International law experts discuss possible violations of international law in war in Iran
More than 100 international law experts signed a letter, published on April 2, 2026, that expressed concern about the conduct of the United States government and military in the war in Iran. In a coauthored piece for Just Security, CERL Advisory Council Member takes issue with a section of the letter concluding that the U.S. strike […]
Trump administration threats against Iranian infrastructure pose serious risks to US military legitimacy
In an article published by The Dispatch, CERL Advisory Council Member Geoffrey Corn argues that President Trump’s threats against Iranian civilian infrastructure, including bridges, power plants, and even possibly desalination facilities, create serious problems for United States military personnel. These threats also cede the high ground to the Iranian regime and casts serious doubt on the legitimacy of […]
Indiscriminate targeting of infrastructure is a clear violation of international humanitarian law
One principal aspect of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is the rule that militaries are required to use force only against enemy combatants or military objectives, writes CERL Advisory Council Member Benjamin Farley at Foreign Policy. President Trump’s repeated threats against all Iranian infrastructure, far from distinguishing military from civilian targets, would violate IHL if executed. Benjamin R. Farley is special counsel […]
After Secretary Hegseth declares victory on the battlefield, former CENTCOM commander discusses what comes next
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he believes Operation Epic Fury was “a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield.” On ABC News, CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph Votel shares his thoughts on the state of the conflict and what might come next, discussing the importance of diplomacy in the coming weeks, the clear efficacy of the United States armed […]
What the ceasefire means for the war in Iran
In appearances on NPR and Fox News, CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph Votel discusses the current state of the war in Iran after the Trump administration’s announcement of a ceasefire. He also considers the possibility of renewed American military intervention if Iran follows through on its missile threats. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.), […]
LUCAS drones are now indispensable part of American military arsenal
The LUCAS drone, or Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, is the first of its type used by the United States on a large scale. Unlike other drones, this system carries its payload in its nose and delivers that payload by crashing directly into its target. In two separate interviews, one written in The War Zone and one […]
US commanders would be in ‘untenable position’ if ordered to attack all Iranian bridges and power plants
President Trump has threatened severe strikes on Iran, even suggesting that the United States would target all of Iran’s bridges and power plants if an agreeable settlement could not be reached. According to CERL Advisory Council Member Geoffrey Corn, who was quoted in a New York Times and Washington Post article on the subject, this order to indiscriminately target civilian infrastructure would be illegal […]
Attacks on energy infrastructure should take risk of civilian casualties into account
As tension over the Strait of Hormuz escalates, President Trump has issued several threats directed towards energy infrastructure and bridges. These threats have triggered concern among international law experts. CERL Advisory Council Member Mary Ellen O’Connell warns that even if energy infrastructure is being used to transport military assets, it cannot be targeted if doing so means that civilians and/or their property are […]
Ultimatum deadline looms over Iran war
President Trump issued a deadline for the Iranian regime to come to an agreement with the United States, stating a “whole civilization will die tonight” if a deal is not reached. Discussing this pending deadline is CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph Votel who said on Fox News he believes the Trump administration is quite serious about this deadline and expects that, as […]
Trump administration legal theories underpinning birthright citizenship case would be ‘disastrous’ for US says legal expert
The Supreme Court has begun to hear oral arguments for a landmark case that will determine the future of birthright citizenship in the United States. In an appearance on MS NOW, CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Kermit Roosevelt talks about the history of birthright citizenship, the likelihood of the Supreme Court overturning birthright citizenship, and his concerns about other […]
Drones pose major problems for US in Iran war
Speaking to CNN on March 15, CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Michael Horowitz discussed the dangers posed by Iranian drone technology and capabilities to the United States, Israel, and the Gulf States. Professor Horowitz points out that because drones are so cheap to manufacture, and pretty much every nation has access to accurate guidance technology, drone strikes have become quite […]
War in Iran puts pressure on Congress and Constitution, experts say
At Lawfare, CERL Faculty Director Claire Finkelstein and CERL Advisory Council member Geoffrey Corn argue that Operation Epic Fury is fundamentally distinct from Operations Midnight Hammer and Absolute Resolve, as well as from the previous attack on Iran and the operation in Venezuela. The current campaign clearly and definitively rises to the level of armed conflict that triggers the War Powers Resolution (WPR), they write. Even when the WPR […]
US bases in Kuwait and Iraq under threat from Iranian strikes
In a set of appearances on CBS and Fox News, CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph Votel discusses how United States bases in Kuwait have been targeted and struck by Iranian drones and missiles, and how bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East could also come under threat. General Votel also gives his […]
General Joseph Votel discusses what comes next in Iran
In a podcast episode discussing recent research on the logic behind why militant groups create alliances, released by the Irregular Warfare Initiative, former CENTCOM commander and current CERL Executive Board Member General Joseph Votel leverages his many years of experience in the Middle East to analyze the strategic alliances that groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic […]
Consequences of Iran strikes could be dire according to legal experts
In an article at the National Catholic Reporter discussing the possibility of the strikes against Iran by the United States and Israel on February 28 triggering a vote in Congress about the Trump administration’s war powers, CERL Advisory Council Member Mary Ellen O’Connell expressed her concerns about the decision to attack Iran without sufficient justification or legal grounding. She also speculated about the effect these […]
AI on the battlefield is outpacing international regulations
AI technology is prominently involved in the U.S. strikes against Iran. The United States has historically used AI for logistical support, intelligence gathering, and even to assist in making battlefield decisions, such as target prioritization. An article at Nature reports that experts including CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Michael Horowitz are concerned that AI advancements are outpacing the slow-moving international legal bodies’ efforts to regulate it. Of particular concern […]
Continuing coverage of Iran strikes
CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Michael Horowitz made an appearance on NBC10 Philadelphia and was interviewed in a piece by Penn Today discussing the economic and security situation of the current conflict with Iran. In particular, Professor Horowitz focused on the short-term future of the conflict, specifically regarding Iran’s strategic use of drones and missiles to probe U.S. and Israeli missile defense systems. Michael C. […]
Primary targets of strikes against Iran are missile facilities says former CENTCOM commander
Analyzing the recent strikes against Iran by the Trump administration, General Joseph Votel, a member of CERL’s Executive Board, appeared on both Fox News and NewsNation discussing the implications of the strikes, what the primary targets are, and the consequences of Iran’s response. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.), is the former Commander of […]
“Neurotech” research capable of creating an edge on the battlefield
With significant discussion around the future automation of warfare, CERL Fellow and Fulbright Visiting Scholar Łukasz Kamieński argues at War on the Rocks that democratic states must begin to practically apply some of the research being done on neurostimulation, or the altering of brain and body systems through the introduction of energy to the nervous system in order to […]
Pentagon bars Anthropic from doing business with Department of War
In a recent escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and the AI Lab Anthropic, President Trump issued a directive ordering all federal agencies to refrain from using Anthropic’s products, and the Pentagon went a step further by labeling the company a “supply chain risk to national security” which could have serious implications for the company’s ability to do […]
CERL Executive Board member signs onto amicus brief in Fulton County election results case
The FBI recently conducted a raid on the Fulton County election facility in Union City, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. CERL Executive Board Member Stuart Gerson joined other DOJ officials from previous Democratic and Republican administrations as a signatory on an amicus brief arguing that the DOJ had “failed to fulfill its essential role in our justice system when it submitted the Search Warrant […]
Experts warn new strikes against Iran could spark regional conflict
As the Trump administration considers whether to pursue another round of strikes against Iran following the attack on the Iranian nuclear program in June of 2025, experts warn that renewed strikes could lead to far different consequences this time around. General Joseph Votel, a member of CERL’s Executive Board, cautioned on NBC News that rather than strictly targeting U.S. and […]
Judicial review is essential for rule of law at home and national security abroad
In an article at Lawfare, CERL Executive Board Member Stuart Gerson, along with more than 10 other former officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations as well as the judiciary, argue the courts must exercise their power of judicial review on executive actions that are justified on national security grounds. The authors write that the use of judicial review […]
Established bioethics norms at risk of erosion amidst backlash against “rules-based order”
In a conversation regarding his new book, CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Jonathan Moreno discusses how the wars of the 20th century changed the field of bioethics and how norms in that field are being eroded today. Jonathan D. Moreno retired as the David and Lyn Silfen University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty. Read […]
Legality of ICE agents in masks is difficult to pin down
In an interview on NBC10 Philadelphia, CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Kermit Roosevelt discusses how, in the absence of federal law directly stating whether ICE agents should wear masks when carrying out their duties, state law becomes a deciding factor. Professor Roosevelt comments on the possibility of masks becoming commonplace among other law enforcement organizations as a result of their usage by ICE. Kermit Roosevelt is the […]
Hegemonic power is destabilizing bioethics norms
Change has come fast to established bioethics norms in 2026, writes Professor Jonathan Moreno, a member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty. He points to a CDC funded study in Guinea-Bissau, which involves withholding the hepatitis B vaccine from infants, something that Professor Moreno argues would have drawn more criticism in years past. A retreat of previous standards could also spread to other areas of […]
Many options available to congress in wake of Trump administration’s pursuit of Greenland
According to CERL Executive Board Member Alberto Mora in an article for Just Security, the Trump administration’s repeated attempts to acquire Greenland, even on occasion threating to use force against fellow NATO allies, violates longstanding international legal norms. In addition to creating problems for NATO itself, the Trump administration’s actions threaten America’s treaties with the individual members of the NATO alliance. Congress must re-assert its […]
Trump administration and Minnesota government discuss how to approach reduction in ICE presence
In the aftermath of the killing of two United States citizens protesting ICE in Minnesota, the Trump administration appears to be negotiating with the Minnesota state government about potentially reducing federal policy presence in the state in exchange for increased cooperation between state and federal law enforcement regarding immigration policy, among other concessions. At The Guardian, CERL Faculty Director […]
Automation in nuclear launch systems may increase coercive power of nuclear weapons, but also increases risk of nuclear war
In an article published in the journal International Organization, Joshua Schwartz and CERL Affiliated Faculty Member Michael Horowitz discuss how threats with automated nuclear launch systems are more credible than their human-controlled equivalents. The article also details the risks of such systems and how they might be deployed in coercive situations. Michael C. Horowitz is Director of Perry World House […]