Disguising a Military Object as a Civilian Object: Prohibited Perfidy or Permissible Ruse of War?

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Main author: Heller, Jon
Format: Journal Article           
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id eprints-21560
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description A number of scholars have claimed that it is inherently perfidious to kill an enemy soldier by disguising a military object as a civilian object. This essay disagrees, noting that conventional and customary IHL deem at least five military practices that involve making a military object appear to be a civilian object permissible ruses of war, not prohibited acts of perfidy: camouflage, ambush, cover, booby-traps, and landmines. The essay thus argues that attackers are free to disguise a military object as a civilian object as long as the civilian object in question does not receive special protection under international humanitarian law.
format Journal Article
author Heller, Jon
author_facet Heller, Jon
authorStr Heller, Jon
author_letter Heller, Jon
title Disguising a Military Object as a Civilian Object: Prohibited Perfidy or Permissible Ruse of War?
publisher U.S. Naval War College
publishDate 2015
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/21560/

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