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Thankfully, this proves a merely (as they say) 'academic' question, at the moment, but you never know when it may come in handy.... Francis Boyle is incorrect when he states that the UK never signed 1907 Hague IV. Apart from drafting the convention, the UK signed on the date of its promulgation (18/10/1907), and subsequently ratified on 27/11/1909. But this debate is, at least as far as the UK goes, rather sterile. If I'm not mistaken, Francis Boyle's comments are part of his campaign to indict the US president (for his war crimes &c, re Sudan & Afghanistan), relying on the particular significance of Hague IV in the US Constitution (Art VI). As far as the UK goes, one could possibly argue that Hague IV has been largely (if not entirely) superceded by the Geneva Conventions and their 1977 Protocols, and - especially - the United Nations Charter (this doesn't apply vis-a-vis the US, which repeatedly reaffirms its attachment to 1907 Hague IV). There can be no doubt that under the UN Charter, an attack on Iraq would be unlawful. Resorting to conventions from 1907 is rather unnecessary when Art 2(4) of the UN Charter makes unlawful any attack upon Iraq. No Security Council Resolution in the current crisis gave powers to the UK / US to take 'all necessary measures' against Iraq for failure to comply with UNSCOM (in fact, they reaffirm the territorial integrity of Iraq), hence the unwillingness of HMG ministers to engage in any discussion about their right to bomb Iraq, and their spurious reference to rumours of liposuction machines. Good wishes, Glen. ---------------------------------------- Glen Rangwala The Graduate Attic Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Free School Lane Cambridge CB2 3RQ Tel: 44 (0)1223 334535 Fax (shared): 44 (0)1223 334550 Home tel: 44 (0)1223 462187 ---------------------------------------- -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html