Syria
524 Articles
US Responsibility Arising From Russian Violations of the Law of Armed Conflict
Ryan Goodman raised a great question yesterday about the US-Russia deal on Syria: may the United States coordinate military operations with Russia if Russia is highly likely to…
Is the US-Russia Pact in Syria Barred by International Law?
While Secretary John Kerry appears to be trying to resuscitate the US-Russia deal in Syria, one issue worth considering is whether a major step in the US-Russia plan is permitted…
Trump’s Calls to Pillage Iraqi Oil
In his appearance with Secretary Clinton at NBC’s Commander-in-Chief Forum earlier this month, Donald Trump called for actions that amount to a war crime. Addressing US policies…
What Sec. Kerry Privately Thinks About the US-Russia Deal for Syria
On Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry described the broad outlines of a U.S.-Russia agreement for Syria. The plan includes three parts—(1) a cessation of hostilities, (2)…
Does Operation Inherent Resolve set a troubling constitutional precedent?: Engaging with Goldsmith and Waxman
This post is the latest installment of our “Monday Reflections” feature, in which a different Just Security editor examines the big stories from the previous week or looks…
Fighting Human Trafficking in Conflict: Ideas for the UN Security Council
Slavery – is it making a comeback? There is a growing awareness that as many as 45.8 million people may be enslaved around the world today, and that supply-chains for basic commodities…
Explainer: What Mental State is Required to Commit a War Crime?
What exactly is the definition of war crimes under international law or, more precisely, what mental state is required to commit such an offence? The synopsis below provides an…
The ICRC Updated Commentaries: Reconciling Form and Substance, Part II
Last week, I left off my exploration of the International Committee of the Red Cross’s (ICRC) 2016 Updated Commentaries on the First Geneva Convention of 1949 by asking…
Chemical Weapons Use Returns to Syria
This post is the latest installment of our “Monday Reflections” feature, in which a different Just Security editor examines the big stories from the previous week or looks…
Syria, J’Accuse! Syrian State Responsibility for War Crimes
So far, achieving any measure of accountability for the grave international crimes being committed in Syria has been elusive, as I’ve outlined before. A draft Security Council…
The Obama Legal Team and the Lawfulness of Attacking Assad
Editor’s note: This post also appears on Charlie Savage’s blog Power Wars and Lawfare. Several prominent law professors who were formerly members of the Obama national security…
“Effective” Policy in Syria: Ambassador Robert Ford’s View
I wrote here yesterday in response to a post by Marty Lederman and Ashley Deeks about the recent, much-publicized dissent channel cable signed by 51 US diplomats. While my discussion…