Syria
553 Articles
On the Precipice: The U.S. and Russia in Syria
A Russian air force Su-30 fighter jet in Syria. The United States and Russia have entered a new and dangerous moment. On Sunday, a U.S. fighter jet shot down a Syrian warplane.…
Exclusive: White House Officials Push For Widening War in Syria Over Pentagon Objections
A pair of top White House officials is pushing to broaden the war in Syria, viewing it as an opportunity to confront Iran and its proxy forces on the ground there, according to…
About that “Deconfliction Zone” in Syria: Is the United States on Firm Domestic and International Legal Footing?
The U.S. military has at least three times in recent weeks engaged in hostilities against pro-Syrian regime forces near the At Tanf garrison in southern Syria and shot down a pro-regime…
New Atrocities Prevention & Response Legislation Introduced
I posted earlier about a new bipartisan bill to advance accountability in Syria: the Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017 (current status is here). Two additional pieces…
The U.S. Strike against Pro-Assad Forces and the 2001 AUMF
U.S. officials have said that the U.S.-led coalition in Syria struck pro-Assad forces that were advancing inside an established “de-confliction” zone and toward a military…
U.S. Strike in Syria: The (Non) Legal Issues and Lingering Questions
Officials with the Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (the coalition task force organized to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq) have now confirmed that U.S.-led…
Don’t Be So Quick to Call Those Disclosures “Legal”
Following multiple reports that President Trump disclosed highly classified information to Russian officials at a private meeting, various legal experts have asserted that Trump…
On Israeli Airstrikes in Syria—Lawful and No Need for Transparency
In his post “Israeli Airstrikes in Syria: The International Law Analysis You Won’t Find,” Asaf Lubin is perplexed by the dearth of discussion by what he describes as jus…
Why Syria’s New De-Escalation Areas Should Not Be Confused with “Safe Zones”
Many news outlets are reporting that Russia, Turkey and Iran have agreed to create so-called “safe zones” in Syria as part of the ceasefire talks taking place in Astana, Kazakhstan.…
Fighting to Protect Children in Conflict
When the United States ordered retaliation in response to Syria’s use of chemical weapons in Idlib, President Donald Trump spoke of “innocent children, innocent babies, little…
Israeli Airstrikes in Syria: The International Law Analysis You Won’t Find
The United States engages in a one-off attack on a Syrian airbase and within a matter of days predictions of an end to international legal order as we know it are flying left and…
Changes to Rules of Engagement Approval Levels and Civilian Casualties
Anyone serious about combating ISIS and minimizing civilian casualties needs to consider the importance of the Rules of Engagement (ROE) in Iraq and Syria. We offer our thoughts…