Feasible precautions during urban attacks: the ‘art’ of the practically possible

Feasible precautions during urban attacks: the ‘art’ of the practically possible

Every military operation conducted within a city is likely to affect the people living there, a reality reflected in the law of war rules that oblige the taking of precautionary measures to spare the civilian population, civilians, and civilian objects. Central to those rules is the concept of feasibility – the requirement that parties do everything that is practically possible to avoid, and in any event minimize, civilian harm. Yet the complex characteristics of cities make them the most demanding combat environment within which to implement precautionary measures. The cluttered and congested terrain might preclude the employment of a preferred means of attack, for instance, just as the unique humanitarian considerations of urban warfare might mandate military commanders to impose constraints upon the methods of attack that would be unnecessary in other theatres of combat. In this post, concluding the first installment of our urban warfare series, Major Jon Griffiths introduces the particular obligation to take precautions in attack and the corresponding complexities posed by the characteristics of urban warfare. He concludes that although the practical possibility of taking precautionary measures during attacks is situational, it is important to understand and apply the concept of feasibility in good faith, if practitioners are to preserve the delicate balance between military necessity and humanity.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(306)

“Aid must be sustainable”: communities affected by conflict share what they want from humanitarians

“Aid must be sustainable”: communities affected by conflict share what they want from humanitarians

The humanitarian landscape is being reshaped by converging trends, including the rapid adoption of new technologies in warfare, growing restrictions on how and where humanitarians can operate, impacts...

17 Syys 14min

The humanitarian case for universalizing the Convention on Cluster Munitions

The humanitarian case for universalizing the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Cluster munitions cause harm both at the moment of attack and long after fighting has ended. By scattering submunitions across wide areas, often with high failure rates, they expose civilians to immed...

3 Syys 23min

Before the fighting begins: IHL and the location of military objectives

Before the fighting begins: IHL and the location of military objectives

International humanitarian law (IHL) is primarily associated with the conduct of hostilities and the protection of people during armed conflict. Yet some of the decisions that determine civilian risk ...

27 Elo 11min

Civilian protection has a dependency-chain problem

Civilian protection has a dependency-chain problem

Civilian protection is often assessed by whether a person has been warned, evacuated, registered, sheltered or reached with relief. For many persons with disabilities, each measure depends on a wider ...

20 Elo 21min

The machines must not choose who dies: a humanitarian case for disarming AI

The machines must not choose who dies: a humanitarian case for disarming AI

As states race to develop autonomous weapons systems, the effort to agree binding international rules on machine decisions over life and death has reached a critical moment. In this post, Eberechukwu...

13 Elo 18min

Memorializing IHL violations in the age of AI: opportunities and risks for transitional justice

Memorializing IHL violations in the age of AI: opportunities and risks for transitional justice

Memorialization, one of the five pillars of transitional justice, plays a vital role in preserving the memory of international humanitarian law (IHL) violations and gross human rights violations, supp...

23 Heinä 17min

“A number that learned how not to scream”: the case for community-led metrics on protection

“A number that learned how not to scream”: the case for community-led metrics on protection

The international humanitarian system has built a sophisticated architecture for the protection of civilians, namely political resolutions, cluster coordination mechanisms, reporting frameworks, and a...

7 Heinä 15min

Amplifying Pacific voices: the region’s crucial role in advancing IHL

Amplifying Pacific voices: the region’s crucial role in advancing IHL

Pacific Island states have long demonstrated leadership in promoting peace, disarmament, and humanitarian values. From traditional customs that reflect principles contained in contemporary internation...

2 Heinä 15min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

uutiscast
vallattomat
aikalisa
politiikan-puskaradio
rss-viihde-media
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
rss-voi-venaja
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka
tervo-halme
otetaan-yhdet
rss-asiastudio
rikosmyytit
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-ulkopoditiikkaa
rss-seksicast
rss-pinnalla
the-ulkopolitist