Military Rules of Engagement and the Laws of War - 2344 Words

Military Rules of Engagement (ROE) and the Laws of War A civilized society cannot function without rules, laws, and codes of proper conduct. This statement may seem out of place in the context of warfighting; however, this is one place where it is most necessary. The fighters, who often act at the behest of their home nation, must have a code of conduct which allows them to make the correct decision in a given situation in a combat zone. Rules of Engagement fill this gap for the national militaries of the civilized world and serve as a soldier’s code of conduct in the field. Similar to Rules of Engagement (ROE) are the Laws of War . The Laws of War were established as an international agreement. This agreement attempted to curtail the destruction caused by global conflicts such as the two world wars fought during the twentieth century. The laws of war fall under the Geneva conventions as well. Each of set of rules can be used as a foundation to create rules of engagement for a particular mission. It is also important to align rules of engagement with the uniform code of military justice. This code, referred to as the UCMJ, is used as legal framework for the United States Military. Definition Rules of Engagement for the military, as defined by Encyclopedia Britannica, are: Military directives meant to describe the circumstances under which ground, naval, and air forces will enter into and continue combat with opposing forces. Formally, rules of engagement refer to theShow MoreRelatedThe Law Enforcement Operations Model1619 Words   |  7 Pagesargue that a law enforcement operations model should be applied rather than the law of armed conflict because of the nature of the operations that are involved. 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