Berkley Center

Does just war theory have something to say about efforts to mitigate the humanitarian threats posed by explosive remnants of war (ERW) as well as illicit military-style small arms and light weapons (SA/LW)? The answer is 'yes', and the affirmative is important because it provides a shared lexicon for humanitarians and militaries - who are often working in close proximity in post-conflict and insecure situations - to work toward shared goals of order and security. More specifically, just war theory informs our views of weapons in or out of the hands of legitimate authorities, about the ethics of how war is conducted (discrimination), and about the post-conflict order.