Military
902 Articles

Breaking Ranks in a Civil-Military Crisis: Strategic Communication to Register Dissent
Military leaders have principled options to address a legally questionable political decision while maintaining the rule of law and civilian control.

The UN Guidelines on “Battlefield” Evidence and Terrorist Offences: A Frame, a Monet, or a Patchwork?
In December 2019 the United Nations Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), with the support of the traditional alphabet soup of other U.N. organizations focused…

House and Senate Chart Different Courses on US Clandestine Support of Foreign Militias
Special Operations Forces are a prized US military asset that requires careful oversight to prevent abuses, strategic miscalculations, and mission failures.

A Military Litmus Test? Evaluating the Argument that Civilian Defense Leaders Need Military Experience
There are several reasons to reject blanket assertions that military service acts as a general qualifier for running or contributing to national security affairs in non-military…
AFRICOM’s Improved Civilian Casualty Reporting System Still Leaves Gaps for Somalia
Only with more ways to submit reports and the proper followup can the U.S. military start to rebuild trust among communities harmed by its actions.

Treaty Banning Cluster Munitions Turns 10, but Without the US
This November, Switzerland will convene the milestone Second Review Conference for the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Lausanne, but the U.S. is likely to be absent, as usual.

The President’s Private Army
How did we get here? Goitein discusses legal and political obstacles that faced President Trump's resort to other federal forces, why DHS is now his weapon of choice, what it may…

Bill Barr’s Playbook: His False Claims About Prior Military Force on U.S. Soil
The Insurrection Act, Operation Hawkeye and what really happened

Non-lethal Assistance and the Syrian Conflict: Lessons from the Netherlands
Whether one thinks of Syria, Libya, Yemen, or Ukraine, third-State involvement is undeniably a common feature of many – if not most – ongoing non-international armed conflicts.…

Portland’s Pretext: Barr’s Long History Manipulating Law to Put Federal Forces on U.S. Streets
In a 2001 interview, Bill Barr boasted that he came up with the idea in 1989.

Iraq’s Raid on Iran-Backed Militias: Is the New Prime Minister Ready to Rein Them In?
The units are at last coming under much-needed pressure from Baghdad to adhere to the rule of law. The international coalition can support that effort.

Preparing the Public for a Contested Election
While perhaps once thought too far-fetched to discuss out loud in serious company, concerns that Donald Trump will refuse to leave office even if he loses the November election…