The system of public international law has reached a major turning point in its history and is confronting serious challenges generated by a variety of developments unfolding in the structure of the international society. This Dictionary acquaints legal and other professionals, students, and interested general readers with the basic tenets of public international law, combining the features of both a brief encyclopedic dictionary and a textbook in clear, understandable language. A list of acronyms and abbreviations; a glossary of Latin phrases; a chronology that offers a historical perspective by listing major developments relating to international law throughout the centuries; a table of cases with references to entries; and a list of the 373 entries precede the main text. The survey of international law is organized into nine chapters. Chapter I contains the usual introductory topics found in international law textbooks: the nature of this law, its sources, the relationship between international and national ("municipal") law, and some other general problems. Chapters II-VIII deal with matters coming within the scope of the "law of peace," organized according to the framework consisting of: states, individuals, spatial context, and interaction. Chapter IX, whose subject unfortunately becomes ever more relevant, describes the rules governing the conduct of warfare, that is, international humanitarian law. Numerous cross-references in bold lead the reader to appropriate entries, and the abundant references to primary sources, mostly treaties and court cases, enable the reader to locate the materials needed for research. The selective bibliography includes books, research aids, textbooks, and casebooks, as well as recent books on special international law topics. This Dictionary is a useful addition to both public and academic libraries, including, in particular, libraries of law schools. The format of the book allows it to be used as a reference guide for legal professionals, scholars inter

The United States has long adhered to the rules regarding the treatment of prisoners as set forth by the Geneva Convention. Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, however, special prisons, such as Guantanomo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and other prisons located around the world that are referred to as dark sites were opened for the confinement and interrogation of suspected enemy combatants. Media outlets and books have partially exposed occurrences of various degrees of torture taking place in these facilities. These reports have generated a vigorous debate in the U.S. and the United Nations about the legality and morality of such treatments. This book presents recent analyses of these developments.

"The International Committee of the Red Cross' release of its 2020 Commentary on the 1949 Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, which updated the existing 1960 "Pictet Commentary," drew global attention to the international humanitarian law governing prisoners of war POWs. This book contributes to the dialogue with a collection of capita selecta identified by the contributors as meriting examination. Part I examines qualification for POW status from two angles. Four contributions deal with types and domains of warfare - proxy, fluid, maritime, and space. The remaining three take on issues regarding the status of detainees set forth in Article 4 of the Third Geneva Convention, specifically combatants, civilians accompanying the force, and members of a levée en masse. Part II discusses the treatment to which POWs are entitled. Topics range from a broad survey of key issues regarding POW treatment in contemporary conflicts to narrow topics that have created confusion or proven challenging in practice. The book concludes with Part III's consideration of the historical relevance of, and perspectives on, the international law governing POWs"--

International law and armed conflict exist in a symbiotic relationship. In some cases, law shapes conflict proactively by imposing normative limits in advance of the appearance of proscribed conduct. Much more commonly, armed conflict either reveals lacunae in the law or demonstrates how law designed for yesterday's wars falls short when applied to contemporary conflict. When that happens, international law reacts by allowing provisions to fall into desuetude, embracing new interpretations of existing prescriptions, or generating new norms through practice or codification. In the 21st Century, both international security and armed conflict are the subject of arguably unprecedented sea changes. As a result, claims that both the" jus ad bellum" and "jus in bello" are unwieldy and ill-fitting in the context of modern hostilities have surfaced prominently. Whether one agrees with such dire assessments, what has become clear is that armed conflict is increasingly exposing faultlines in the law governing the resort to force. The intent of this collection of essays in honour of Professor Yoram Dinstein on the occasion of his 70th birthday is to explore such faultlines, first by identifying them and then by assessing their consequences. In a sense, then, the essays, contributed by the top minds in the field, will serve to assist academics and practitioners to anticipate pressure on the law governing armed conflict and, to the extent possible, react accordingly. Paralleling Professor Dinstein's classic works - "War, Aggression, and Self-Defence and The Conduct of Hostilities Under the Law of International Armed Conflict "? the book addresses both "ius ad bellum" and "ius in bello" topics.

Non-international armed conflicts now far outnumber international ones, but the protection afforded by international law to combatants and civilian is not always clear. This book will set out the legal rules and state practice applicable to internal armed conflicts, drawing on armed conflicts from the US civil war to present day.

International law separates international from non-international conflicts. This book discusses how this categorisation operates, identifying the legal questions raised. Case studies show how this impacts on issues like detention in armed conflict and the relationship between human rights and humanitarian law.

The Law of Armed Conflict provides a complete operational scenario and introduction to the operational organization of United States forces. The focus remains on United States law perspective, balanced with exposure to areas where the interpretation of its allied forces diverge. Jus ad bellum and jus in bello issues are addressed at length. The casebook comes to students with stunning authority. All of the authors are active or retired United States Army officers with more than 140 years of collective military operational experience among them. Several have experience in both legal and operational assignments as well. They deliver a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the law of armed conflict, explaining the difference between law and policy in regulation of military operations.

In this study, Heike Niebergall-Lackner discusses the classical military offence of desertion from the standpoint of international law. Taking account of the three factual situations that might arise following a desertion in international armed conflicts - capture by the home country, capture or crossing over to the enemy party, and seeking refuge in a country not involved in the conflict – the examination offers a comprehensive overview of the treatment and the protection afforded to deserters under international human rights law, international humanitarian law and refugee law. The examination is conducted against the background of the duties of soldiers under modern international law and shows that, depending on the legality of the conflict, desertion might represent the legitimate decision of the individual to act in accordance with these duties.