The Iraq War and International Law

The decision by the US and UK governments to use military force against Iraq in 2003, and the subsequent occupation and administration of Iraq, has brought into sharp focus fundamental fault lines in international law. The decision to invade, the conduct of the war and occupation, and the mechanisms used to administer Iraq all challenge the international legal community, placing it at a crossroads. When can the use of force be justified? What are the limits of military operations? What strength does international criminal law possess in the face of such interventions? How effective is the international regime of human rights in these circumstances? How the law now responds and develops in the light of these matters will be of fundamental global importance for the 21st Century. It is an issue of considerable political and legal concern. As a topical and insightful study, The Iraq War and International Law explores this legal territory. It examines a number of issues fundamental to the future direction of international law in the war's aftermath. It adopts both practical and academic perspectives in order to scrutinize key questions and considers the possible trajectories that international law might now follow.