Chapter 6 Flashcards
The Department of Defense defines it as, “that part of international law that regulates the conduct of armed hostilities”. (6.2.)
the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)
The Law of Armed Conflict arises from (6.2.)
civilized nations’ humanitarian desire to lessen the effects of conflicts
The Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) arises from civilized nations’ humanitarian desire to lessen the effects of conflicts. The LOAC (6.2.)
-protects combatants and noncombatants from unnecessary suffering-safeguards the basic rights of all civilians, prisoners of war, the wounded, and the sick-tries to keep conflicts from degenerating into savagery and brutality, thereby helping to restore peace
DoDD 2311.01E, DoD Law of War Program, requires each military department to (6.3.)
-design a program that ensures Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) observance and prevents and reports LOAC violations-trains all forces in the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)-completes a legal review of new weapons
Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) training is a treaty obligation of the United States under the provisions of (6.3.)
the 1949 Geneva Conventions
Article VI of the U.S. Constitution states that treaty obligations of the United States are the “supreme law of the land” and the U.S. Supreme Court has held that U.S. international legal obligations is part of U.S. law. This means that treaties and international agreements with the United States enjoy ______ status to laws passed by Congress and signed by the President. (6.4.)
equal
Who is legally required to observe the United States’ Law of Armed Conflict obligations? (6.4.)
-military personnel-all persons subject to U.S. law-civilians and contractors authorized to accompany the armed forces in combat
All persons subject to U.S. law must observe the United States’ Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) obligations. Those who violate LOAC are sometimes held criminally liable for war crimes and court-martialed under the (6.4.)
Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
Which of these is NOT one of the five important principles of the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)? (6.5.)
law
Five important Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) principles govern armed conflict: military necessity, distinction, proportionality, humanity, and chivalry. Which principle permits the application of only that degree of regulated force required for the partial or complete submission of the enemy with the least expenditure of life, time, and physical resources? (6.5.1.1.)
military necessity
Five important principles govern the Law of Armed Conflict: military necessity, distinction, proportionality, humanity, and chivalry. Which principle imposes a requirement to distinguish or discriminate between military objectives and civilian objects? (6.5.2.)
distinction
Under the Law of Armed Conflict, civilian objects protected from attack include (6.5.2.1.1.)
-places of worship -schools and hospitals-dwellings
Under the Law of Armed Conflict, civilian objects such as places of worship, schools, hospitals, and dwellings are protected from attack. But these objects may lose their protected status if (6.5.2.1.2.)
they are used to make an effective contribution to military action
Which of the five principles of the Law of Armed Conflict requires that “Those who plan military operations must take into consideration the extent of civilian destruction and probable casualties that will result and seek to avoid or minimize such casualties and destruction to the extent consistent with the necessities of the military situation.” (6.5.3.1.)
proportionality
The LOAC principle of proportionality requires that “Those who plan military operations must take into consideration the extent of civilian destruction and probable casualties that will result and seek to avoid or minimize such casualties and destruction to the extent consistent with the necessities of the military situation.” This concept applies to (6.5.3.2.)
civilian casualties and property destruction
Also referred to as the principle of unnecessary suffering, this LOAC principle prohibits the employment of any kind or degree of force not necessary for the purposes of war, i.e., for the partial or complete submission of the enemy with the least possible expenditure of life, time, and physical resources. Example: the use of poison or hollow-point bullets. (6.5.4.)
humanity
Five principles govern the Law of Armed Conflict: military necessity, distinction, proportionality, humanity, and chivalry. Which principle demands a certain amount of fairness, mutual respect, and trust between opposing forces? (6.5.5.)
chivalry
This principle of the Law of Armed Conflict demands a certain amount of fairness, mutual respect, and trust between opposing forces. An example of this is the use of a white flag, or flag of truce. Its display is predicated upon good faith and its misuse constitutes a war crime. (6.5.5.1.)
chivalry
Some of the most important Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) rules come from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The Geneva Conventions consist of four separate international treaties that govern the treatment of wounded and sick forces, POWs, and civilians during war or armed conflict. These treaties (6.6.)
-protect combatants and noncombatants from unnecessary suffering-protect the wounded, sick, shipwrecked, and POWs during hostilities-protect civilians and private property
The Geneva Conventions distinguish between combatants, noncombatants, and civilians. In general, any person who engages in violent acts on behalf of a state party to an armed conflict is (6.6.1.1.1.)
a combatant
The Geneva Conventions distinguish between combatants, noncombatants, and civilians. A combatant (6.6.1.1.1.)
-carries arms openly-conducts combat operations according to the Law of Armed Conflict-wears fixed distinctive emblems recognizable at a distance, such as uniforms
The Geneva Conventions distinguish between combatants, noncombatants, and civilians. Which of these is immune from prosecution for their belligerent acts as long as they have acted in accordance with the laws of war? (6.6.1.1.1.)
a combatant
The Geneva Conventions distinguish between combatants, noncombatants, and civilians. Which of these are protected persons and include certain military personnel who are members of the Armed Forces not authorized to engage in combatant activities, such as permanent medical personnel and chaplains? (6.6.1.1.2.)
noncombatants
In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, ___________ are protected persons and may not be made the object of direct attack but may, however, suffer injury or death incident to a direct attack on a military objective without it violating LOAC. (6.6.1.1.3.)
civilians