was shot down over Russian-controlled territory.
Somali soldiers enter Sanguuni military base, where an American special operations soldier was killed by a mortar attack on June 8, about 450 km south of Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 13, 2018

What the White House Use of Force Policy Means for the War in Somalia

In principle, the new policy tightens safeguards for airstrikes and special operation raids. But it contains loopholes that will likely allow business as usual for USAFRICOM in…
Russian President Vladimir Putin stands at a white podium. Behind him are two Russian flags.

Припиніть говорити «анексовані території»: альтернативи терміну агресора

Кожного дня, коли Україна виганяє російські війська з незаконно окупованої української території,…
Russian President Vladimir Putin stands at a white podium. Behind him are two Russian flags.

Stop Saying “Annexed Territories”: Alternatives to the Bully’s Term

To say Russia has “annexed” a Ukrainian oblast while Ukraine maintains its territorial claim is, in a minor way, to aid Russia in its wrongful act. The clearest description…
People attend a rally and a concert in support of annexation referendums in Russian-held regions of Ukraine, in Saint Petersburg on September 23, 2022. - Voting on whether Russia should annex Kremlin-controlled regions of Ukraine opened Friday as the West denounced the referendum that has dramatically raised the stakes of Moscow's seven-month invasion.

Q&A on Russia-Backed Referendums in Eastern Ukraine and International Law

"There is simply no legal route through which a referendum can take place unilaterally without the consent of the territorial state."
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