If the “Why” of War Shapes the “How” of Law, Who is Accountable?

If the “Why” of War Shapes the “How” of Law, Who is Accountable?

by | Jan 22, 2025 | AoW Posts, Blog, Law of Armed Conflict, Use of Force

If the “Why” of War Shapes the “How” of Law, Who is Accountable? The ongoing armed conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza illustrate the dangerous consequences of conflating jus ad bellum and jus in bello. This conflation risks undermining the universality of international...
Israel’s Actions in Syria and the Outer Limits of Self-Defence

Israel’s Actions in Syria and the Outer Limits of Self-Defence

by | Jan 14, 2025 | AoW Posts, Blog, Terrorism / Counter Terrorism, Use of Force

Israel’s Actions in Syria and the Outer Limits of Self-Defence Following the fall of the al-Assad regime in Syria, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes across Syria targeting military facilities, weapons and ammunition depots, defence systems, and Syrian naval...
Taiwan Statehood (or not) and its Ramification for Armed Conflict

Taiwan Statehood (or not) and its Ramification for Armed Conflict

by , , , | Dec 20, 2024 | AoW Posts, Blog, Conflict Classification, Use of Force

Taiwan Statehood (or not) and its Ramification for Armed Conflict As outlined in a previous Articles of War post, the recent 2024 Lieber Workshop focused on international law and the future of multi-domain operations in the Indo-Pacific. One of the workshop’s panels...
Rules of Engagement in Large-Scale Combat Operations: Force Enabler or Much Ado About Nothing?

Rules of Engagement in Large-Scale Combat Operations: Force Enabler or Much Ado About Nothing?

by | Dec 13, 2024 | AoW Posts, Blog, Law of Armed Conflict, Policy, Targeting, Use of Force

Rules of Engagement in Large-Scale Combat Operations: Force Enabler or Much Ado About Nothing? Rules of Engagement (ROE) have traditionally played a major role in the execution of military operations, particularly when a given situation has not reached the threshold...
The Operational Consequences of Conflating the “Why” and “How” of War

The Operational Consequences of Conflating the “Why” and “How” of War

by , | Dec 9, 2024 | AoW Posts, Blog, Law of Armed Conflict, Use of Force

The Operational Consequences of Conflating the “Why” and “How” of War In conflict, determining whose cause is “more just” can span the spectrum of opinion and complexity. For example, most States consider Ukraine to be the “victim” State in its international armed...
Iran and Israel: The Light Treatment of Jus ad Bellum

Iran and Israel: The Light Treatment of Jus ad Bellum

by | Dec 4, 2024 | AoW Posts, Blog, Use of Force

Iran and Israel: The Light Treatment of Jus ad Bellum In the early hours of October 26, 2024, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched a large-scale attack against Iran. According to the IDF, these were “precise and targeted strikes against military targets in a...