The Blurring of Lines Between Combatants and Civilians in Twenty-First Century Armed Conflict
Abstract
The international community established the Geneva Conventions with the intent of protecting individuals not engaged, or having ceased to participate in armed conflict. Unfortunately, armed conflicts of the twenty-first century appear very different from those of the previous century. More civilians are used in support of military operations than ever before in the history of the United States. The authors of the Geneva Conventions could never have envisioned the battlefield of the twenty-first century with its cyberspace domain, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and civilian workforce that outnumbers the armed forces. This study does not seek to portray the violation of any domestic or international law, but merely illustrate that the defining lines between combatant and civilian are not as clear as they once were, and that perhaps the line will fade away altogether if appropriate actions are not taken by the United States or the international community.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 28, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA601624
Entities
People
- Nicholas J. Sims
Organizations
- Marine Corps University