The Gulf War of 1980 – 1988. The Iran-Iraq War in International Legal Perspective

Abstract

This book deals with a number of the most important international legal aspects of the Gulf War of 1980-1988. To date, remarkably little attention has been paid to this war from the international legal perspective. However, the need to do so seems obvious. Many more States than the two belligerents have directly or indirectly become involved as a result, in particular, of the extensive activities of the belligerent parties which were detrimental to the shipping of non-participating States. Furthermore, even if the hostilities have finally come to an end, the international community will still have to cope with the international legal aftermath for a prolonged period of time. After all, the Gulf War of 1980-1988 has placed certain matters, which for a long time seemed to have lost their place of prominence, at the centre of interest for international lawyers, notably the law of neutrality and some areas of the law of international armed conflict, particularly the rules regarding the conduct of war.