Asia’s Melian Moment
by Hitoshi Nasu | Jun 13, 2025 | AoW Posts, Blog, Law of Armed Conflict, Law of Neutrality, Maritime
Asia’s Melian Moment Prior to the siege of Melos, the Melians argued that they had the right to remain neutral when the Athenians demanded their surrender. The famous dialogue depicted by Thucydides in the History of the Peloponnesian War illustrates political realism...
The So-Called Principle of Equal Treatment of Belligerents by the Neutral State
by Robert Kolb | Apr 14, 2025 | AoW Posts, Blog, Law of Armed Conflict, Law of Neutrality
The So-Called Principle of Equal Treatment of Belligerents by the Neutral State Conventional legal wisdom says neutral States owe belligerents equality of treatment (see for example here, p. 282–84, here, p. 237, and here, p. 466). This is largely inaccurate, however....
Clarifying Neutrality: The Rise of Different Statuses?
by Robert Kolb, Benjamin Meret | Mar 19, 2025 | AoW Posts, Blog, Law of Armed Conflict, Law of Neutrality
Clarifying Neutrality: The Rise of Different Statuses? With the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, one can witness the rebirth of a classical topic of international law: the law of neutrality. Some argue that neutrality is “obsolete.” An alternative...
Dilemmas of Defense: The U.S. Role in the Iran-Israel Conflict
by Masoud Zamani, Amirabbas Kiani | Jan 24, 2025 | AoW Posts, Blog, Law of Neutrality, Use of Force
Dilemmas of Defense: The U.S. Role in the Iran-Israel Conflict On April 13, 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran carried out an unprecedented operation, launching hundreds of drones and cruise missiles toward Israel. Reports indicate that Israel intercepted the majority...
Ukraine Symposium – North Korea’s Entry into International Armed Conflict
by Steve Szymanski, Joshua C.T. Keruski | Dec 10, 2024 | AoW Posts, Blog, Conflict Classification, Law of Neutrality, Ukraine-Russia Symposium
Ukraine Symposium – North Korea’s Entry into International Armed Conflict In recent months, the world has observed the methodical introduction of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine international armed conflict (IAC). On...