University of Virginia Law Professor Frederick Hitz discusses his theories regarding what he terms the “relentless non-humanity” of drone warfare. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
The NSA Surveillance Controversy: How the Ratchet Effect Can Impact Anti-Terrorism Laws
King’s College London PhD student Austen D. Givens explores some of the ways in which the “ratchet effect” can impact anti-terrorism laws, making them difficult to scale back, and offers a set of policy recommendations to mitigate its effects. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Are We Reaching a Tipping Point? How Contemporary Challenges Are Affecting the Military Necessity-Humanity Balance
Major Shane R. Reeves and Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey S. Thurnher address the relationship between the principles of military necessity and humanity, and warn that an overemphasis on humanity may be unfolding in the contexts of the “capture or kill” debate, autonomous weapons systems, and cyber warfare. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Air Force
On Wikipedia, Lawfare, Blogs, and Sources
Benjamin Wittes and Stephanie Leutert discuss the stifling effects of Wikipedia censorship on the national discussion of Lawfare. Photo courtesy of Reuters
Autonomous Weapon Systems and International Humanitarian Law: A Reply to the Critics
Prof. Michael N. Schmitt responds to the recent Human Rights Watch report, Losing Humanity, and argues it blurs the distinction between international humanitarian law’s prohibitions on weapons per se and those on the unlawful use of otherwise lawful weapons. Photo courtesy Sandia National Laboratories
The Perilous Position of the Laws of War
Major Charles G. Kels argues that the current standoff over legal regimes applicable to counterterrorism operations misconstrues the law of armed conflict and risks undermining its moral force. Photo courtesy of Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School.