When Americans say we are defending democracy by supporting Ukraine, what do we mean?

When we bandy about “war crimes,” “assassination,” and other terms, we ought to consider what we are talking about and, if appropriate, what the available mechanisms for justice are.

To my frustration, the 1899 Hague Conventions, the 1907 Hague Regulations, and the 1954 Convention have all been flouted in Turkish-occupied Famagusta and in other parts of Cyprus. Just as frustratingly, Turkey has tried to block the road to justice via The Hague.

Christians in Nigeria and Ethiopia face nothing short of genocide. Religious and ethnic carnage have become an all-too-familiar reality in both countries, with no end in sight.

Realism and the just war ethic both pursue war in certain contexts, so they can appear to be close cousins. But the just war ethic shares less with realism than realism shares with pacifism.

Even with a strong desire to grant mercy—truly undeserved mercy—Americans must energetically seek justice, even in warfare, lest we become like the enemies we seek to defeat: who are without America’s long tradition of rooting our laws in the laws of the God of the Bible.

The United Nations has failed to do what it was created to do—“promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security.”

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on several members of the Burmese military, Border Guard Police commanders, and two Burmese military units for their involvement in mass atrocities. More states should do the same.

Today, after passing several shouting Code Pink demonstrators, I lunched at the Mayflower Hotel with the Federalist Society to hear National Security Advisor John Bolton blast the International Criminal Court (ICC).