Beyond Nuclear: Does Russia’s Reported Anti-Starlink Weapon Breach the Outer Space Treaty?

Beyond Nuclear: Does Russia’s Reported Anti-Starlink Weapon Breach the Outer Space Treaty?

Beyond Nuclear: Does Russia’s Reported Anti-Starlink Weapon Breach the Outer Space Treaty? In Late December 2025, intelligence services reported suspicion that Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to target mass-constellations, such as SpaceX. Unlike...
Air Warfare and International Humanitarian Law

Air Warfare and International Humanitarian Law

Air Warfare and International Humanitarian Law In 1949, the U.S. Army’s International Law Branch Chief, Major William G. Downey, provided remarks (in his personal capacity) to the American Society of International Law.  He asserted, The person who first drafts an...
When the Defender Is the Attacker and Does It Matter?

When the Defender Is the Attacker and Does It Matter?

When the Defender Is the Attacker and Does It Matter? I was delighted to learn that Dr Jonathan Kwik has received funding for what promises to be a most important research project. Jonathan is fast developing a well-earned reputation as a thought-leader in complex...
Beyond Human-in-the-Loop: Battlefield Maps for Drone Autonomy

Beyond Human-in-the-Loop: Battlefield Maps for Drone Autonomy

Beyond Human-in-the-Loop: Battlefield Maps for Drone Autonomy The requirement that a human approve every lethal engagement, known as human-in-the-loop (HITL), is effectively dead, a casualty of the war in Ukraine. The requirement that commanders bear responsibility...
International Law, the Civil Law Tradition, and Sources of Law – Part II

International Law, the Civil Law Tradition, and Sources of Law – Part II

International Law, the Civil Law Tradition, and Sources of Law – Part II Editors’ note: This is the second in a two-part post illustrating the impact of the civil law tradition on the formation of international law including the law of war, specifically the sources of...
The “Aggregated” Accumulation of Events Doctrine: Three Operational Hypotheticals

The “Aggregated” Accumulation of Events Doctrine: Three Operational Hypotheticals

The “Aggregated” Accumulation of Events Doctrine: Three Operational Hypotheticals Editors’ note: This post is based on the author’s forthcoming contribution to “What if in 2031” in a fall/winter publication at the NATO Defence College (Rome). The post’s hyperlinks...