Laws of Wars are Critical in Creating Rationality (Essay Sample)

Laws of Wars are Critical in Creating Rationality

Laws of wars are critical in creating rationality among participants in a battle or conflict because they enforce rationality to inhibit adverse casualties during the war. Even though rogue countries can sometimes violate these laws, they serve a greater purpose in limiting mortalities from hostilities or wars than if there were no regulations or laws. It is difficult to stop wars completely, making it vital to regulating international conflicts to mitigate unwarranted death of civilians during combat operations.
The battlefield concept was critical in helping me understand the significance of limiting participants on the battlefield and the differentiation between civilians and combatants. The battlefield theory emphasizes who qualifies as a target and not one, helping create a buffer against attacking civilians during conflicts. As part of the lecture materials, the article effectively highlights the four Hague principles for determining a person who qualifies as a combatant. The "direct participation in hostilities” framework recognizes how to differentiate a civilian from a combatant. The participants in every conflict often look for opportunities and tactics to overwhelm their opponents, albeit by applying unorthodox techniques like using human shields. Civilian victimization by terrorists or non-state actors involves capturing civilians and using them as human shields against offensive attacks (Sullivan & Johannes 2209).