Use of Force

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Trump speaks from the White House on January 08, 2020 in Washington, DC. Pence, Pompeo, Esper and others stand around him.

Lawful Self-Defense vs. Revenge Strikes: Scrutinizing Iran and U.S. Uses of Force under International Law

Here's what Congress should examine to determine if the U.S. strike complied with the law that we as a nation and our military champion. The same law that applies to Iran's actions.
A soldier sits in an U.S. Army helicopter as it flies outside of Camp Shorab on a flight to Camp Post on September 11, 2017 at Camp Shorab in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Hidden Gems: Civilian Casualties and Use of Force Reporting Provisions in the Annual Defense Bill

For all the ways that the NDAA falls short on various human rights issues, there are some bright spots that should not be overlooked.
US Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a Security Council meeting about the situation in Venezuela at the United Nations in New York on April 10, 2019 in New York City.

The Specter of Interventionism is Haunting Latin America

A series of coordinated moves - OAS decisions, UN debates, declarations to the press by senior U.S. officials, and the revival of the Rio Treaty - are building a narrative towards…
A woman walks by a crater cause by a car bomb explosion in the town of Suluk in Syria's Turkish-controlled Tal Abyad border region on November 10, 2019, in which Ankara said at least eight people were killed and more than 20 wounded.

Turkey’s Syria Invasion: German Research Report Says Illegal on All Counts

A German parliamentary research report serves as an important reminder that evidence and proportionality matter, and that exceptions to the prohibition of the use of force should…
A collage of photos from the founding of the UN between April and June of 1945.

“Clearly of Latin American Origin”: Armed Attack by Non-State Actors and the UN Charter

"The text, context, and preparatory work of Article 51 of the Charter show that it permits only the use of armed force in self-defense against an armed attack by a State."
Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido waves to the crowd during a mass opposition rally against leader Nicolas Maduro in which he declared himself the country's "acting president", on the anniversary of a 1958 uprising that overthrew military dictatorship, in Caracas on January 23, 2019.

The Rio Treaty: Paving the Way for Military Intervention in Venezuela?

Renewed focus on the presence of terrorist groups in Venezuela, and the Maduro regime’s involvement with such groups, suggest that the ground is being paved for a potential military…
Cyber operations on mission in the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade operations center at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Reassessing U.S. Cyber Operations Against Iran and the Use of Force

"There is good reason to conclude the United States may have crossed the use of force threshold with this cyber operation."
The Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.

The German Constitutional Court on the Right of Self-Defense Against ISIS in Syria

German Constitutional Court concludes that the government has a reasonable claim that the UN Charter permits use of force in self-defense against non-state actors — at least…
A map of France with binary computer code.

France’s Major Statement on International Law and Cyber: An Assessment

Leading expert on international law and cyberspace assesses major new position staked out by French government.
Popular Mobilization Forces members stand by a burning truck after a drone attack near Qaim border crossing, in Anbar province, Iraq Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019.

Questions on Legality of Israeli Strikes in Iraq and Lebanon

A flurry of news reports during the final week of August detailed recent Israeli air strikes against Iranian affiliated groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. The Washington Post…
An Afghan National Army officer, right, informs his U.S. Army counterparts from the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, left and center, about ANA troop movements May 6, 2013 while pursuing Taliban fighters in Babus, Afghanistan.

Part III: The Muddy Middle: A New Framework for Use of Force

We may not have wanted to land in this muddy middle between peace and war that we currently find ourselves in, but this is the reality of the current moment in the counterterrorism…
A picture taken near the Iraqi city of Qaim at the Iraqi-Syrian border on November 11, 2018, shows US Army vehicles patrolling the Syrian side of the border.

Part II: The Muddy Middle: Challenges of Applying Use of Force Policy Guidance in Practice

In part two of a three-part series, the authors explain how new operational models for both why and how the U.S. used force outside areas of active hostilities created tensions…
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