New Wars New Laws Applying Laws Of War In 21st Century Conflicts

This timely new volume brings together experts on the laws of war from academia, the military, and the NGO community to examine the issues surrounding September 11th and its aftermath, which have raised fundamental challenges to the existing corpus of international humanitarian law. The book features a thoughtful overview and discussion of the extent to which "new wars" call for new laws. The authors analyze specific topics pertaining to this theme, including the definition of armed conflict, the identification of military objectives, the meaning and application of the principle of proportionality in contemporary conflicts, the legitimacy of "targeted killings," the treatment of individuals detained in non-traditional armed conflicts, and the contemporary application of the law of occupation. Specific highlights include: Lt. Col. William K. Lietzau, National Defense University and former Special Advisor to the General Counsel of the Department of Defense (DoD), on when to apply the law of war and when to apply a law enforcement paradigm; Yoram Dinstein, Stockton Professor of International Law at the U.S. Naval War College, on proportionality; Crimes of War website editor Anthony Dworkin on due process problems in the anti-terror campaign; Ken Watkin, Visiting Fellow in the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, on targeting and assassination; and much more. Published under the Transnational Publishers imprint.

Modern armed conflict has taken a variety of forms and occurs at a variety of levels, raising serious questions concerning the relationship between the law of armed conflict and the reality of contemporary warfare. Many contemporary armed conflicts are fought in pursuit of unlimited objectives, whereas other modern wars seek to advance limited goals. While in some cases modern wars are fought by traditional armies composed of clearly identifiable soldiers, often modern armed conflicts are waged by guerrilla or partisan fighters whose identities are easily confused with non-combatants. Terrorism is increasingly a characteristic manifestation of this contemporary warfare. In the broadest sense, contemporary warfare has raised often controversial and vexing questions concerning the applicability of the law of armed conflict and, when applicable, the interpretation of its principles and tenets. This engaging volume addresses some of the contemporary normative and legal challenges and problems associated with the application of the concepts of just war, the just conduct of war, and the law of armed conflict to 21st century warfare.

Examines the difficulties in applying international law to recent armed conflicts known as 'new wars'.

Topics as diverse as the evolving spectrum of conflict, innovations in weaponry, automated and autonomous attack, the depersonalisation of warfare, detention operations, the influence of modern media and the application of human rights law to the conduct of hostilities are examined in this book to see to what extent existing legal norms are challenged. The book takes each topic in turn, explains relevant provisions of contemporary law and analyses exactly where the legal problem lies. The analysis then develops the theme, examining for example the implications of current rules as to deception operations for certain applications of cyber warfare. The text is written in an accessible style, and demonstrates the continuing relevance of established rules and the importance of compliance with them. Useful for academics, military, governments, ministries of defence, ministries of foreign affairs, libraries, diplomats, think tanks, policy units, NGOs, and all others with an interest in law of armed conflict issues such as journalists and students.

Examines the legal issues surrounding non-international armed conflict (NIAC) in the modern era.

Experienced authors with over 45 years combined teaching and working in the field use fundamental principles and sources to instruct and guide discussion about the application of the law of armed conflict to contemporary and future questions. Students can gain a solid foundation in the law and develop the tools they need to analyze complex legal problems. International Law and Armed Conflict shows how the law informs operational and policy decision-making. Placing the law of armed conflict in context with related fields, such as human rights law and national security law, the text provides a complete framework for understanding legal paradigms during and after conflict. Innovative materials allow flexibility across a range of class scenarios, from a stand-alone course to part of a broader survey class. New to the Second Edition: New technologies and the law of armed conflict, including cyber, unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous weapons systems The conflict in Syria, including ISIS, genocide and chemical weapons attacks Humanitarian assistance and the challenges of protecting the civilian population in urban conflicts Contemporary debates regarding detention in non-international armed conflict, human rights law, and targeted killing Professors and students will benefit from: Experienced authors with over 45 years combined teaching and working in the law of armed conflict field in the military, at think tanks, and in academia Use of the fundamental principles and sources of the law to inform discussions and questions about contemporary and future questions An approach that gives students a solid foundation in the law and the analytical tools they need to analyze complex legal situations and problems and to understand how the law informs and impacts operational and policy decision-making Context that ties together the law of armed conflict with other related fields, such as human rights law and national security law, to provide a complete framework for understanding the legal paradigm applicable during and after conflict Teaching materials include: Substantive and innovative tools and materials to teach this topic as a stand-alone class or as part of a broader class on a range of related topics A Teacher’s manual with additional sources, discussion points, and key background information, all designed for maximum use and flexibility in a range of class scenarios

The Laws of War and 21st Century Conflict explores how international law considers and confronts the so-called new warfare. To many, modern conflict appears unlike any we have known before. A modern battlefield might as easily be found in an urban shopping mall or in the frontline trenches of a failed state. Weaponry that once populated science fiction novels and movies is now a reality, with unmanned aerial drones used against military targets in several countries and automated robots replacing some soldiers on the battlefield. Globalization and the diffusion of technology have eroded state controls and empowered other actors, from terrorist groups to mercenaries. Now, the most deadly threats might be activated by the push of a cell-phone button or from a computer hacker's screen on the other side of the world.