Rules of Engagement and the International Law of Military Operations

Abstract

Abstract This study analyses the role and function of the rules on the use of force (rules of engagement (ROE)) for military operations in terms of the interaction between the various bodies of international and national law applicable to such operations and the actual conduct of the operations in question. It explains how ROE act as a linchpin between the law, including the academic study of the law, and the actual conduct of military operations in practice. In order to structure this analysis and explanation, the book offers a brief introduction to general concepts related to rules on the use of force (ROE and otherwise) and the process of planning military operations, followed by in-depth discussions of the application of (the law of) self-defence, international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and international and national criminal law in the context of military operations. Based on the conclusions and observations of the constituent chapters and observations from practice, this book examines the classical conceptual model of ROE and offers a refinement of that model to explain the interaction between law and ROE. As such, the book serves as a ‘bridge’ between academic theory and operational practice, as well as between the academic world and the conduct of military operations.