Syria
553 Articles
Whose Armed Conflict? Which Law of Armed Conflict?
When one state, say, the United States, uses military force on the territory of another state, say, Syria or Pakistan, without the consent of that state, what legal rules constrain…
Would Arming Anti-Assad Rebels Trigger an “International Armed Conflict”—and War Crimes Prosecutions?
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Gulf Arab States are considering arming militant groups in Syria to fend off Assad’s onslaught in Aleppo and elsewhere. There may be…
Triggers and Thresholds of Non-International Armed Conflict
When and where does the law of non-international armed conflict apply? Since most contemporary armed conflicts are fought between states and organized armed groups, or between…
Is the White House Mulling “Non-Diplomatic” Means to Stop Assad’s Attacks on Civilians?
The White House has no shortage of advice from outside the government (including from Just Security) and from within the administration on the best options for addressing the carnage…
Just Security’s Questions for Clinton and Trump
Given the importance of tonight’s prime-time debate between US presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, we’re again running our list of vital national…
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…