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Full-Text Articles in Law
New Approaches To Reducing And Mitigating Harm To Civilians, Greg Mcneal
New Approaches To Reducing And Mitigating Harm To Civilians, Greg Mcneal
Greg McNeal
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan highlighted the strategic importance of the U.S. commitment to civilian protection. Both wars were eventually fought as a counterinsurgency (COIN) and both revealed how protecting civilians is a central feature of COIN. This chapter examines the importance of civilian casualty mitigation in U.S. counterinsurgency operations, it describes the theoretical and practical lessons learned regarding civilian casualties and situates them in a broader strategic context. The chapter also describes the U.S. military’s newest doctrinal publication aimed specifically at preventing and mitigating harm to civilians. The chapter concludes noting that protecting the population and winning hearts …
Dangerous Precedent: America's Illegal War In Afghanistan, Ryan T. Williams
Dangerous Precedent: America's Illegal War In Afghanistan, Ryan T. Williams
Ryan T. Williams
Osama bin Laden’s death has lead many to question the efficacy of America’s continued fighting in Afghanistan. Too often dismissed is any meaningful discussion of the legality of the war on terror in Afghanistan, where the U.S. has promised to keep fighting until at least 2014. The use of force in international law is generally forbidden, except under three circumstances: in self-defense, pursuant to a United Nations Security Council resolution, or with consent from the leader of an invaded state. After a careful examination of all three, it is apparent that America’s continued fighting in Afghanistan, more than a decade …