
Contents
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
A. Introduction A. Introduction
-
B. Legal Framework B. Legal Framework
-
1. The Prohibition of the Use of Force 1. The Prohibition of the Use of Force
-
2. Exceptions to the Prohibition on the Use of Force 2. Exceptions to the Prohibition on the Use of Force
-
a. Self-Defence a. Self-Defence
-
b. Security Council Authorization b. Security Council Authorization
-
-
-
C. Recent Developments and Contemporary Challenges C. Recent Developments and Contemporary Challenges
-
1. International Terrorism and the Operations against the Islamic State 1. International Terrorism and the Operations against the Islamic State
-
a. Self-Defence against Non-State Actors? a. Self-Defence against Non-State Actors?
-
b. Force Used in Anticipation of an Attack b. Force Used in Anticipation of an Attack
-
-
2. Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Air Strikes in Syria of 2017 and 2018 2. Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Air Strikes in Syria of 2017 and 2018
-
-
D. Outlook D. Outlook
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
45 The Use of Force
Get accessElizabeth Wilmshurst CMG is Distinguished Fellow in the International Law Programme of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House.
-
Published:10 March 2021
Cite
Abstract
This chapter describes the collective security system established by the United Nations Charter and focuses on the use of force. The vision of the founders of the United Nations—‘determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war’—was to make the preservation of international peace a collective responsibility and to locate that responsibility in the United Nations and, in particular, the United Nations Security Council. States were obliged to refrain from the use of force in their international relations, and there would be no resort to armed force except ‘in the common interest’, as declared in the preamble to the Charter. However, contemporary security threats such as global terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction give rise to questions about whether the law is ‘sufficient’. The chapter then outlines the international legal framework and discusses some of the difficulties in interpreting or applying aspects of the law in the context of recent challenges to the international legal order. It considers whether this legal framework is still appropriate to deal with current security threats and whether the efficacy of the law is still recognized in the practice of States.
Sign in
Personal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
- Add your ORCID iD
Purchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing informationMonth: | Total Views: |
---|---|
October 2022 | 98 |
November 2022 | 51 |
December 2022 | 23 |
January 2023 | 40 |
February 2023 | 176 |
March 2023 | 187 |
April 2023 | 86 |
May 2023 | 67 |
June 2023 | 4 |
July 2023 | 2 |
August 2023 | 15 |
September 2023 | 5 |
October 2023 | 60 |
November 2023 | 40 |
December 2023 | 10 |
January 2024 | 50 |
February 2024 | 273 |
March 2024 | 524 |
April 2024 | 48 |
May 2024 | 72 |
June 2024 | 8 |
July 2024 | 7 |
August 2024 | 6 |
September 2024 | 33 |
October 2024 | 39 |
November 2024 | 65 |
December 2024 | 44 |
January 2025 | 49 |
February 2025 | 273 |
March 2025 | 472 |
April 2025 | 23 |
May 2025 | 1 |
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.