On Tuesday, August 11, after 22 years without an execution in Lebanon, the country’s parliament voted to abolish the death penalty, making it the first Arab country to formally scrap capital punishment. The new law replaces death sentences with life imprisonment with hard labor. And what was the only party on record in that country to [...]
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The 60-Day Clock Is Still Running: Why the Iran Ceasefire Can't Suspend the War Powers Resolution
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 (WPR) was enacted to ensure that decisions to introduce US forces into hostilities reflect the collective judgment of Congress and the President. Central to this framework is the 60‑day termination requirement, which obligates the President to obtain congressional authorization or withdraw US forces once they have been introduced into [...]
The most dangerous wars are not the ones forced upon nations, but the ones they begin believing they can control. As the United States edges deeper into open conflict with Iran—a conflict Washington initiated with the confidence of a country accustomed to quick, decisive victories—we are drifting toward a strategic defeat of our own making. [...]
The Gambia's Hybrid Tribunal: A Bold Experiment in Transitional Justice
The approval of establishment of a hybrid special tribunal in The Gambia represents a significant development in the field of transitional justice, offering a potential model for other nations grappling with legacies of human rights abuses. This innovative mechanism, blending elements of international and domestic justice systems, aims to address the widespread violations committed during [...]
The Moral Imperative of UN Resolution 2254 as Syria Looks to a Future Without Assad
The sudden collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria marks a turning point for the country, but the path forward will require a carefully managed political transition, accountability for war crimes, and implementation of UN Resolution 2254 to ensure a stable and representative government. The end of an era The fall of Bashar al-Assad was [...]
Israel and Hezbollah: A Legal Assessment of Israel's 'War in the North'
“An intentional act of injustice is an injury. A Nation has therefore the right to punish it…. This right to resist injustice is derived from the right of self-protection.” Emmerich de Vattel, The Law of Nations or the Principles of Natural Law 1758) Israel’s law-based conflict with Hezbollah and Hamas terrorism is grounded in the [...]
UN Secretary General closes special tribunal for former Lebanon PM assassination
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres officially closed Saturday an international tribunal established to probe the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The Secretary-General’s spokesperson acknowledged the Special Tribunal’s closure of the Special Tribunal and emphasized that three individuals were found guilty in connection with the assassination in absentia proceedings and sentenced to five [...]
Palestinian Statehood and Demilitarization: A Falsifying Conjunction
“For by wise counsel, thou shalt make thy war.” Proverbs 24:6 Though one might think otherwise, there is no Palestinian state at present, nor has there ever been such a state in the past. Still, once the current Gaza War comes to an end – and whatever the tangible correlates of any war termination agreements [...]
The Beast that is Iran—Condemn, Isolate, Confront Using International Norms
Indeed, the geopolitical landscape is complex, especially when discussing Iran’s involvement in various global issues. Central to these concerns are allegations of Iran’s support for Russian aggression against Ukraine, its perceived stance on Israel, and its role as a destabilizing force in the Middle East. Firstly, Iran’s relationship with Russia has raised apprehensions, particularly regarding [...]
Israel, Counter-Terrorism, and International Law: The Analytic Challenges of 'System'
“The existence of `system’ in the world is obvious to every observer of nature, no matter whom.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Phenomenon of Man (1959) Whether conspicuous or obscure, terrorism generally presents itself as a systemic challenge. This means, inter alia, that seemingly singular strategic and legal matters may actually be many-sided and interrelated. Regarding legal issues, though [...]