ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 suggested that the dynamics of asymmetric power relations of contemporary conflicts have led to them becoming increasingly unconventional in that they are irregular in nature and urban in context. In other words, the dynamics of asymmetric warfare compel weaker adversaries to adopt concealment methods of warfare whereby they operate within high-density civilian-populated areas. In this way, civilians not only ‘saturate the modern battlefield’, but this ‘battlefield’ is characterised by a high degree of irregularity in terms of civilians ‘often engaging in activities that have traditionally been performed by members of the armed forces’.2 As discussed in Chapter 1, in a civilianised operational environment, there are increased pressures for civilians to play a variety of direct and indirect roles within the internal support structure of a party to an armed conflict. Furthermore indirect and direct forms of support can in fact be considered forms of participation in an internal support structure. In turn, these forms of support may be regarded, respectively, as ‘nonlethal’ or ‘lethal’ threats, which, to a greater or lesser extent may not be considered functionally or causally distant harm occurring or likely to occur during conduct of hostilities.
