Targeting

Trump’s Secret Rules for Drone Strikes and Presidents’ Unchecked License to Kill

FOIA lawsuit obtains Trump administration's playbook. Hina Shamsi writes about the broader lessons for secret presidential powers.

May 3, 2021 Hina Shamsi

Graffiti showing a US drone is depicted on a wall to protest against US drone strikes on September 19, 2018 in Sana'a, Yemen.

Biden’s Drone Policy Review: Recommendations for a Reset

"The administration should see this review as an opportunity take some first critical steps toward ending the forever wars."

Mar. 5, 2021 Luke Hartig

Members of the security forces walking at the site of a NATO airstrike which destroyed two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in northern Kunduz on September 4, 2009.

Kunduz Airstrike Before European Court of Human Rights: Future of Jurisdiction and Duty to Investigate

The future of European Human Rights Court's jurisdiction and the future of States' duty to investigate civilian casualties in wartime.

Feb. 26, 2021 Chantal Meloni

: An F-16CJ from the 78th Fighter Squadron, at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina flies over the Eglin Land Range as the pilot releases a GBU-31 2,000 pound Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) during a test mission February 25, 2003.

Avoiding Collateral Damage on the Battlefield

What are the rules on avoiding harm to civilians in armed conflict and how are they applied in an operational context? A detailed explainer on the processes, technologies, and…

Feb. 11, 2021 Lt. Col. John Cherry, Sqn. Ldr. Kieran Tinkler and 1 more

Prosthetic legs are stacked against a wall with a mirror in the therapy room at the ICRC Orthopedic Center on October 1 2019 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Some of the prosthetics wear sandals or sneakers and others are barefoot.

The Progress Not Made on Protecting Civilians

I was recently asked to reflect on the progress the United States has made on civilian protection after two decades of war and counterterrorism operations since 9/11. I got down…

Feb. 2, 2021 Sarah Yager

A doctor speaks with a patient during an online consultation session at a hospital in Shenyang in China's northeastern Liaoning province on February 4, 2020.

Oxford Statement on the International Law Protections Against Cyber Operations Targeting the Health Care Sector

In advance of Friday, May 22 Arria-Formula meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

May 21, 2020 Dapo Akande, Duncan B. Hollis and 2 more

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, commander, U.S. Africa Command, shake hands as she steps out of a car during a visit April 13, 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Great Expectations: AFRICOM’s New Quarterly Report on Civilian Casualties

A look at circumstances under which civilian casualties may occur in Somalia, why the US military may be under-reporting the numbers, and what to do about it.

Apr. 21, 2020 Daniel R. Mahanty

U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, and Maj. Gen. Mpho Mophuting, director of general support services, Botswana Defence Force, meet Aug. 14, 2019.

What Counts As Sufficient Transparency on Civilian Casualties in Somalia

Former National Security Council and Defense Department official writes about upcoming civilian casualties report from AFRICOM, and what will still be missing.

Apr. 20, 2020 Luke Hartig

U.S. Army Spc. Christopher Andres, infantryman assigned to Task Force Guardian, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), 1-186th Infantry Battalion, Oregon National Guard, provides security for a 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (EAS) C-130J Super Hercules during unloading and loading operations in Somalia on Feb. 6, 2020.

US Ramps Up War in Somalia, Killing More Civilians

While much of the world tries to fight a global pandemic that has already killed thousands, the U.S. military has been secretly stepping up its war in Somalia, killing civilians…

Apr. 20, 2020 Daphne Eviatar

A small Yemeni child walks barefoot on rubble of a building destroyed in an airstrike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition, at the Old City of Sana'a, on July 07, 2019 in Sana'a, Yemen.

Preventing and Responding to Civilian Casualties: An Upcoming Discussion on Law, Policy, and Progress

Civilian casualties are inevitable in armed conflict. Nonetheless, international law requires armed forces to distinguish between civilians and lawful military objectives, and…

Mar. 9, 2020 Keith Petty

An Iranian woman walks beneath a poster honouring the victims of a Ukrainian passenger jet accidentally shot down in the capital last week, in front of the Amirkabir University in the capital Tehran, on January 13, 2020.

Iran Plane Downing: Likely a Violation of International Humanitarian Law (But Not a War Crime)

Iran most likely violated the law of armed conflict in shooting down Ukraine Airlines PS752 but did not commit a war crime.

Jan. 14, 2020 Evelyne Schmid

Side-by-side portraits of Secretary Mark Esper, Department of Defense General Counsel Paul Ney and General Mark Milley.

Revisiting General Counsel Ney’s Speech in Light of New Pentagon Leadership

Former Department of Defense official (OSD) Luke Hartig critiques General Counsel Paul Ney's recent speech on the framework governing US military operations.

Jul. 31, 2019 Luke Hartig