"Kill v. Capture"

Through a combination of interrelated yet multifarious factors, the “kill v. capture” debate has developed into one of the hottest topics related to the operationalization of IHL. These factors include the exponential development and usage of non-lethal weapons, the intensified effort of NGOs and IGOs to interpret IHL through the prism of human rights law (HRL), and the global media’s fascination with the casualties of asymmetric conflict. This was a featured topic at NBOL’s 2013 workshop – The Operationalization of the Law: Enhancing the Symmetry between IHL and Military Operational Art - hosted at the ICT’s 13^th World Summit on Counter-Terrorism. 

Highlighted are two opposing quotes from Mr. Anton Camen of the ICRC delegation in Israel and the Occupied Territories and Lt. Col. (GS) Chris de Cock of the Legal Dept., Belgian Armed Forces. 

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'Operational' Law

This special entry, our first post ever, does not follow the standard formatting of IHLToday.com. Instead, this excellent single entry from Prof. Geoffrey S. Corn provides a critical overview of the increasing significance of international humanitarian law (IHL) and its operationalization, highlighting both its advantages and disadvantages. His ringing endorsement of our initiative underscores how we expect to contribute to the advancement of IHL. Please use our comment section and share your valuable thoughts below.

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