On December 7, 2015, the UN General Assembly passed A/RES/70/50, titled “Ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-free-world,” by a vote of 132-36. Co-sponsored by Austria and several other states central to the “Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons” movement, the resolution charges that any use of nuclear weapons would inherently violate the laws of war, stating: “it is inconceivable that any use of nuclear weapons, irrespective of the cause, would be compatible with the requirements of international humanitarian law.” The resolution’s claim that there is an airtight legal case against any form of nuclear employment merits close assessment by jurists, strategists, and policy wonks, particularly in states fielding nuclear forces. Read more >>