Presidential Policy Guidance (PPG)

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An Afghan National Army officer, right, informs his U.S. Army counterparts from the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, left and center, about ANA troop movements May 6, 2013 while pursuing Taliban fighters in Babus, Afghanistan.

Part III: The Muddy Middle: A New Framework for Use of Force

We may not have wanted to land in this muddy middle between peace and war that we currently find ourselves in, but this is the reality of the current moment in the counterterrorism…
A picture taken near the Iraqi city of Qaim at the Iraqi-Syrian border on November 11, 2018, shows US Army vehicles patrolling the Syrian side of the border.

Part II: The Muddy Middle: Challenges of Applying Use of Force Policy Guidance in Practice

In part two of a three-part series, the authors explain how new operational models for both why and how the U.S. used force outside areas of active hostilities created tensions…
A US Predator unmanned drone armed with a missile stands on the tarmac of Kandahar military airport on June 13, 2010.

The Muddy Middle: The Disappearing Lines in America’s Counterterrorism Wars and How to Restore Order

In three articles, the authors explain how the lines have blurred between U.S. military operating procedures for use of force in hot war zones versus outside areas of active hostilities…
U.S. Soldiers stand in formation during a logistics course graduation ceremony.

Transparency on Civilian Harm in Somalia Matters – Not Just to Americans

"Under the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations, much of the commentary on the use of lethal force in counterterrorism operations has focused on the importance of transparency…
A military drone replica is displayed in front of the White House during a protest against drone strikes on January 12, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Breaking the Silence on Civilian Casualties from U.S. Air Strikes in Somalia

A new report by Amnesty International documents 14 civilian deaths and 8 injuries - none acknowledged by AFRICOM - in five U.S. air strikes in Somalia.

Trump’s Revocation of Reporting on Lethal Strikes: All Eyes on Congress, Now

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order revoking a section of President Barack Obama’s Executive Order on civilian casualties that required annual reporting…

“Reasonable Certainty” vs “Near Certainty” in Military Targeting–What the Law Requires

Former deputy legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commander (ret.) Mike Adams and former Special Counsel to General Counsel of the Dep’t of Defense, Ryan…

Trump’s Opportunity to Keep Up with Obama on Use of Force Transparency

One year ago, today, the Obama administration released a 66-page report detailing the legal and policy framework governing the use of military force and related national security…
A truck with a large gun and three people in camouflage uniforms passes stores in Mareb, Yemen.

Yemen Strike Raises Questions About Whether the US Follows Its Own Drone Rules

While we were visiting Yemen this month, the United States conducted a drone strike against alleged al-Qaeda members in Mareb Governorate, reportedly killing two suspects while…
A U.S. Air Force MQ-1B Predator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (ie. drone), carrying a Hellfire missile after flying a mission in the Persian Gulf region on January 7, 2016.

Implications of Trump’s New Drone Policy for Countries Assisting the U.S.

At the end of October, the New York Times reported two government officials as saying that the Trump administration had adopted its anticipated new approach to the deployment of…

Trump Should Release His New Lethal Force Policy

In an important new development, President Donald Trump has reportedly signed new rules for when lethal force can be used against suspected terrorists outside of active war zones.…

Letter to the Editor: Finding a Middle Ground on “Areas of Active Hostilities”

News that the Trump administration is close to revising the Obama-era policy on direct action against terrorist targets has reawakened the long-simmering debate over the appropriate…
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