Targeted Killing
245 Articles
“Hunting” the October 7 Attackers: What the Law of Armed Conflict Permits – and What It Doesn’t
Legal analysis of Israel's operation to kill or capture every individual involved in the October 7th massacre.
I Was Afghanistan’s Attorney General. Here Is What Justice Looked Like — and What Destroyed It.
Afghanistan’s justice system took 20 years to build and 11 days to destroy. Former Attorney General Mohammad Farid Hamidi outlines the ongoing fight for accountability.
Was Targeting Ayatollah Khamenei and Other Iranian Leaders Lawful? What Precedents Does It Set?
After Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei was killed in a U.S. and Israeli attack, a key question arises: when is striking a member of the enemy leadership lawful under the laws…
Striking Hamas in Qatar: “Unwilling or Unable”?
Leading legal expert analyzes the Israeli airstrike on Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar.
The Aftermath of the Haniyeh Killing: How to Avoid a New Middle East War
Expert analysis of the Ismail Haniyeh killing and prospects for avoiding a wider war in the Middle East.
Bad for the Goose, Bad for the Gander: Drone Attacks in Russia Underscore Broader Risks
Recent drone attacks in Russia highlight legal and policy risks that must be weighed carefully.
Opaque Transparency on the Use of Force: Observations on the 2022 “1264” Report
The 2022 report illustrates the limits of congressionally mandated reporting requirements on matters of war and peace and the need for Congress to be more proactive in informing…
Missed Opportunities and Minor Progress: The FY 2023 National Defense Bill and War Powers
One big disappointing omission and otherwise a mixed bag from the standpoint of winding down the United States’ forever wars -- despite leaders of both parties having proclaimed…
The World Should Protect Afghan Refugees Fleeing the Taliban’s Oppression
The international community must urgently do more to help Afghan refugees.
What Was the International Legal Basis for the Strike on al-Zawahiri?
Serious questions need to be addressed in order to establish that both the killing of Zawahiri, and the use of force against Afghanistan, were not violations of international law.
Time for the Biden Administration to Disavow the Dangerous Soleimani Legal Opinions
The legal opinions' fundamental error: distorting accepted legal framework to fit inapposite facts. Still on the book, the opinions remain a loaded weapon for another president…
Paradigm Shift: The Consequences of Choosing a War Path, and Leaving It
We owe it to the next generation to grapple now with the consequences of remaining at war -- as well as the consequences of choosing not to be -- lest we find ourselves reflexively…