Law Commons^™

Striking A Sensible Balance On The Legality Of Defensive First Strikes, David A. Sadoff

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article seeks to develop a clear and sensible legal standard governing defensive first strikes writ large in inter-state conflicts. Imprecise or improperly gauged legal parameters can contribute to an increased risk of hostilities, whether due to abuse, error, or even reasoned calculation. The implications of such conduct for states and their populations alike can be enormous. Although many proposals posit constructive guideposts for such a standard, they tend to be either abstract in structure or limited in material application. This Article sets forth a legal standard that aims to be simultaneously systematic in approach, comprehensive in scope, and functional …