State responsibility — Acts and omissions of State organs and officials — Executive action — Iran-Iraq war — United States naval vessels protecting shipping in Persian Gulf — Iranian civil airliner destroyed by United States naval vessel — Action for damages — Whether United States liable for conduct of its armed forces during military conflict — Federal Tort Claims Act

Relationship of international law and municipal law — Conduct of foreign relations — Relationship between powers of United States courts, Congress and Executive — Deployment of United States naval vessels in Persian Gulf during Iran-Iraq war — Iranian civil airliner destroyed by United States naval vessel — Whether United States liable for conduct of its armed forces during military conflict — Whether raising justiciable question — Political question doctrine

War and armed conflict — War — Definition — Whether formal declaration of war necessary for armed conflict to constitute a war — The law of the United States