Search: Syria Insta-Symposium
02 Sep More Non-Syria News: Japan Threatens to Take Korea to ICJ Over WWII Victim Compensation Cases
Although it is sometimes hard to remember, there are things going on in the world that are unrelated to the looming U.S.-Syria conflict. And although I have lots of thoughts on Syria, I wanted to point folks to some other news. Japan is threatening to take Korea to the ICJ as a result of a Korean court has upholding compensation to a Korean victim of WWII forced labor who sued Nippon Steel, a Japanese corporation that had used such labor in its support of the Japanese government during WWII. Interestingly,...23 Apr The Narrow Case for the Legality of Strikes in Syria and Russia’s Illegitimate Veto
it could also take this simple pledge not to use its veto in the face of atrocity crimes? Aside from legal questions as to the strike and whether or not it met appropriate criteria of legitimacy (as well as why the US is not doing more to solve the Syrian crisis or admit Syrian refugees as Harold H. Koh well asks), let us recognize that we are in a place we should never have reached. First, the Assad regime should never have been using chemical weapons against its own people...18 Apr Interview with David Remnick About Syria
I had the pleasure about a week ago to discuss Syria with David Remnick for the New Yorker Radio Hour. Most of the questions, not surprisingly, focused on whether I thought there was any realistic prospect that Assad would face justice. (My answer: probably not.) The show went live a couple of days ago — I was traveling and didn’t have access to internet — but you can find the podcast here. My interview lasted about 25 minutes, and I highly recommend the segment on Syria that precedes it. Thoughts...02 Nov Will Obama Reveal His Views on Raiding Syria? Nope.
express views about the zillions of confirmed news reports about the raid, and the anti-US protests in Syria, the Syrian government’s angry response, and Iran’s angry response. Yes, yes, he’s got an election to win. And I know it is politically advantageous to say nothing. But wouldn’t you like to know whether he thinks such raids are legal, appropriate, and/or necessary? That is the big question, and it would be nice if someone asked him, or if he would give us some hint of where he is going on this....14 Sep Brief Thoughts on the Russia-US Deal (and No, I’m Not in Favor of Force)
it wouldn’t be illegal.) So what do I think of the US-Russian deal? For what it is, and assuming Assad complies, it seems like a good idea. Anything that reduces Syria’s stockpiles of chemical weapons is positive. Although I don’t think Assad ordered the Damascus attack, I have no doubt he would use chemical weapons if (as seems unlikely at that this point) the rebels ever threatened to overthrow his regime. And of course someone in the Syrian military used chemical weapons, so it would be great if that could...24 Sep Leading Issues at UN General Assembly Opening This Week
priorities of the main session and some 50 side meetings. “It is really troubling that this situation is continuing without any immediate end to this crisis.” Attention is one thing, however, and progress something else entirely. Despite at least three high-level meetings on Syria, and countless other talks, not to mention day after day of speeches from presidents, kings and other potentates, no broad new initiatives are expected. “Everybody will think of Syria, everybody will speak of Syria, especially in the speeches to the General Assembly, but I don’t see...18 Dec Update on Syria
In yesterday’s Washington Post, we find an article in which Detlev Mehlis, the chief UN investigator into the murder of Rafik al-Hariri, actually accuses Syria of direct involvement in the assassination, as well as linking Syria to the murder of Gibran Tueni. While we can only sit and wait for the UN to release its evidence, let’s hope that what has been gathered is so damning that Russia, China, and Algeria will have no hope but to support punishment. I’m skeptical…but slightly hopeful that the UN will actually be able...
15 Nov Multinational Lafarge Facing Unprecedented Charges for International Crimes: Insights Into the French Court Decisions
...criminal complaint filed in France in 2016 by Sherpa, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and a dozen former Syrian Lafarge employees, which addressed Lafarge’s activities in Syria via its subsidiary, Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS), the parent company (Lafarge SA) was indicted in June 2018 for complicity in crimes against humanity, endangering the lives of others, financing terrorism, and violating an embargo. The judicial inquiry revealed that, to maintain operations in its newly renovated cement factory in Syria, Lafarge transferred at least 15 million US dollars to...12 May The Security Council Won’t Even Go Dutch with the ICC on Syria
There are many reasons to be skeptical of the Security Council referring the situation in Syria to the ICC, not the least of which is that an ICC investigation is unlikely to accomplish anything given the ongoing conflict. (One that Assad is almost certainly going to win.) But just in case that’s not enough, take a gander at this provision in the draft referral: [The Security Council] recognizes that none of the expenses incurred in connection with the referral, including expenses related to investigations or prosecutions in connection with that...29 Mar Symposium: Cogan Reply to Pauwelyn
[Jacob Cogan is Assitant Professor of Law at the University of Cincinnati and a contributor to the Opinio Juris On-line Symposium] My thanks to Professor Joost Pauwelyn for his thoughtful comments, to Opinio Juris for inviting me to participate in this online symposium, and to the Yale Journal of International Law for publishing my essay on Noncompliance and the International Rule of Law. In the essay, I argue that noncompliance is a necessary component of the international legal system. In so doing, I take issue with the majority view of...