FPRI takes no positions on the presidential candidates; naturally, our individual scholars do, and we anticipate those positions will vary. 

“As a retired military officer, I do not publicly endorse candidates.

But as someone who served as a judge advocate, or military lawyer, for 34 years, I do think it can be helpful to examine in a nonpartisan way the legal aspects of Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric on the use of force against the Islamic State, or ISIS.

Here are two recent quotes from Trump:

“One of the problems that we have and one of the reasons we’re so ineffective is they’re trying to, they’re using [their own families] as shields …”

“We’re fighting a very politically correct war. You have to take out their families. They care about their lives, don’t kid yourself, but they say they don’t care about their lives. You have to take out their families.”

Exactly what Trump is suggesting doing is not clear here, so let us examine some of the different possibilities…”

Continue reading “Trump’s campaign rhetoric, ISIS and the Law of War”