The War Lawyers

The United States, Israel, and Juridical Warfare

Craig Jones author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Oxford University Press

Published:26th Nov '20

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The War Lawyers cover

Over the last 20 years the world's most advanced militaries have invited a small number of military legal professionals into the heart of their targeting operations, spaces which had previously been exclusively for generals and commanders. These professionals, trained and hired to give legal advice on an array of military operations, have become known as war lawyers. The War Lawyers examines the laws of war interpreted and applied by military lawyers to aerial targeting operations carried out by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Israel military in Gaza. Drawing on interviews with military lawyers and others, this book explains why some lawyers became integrated in the chain of command whereby military targets are identified and attacked, whether by manned aircraft, drones and/or ground forces, and with what results. This book shows just how important law and war lawyers have become in the conduct of contemporary warfare, and how it is understood. Jones argues that circulations of law and policy between the U.S. and Israel have expanded the scope of what constitutes a legitimate military target, contending that the involvement of war lawyers in targeting operations not only constrains military violence, but also enables, legitimises, and sometimes even extends it.

His book is the most comprehensive survey of the history and role of war lawyers published to date. * Peter Burdon, Alternative Law Journal *
Jones not only takes readers through a meticulously-researched historical account of the emergence of legal experts into key positions of influence the US and Israeli militaries but also embeds them deep in the internecine workings of the 'kill chains' that facilitate the martial violence of forces. Without question, it offers a stellar contribution to the study of international law and warfare. * Tracey Blasenheim, Society and Space *
The War Lawyers offers an in-depth account of the role of legal advisors in modern military operations, and the juridification of warfare more generally, that will be of interest to many readers...The War Lawyers will have made a commendable contribution. * Aurel Sari, Journal of Conflict and Security Law *
Jones provides a fascinating treatment on what US and Israeli military lawyers (and I would venture to say other such lawyers providing similar services in other militaries in like circumstances) do when called to give advice on how the rules of engagement can be shaped to fit what is considered military necessity or in giving advice on targets, whether it is on an individual suspected of being a terrorist or infrastructure considered a war sustaining object... I highly recommend THE WAR LAWYERS. * Michael G. Karnavas, International Criminal Law Blog *
In his new book, The War Lawyers, Craig Jones challenges the conventional narrative and demonstrates how the inhumanity regularly on display in war is, in fact, often a byproduct of the law itself. * Maryam Jamshidi, University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Völkerrechtsblog *
Jones' account of the evolution of the 'kill chain' lawyer makes both fascinating and sobering reading. * Nicholas Goodman, The Law Society Gazette *
The War Lawyers is an impressive piece of work. Jones has produced a magnificent book, which is not only an absolute pleasure to read but makes an invaluable contribution to debates about military law. Although previous studies have pointed to the ways in which the law might enable rather than restrain the violence inflicted on the battlefield, nobody has been able to document this relationship in such a thorough and incisive manner. Jones provides us with a book that is not only rich with empirical detail but equips us with the theoretical tools needed to interrogate how contemporary practices of violence are legitimised despite the enormous death and destruction left in their wake. * Thomas Gregory, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Security Dialogue *

ISBN: 9780198842927

Dimensions: 25mm x 165mm x 241mm

Weight: 1g

394 pages