Every day, we are exposed to evidence of hundreds of war crimes: residential buildings bombed and burning in Ukraine, merciless shootings in Gaza despite a so-called ceasefire, civilians beaten and starved by armies in Sudan and a mounting number of aid workers and journalists murdered by soldiers. The evidence proves guilt beyond reasonable doubt, but we know there will be few, if any, prosecutions.
In this powerful book, distinguished human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson exposes the 'fraud' that is international humanitarian law. Drawing on his experience as a UN war crimes judge, he considers some of the most pressing legal issues of our time, including torture, nuclear weapons, drone warfare and the fallacy of 'anticipatory self-defence'. In the face of such threats, and with an impotent Security Council neutered by the world's most powerful aggressors, modern democracies are increasingly vulnerable to conflict and invasion.
Most importantly in an age of amoral warlords like Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump, the book warns that we are losing sight of Nuremberg's legacy: that there can be no peace without justice. This authoritative and deeply humane work is both a rallying defence of moral law and a resounding condemnation of those who defy it.