The contemporary law of armed conflict has been acclaimed as one of the most significant works on the subject to appear in recent years. The first edition was adopted as a basic text by military institutions and educational establishments throughout the world and is among the most comprehensive and readable works on the subject. This new, third edition updates the content, examining the significance of the World Court?s Opinion on the legality of the Israeli ?self-defence? wall, as well as the more important judgements of the two United Nations War Crimes Tribunals. It also examines the various problems arising from the ?war? against terrorism, the operations against the Taliban and Iraq, and the issues arising from the treatment of those captured in Afghanistan and Iraq. The book applies a practical as well as a theoretical approach, drawing on an extensive range of national and international practice. It is an indispensable reference for the armed forces and government defence organizations, as well as academics and students interested in the modern law of war.