Non-International Armed Conflict in the Twenty-First Century

NOTE: NO FURTHER DISCOUNT FOR THIS PRINT PRODUCT-- OVERSTOCK SALE -- Significantly reduced lsit price International Law Studies, Volume 88. Edited by Kenneth Watkin and Andrew J. Norris. Contains papers from the conference: "Non-International Armed Conflict in the 21st Century" hosted by the Naval War College on June 21-23, 2011. Examines the legal issues surrounding non-international armed conflict (NIAC) in the modern era.The historic International Law Studies ("Blue Book") series was initiated bythe Naval War College in 1901 to publish essays, treatises and articles thatcontribute to the broader understanding of international law. This, the eighty-eighth (88th)volume of the "Blue Book" series, is a compilation of scholarly papers andremarks derived from the proceedings of a conference hosted at the Naval WarCollege on June 21-23, 2011 entitled "Non-International Armed Conflict in the21st Century."The purpose of the June 2011 International Law Conference was to examinethe legal issues surrounding non-international armed conflict (NIAC) in themodern era. To this end, renowned international academics and legal advisers, both military and civilian, representing military, diplomatic, non-governmentaland academic institutions from the global community, were invited to the WarCollege to analyze a variety of legal topics related to NIAC.Non-international armed conflict is of a fundamentally different nature. Inmost cases, States are facing organized groups of lawbreakers from whom reciprocitycannot be expected. Therefore, there is often little incentive for States to limittheir scope of action by agreeing to legal norms with which only they will abide.Moreover, as the conflict is "internal," the risk of spread is limited, while the involvementof other States is a matter of their discretion.However, the context in which non-international armed conflict occurs is undergoingtransformation. Transnational terrorism has become a globally pervasivephenomenon, one that the international community seems increasingly willing toclassify as non-international, at least to the extent it rises to the level of "armedconflict" as a matter of law. Further, as illustrated by the conflicts in the Balkans, Afghanistan and the Great Lakes region of Africa, the likelihood of spillover intoneighboring countries is very real, especially when a conflict is ethnically or religiouslybased or when adjacent territory is poorly governed. And the rise of criminalgroups with capabilities equaling those of government forces, as in Colombiaand Mexico, raises the question of whether the hostilities they engage in qualify asarmed conflict.The International Law Department of the Naval War College, long noted forexploring new legal challenges in its annual conferences, accordingly decided thata closer examination of the law governing non-international armed conflict wasopportune. Held in June 201 1, the resulting conference brought together many ofthe key legal practitioners and scholars in the field to consider both the state of thelaw and where it might be headed. Certain of the participants were invited toexpand on their presentations in this volume, the eighty-eighth in the Naval WarCollege's International Law Studies ("Blue Books") series. It delves into such complicatedtopics as the scope of non-international armed conflict, the legal status of actors, specific limitations on methods and means of warfare, detention and enforcement.The volume also offers several firsthand descriptions of particularnon-international armed conflicts. Hopefully, the various contributions will assistthose tasked with providing legal advice during future non-international armedconflicts, as well as make a measurable contribution to the scholarship on thesubject. Appreciation is owed to many who made the conference and this volume of the"Blue Books" possible. Other relaated products: Global Legal Challenges: Command of the Commons, Strategic Communications and Natural Disasters --Print Hardcover format is available here: https: //bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/008-046-00244-4Perspectivas Sobre Estrategia Maritima: Ensayos de las Amricas, la Nueva Estrategia Martima de EE UU y Comentario Sobre Una Estrategia Cooperativa Para el Poder Naval en el Siglo XXI is available here: https: //bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/008-046-00251-7Naval War College Illustrated History and Guide is available here: https: //bookstore.gpo.gov/products/sku/008-046-00265-7"