Rules

Rules
: Human Rights Watch issues its rules for a war in Iraq, treating war rather like an antiseptic game:

Section I: Human Shields and Hostages

The deliberate use of civilian shields and the taking of hostages are war crimes.

Section II: Weapons of Mass Destruction

No party to a conflict in Iraq would be legally justified in using any weapon of mass destruction under any circumstances.

Section III: Urban Warfare

In the event of urban warfare, defending forces must avoid locating military objectives near populated areas, and attacking forces must provide adequate warnings and escape routes to civilians.

Section IV: Attacks on Civilian Morale

Armed attacks designed to undermine civilian morale are illegal.

Section V: Dual-Use Targets

Dual- use targets that are essential to the survival of the civilian population must not be attacked. Other dual-use targets should, insofar as possible, only be incapacitated, not destroyed.

Section VI: Targeting Decisions -Intelligence and Identification

Every effort must be made to correctly identify a target before it is attacked.

Section VII: Targeting Decisions – Discrimination and Proportionality

Only precision munitions should be used in populated areas. Cluster bombs must not be used in populated areas.

Section VIII: Conventional Weapons

Landmines and Cluster Bombs must not be used.

Section XIX: An Occupying Power