Thread by @DavidAFrench

Quick law of war thread: The use of an otherwise-civilian building for military purposes converts it into a military target. This is a basic aspect of the law of war. The blame for the attack on the target thus rests with the entity that converted it into a military target. /1

This was a constant problem for us in Iraq—particularly the use of mosques for military purposes. Al Qaeda would use the mosques to plan ops, they’d sometimes place snipers in mosques. Sometimes they’d trigger ambushes from mosques. /2

The goal was to create a win/win. If we used restraint, they had a safe haven. If we raided the location, they’d claim we were persecuting Islam and would try to use it as a recruiting tool. In response we’d often let Iraqi troops take the lead in mosque operations. /3

This is a constant problem fighting terrorists. They violate the law of war as a deliberate tactic, HOPING to trigger exactly the kinds of media reactions we see when the IDF brings down a “civilian” structure. They’re achieving the win/win that’s the goal of the tactic. /4

If the IDF leaves the structure alone, Hamas has a military advantage. If the IDF brings the structure down, Hamas has a propaganda advantage. If reporters however report the real game, they blunt the propaganda advantage and restore the intent of the law of war, which is ... /5

to place the burden of combat on the combatants, and to remove it from civilians as much as possible. Thus the responsibility for violating the laws of war must rest with the violator only. Otherwise the system breaks down. /6

But what happens if the IDF (or U.S. military) is wrong? What if an armed force makes a mistake? If it’s a true mistake, there should be restitution (we made restitution payments in Iraq). If the violation is deliberate, there should be restitution and prosecution. /7

There are reporters who know these distinctions and don’t care, but there are many who don’t know the law of war at all. It’s important that reporters who report from combat zones be trained in these concepts (and pundits learn them before they provide analysis). /end.