Weapons and the Law of Armed Conflict

• First book in at least a decade focusing solely on the law governing the use of weapons
• Comprehensive and detailed examination of the rules applicable to every category of weaponry
• Clear and practical presentation of the issues, including the most controversial ones
• Extensive annotations and referencing

This book brings together the law of armed conflict governing the use of weapons into a single volume. It interprets these rules and discusses the factors influencing future developments in weapons law. After relating the historical evolution of weapons law, the book discusses the important customary principles that are the foundation of the subject, and gives a condensed account of the law that exists on the use of weapons. Thereafter, the treaties and customary rules applying to particular categories of weapon are stated and explained article by article and rule by rule in a series of chapters.

The legal review of weapons is also discussed, both from the perspective of how such reviews should be undertaken and how such a system should be established. Having stated the law as it is, the book then discusses the way in which this dynamic field of international law develops in the light of various influences. In the final chapter, the prospects for future rule change are discussed.

The focus of this book is thus more specific and detailed than that of the more general texts on the law of armed conflict. Throughout this book, a conscious effort has been made to explain the law as it applies to all states. The book offers an accessible style of writing and a clear layout that promotes ease of reference.

Readership: Academics and students in the field of the law of armed conflict; practitioners in NGOs, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, and legal officers in defence ministries and foreign ministries; those involved in the production of and trade in weapons; journalists.