AN APPRAISAL OF THE LAWS OF WAR

Abstract

This research is an appraisal of the Laws of War, also known as International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The appraisal of the Laws of War has become necessary in view of the state of armament in some parts of the world. The wars between Russia/Ukraine (since 2022), the wars between the State of Isreal against Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis; all Iranian stooges, following the massacre and abduction of Israelis on October 7, 2023, and the Israeli/Iranian twelve days war in the month of June, 2025. In the foregoing wars, projectiles, explosive drones, war planes, sophisticated guns, and various brands of air defence systems were deployed. Apart from the deployment of weapons, the world didn’t contemplate, when the first Geneva Convention on the amelioration of conditions of the wounded in battle field was held, what follows the use of these weapons has been deaths, mass miseries, displacement of populations, destruction of homes, places of worship, hospitals, schools and heritage sites. The progress in the IHL is hampered by the development of nuclear weapons, first by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and the promiscuous proliferation to developing economics in violation to the Treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in disregard to the devastating consequences of these weapons. This development has put the world on the edge. Attempts by the International Crime Court (Rome Statute) to address the matters of wars against humanity have yielded poor results as the main perpetuators – world powers have continued to act with impunity. This work concludes by acknowledging the importance of IHL and its little success in wars not concerning the super powers. And wonders why the permanent members of the UNSC have continued to act with impunity.