Syria
553 Articles
Endless War is the Wrong Response to ISIS
“Obama’s Blueprint for Fighting Terrorism Collides with Reality in Iraq,” blared the New York Times headline late last week, in a story that set forth the challenges of the…
Two Major ISIS Developments
On the heels of last week’s White House announcement that the President was sending 275 U.S. troops to Iraq to provide security to U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy, today…
What is to be Gained from Pursuing Accountability Now in Syria?
Beth Van Schaack’s recent posts (see here, here, and here) on the proposed Syria hybrid tribunal prompted an astute response from Rianne Letschert: @BethVanSchaack @janethanderson…
Alternative Jurisdictional Bases for a Hybrid Tribunal for Syria
As we have discussed, one option under consideration to address the commission of grave international crimes during the conflict in Syria is the creation of a hybrid tribunal within…
A Mixed Chamber for Syria: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
As we have discussed in a prior post and in the press, the international community must think creatively about how to build an accountability mechanism for Syria that does not—at…
Options for Accountability in Syria
The Security Council is poised today to vote on a resolution referring the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). This would be the third such referral following…
Does the U.N. General Assembly have the authority to establish an International Criminal Tribunal for Syria?
By all accounts, the U.N. Security Council session this morning will not result in a referral of the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Because Syria…
Update: French Text Referring Syria to ICC Said to Replicate Standard Exemptions for US
In a post this morning, I discussed the language reported in the press of a draft Security Council resolution referring Syria to the International Criminal Court. The question…
How “Similar” is US Exemption on Draft UNSC Referral of Syria to the ICC?
[Editor’s Note: Check out Ryan’s updated post, “Update: French Text Referring Syria to ICC Said to Replicate Standard Exemptions for US.”] Yesterday I…
Draft UN Security Council Referral of Syria to the ICC—and US Exemptions
Colum Lynch reported yesterday at Foreign Policy that the Obama administration now supports France’s draft resolution to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal…
Weak Tea: Seymour Hersh Elaborates His Views on Why to Trust Russian Spies
If you have been following the response to Sy Hersh’s claims that rebels—and not Assad’s forces—used chemical weapons in the fateful attacks on civilians in Syria in August…
Hersh’s Syria Conspiracy Theory: The CIA and Intelligence Oversight Questions
In a previous post, I discussed the Senate Intelligence Committee report on the attack against U.S. facilities and personnel in Benghazi, Libya. That post contemplated bias by…