The Law of Armed Conflict International Humanitarian Law in War

Chapter 12 explores rules of engagement. ROE are neither LOAC nor mentioned in the Geneva Conventions, but they are the important means by which commanders control use of deadly force by their subordinates. First appearing in the 1950’s US-North Korean conflict, they initially made little sense to warfighters. Their formulation is explained step-by-step in this chapter. ROE never limit the exercise of self-defense and they are not tactical in nature – never instructing combatants in how a mission should be executed. Instead, they restrict the use of force in certain circumstances, putting some targets off-limits, restricting the use of force in some locations. Junior officers seldom see the full ROE and troops never do; instead they are given greatly distilled versions, often on pocket-size cards. Before a US infantryman may fire in Afghanistan, for example, his ROE require that he observe “hostile intent,” or actually be the target of a “hostile act,” terms explained in this chapter. Other targets must be positively identified. It is understandable that infantrymen dislike ROE, but they are essential to the commander’s operational plans and helpful in the observance of LOAC.