Syria
524 Articles
Bringing ISIS to Justice: Running Out of Time?
The international community and key actors in Syria and Iraq need to develop a coherent plan to bring ISIS members to account for war crimes, not just counterterrorism crimes,…
Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in January 2019
Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those norms in reactions…
Syria Found Liable for the Death of War Correspondent Marie Colvin
Judge Amy Berman Jackson, of the D.C. District Court, has unsealed a $302 million judgment against the Syrian Arab Republic, finding it liable for the assassination of intrepid…
If Trump’s Syria and Afghanistan Decisions Seem Bad, Imagine What He’d Do in a Crisis
National security advisors for presidents of both parties have developed a process over 70 years to optimize decision-making. That's particularly critical in those moments of extraordinary…
Could U.S. Withdrawal from Syria Lead to War Between Russia and Turkey?
"With the United States out of Syria it is hard to see how Russia and Turkey do not rapidly find themselves at loggerheads – either because Russia is unable to protect Turkey’s…
UN Review Should Help Children Caught in ISIS Conflict
The U.N. Security Council should use Thursday’s Counter-Terrorism Committee meeting to begin swiftly amending the 2015 Madrid Guiding Principles to spell out member countries’…
How Dangerous—and How New—Is the Defense Department’s “Collective Self-Defense” Theory?
The Defense Department’s reliance on a broad interpretation of “collective self-defense” appears to authorize military operations further removed from congressional approval…
International Law Roundup: Part III
In addition to discussing developments at the international criminal tribunals, addressed in Parts I and II of this series, the IHL Dialogs also offered insights into human rights…
Why Trump’s Aid Cuts to Syria, Gaza and West Bank Heighten Risk to U.S.
The Trump administration recently announced, in a cascade of shortsighted decisions, that it will cut at least $700 million in aid to Syria and to the West Bank and Gaza, some…
Condolence Payments for Civilian Casualties: Lessons for Applying the New NDAA
The new National Defense Authorization Act can help improve the way the U.S. responds to civilian casualties. FOIA requests and interviews with DoD officials, U.S. soldiers, judge…
“ISIS Widows” and “Boko Haram Wives”: Overlooked Abuses in Iraq and Nigeria
Thousands of displaced women in Iraq and Nigeria have been arbitrarily branded as affiliated with IS or Boko Haram, and subjected to abuse as a result. Almost 400 in-depth interviews…
US Military Admits It Killed Dozens More Civilians Than Previously Acknowledged. Now What?
In June and July, the US-led Coalition of countries fighting the armed group calling itself the Islamic State admitted that reports of civilian casualties it had previously dismissed…