What is a legitimate military target?

Abstract

Military objectives It is evident from media reports of recent conflicts, from the letter pages of the newspapers and even from the pronouncements of politicians, that people are not very well informed about what may legitimately be attacked in an armed conflict. In fact, the law of armed conflict is quite clear and simple: it permits attacks on military objectives; it prohibits attacks on civilian persons and civilian objects. The law also recognizes that attacks on military objectives are likely to cause incidental loss or damage to civilians or civilian property, and so requires attacks to be cancelled, suspended or replanned if it becomes apparent that the incidental loss or damage is going to be out of proportion to the military advantage expected. This is known as the rule of proportionality. Since the law limits attacks to military objectives, it is vital to know what these are. Military objectives are defined as follows: In so far as objects are concerned, military objects are limited to those objects which by their nature, location, purpose or use make an effective contribution to military action and whose total or partial destruction, capture or neutralization, in the circumstances ruling at the time, offers a definite military advantage. This definition is limited to objects so does not cover areas of land, personnel or intangible things like morale, the legitimacy of attacking which falls to be determined according to the laws and customs of war.