UN Security Council (UNSC)
295 Articles
The Iran Nuclear Deal: The Dispensability of Obligation
Day by day the debate on the Iran nuclear deal drifts further into the deep weeds. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif last week announced his expectation that the agreement will…
Taking the Weight off of International Law: Has Syria Consented to US Airstrikes?
US airstrikes in Syria have raised significant questions about whether the US actions violate international law. That controversy would evaporate if Syria took a path of consenting,…
Venezuela Gains a Seat on the UN Security Council
This morning, the United Nations General Assembly held elections for five of its ten non-permanent Security Council seats for the 2015-2016 term. Perhaps the most interesting aspect…
It’s Time to do Something About Syria’s Other Chemical Weapons
With all eyes on ISIS, concerns about Syria’s chemical weapons program have faded from public view. But recent confirmation of the use of chlorine gas in Syria and the discovery…
Australia’s Draconian Response to the Security Council’s Resolution on Foreign Terrorist Fighters
On September 24, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that, among other things, ordered member States to curb the flow of foreign nationals who travel to the Middle East…
A Comment on Security Council Res 2178 (Foreign Terrorist Fighters) as a “Form” of Global Governance
This short blog post is a comment to Zachary Goldman’s Just Security post, “The Foreign Fighter Resolution: Implementing a Holistic Strategy to Defeat ISIL.” Goldman…
The Foreign Fighter Resolution: Implementing a Holistic Strategy to Defeat ISIL
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2178, adopted on September 24 after a debate involving dozens of world leaders, including United States President Barack Obama, is legally…
Australia, France, Netherlands Express Legal Reservations about Airstrikes in Syria [Updated]
In his speech before the United Nations on Wednesday, President Obama stated that “over 40 nations have offered to join this coalition” to dismantle the Islamic State of Iraq…
Strikes in Syria: The International Law Framework
[Cross-posted at Lawfare] As is now well-known, the United States last night hit approximately 25 targets inside Syria, some of which were directed at ISIL, and some at a group…
ISIS/ISIL remains associated with Al-Qaida because the UN Security Council says so?
There is considerable disagreement whether President Obama has acted unconstitutionally or unlawfully when proceeding to military action against ISIL/ISIS without new Congressional…
The Needle in the Haystack: Finding the Women, Peace and Security Norms in the Gaza Conflict
Operation Protective Edge and the costs of war in the latest round of the Israel-Palestine conflict have dominated all our newspaper headlines in the past month. Images of harm…
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…